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Marvel Comics is kiling him off with a sniper's bullet in an issue that hits stands today.

"It's a hell of a time for him to go. We really need him now," saidco-creator Joe Simon, 93, after being informed of his brainchild'sdeath.

Series writer Ed Brubaker - who grew up reading Captain America comicswhile his father, a naval intelligence officer, was stationed onGuantanamo Bay, Cuba - said it wasn't easy to kill off the character.The 40-year-old, however, wanted to explore what the hero meant to thecountry in these polarized times.

"What I found is that all the really hard-core left-wing fans want Capto be standing out on and giving speeches on the streetcorner againstthe Bush administration, and all the really right-wing [fans] all wanthim to be over in the streets of Baghdad, punching out Saddam,"Brubaker said.

Well, "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" already bit the dust in the most recent Superman movie, as he became an "international superhero." Capt. America's star-spangled uniform and origins as a decidedly un-nuanced Nazi-fightin' machine are undoubtedly not inclusive or understanding enough, either.

By the by, what does it say about the Left that it wants even its comic book characters standing around on street corners with inane protest signs? Not to denigrate protest, which is obviously an important part of democracy and free speech, but we're talking superheros, here, and the Left wants them doing what any partially employed hippy with a Sharpie and a case of Bush Derangement Syndrome can do. Seems like a serious misalocation of national resources.

H/t Dan Riehl.

Update: Perhaps having him die a heroic death is better than Capt. America in the mold of a liberal hero? Make way for Capt. America, the "bashful poet!" Very intimidating.

Update: Someone notes in comments, rightly, that comic book characters usually die and come back, so here's hoping for a swift recovery.

Allah has it.

This story should make anyone considering whether to "pull the plug" to think twice.

Doctors call it a miracle. A Southern Colorado woman was in a vegetative state for more than six years, but now, she's talking for the first time. She spoke exclusively to 11 News.

Christa Lilly had a heart attack then a stroke. That's the last thing she remembers. It was November of 2000, when Lilly slipped into a vegetative state, which is essentially like a coma, but with the eyes open. Lilly was unconscious and unaware of her surroundings. Now, for the first time in six and a half years, she's awake, alert, and talking. "I think it's wonderful. It makes me so happy," Lilly tells us.

The last time Lilly was aware of the world around her, Bill Clinton was in office and the September 11th attacks hadn't even happened. Lilly was also surprised to find out her youngest daughter is now 12. "It's kinda exciting," Chelcy says. She’s Christa’s daughter. And she's also a grandmother of three, that's new too. "Seeing her talking," Latiana says, is the greatest gift of all. She's 6-years-old and the oldest of the grandchildren.

Stephen at the Media Blog is covering Joe Wilson and Co.'s victory lap in the media.

So important, Olby came back from vacation for it!

At Just One Minute, Tom Maguire debunks Media Matters' bad debunking of things that aren't really myths about the Libby Trial.

Update: Capt. Ed assesses the damage:

However, Cheney and his office will have to answer a lot of questions over the next few weeks, and perhaps some of those may be in Congress. The Libby conviction will present a major distraction for at least a while, and the Republicans will have to answer for it in the next election. That's not a demand by me, but just a cold, hard,political reality. Libby lied to investigators who were probing the administration, and he was not some junior flunky at a folding table.Libby was an inner-circle man, and this will hurt. A lot.

So, the question will be whether Cheney should step aside for thegood of the team. In my opinion, absolutely not. First, it won't resolve any of the underlying political problems for the Bush administration caused by the Libby conviction; the damage there is already done. Second, and more importantly, it's inappropriate for a sitting Vice President to resign his office if he has committed no crime -- and according to Fitzgerald, Libby's perjury and obstruction are the only crimes committed. (He's not charging anyone else,including Armitage, who leaked the information.)

During the 2000 GOP nomination race, after a shocking upset victory in New Hampshire, John McCain's campaign rode the "Straight Talk Express" bus straight into South Carolina ... and hit a "firewall."

