Prey on people's fears and prejudices, and reinforce their preconceived notions -- however wrongheaded they are -- so they feel smart and righteous.

This has gotten frighteningly easy to do in the absence of the Fairness Doctrine. Nowadays, people can exist entirely within a media echo chamber, a cozy little cocoon of the like-minded, and never have their notions challenged by reality. Karl Rove and his clients have been among the main beneficiaries of this trend. Simply reinforce what they're already hearing all day on Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc.: That their ever-narrowing little world is constantly under attack from liberals, Muslims, welfare mothers, gays, "big government," etc. (Oh, but keep those farm subsidies, oil subsidies, natural-gas subsidies, and Social Security and Medicare checks coming in.) That they are the true victims, the unheard voices in the wilderness, regardless of how many branches of government the conservatives control. That they alone are the "real" Americans--and anyone who disagrees with them should be muzzled.

It's easy to preach to the already-coverted. Once the groundwork has been laid, it's just a question of plowing the same manure into it, over and over again.

Having said that, the Dems need to get themselves some decent manure. And if they do gain control again at some point, reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.

He can cling back.

Then do what Cary suggests--and if the landlady doesn't let you in, be very suspicious--and pour your heart out, while also suggesting a monetary reward. Appeal to her heart, if she has one, and her greed, which it seems pretty clear she has.

If this doesn't work, repeat Step 1. Cling to your husband. Be grateful for what you do have, and resolve to take better care of what is precious to you. But take even better care of WHO is precious to you.

There are quite a few words to describe saying something that offensive, and "glib" doesn't quite cut it.

I was thrilled when KenJen lost--in a game that aired on my birthday, no less!! I always found him smug and irritating beyond words, and sincerely hoped that one of his fellow contestants would smack him, hard, on the way out the door. He further endeared himself by complaining, in a widely written-about post on his blog, that Jeopardy was rife with too many categories favoring "the left-wing effete." Amazing that a guy who basically makes a living as a professional former game show contestant would knock anyone for having a narrow perspective!

For a really good book about Jeopardy, pick up "Prisoner of Trebekistan" by Bob Harris. Funny, informative, well-written, not at all smug, and no "humorous" references to wife-beating! (Hey, that last part would make a mean book-jacket blurb!)

...so what's a few more months, more or less?

And Louis Freeh?!? What, Henry Kissinger was too busy lunching with Bush and Cheney?

Of course, the last time I looked, we actually had a current Justice Department that could have looked into this matter. But I'm guessing that, having been burned by Fitzgerald--a prosecutor who actually did his job instead of curling up like a Republican lap dog--the party has decided they're better off hiring a friendly, reliable rent-a-cop.

And God knows Freeh has time on his hands: after he spent his entire tenure with the Clinton administration obsessing over the President's zipper instead of protecting the country from real threats, I'm guessing he's not exactly being bombarded with job offers in the security field.

Lamont should ask Joe Lieberman if 1) he will pledge right now to caucus with the Democrats if reelected (Joe's gone a bit squidgy on this issue recently) and 2) if he will pledge to serve his entire term, so the Republican governor cannot appoint his successor.

I still have a feeling that some back-door deal has been made, where either 1) Joe manufactures a big heapin' bowl of outrage at something some Democrat says or does, and uses that as an excuse to bolt the party (possibly using the old "I didn't leave my party, my party left me" canard); or 2) Joe leaves the Senate after getting an appointment from the Bush administration or another well-placed Republican source (they could throw Rumsfeld overboard to build up some goodwill for the 2008 elections, and put Lieberman in at the Department of Defense, or give him any other appointment that would flatter his ego and lure him from his Senate seat, or get one of their rich Pioneers to let him head up some company or "thinktank").

I'd be shocked if he firmly pledged to caucus with the Democrats and serve his whole term, and that might give some Democrats second thoughts about supporting him. I think if a lot of Dems realized they may in fact be supporting a soon-to-be Republican, or someone who would resign to make way for one, they'd back off.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper and easier just to run the five-second clip from "Animal House" where Kroger screams, "The Negroes stole our dates!"

As far as the ad's accusations that Ford took money from pornographers, why haven't the Dems attempted to shame the Repugs about the millions they've taken from large media conglomerates--which are the biggest purveyors of--and profiters from--porn in the entire country?