Senate Confirms Cass Sunstein

Despite Glenn Beck’s best attempt to dig up dirt on Cass Sunstein, the Harvard Law professor won Senate confirmation Thursday to be President Obama’s director of regulatory affairs. Sunstein, who is known for blending behavioral economics with politics, drew dissent from both the left and the right wings: Environmentalists worried that Sunstein’s cost-benefit approaches would hurt their field, whereas Jon Kyl (R-AZ) accused Sunstein of supporting preferential treatment for young people and wanting to give animals lawyers. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) threw his support behind Sunstein, calling him “fair and not anti-business,” and his moderate voice won the day: Sunstein’s confirmation vote was 57 to 40.