Senator Sam Brownback is leading the opposition to Hill’s nomination. Brownback feels that Hill misled him during congressional testimony last year about pressing North Korea on human rights, never a popular issue among State Department-types. For raising this, Brownback was ridiculed in a popular e-newsletter circulated among Washington’s Asia wonks: “He at least did not directly accuse Hill of building Auschwitz,” hisses an anonymous Senate staffer. Gimme a break. As if North Korea’s gulags are a non-issue. Brownback’s objections seem to fundamentally lie with Chris Hill’s tendency to play fast and loose with Congress. I can relate.