Ramesh Ponnuru points out a puff piece in the WaPo about Tom Daschle, with the reporter crying in his beer about the loss to the nation of this noble statesman.

But he also points out this strange rewriting (or miswriting) of history:

…Daschle and Lott believed that conservative House Republicans had gone too far by impeaching the president for essentially lying about his affair in a civil proceeding, and they worked successfully behind the scenes to avert a conviction.

Ramesh notes that there was never a chance of a conviction, but I think that’s wrong. The real point is that the reporter fails to point out how Daschle conspired with Lott–they worked behind the scenes to make sure that there was no real trial. They allowed no witnesses, with only videotaped testimony of key players. If all of the evidence that the House members had seen (resulting in the impeachment vote) had been shown to the public, it’s actually quite unlikely that Clinton would have remained from office.

In addition, Clinton wasn’t just accused of “essentially lying about his affair in a civil proceeding.” There was witness tampering and witness intimidation as well. These are serious federal felonies–the stuff of mafiosi, regardless of the subject matter.

Ignorant Europeans are unhappy about the results of the election.

Especially inclined to have an unfavorable opinion of Bush in those countries were people between ages 18 and 24.

Well, there’s an informed and thoughtful demographic.

The polls suggest an increasing lack of understanding about Americans in Europe, rather than a surge of anti-Americanism, said Corman, who studies public opinion trends in Europe.

Yup. You don’t even have to look very hard to see it here in my comments section.

Apparently the therapy isn’t working too well for PEST sufferers in my new home town. But maybe we just have to give it enough time.

Remember this idiot, who was unable to recognize satire? Well, he’s resigned from the San Diego Union-Tribune as a columnist after they refused to run a column of his that they thought readers might find offensive (“bugmenot”,”bugmenot” will get you past the registration).

Good riddance.

The post title is an exact quote from Kathryn Jean Lopez, over at The Corner. I concur. That was also my response to learn that “Underperformin’ Norman” Mineta will remain Secretary of Transportation.

I wish we’d had better choices last month.

[Update at 2:30 PM EST]

Michelle Malkin isn’t happy either, and she has a lot of quotes to illustrate why.

You know, if we really think that the blogosphere has any power, this ought to be the next view through the crosshairs.

There’s a story over at The Hill that there were some Swift Boat ads that Fox refused to run during the campaign, because they were “too negative.” Amusingly, CNN had no problem with them. Of course, they’re probably much more desperate for ad revenue over there these days…

But the part of the story that broke my irony meter was the very last bit:

Kerry adviser Mike McCurry, however, characterized the Swift boat campaign as neither fun nor moving, calling it the

I shall savor the sight of federal Marshals dragging Mary Frances Berry, kicking and clawing at the carpet, off the premises of the Civil Rights Commission.

“…We expect this to get ugly real fast, but we don’t care. She has served her term. We will thank her, and she will be expected to leave. Now.”

And if she doesn’t?

“That is one reason why they have U.S. Marshals,” says the source. “And we have been told that if we need to use them, we can. We will not allow this woman to hold this Administration hostage.”

The Republicans will be able to sell videos of it for fundraisers for years.

…still in charge of the Federal Air Marshall Service?

Thomas Quinn, director of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), paid a surprise visit to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thanksgiving to thank the law-enforcement officials for their holiday work. He reportedly was angered when nearly 30 marshals deplaned and only one was dressed satisfactorily.

In response, supervisors are being assigned to airports nationwide to inspect the air cops before and after flights to make sure business suits or sports coats are being worn, according to numerous memos issued last week and obtained by The Washington Times.

I wish we’d had a better choice last month.

Over at Kevin Drum’s place (Kevin’s post is worth a read, too–I may respond to it later if I get time):

Totalitarianism is right here, right up in each of our faces every minute of every day. It is the Republican Party, and not a moment’s thought or effort can be diverted from fighting it until it has been destroyed without trace. This will take three generations, and will leave the country with one third the population and one ten-thousandth the economy that it has today.

Then the country must be rebuilt. That will take a further six generations.

THEN, perhaps, we may once more indulge in the [very great and irresponsible] luxury of wondering what is going on elsewhere in the world. But not before.

Hmmm…well, you know what Stalin said about omelettes and eggs.

Peggy Noonan has a gracious, balanced and I suspect correct ode to Dan Rather and his career.

People are complicated, careers are complicated, motives are complicated. Dan Rather did some great work on stories that demanded physical courage. He loved the news, and often made it look like the most noble of enterprises. He had guts and fortitude. Those stories he covered that touched on politics were unfortunately and consistently marred by liberal political bias, and in this he was like too many in his profession. But this is changing. The old hegemony has given way. The old dominance is over. Good thing. Great thing. Onward