All joking aside, at least Al Franken is informed on issues, can let someone else speak, has a sense of humor about himself and doesn't have a shrill voice. Matthews brings none of that and one has to ask -- who the heck would vote for him? 50% of Western PA won't win him the election.

There's an ickiness to this whole thing that people with common sense feel. It's the commodification of hiring a womb, the hiring woman's weirdness and lack of perceptive and the casual dispatch that money buys.

And yet, how blue blooded can the child of a Polish Jew be? Yeah, I'm asking because that's part of the commodity deal, right? Or was that part overlooked in the transaction?

People like this are reviled for a reason -- money and class really mean nothing if you can't afford a little dignity to fellow humans.

That's what my uncle always says. He was referring to the weather and generally corrupt government. His story, as a young military man home, a Chicago cop pulled him over for speeding and wanted a bribe. My uncle didn't have money with him, so the cop followed him home so he could get some!

Any way, Gov Blogo obviously is not very bright if delusional. His problem was going along with business as usual and saying (in plain vulgarity) what any politician think (without saying) about horse trading and getting a return favor. Of course that's his own fault.

As for Fitzgerald, he might be a GOP but he really saved everyone involved a lot of pain, the people of Illinois, Barack Obama and anyone appointed. As of now Blogo and his henchmen go down, some potential appointees might get some egg on the face but that's it. Imagine if this broke AFTER the appointment, with Obama in office, like in March of '09.

Indeed, the best and the brightest.

Steven Chu is impossibly qualified and wants to make a difference...and has the chops to back it up. Incredible!

Man, Barack Obama keeps hitting home run appointments that are such a stark contrast to 8 years of complete and utter boob-itude from the Bush Admin, you can't help to think at least we have a chance now.

Bring it on!

P.S. Regarding the controversial UC and BP partnership, well if the DOE fully funded alt energy research, instead of making researchers seek public-private hook-ups, there wouldn't be any questions.

Com'n Salon, show a little self-respect here. We know you need the clicks and letters but shaving the beav?

What next? Klean-x or socks for guys whacking off? Hemroids -- cream or ointment?

NY is a high profile state, one of the big 3, the lynch pin of the East Coast and the state with the Big Apple. Given the chance to appoint a senator, who do you pick in this context?

A well-deserving, qualified, political lifer who has grinded up the ladder or the daughter of an icon, well-qualified as constitutional attorney and someone who might equal NY's star?

Which one would be a better choice for NY, the Democrats and the country?

It seems obvious to me -- Caroline Kennedy.

She might be the best choice to fulfill the potential of the Camelot's kids and an alley to Barack Obama. Her appointment is certainly worth the risk of 2 years. If she rises to the occasion, NY, the Dems and country are better off. If she fails, there's an election awaiting.

Blago is the idiot of the month, that's for sure. However the wholly unselfconscious lack of irony was brought to its greatest heights under the Bush admin. It's not just the mess but also Cheney shooting his pal in the face and W ducking shoes.

One can only hope Blago goes away quickly.

There I said it, quit whining...and I'm a progressive.

Yeah Warren is a class A douche bag but it's a freaking prayer for god fucking sake. Yeah your feelings are hurt but you're getting caught in symbolism.

Save your ire for policy and the kick down of Prop 8. Stop feeding the god damn right wing media monster. And quit being babies. Buck up, shut up and punch, don't whine. Let douche bag Warren say his prayer. Be nice, smile and then take out back and stomp his butt.

Whining only sullies the moral position of being right on this issue.

Leave Giada alone! Where else can you see cheesecake make food porn with a real estate porn back drop? That's a 3-way if you're counting. I love it when she chops salami...although yes, her man hands scare me!

Ina Garten with a her Betty Page hair and normal chick body fetish, with the ultra-explicit "heavy cream" shots and the same real estate porn back drop is another 3-way but tres kinky! She needs a whip!

Mario -- dude does the exotic locale and food porn double double...triple triple if you include the model chick. If he invited the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons along, he could do the super rare, narcissist, gay bear, triple triple double double.

I'm so confused...why can't they just cook?

Thank you Doc Parikh for throwing cold water on the assertion bad economic times can be good for your health. The concept of freakonomics is often sexy in an ironic and contrary way but sometimes it's plain old blowing smoking, a parlor trick or a simple fallacy.

In reality if the US had universal coverage like the rest of the industrialized world, many of the pitfalls of modern US healthcare would be flattened out and this discussion would be mute.

The "good v. bad" argument only gets wind due the nature of US healthcare and that's a shame.