As pointed out in earlier posts, state Senator Hendren was obviously yearning for that mythical Mayberry of the Andy Griffith show, not for the real Andy himself -- but thanks to YOU for pointing out that the real Andy quite publicly stated HIS preference in the last election. I sure don't remember hearing a peep from him in any previous election, so it's pretty significant he felt deeply enough to stake out a political position with his former TV son as he did last year!

...OF COURSE they used torture in an attempt to develop "evidence" justifying the war in Iraq they wanted to fight. OF COURSE. This conclusion is not new in almost any sense.

I disagree -- last week's column was the first one to completely "jump the shark". I do agree, though, that all the other previous columns were reasonably good attempts to defend the indefensible -- but the last two have been completely lame.

...that ultimately failed miserably.

The first question posed this: "Thirty years on, whatever intellectual elements that are left in the GOP seem to be drowned out by the likes of Limbaugh and Palin, who appear to be openly contemptuous of educated people. Senators such as James Inhofe sneer at any science that may challenge their worldview."

The second question posed this: "...But this is what we conclude from attempts to restrict the teaching of evolution in public schools, denial (and outright denigration) of climate change, and the ridicule poured on anyone with any thoughts on how to minimize the damage being done to the environment."

NEITHER questioner's point was addressed in any cogent way. Why does Salon waste space with this weekly column? It really differs very little from standard conservative GOP B.S., except for lacking the bile and personal insults that characterizes most right wing political "commentary" these days.

And, once again, could we lose the condescending "I hope that helps" line that ends each weekly column? How utterly irritating.

Larry Craig is obviously in favor of traditional marriage between a man and a woman, and also in favor of a little innocent screwing around on the side -- as long as you STAY married to a WOMAN.

You might say, he wants to have his cake and eat it too -- except I wouldn't use the word "cake".

Unlike Specter, I've never heard anyone accuse Ridge of being a "flake", no matter what kind of criticism can actually be mounted against him. He'd be a credible candidate, in any case.

...because my brain is about to explode.

Oh, wait, Inhofe has just proven you don't NEED a brain to function as a sub-human. Never mind. Guess I can get along nearly as well with or without a smoldering hole in my skull, so maybe I'll wait until later.

After all, it will be even MORE interesting to see what he and other brain-dead Republicans say after additional prominent officeholders, like Sen. Snowe, also jump ship.

Until this week's entry, Wingnut has done a passably good job putting the best face possible on conservative politics, the GOP and former Pres. Bush -- but THIS one? Hardly worth reading.

Bush and the GOP are the "victim" of ONLY THREE THINGS? Bad luck, bad planning and distortions by the media and Democrats? No policy mistakes, or other errors of any sort? Oh, please. Don't insult the intelligence of your readers, as well as a clear majority of voters, with such blather. American voters are pretty savvy most of the time.

And the vapid Miss California, whose opinion is no more or less important than that of ANY other American, hasn't "won the country" as far as I can see. What possible evidence supporting such a wild conclusion can be presented?

While I'm at it, THIS reader is more than a bit tired of the ending flourish added to every Wingnut column so far: "I hope that helps." More than a whiff of condescension rises from THOSE words.

...I say, go for it, GOP. GO FOR IT with everything still in you -- your blackened, empty hearts and pathetically shriveled souls.

All the latest public opinion polls offer the same bleak prospects for this Republican approach, which is nothing more than "same old, same old." But when you got nothing, what ELSE can you do?

"Now, that may actually be solid medical advice. But it certainly isn't the picture of calm that the administration has been working very hard to portray recently."

Solid medical advice = NOT calm? How so? When? Where?

The absolute HEIGHT of a calm approach to a situation like this would have to include "solid medical advice". To me, solid medical advice = NOT PANICKING, and not panicking = CALM.

But that's just me, I guess.

...that's about to be heaped on Specter by Limbaugh, FauxNews and all the usual right wing gasbags.

THIS will make things really interesting in D.C., especially after Al Franken is finally seated in the Senate. It will make the GOP even more irrelevant, assuming that's even possible!