In a reasonable, working, healthy society, Ford’s allegations would have gone through regular order. Statements would have been taken from majority and minority staff to present to the committee that would have chosen how to move forward in a bipartisan way. Democrats rejected this. Instead, they wanted this show, this circus. I don’t like the actual circus, and I like this one even less.

Today I took a break from punditry and, like most Americans do, I worked a hard day and helped someone get something done. The majority of Americans, like the guys I work with, don’t spend all day dissecting Senate hearings while coming up with sarcastic comments that can go viral about them. They work and expect, or at least used to, that they can read the news and get some reasonable facsimile of what actually happened.

More than that, they vote and hope that the people they elect are serious, fact-minded people who do not allow emotion to rule the day. At least they used to. Yesterday’s hearing was a farce. Yes, I say that without having watched it. After I got home, I went to my local Greek food place and the owner, who keeps the news on all day, said, “Dave, did you watch Jerry Springer Congress today?” That about sums it up.