Meanwhile, the Bushies' sense of theater failed them yesterday. Yesterday's announcement that the Supreme Court will consider a challenge to a New Hampshire parental-notification law was almost certainly storyboarded on Karl Rove's laptop, down to the precise camera angles for the photo of William Rehnquist leaving a doctor's appointment. On the eve of the filibuster showdown, this was meant to gin up outrage at the possibility that evil, satanic Democrats might block a godly replacement for Rehnquist and leave an eight-member court when this abortion case is taken up next fall.

Then, of course, the moderate senators cut a filibuster deal, driving the stunt off the front pages and rendering it meaningless in the short term.

Ah, but Rove is also thinking long term. I think he thinks this case can work to the GOP's advantage however it's decided. Worst-case, if this law is overturned by the Court -- either because the Democrats filibuster a Rehnquist replacement or for some other reason -- the decision is going to open right-wing wallets all over the country, just in time for the 2006 campaign. When GOP candidates talk about "judicial tyranny" in 2006, this is what they'll talk about; in an off-year election, that's got a good chance of upping the turnout on the right-wing side.

Am I irresponsible for saying, with no proof, that this is a Rove operation? Maybe, but I think the mainstream press is irresponsible for not even addressing the question of whether that's the case -- whether the highest court in the land defers at times to White House political operatives.