SENSENBRENNER'S HOMEROOM

Just before Ari Fleischer announced his resignation, a frustrated reporter, expressing dissatisfaction with Fleischer's rigidities and stonewalling, told him that "this is not homeroom, Ari" or something like that.

I keep waiting for one of the members on the House Judiciary Committee to tell Sensenbrenner the same thing. He's trying to run a tight ship, but he really just looks like he's trying to shield Ashcroft, stifle the Democrats, and follow some rigid idea of what a committee hearing should look like. Perhaps Reps are beginning to enjoy lording it over Dems in committees. I don't want to be unfair to Mr. Sensenbrenner, of course. But the Reps keep lofting softballs in Ashcroft's direction, and Dems keep wanting to press him, but Sensenbrenner has set it up so that, individually, they can't follow up on anything.