Today's Solution for Bush "Callousness" on Katrina? Appoint Moderate "or Even Minority" to Supreme Court

Yom Kippur is still a month off, but for the Today show and Tim Russert, the Day of Atonement has already arrived for President Bush.

And just how might W make amends for his perceived "callousness" on Katrina? Why, by appointing a moderate "or even a minority" to the Supreme Court.

Matt Lauer interviewed Russert this morning beneath the on-screen legend "Bush on the Hot Seat."

Lauer mused that when it came to W's handling of Katrina, this could be a case of "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

Replied Russert: "there was a perception created of incompetence, some even said callousness and he needs to replace it with compassion."

Just where that perception of "callousness" was created, other than in the fever swamps of the left, Russert never told us.

But not to worry, Tim has a cure for callousness. Of course he didn't offer it as his own. No, it comes from Republican "moderates," whoever they are, who supposedly are clamoring that:

"In light of what happened in New Orleans we have to have a more moderate, perhaps even a minority face, on the Supreme Court."

But darn, wouldn't you know it, Russert informed us that those "hard-line conservatives" are saying "no, no." Just as an aside, I wonder when's the last time Russert ever spoke of "hard-line liberals"?

Anyhow, who are these "moderate" Republicans? Lincoln Chaffee and his chauffeur? Russert didn't tell us.

Consider also the racial stereotyping implicit in Russert's remark that W should contemplate appointing a "more moderate, perhaps even a minority face" to the Supreme Court.

Does a president appoint a 'face' or a person? But beyond that, Russert's clear implication was that a "minority face" would be even more moderate than a moderate.

Hey Tim, meet Clarence Thomas.

Finkelstein has degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Law
School.He lives in Ithaca, NY where he hosts "Right Angle," a local
political talk show. Finkelstein specializes in exposing liberal bias
at NBC's Today Show.