More precisely, his enemies used "push polls" (an unethical method of spreading negative information, under the guise of conducting a scientific poll) to suggest Senator John McCain -- a former POW and American hero -- had fathered an illegitimate black child.

That was then. This is now. Today, John McCain seems to have learned the lesson about South Carolina's ability to derail a campaign. According to The Hill:

“Most of the establishment is for McCain. Most of the establishment last time was for Bush,” said South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, who pledged neutrality in 2000 when he served as state party chairman.

“It’s the old Bush and McCain teams combined,” said McMaster, who said that the senator has been able to consolidate the influential party members who split their allegiances six years ago. “The people who used to sit around the table and decide how much money would be raised for Bush in 2000 and those that sat around the McCain table, which was a smaller table in 2000, are all sitting around this table.”

... Political analysts have described the South Carolina primary as a “conservative firewall” that could give a candidate a decisive edge over rivals.

... After dooming his 2000 candidacy, it would be ironic if the "Palmetto State" once again serves a decisive role, this time, making John McCain the GOP nominee.
 

I recently had a chance to chat with Peter Flaherty, Governor Mitt Romney’s Deputy Campaign Manager. We talked about John McCain, Amazing Grace, Family, and Faith. Here’s the interview …

ML: Thanks for joining us. In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that we know one another a bit. In fact, the last time I heard you speak, you opened your remarks by saying some kind words about the other candidates running for president. I thought this was both savvy and refreshing. Along those lines, I wanted to offer you the opportunity to begin the same way here. So say something nice about John McCain …

PF: Senator McCain is an experienced hand in the U.S. Senate. I look forward to the day my three sons are old enough to learn Senator McCain’s family story of patriotism being passed from father to son for three generations.

ML: Speaking of your sons, tell us a bit about background and your family.

PF: My father is a lawyer and my mother is a registered nurse. This September they will be celebrating their 45^th wedding anniversary. Their devotion to each other and to my brothers and me has taught us the platinum standard of how a husband should treat his wife and how parents should adore their children unconditionally. My wife Jen and I have three sons Peter, William, and Matthew whose main concern at this point in their lives is what time I’m coming home from work.

ML: Your father-in-law is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. How has he impacted your life?

PF: David Mugar has taught me how important it is to contribute in every way you can to the community around you. The philanthropic gestures for which he is known are but a tiny fraction of all that he does to help people every day. In being able to witness his generous heart, I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s quote, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

ML: So how did a Massachusetts guy get wired into the national conservative movement?

PF: I’ve always had an interest in the issues that conservatives care about, and as an advisor to Governor Romney on issues like marriage and bioethics, I’m blessed to have been able to meet and continue to learn from the brightest people in the country who focus on these areas. For example, I remember calling constitutional scholar Matthew Spalding at the Heritage Foundation the day after the Goodridge decision in Massachusetts in 2003.

ML: In political campaigns, the average person ends up knowing only a few things about each candidate. What’s the one thing you want Townhall’s readers to know about Mitt Romney?

PF: He is a man of impeccable character with an unparalleled ability to solve complex problems.

ML: Governor Romney has been proactive in reaching out to the new media. For example, he recently utilized YouTube to respond to a criticism. Does he read blogs, and if so, how does he feel about Townhall.com?

PF: Governor Romney reads blogs and has an appreciation for the 24 hour dedication that bloggers bring to the political landscape. I know he enjoys TownHall.com and the treasure trove of thoughtful and insightful columnists and bloggers that shape and inform the daily debate.

ML: Speaking of new media, most people probably don’t realize that your brother, Michael Flaherty, was very involved in producing the new movie, Amazing Grace. I recently saw it, and can attest that it is a great movie. Can you tell us what it’s like to have a brother in the movie industry, and are you also a big William Wilberforce fan?

PF: I constantly get asked by people if I can convince Mike to put them or their children in a movie. I love following the great work that my brothers Mike and Chip are doing at Walden Media, and seeing the positive influence they are having on the schoolchildren of America. I greatly admire Wilberforce for his selfless and steadfast determination to put his conscience into action to make the world a better place.

