His apology seems an effort to portray himself as sleepwalking "if" he said it. Then, that he was simply reporting on what someone else said (allegedly, since it was off camera)

The truth is, it tumbled comfortably out of his mouth without any obvious bad taste to it. So I'm guessing it's a regular part of his vocabulary, which makes him a liar and a hypocrite. The only reason his wife will be made is that she wants the checks to keep coming in.

Where was his outrage over obscenities uttered by Dick Cheney on the floor of the senate? And by McCain, apparently anywhere and everywhere?

Fuck him. I find it useful, sometimes, as a singularly appropriate and readily understandable, though nuanced, term.

that imbalanced sense of "associations". It only works on one lever. Bumped into someone inappropriate twenty years ago in a crowd ....bad Democrat, stuck with the stench of guilt by association.

In bed with a thieving policy-purchasing lobbies...poor Republican, wrong place wrong time...and really, didn't sleep with him anyway. It was a holographic liberal media, left-wing setup.

I continue to be awed by your depth of research, involvement and knowledge. And your writing blows me away. Really.

However, I find the notion that issues regarding same sex unions and rights have to come, of course, after economic issues to be a little light on the relevance scale.

THERE ARE TWO WARS ON, even though people seem to have become innoculated now to the horrors that our citizens in uniform are being exposed to everyday.

My son is headed to Afghanistan. I've had both sons serve three tours in Iraq. I've been lucky. They've come home, and intact. Everyday, someone's kid is still blown up or shot overseas, or subjected to unspeakable fear and deprivation which damages the psyche, if not the body.

I understand that we need to do something about the economy, it's a crisis.

Our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is still a crisis for our fighting forces and their families. (not to mention innocent citizens in those countries.) Please tell me you just simply forgot that momentarily -- and haven't dropped it off the short list-- and that you're not placing the needless deaths of our military men and women after the spousal benefits of gay couples. (which I'm for...it just doesn't strike me as being on the same level of urgency as people dying.)

But then, I'm one who still has blood in the game.

short of his family, of course (or maybe not)...and perhaps Mitch McConnell

who ISN"T sick to death of Lieberman?

Republicans go for the throat in broad daylight. Democrats want to hold hands and work things out.

Thankfully we (millions of us) are so pissed that it didn't work this time. That's how Kerry lost the election, wussing around in a gentlemanly way while he was being Swift-boated into oblivion.

I say, no more. If Harry Reid can't do the job, I'm with those posters who suggest Hillary would put on the gloves (although even there I'm a little afraid of an overabundance of concilation) Better yet, let Rahm Emanuel offer to sit in and give Reid constructive advice on how to kick the bony little senator's ass out of the Democratic Caucus.

I am shocked to find myself in this state of mind, but that's what 2000, 2004, and 2008 will do to you. Take off the blinders Democrats, and put the gloves on. The wolves are already convening their own caucus. Someone needs to be out there watching Obama's back while he gets the time and space to set things right. And having one of them in your own camp isn't prudent or reasonable.

Wake up Harry.

No.

He played the game, high-stakes style, and the American people called his bluff. Now Harry Reid should have the integrity to toss him out of the game. For us.

He can't sit at our table anymore.

And I have to laugh at the poker metaphor, but I can't imagine what the hell else he was thinking. Jerk.

You are absolutely right. As long as the right (and too much of the left) continue to believe that Clinton's "sins" are serious transgressions against us all, rather than personal bad judgement, the chickens will not come home to roost for Bush and Cheney.

It's time this country was able to separate personal or extreme religious views from the measure of national relevance. A perceived crime against their own moral "values" is not the same as a crime against the laws of the United States.

In Arkansas, they have passed a ban on unmarried people fostering or adopting children. The children don't matter. The enforcement of one group's misplaced moral outrage does, apparently.

That's the barometer of choice for way too many Americans. People like Dowd should not be reinforcing it.

a Rahm Emanuel fan...

but given the description in this post of his passion and ferocity...I am glad to see that Obama is hitting the ground running, and giving the impression that he will surround himself with fighters and strong players. He can't afford bland complaisance on his staff.

Go Mr. President-elect!!

Sponsored by MoveOn...Doubletree Hotel, Philadelphia.

As Gov.Ed Rendell said..."Philadelphia Freedom". Reaffirmed. Big night. I plan to worry little and drink lots (but not after sufficient time to drive sober) among passionate, hardworking, relieved, like-minded high-fiving, tearfully hugging people.

After which, I will go home, crawl into my bed and get the first decent night's sleep I have had in two years.