By Steve Barrett

OK, so you live in a state with a U.S. senator who isn’t sure whether he’ll vote to confirm a controversial nominee to a top spot in the Justice Department. The nominee, Dawn Johnsen, thinks opposing abortion is like supporting slavery.

As the Senate wrestles with the issue, you receive an automated phone call from actress Kathleen Turner urging you to support the nomination and, presumably, to call your senator with sentiments to that effect.

Stop laughing. That’s actually happening. People for the American Way (a misnamed group if there ever was one) started sending out the canned phone calls this week to eight states, including Tennessee, in hopes of rescuing the radical Ms. Johnsen’s nomination.

Yes, gentle reader, I too am trying to imagine how many Tennesseans a) are so unfortunate as to know that Kathleen Turner exists; or b) would be motivated by a recording from her to pick up the phone and give Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander an earful. (“Well, I planned to stay on the sidelines on this issue, but since Kathleen Turner is encouraging me to do otherwise, I will. It’s a good thing we folks in Tennessee have celebrities to tell us what to do.”)

Steve Barrett can be reached at sbarrett@timesfreepress.com.