Politics, much like Denise Richards, is complicated

1) SnopesObama.com: The Obama campaign announced its new rumor mill debunking operation by proclaiming: "The Obama campaign isn't going to let dishonest smears spread across the Internet unanswered." Bravo! And thanks. Where would American politics be without the "honest smear?"

2) What's wrong with these people? First Fox's E.D. Hill suggests that the Obama fist bump could be "a terrorist fist jab" and now they've referred to Michelle Obama on screen as "Obama's baby mama." Just what is it with that network? Do you think they just have problems relating to folks from Chicago? Is that it? God forbid they're trying to be hip like the kids. Next thing you know Bill O will be saying that he got jiggy with it. And we all know he did.

3) That a way to turn out the vote: Sen. John Ensign, Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has set a new high in lowballing expectations, telling reporters this week that if the GOP only loses three Senate seats in November, it "would be a terrific night for us. I don't want to slip below the four-seat loss." Hey John, is it true you're going to host a special screening of "Paths of Glory" before the big election night party?

4) Happy Father's Day, Dad! In the bizarro world that is the race to succeed Staten Island's Vito Fosella, GOP candidate Frank Powers is facing his son Fran Powers, who's running as the Libertarian candidate. Dad, a retired Wall Street exec, told the press that he had tried to help Fran "live a healthy lifestyle." His remarks were accompanied by a comment from a GOP source who referenced Fran's "carefree" music business career. In response, Fran, a product of Frank's first marriage, countered, "I'm not out here doing heroin. I have a regular life. Do I have a beer? Yes. I'm having one now." Fran is in the Staten Island band, Box of Crayons. [Staten Island Advance 6-5-08] Gabba, Gabba, Hey! Have you registered to vote yet?

5) The hubbub over the supposed Clinton Enemies List: Duh! People who write and talk about politics for a living expressing surprise that two professional politicians remember who was with them and who wasn't? That's news? Does the phrase "ABC Common Traitor" ring a bell? The only people who can't understand this have never worked around other people before. Whether it's CNN or a Kinko's. Or Dunder Mifflin.

6) Political Humor Awards '08: Mark Penn's NYT Op-ed piece [6-8-08] on "What Went Wrong" with the Clinton campaign. That was great. Really. A knee slapper. I mean, could anyone get through that with a straight face? I mean, "we needed a different kind of operation to win caucuses and to retain support of superdelegates." That's gold, Jerry! Gold!

7) Madam, I believe your pants are on fire. Too bad LBJ isn't around to deal with the "new breed" of Internet political blogger/reporter/citizen journalist/folks with too much time on their hands and no visible source of income-types who prey on the unsuspecting and then express such surprise that they've managed to make national news. Case in point, this week's Howard Kurtz [WP 6-9-08] profile of Mayhill Fowler, who got Bill C. to call Todd Purdum a "scumbag." Says Fowler, "I have no journalistic training. I just discovered that I'm impelled to get out there and get the truth of the matter." Aw shucks, you didn't have time to identify yourself. How lucky for you.

8) Old School still applies: Speaking of LBJ, USA Today's Susan Page references the man in her piece this week on how to choose a Veep [6-12-08]. Johnson, speaking on the phone to Sargent Shriver in 1964: "I think a man (who) runs for vice president is a very foolish man. [The] man who runs away from it is very wise. I wished I'd run farther away from it than I did...And don't you ever be a candidate and don't let anybody else be a candidate, and tell them anybody that runs for it never gets it." Yo, Mitt!

9) Your own worst enemy is sitting right there on the Straight Talk Express: Come now, "not important????!!!!" Obviously the McCain campaign is in for a very long five months. Time to turn the conversations back around to William Jennings Bryan, I'd say.

10) R.I.P. Tim Russert. American politics has lost a source of insight, historical perspective, and darn good questions. We're all a bit dumber for the loss.