Senators Are Not Like You and Me

So now we know why Joe Lieberman didn't get his standing ovation this time. The Senate was saving that for seven-time convicted felon Ted Stevens, who was just denied another term by his constituents in Alaska. Matt Yglesias points out that senators don't usually put on such a display just because their colleagues lose an election. Certainly his longevity counts for something, but you have to wonder whether they'd have done the same thing if he'd simply been defeated. I wonder what makes him different from all those other losing Republicans? Surely it couldn't be his brush with the law. Surely not. I do wonder, though, if, after the Senate is finished feting him, will Stevens pick up his duffle bag and wander out of town, just like Bill Bixby used to do?

On an unrelated note--at least unrelated beyond the fact that everything seems to be falling apart around us--the Dow continued to crash, dropping another 444 points. I think I'm just going to go to be before I get even more depressed. (On the bright side, Asian markets are looking up for the time being. Will this be reflected on Wall Street on Friday?)