There is a stick of dynamite hidden in the text of George W. Bush's latest speech on education. He would allow parents or grandparents to put up to $5,000 per year in education savings accounts, from which they could withdraw money, tax-free, to pay "for tuition payments, or books, or tutoring, or transportation — whatever students need most." If enacted, this proposal would be an epochal advance for school choice but, since it applies to public-school expenses, has wider appeal than most school-choice proposals. In the rest of Bush's speech, he made it clear that his administration would regard decentralization and high standards as complementary goals. States would be required to test students regularly, for example, but the choice of test would be up to them. The results for each school would be publicized, giving information to the participants in a blooming marketplace. Having criticized Bush's last education speech, let us give credit where due: With these latest remarks, Bush has been more daring and imaginative than anyone in Congress.

For the first time, the Clinton administration lost a floor vote over a judicial nomination. In a 54-45 vote, Missouri supreme court justice Ronnie White was rejected as a federal district court judge. The vote was a victory for conservative Missouri senator John Ashcroft, as well as for law enforcement groups and pro-lifers troubled by White's record of liberal activism from the bench. Their opposition eventually swayed Orrin Hatch and Arlen Specter, who had voted for White in the Judiciary Committee but voted against him on the floor.

Vermont Democrat Pat Leahy played the race card after the vote, saying that he hoped there would never be "a color test for nominations" - a reference to the fact that White is black, which many of the senators apparently actually did not know. Chuck Schumer was reduced to complaining about the haste with which the nomination was brought to the floor. (Normally Democrats complain about the "unconscionable delays" caused by conservative obstruction; indeed, they made that complaint about the White nomination, which was made 27 months ago.) If Republicans are worried about Leahy's demagogy, meanwhile, there is a simple solution: They should oppose all of Clinton's nominees, regardless of race or sex.

Loyal readers will remember NR's baseball predictions last April. Turns out they were pretty darn good, naming six of the eight teams now in post-season play. We were wrong about the American League wild card (selecting Baltimore instead of Boston) and the National League West (choosing Los Angeles instead of Arizona).

Ultimately, however, our reputation will rest on what happens next. Here's what we wrote in April: "Cleveland will beat Atlanta in a seven-game World Series thriller. Look for a home run by third baseman Travis Fryman in Game 7."

Place your bets.

Updated By:
Ramesh Ponnuru - Senior Editor
John J. Miller - National Political Reporter
Kate Dwyer - Editorial Associate