I'm not sure if Limbaugh's persona is just an act for the microphone or if he really is naturally that loathsome. Either way, nobody who's ever heard his show should be surprised that he would make vile personal attacks on people who don't share his ideology. He has made a fortune out of pandering to the small-mindedness and meanness of his listeners. That there's high demand for this sort of garbage says something about the sickness of our society.

And Democrats are moving in. It's a smart political move and may even be a sign of a political realignment.

From the media spectacle over Kerry's unfortunate gaffe, you'd have thought he lit a baby on fire and ate it. Not only does it show how desperate the Republicans are to pounce on a dumb remark by a guy who isn't even running (while conveniently ignoring the vile things their own candidates have said and done), it shows how syncophantic the media still is towards the Right. So much for the so-called liberal media -- but anyone with two firing neurons to rub together knew that already.

Haggard was profiled by Jeff Sharlet last year in Harper's magazine (http://www.harpers.org/SoldiersOfChrist.html). One of the New Life church members interviewed for the article, Commander Tom Parker, had this to say about his "Pastor Ted." Parker was on disability due to health problems and spent his time volunteering for a Christian scouting organization and reading the Bible and Lord of the Rings.

“I think Pastor Ted is Gandalf,” said Commander Tom. Tom had received a few mini-visions, just glimpses really, and in them he saw a pastor kneeling, praying, in spiritual battle.

“Who's the Balrog?” I asked, referring to a demon that nearly kills Gandalf, the Lord of the Rings's heroic wizard. I expected Commander Tom to reply with the usual enemies, “the culture” and the homosexuals and the humanists. But the Balrog, he said, is inside Pastor Ted, and inside every Christian. Before the church can condemn the world, it must cleanse itself, thought Tom; he believed that American evangelicals were filthy with pride.

His insight is prescient. Haggard's fall was brought on by the conflict between his bisexuality and his pride and love of power. All his denial and fiery religious rhetoric did not conquer his "Balrog." It just drove his demon underground, where it was strengthened in the darkness. Haggard thought he could keep it all -- the political influence, the authority, the money, the acclaim -- if he could conceal his terrible secret. But you can't defeat your Balrog by hiding it and denying its existence. You need to acknowledge it and bring it out into the light of day, where you can deal with it honestly and with humility. This is a terribly difficult thing for anyone to do, let alone a man whose position might be ruined by acknowledging his feelings for other men. But wouldn't it have been better to give these things up voluntarily and on his own terms rather than being driven out in shame and disgrace? Or better yet, use his experience to promote the Christian virtues of mercy and forgiveness to his flock?

Going back to Tolkien for a minute, Commander Tom got the wrong wizard. Haggard is more like Saruman, who started out as a noble and honorable being but fell to his pride and lust for power. And as for the Bible, Haggard would have done well to consider this verse from the Gospel of Mark: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

Standing in a wrestling ring, Santorum proclaims his legislative and bipartisanship successes while professional wrestlers tossing each other around (presumably "wrestling with the issues"). In the background is a cheering studio crowd waving Santorum signs.

Although I loathe Santorum, I liked this ad. It was clever and entertaining, especially when the crowd gasps when he admits to working on legislation with Hillary Clinton.

"I tell you Rick, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you are a conservative."

Or is the LW just thinking about offering to do it?

The surrogacy question could be purely in the realm of the hypothetical. It may very well be a symbolic gesture of love and support between the two sisters that, in the end, neither will act upon.

However, it's clear that the very thought of it is disturbing the LW's husband. I would advise the LW not to make this kind of offer -- even symbolically -- unless her husband is comfortable with it.

The LW has other options besides surrogacy for helping her sister have a child. For instance, she could offer to pay for some of their adoption or IVF expenses and accompany her sister on fertility clinic or adoption visits.

Too bad "Uncle Rummy" didn't resign days ago, when it might have done his party some good.

Rookie Montana state cops make $4.50/hr less than county sheriffs, not $4.50/hr total. It sounds like the law is more about parity than pandering, meant to retain officers who otherwise would leave the state police force. But that doesn't mean that the governor of Montana is blind to its political implications.

Buying the political support of public servants like police and fire fighters with wage and benefit hikes is a time-honored tradition. But it mostly seems to play out in local elections -- e.g., an incumbent mayor negotiates sweetheart contract deals with city unions, which then support him in the next election. The Montana senate election could be close enough that it might work at the state level, though.