Although the occasional cipher has been thrust into the highest levels of the Washington political scene in the past (see, for example, Dan Quayle) it seems that the process of driving substance out of the picture has accelerated since John McCain’s inexplicable choice of Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Now that President Obama’s choice for the Supreme Court has been revealed to be Elena Kagan, whose primary accomplishment to date has been to leave no record, instead of the clearly superior and substantial candidate Diane Wood, it seems that substance is in retreat in a way never seen before.

It was not Ben Nelson who killed the nomination of Dawn Johnsen, nor was it Arlen Specter or Senate Republicans. No, the sole reason Dawn Johnsen is not leading the OLC is that Barack Obama and his coterie of advisors did not want Dawn Johnsen leading the OLC.

When people accused Barack Obama of appeasing America’s enemies, I had no idea they were talking about Republicans.

There was never any question but that the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to be head of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel would be withdrawn. Now we have confirmation of that fact.

Meanwhile the Justice Department still has nobody at OLC, as hundreds of opinions requiring expert advice pile up.

Congratulations to Craig Becker, who has finally gotten his recess appointment to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. As well as 14 other people who were similarly recess appointed today.

Not on that list?

Surely her floor vote must only be a few months away now!

It took five attempts – the committee seemed to always run out of time, or lose a quorum – but today the Senate finally approved the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel.

Under pressure from Joe Sestak, Arlen Specter is backing Dawn Johnsen, my friend Brian Beutler reports. My own little reporting piece of this: Richard Lugar is not reversing his position in favor on Johnsen, so she’s got 60 votes in the Senate. So Harry Reid just needs to call the vote and she’s in.

Classes start this week for Dawn Johnsen at IU’s Maurer School of Law, and also for John Yoo at Boalt Hall in Berkeley. But before classes start for either of them, Yoo is sitting down tomorrow night with John Stewart to chat about his new book.

That should make the first class session on Tuesday quite something at both schools.