Lisa Murkowski, who today conceded defeat in her re-election race in Alaska's Republican primary, has been a senator long enough that most people outside the state have forgotten what a disgrace it was that she ever became one. It happened when Sen. Frank Murkowski resigned the seat after 22 years to become governor -- and then appointed his daughter.

His excuse was that he wanted "someone who shares my basic philosophy, my values." And in all of Alaska, the only person he could find was someone who also shares his DNA.

It was the first time ever that a governor had appointed his own child to the Senate, and it was not popular. Despite her built-in advantages, she narrowly won a full term in 2004, despite Republican President George W. Bush's 61 percent victory in Alaska. So unhappy were Alaskans that they approved a ballot measure stripping the governor of the power to fill Senate vacancies.

That was a clue to other states of the danger of letting a single person appoint new senators. But Illinois, among others, didn't listen. As a result, Rod Blagojevich got to play possibly illegal games with the vacancy left by Barack Obama, and the state got Roland Burris, who has been a waste of oxygen. In a recent poll of Capitol Hill staffers, he was rated "most clueless."

Neither Alaskans nor Illinoisans deserved these appointees. But soon, both he and Murkowski will get what they deserve -- removal from an office neither should have occupied.