Foggy Bottom Here She Comes

(f/t US Dept. of State)

White House Moving Day

Ready To Teach Him The Secret Handshake?

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A Very Presidential Photo Op

Bill and Hill Talk Tomorrow

Solid As Barack

Character? Let The Other Guys Worry About That

Yeah, "character counts" - unless you're a Republican like Gov. Sarah "Abuse of Power" Palin. Then it's okay to do something wrong.

I can hear Republicans now: "But there are Democrats who've done this too." That's right, although as my grandmother used to say, "Two wrongs don't make one right." Others will say, "Oh, it's a partisan witch hunt." Well, there were Alaskan Republicans involved in getting this matter investigated too, so maybe you should call it a "bipartisan witch hunt." Of course, if Hillary Clinton had been a governor and done this, I bet "witch hunt" is NOT the description they would have used.

Not that Democrats have never been hypocrites (our party leadership will support the unnecessary, costly Iraq war too until it becomes unpopular and then pretend it has been standing up to George W. Bush on the matter). But the Republicans have been culture war-leading hypocrites about such "character" matters for years (it's bad for Bill Clinton to attempt covering up an extra-marital affair while President but okay for Newt Gingrich to do so while Speaker of the House).

The bottom line is that if a Democrat had done this Fox News and every wingnut blogger from Charleston to Fairbanks would've been calling for that Democrat's head. Watch as they again rationalize and defend Gov. Mooseburger's actions because she's one of their own.

Plenty of Punches ... But No Knockout

I'm sure partisans on both sides will be spinning like mad to say their man won tonight's Presidential Debate. I covered the October 11, 1992 debate in St. Louis between Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot. I was fortunate enough to be seated in the audience and not the media area for that traditional-style debate so I've seen these at close range and on TV. One thing is certain given the record of such encounters over the years - knockout punches are well-remembered but rare.

Tonight both Barack Obama and John McCain landed some punches, but neither delivered a knockout blow. Given Obama's recent momentum courtesy of the economic crisis a draw would seem to favor him. But I've never thought these debates settled the issue of who would win as much as they reinforced already-held beliefs. Still, as some long-time political hacks have pointed out, you may not win because of debates but they sure can help you lose.

UPDATE: A snap-poll gives Obama a slight edge, but still points to a pretty even split among the 411 undecideds polled by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.

Joe and Bill Set the Record Straight

Hillary and Old Yeller?