Specter v. S.P.E.C.T.R.E.

The Specter hearings into the illegal NSA wiretaps begin, and, so far despite Specter's tough talk on Sunday, they've been pretty much a sideshow. For one, as they did with Big Oil, the GOP ensured by a 10-8 party-line vote that Gonzales didn't have to testify under oath. For another, Gonzales has been falling back on the ridiculous Article 2 defense and saying little of import as of yet. Still, at least Republicans like Specter and Lindsey Graham are joining Feingold and others in calling out the administration's dubious rationale for the Imperial Presidency, so perhaps these hearings may be of some service yet. Update: As the NYT points out, we've been here before. Update 2: Dahlia Lithwick is not amused.