About Damn Time

Justice delayed. Photo by Jim Watson. Pool/AP

We're just gonna leave this photo here of two smart, tough, accomplished women - one of color, and the first and second in line of succession to the U.S. presidency - on the House dais before Joe Biden's first prime-time speech to a joint session of Congress, which opened for the only time since the reign of George Washington with the mellifluous if woefully belated phrase, "Madam Speaker, Madam Vice-President." The media termed the presence of Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi, two powerful women - so close yet so far - in the machinery of American government such as it is, "historic." But we prefer Harris' depiction when asked the significance. "Normal," she said.