A short clip but a useful one, and not just because of the egregious double standard in the media’s sudden willingness to take a candidate’s command of policy on faith. I’ve been trying to figure out why Caroline’s appointment bugs me so much when, say, Beau Biden’s inevitable victory in Delaware two years from now doesn’t. It’s not the fact that she’s being named to the seat instead of having to campaign (although that certainly makes it worse); it’s that her credibility, such as it is, depends to a greater extent than any other nepotist’s on vacant assurances from famous/powerful people that she’s good enough for them and so, implicitly, should be good enough for us. Andrea Mitchell thinks she’s swell, Uncle Ted thinks she’s swell, The One thinks she’s swell, and I bet an awful lot of lefty socialites whose surnames would sound familiar think so too. It’s not that we’re being asked to accept Caroline because she’s an aristocrat, in other words, so much as we’re being asked to accept her because other aristocrats insist she’s qualified. No other Senator, with the possible exception of Teddy himself, would be so purely a creation of privilege.

The clip is almost redeemed by Harold Ford basically arguing that Congress is filled with morons, in which case what’s one more? Exit thought experiment: Speaking of egregious media double standards, try this one out with John McCain in the role of president-elect. Click the image to watch.