UPDATE: Michael Mukasey was confirmed by the U.S. Senate 53-40 late Thursday night.

The politician and his shadow issued a joint press release yesterday telling Montanans they would vote against Michael Mukasey to be the next U.S. Attorney General. Of course, their press release made the news here in Big Sky Country.

It’s becoming more and more evident that Montana only has 1.5 senators representing us in Washington, D.C. instead of the two we are authorized. It’s becoming more and more evident that Baucus and Tester don’t have a clue about the military – but that’s a story for another day.

Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester have problems with Mukasey’s answers about waterboarding. Yes, waterboarding. They did not mention skateboarding, but I can’t believe Tester or Baucus approve of it, either.

During his “interrogation” in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mukasey declined to say if he considered waterboarding a form of torture. He said he did not know the details of how waterboarding was conducted. He also said that if a law was passed to ban waterboarding, he would enforce it.

That’s good enough for me, Senator Charles Schumer (Democrat) and Senator Diane Feinstein (Democrat) plus nine Republicans on the Judiciary Committee.

So if Congress does not like waterboarding, then they need to pass a law making it illegal. It’s that simple, and Senator Ted Kennedy has done just that, introducing S. 1943, “a bill to establish uniform standards for interrogation techniques applicable to individuals under the custody or physical control of the United States Government.”

I don’t see Tester and Baucus listed as co-sponsors, yet.

But should the United States develop a list of techniques we use during interrogation and publish them? Jack Bauer must be ticked off. He needs to head to Washington.

Schumer recommended Michael Mukasey to the White House. Schumer said that Mukasey will put the rule of law first. Schumer is the real democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, and he understands that Mukasey may be the best he and his fellow democrats can get.

If Mukasey is not confirmed as Attorney General, Bush could do a recess appointment. I recommend Jack Bauer.