In one sense, it’s a good thing when the Democratic Party demonstrates to the nation how radicalized and out of touch they have become—but in another sense, it’s depressing, because our political system needs two functioning, sane parties to work well, and one of them is clearly off the rails: Senate Emerges From Closed Session on Iraq.

WASHINGTON - In a day of political drama, Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session Tuesday, questioning intelligence that President Bush used in the run-up to the war in Iraq and accusing Republicans of ignoring the issue.

“They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why,” Democratic leader Harry Reid said.

The afternoon halt in Senate business let Democrats steer the spotlight to the war in Iraq, an issue on which the president is doing badly in public opinion polls.