Poor Barbara Boxer. Margaret Carlson thinks she's a victim, and is outraged that some of the criticisms of Boxer's simple-minded, over-the-top interrogation of Condoleezza Rice included comments about Boxer's appearance and comportment. Carlson's outraged by the unflattering portrayal of Boxer on "Saturday Night Live," and admires her for having a "backbone."

Surely Margaret Carlson stood in sisterly feminist solidarity with Katherine Harris -- who was pilloried mercilessly merely for having the integrity to enforce the election laws of Florida as they were written -- when even a Washington Post reporter made fun of her looks. And no doubt Carlson went to the mattresses in defense of Linda Tripp -- who was reporting information about possible felonies by the President -- when she was portrayed by John Goodman on "Saturday Night Live."

Or maybe not.

For my part, I don't think it achieves anything to make fun of the appearance of a female political figure (Are we really going to answer Boxer's ridiculous claims of "Rice is a liar" with "Well, you're ugly!"?). When it was done to Harris and Tripp, it only demonstrated how malleable the oft-touted left-wing principle of "sensitivity" really is. And above all, it marks the absence of any ability to actually score points against the person in question on the facts or the issues, where it actually matters.

We don't need to make fun of Boxer's looks. There's plenty of food for amusement -- and grounds for criticism -- just in the hyperemotional, whiny nonsense that emanates from Boxer's too-often-open mouth. Even so, I'll admit that I'm dying to catch the "Saturday Night Live" sketch that mocks her.