Movin' to Montana soon. Gonna be a dental floss tycoon. Election Update -- Claire McCaskill projected now to beat Jim Talent in Missouri. Thank you Missourians! Assuming Webb's lead holds up, it's on Montana now. If Tester wins tonight, Democrats will get control of the Senate. This is very important, especially since Justice Stevens is 84. I know that Stevens will stay on the Court, if healthy, until a Democrat can be elected President in '08. In the meantime, Democratic control of the Senate can be a firewall against Republicans adding another right-wing ideologue to the Supreme Court. Those of us who understand just how important the Supreme Court can be, have tried to make the case during the last several elections that this should be the biggest concern in the election.

The President has the power to appoint, but the Senate's power of advice and consent is pretty meaningful when the Senate is controlled by the opposite party. Clinton chose two justices that were recommended to him by the Republican Orrin Hatch. If Democrats had been in control of the Senate last year, we would not have a Justice Alito or Chief Justice Roberts. The next President will likely have to choose replacements for Stevens and Ginsburg -- if not more. In choosing the next President, we need to be mindful that a Republican President would be able to shape the Court for a generation, at least. A Democratic President could restore the delicate balance that existed during Justice O'Connor's tenure. If you can think of no other reason for voting for the Democrat -- if the Party's '08 nominee turns out to be another boob like Kerry -- vote for the Democrat, anyway. The make-up of the Supreme Court will be that important.