One of Kathryn’s “negatives” hoots at me calling Harriet Miers a mediocrity, implying that I am a mediocrity myself.

This is very likely true. However, it doesn’t spoil my point. You can be mediocre, yet still be able to distinguish between mediocrity and excellence. As an opera singer, I rate well below, well below,

mediocre: but I none the less recognize and enjoy good singing.

This, in fact, is what leadership is all about. The mediocre person

thinks: “I’m all at sea here. However, Joe seems to have a clear idea what to do, and the things he says make sense. I’ll follow where he leads.”

There’s nothing wrong with mediocrity, and there’s nothing the least bit wrong with Harriet Miers. To suggest that one mediocrity can’t have an opinion about the mediocrity of another mediocrity, though, makes no sense. Are mediocrities allowed to have opinions about the excellence of excellent people? If not, why are we — oops, they — allowed to vote?