The nine Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted against Judge Leslie Southwick for a post on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals made all the usual accusations against him.

He was sexist, racist, anti-feminist, a reactionary, although, surprisingly, the word “fascist” wasn’t used. It was one of the few times the political left has managed to control at least some of its foaming-at-the-mouth tendencies.

Yet, Judge Southwick’s opponents could not even convince The Washington Post of his unfitness. Although The Post is not exactly a hotbed of rightwing  reactionaries,  it endorsed Judge Southwick in a recent editorial.

“We cannot find fault with Southwick’s narrow but ultimately legitimate interpretation of the law in those cases, and we do not find in his record the anti-gay, anti-worker caricature his opponents have drawn,” the editorial stated.

Yes, but “legitimate interpretation of the law” is what extremists don’t like. They want the law interpreted according to their own leftist ideology.

 In this case, it’s clear who the extremists are.

Understanding that, the Senate should quickly confirm Judge Southwick, who is a much finer and more courageous man than his opponents could ever hope to be.