Sunday Morning Follies

On Fox News Sunday, Charles Krauthammer claimed that the Jack Abramoff scandal won't affect the midterm elections, saying that "the voters think they're all crooks...Republican and Democrat." In other words, the voters will think they're all crooks because I, Lord Krauthammer, will do everything in my power not to disabuse them of that notion.

Then there was Bill Kristol with the "is it any surprise that this comes out of Indian gambling and the ridiculous laws bringing it into existence" statement. Shorter Bill Kristol: Indians have had it far too good for far too long.

Schumer was good on the Abramoff "bipartisan fig leaf" issue today on MTP. Russert asked pointedly about Harry Reid, adn Schumer said 'Harry Reid didn't take any money,' to which Pumpkinhead sputtered... "b-b-but tribal clients," which Schumer smacked down by noting the difference between taking a contribution and getting something specific for that contribution in return.

But Howard Dean got it exactly right on Wolf Blitzer. Here's the video. Bink gives a paraphrase/transcript:

Wolf: "But didn't Democrats also ...?"

Dean: "No."

Wolf: "But isn't this ...?"

Dean: "No. There is absolutely no evidence that any Democrats took money from Jack Abramoff. We have gone through all of the FEC records to make sure that this was so."

Wolf: "Okay, but didn't Democrats take money from organizations controlled by Abramoff and can't it be said that this money came indirectly from him?"

Dean: "No. There is absolutely no evidence that that happaned. This is a Republican scandal only."

Wolf (now panic-stricken and becoming flustered): "But what about Senator Byron Dorgan?"

Dean: "Sen. Dorgan took money from a couple of Indian tribes. Are you really trying to say that Indian tribes are agents of Jack Abramoff?"

Wolf (Long, fifteen-second pause. There is a look on his face of total surprise and bewilderment. He doesn't know what to do or so. Finally, he appears to be listening to a voice in his earpiece.): "Okay, unfortunately, we have to let you go now ..."

Dean nods and winks at the camera.