that I admire more for their understanding of issues and consistent non-partisan, ethical, and strictly reasoned point of view. America has gone so far off the rails that people like you two have the herculean task of having to help people reach a simple level of understanding of reality because issues are so often purposefully inappropriately framed in our society. Doesn't matter whether they are legal, cultural, governmental, historical, or moral, you two have it wired. You two do it better than almost anybody on the toobz. Thank you.

a smooth transition until someone "qualified, competent," and thoroughly "vetted" by the oh so powerful "left wing bloggers" (tongue planted firmly in cheek wishing they had that much power because they're usually right) is one thing. Keeping Gates and Hayden on one second longer than necessary is incredibly suspect in my humble opinion. Don't they have lucrative right wing think tank fellowships or lobbying positions waiting for them?

And what the F is going on over at Daily Kos? Somehow holding our own up to scrutiny is now verboten because . . . wha wha wha why exactly? The kool kidz must be losing their minds. Push constantly for transparency and accountability because doing anything less is an abrogation of our role as citizens. I think Don Obama can take the heat and the DK crowd should know better. I've personally had enough of simply allowing the grubby little hands of the know nothing ideologically tainted "qualified and competent" beltway establishment manipulate the levers of power in this country. Is this how it should be with Don O's Supreme court picks?

Why is it that the supposed "left" in this country never gets any credit for being right on most of the big issues in this country? Shouldn't the labels be changed to the "reality based pragmatic and correct left" vs the "deluded and almost always catastrophically wrong about everything under the sun center and far right?" Seriously did you see the smack down Kristol was getting for this morning's deluded little missive? Sweet karmic justice for dumbest hacks in "journalism" is all I have to say.

As far as I'm concerned compromise is great when your compromising with equally reality based alternatives. Compromising on whether or not there are unicorns, underwear gnomes, and the tooth fairy is a whole other kettle of fish.

Gates has a long and distinguished career in this country as a scumbag void of morality and Hayden should be jettisoned for the exact same reasons Brennen was--those who condone or enable torture have no business running the show in any civilized nation much less "teh great and powerful exceptionally craptacular US of A." Assuming of course we really do want to repair our reputation in the eyes of the world. If not, move along nothing here to see, because the new bosses will be the same as the old bosses.

If I was going to start comparing GG to famous athletes he'd have to be considered the Tiger Woods of truth, reason, and factual clarity. He's hitting so many 400 + yard drives and 80 foot screamers that eventually people are going to have to sit up and take notice.

I picked up the earlier satire. Only people of E-man and Shooter's ilk could actually pen Amity's schtick and believe it. I thought it was classic. Almost as classic as "never gamble with a Sicilian when death is on the line, uh ha ha ha ha ack #* ack uhhhhh."