The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy, has announced that he will stand vote against Michael Mukasey on the issue of torture. “No American should need a classified briefing to determine whether waterboarding is torture,” he said. Bravo. But where are Schumer, Feinstein, and Feingold on such a fundamental question of human rights. Schumer has been leaving hints that he would like to vote for Mukasey, saying that Bush will never nominate someone who is willing to agree with Democrats on torture. It is a pretty bizarre approach to voting. If Bush refused to send a nominee who recognize race discrimination, would Schumer just vote for the best of the racist lot. Why is torture different?