ML: So what was Michael like as a kid?

PF: In his fourth grade play Mike was cast as Willy Wonka, and I don’t think he has slipped out of character since.

ML: (Laughter). That’s great. How did it come to be that so many Flaherty’s were involved in Walden Media?

PF: Michael is the youngest of the three brothers, and he founded the company. My brother Chip and I joined him because we believed in the mission, and we have always liked doing things together.

ML: Okay, I can’t escape asking this question; obviously, you’re a devout Catholic and Governor Romney is LDS. Did religion enter into your mind at all when you decided to work for the Governor?

PF: Never.

ML: So how will he answer the religious question? Will he have a JFK moment where he goes before Protestant Pastors to reassure them?

PF: Governor Romney will continue to talk about shared values as opposed to doctrinal differences. I know his faith informs the way he lives his life and has served as a solid foundation upon which he and his wife Ann have raised such a fine family. As for a potential speech on the subject, I think you’ll have to stay tuned.

ML: How has your faith prepared you for the challenges of working in the rough-and-tumble world of political campaigns?

PF: I have Philippians 4 taped to my office wall which reminds me to dismiss all anxiety from my mind and pray about everything. That is how I approach each day.

ML: Peter Flaherty, thank you very much for taking the time to do this!

PF: My pleasure, Matt. Thank you.

When John McCain announced his candidacy on TV, critics focused on his statement that America had “wasted” the lives of our fallen heroes in Iraq. The Senator has already apologized for these remarks, but a bigger mistake involved his decision to launch his campaign on the David Letterman Show. The upcoming election involves fateful choices – the most significant race since 1980. McCain is a serious statesman who courageously, consistently stood up against Islamo-Nazi terror, Congressional corruption, run-away entitlements, and wasteful federal spending. Why, then, choose to begin a campaign about values and national survival with an appearance on a silly, late-night comedy show? His decision looks especially misguided when combined with his refusal to address the Conservative Political Action Conference. All other Republican candidates spoke to CPAC, but McCain didn’t want to “pander” to conservatives. Instead, he pandered to David Letterman and his audience, who don’t count as likely backers of McCain – or any other Republican.

There is a place for faith in politics. And, no, brilliant liberal commenters, I'm not advocating theocracy. Folks' lives are informed by their religious beliefs in huge ways. For those people, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to avoid faith considerations in picking their political horses.

But, from either side, I hate, hate, hate the simplistic "Jesus was a liberal/conservative" argument. Jesus doesn't care about your politics.

Now, because John Edwards is so down with the Lord, he tells us that Jesus would be ashamed of us for our selfishness. Well, yeah, all of us have fallen short, John.

Let he who is without a private-island 2,800 sq. ft. beach house throw the first stone, huh?

Clinton to launch drive for younger women's votes

Luckily, it's Hillary, which is slightly less scary for America's spare remaining chastity, but you might wanna hide your daughters anyway.

I've always readily admitted I'm not an expert on this case, but Tom Maguire and Co. are.

Check in with them throughout the day.

In case you're feeling bad about being confused about this case, don't. The jurors were, too, just hours before they came to a verdict.

The jury in Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby'sperjury trial in the CIA leak case asked the judge to clarify oneof the charges against the former top aide to Vice President DickCheney.

A jury note expressing its confusion was sent to the judgeyesterday during the ninth day of deliberations and was madepublic today. The note asked what exactly was being alleged in acharge that accuses Libby of lying to investigators about hisconversation with Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper in 2003about CIA official Valerie Plame.

Libby, 56, is charged with obstruction of justice, perjuryand making false statements to investigators probing whether Bushadministration officials deliberately leaked Plame's identity toretaliate against her husband, Iraq war critic Joseph Wilson.Libby was Cheney's chief of staff and national security adviser.

Libby is accused of falsely telling the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation that he told Cooper on July 12, 2003, that he hadheard from other reporters that Plame worked for the CentralIntelligence Agency, though he didn't know if it was true.

"Is the prosecution alleging that Mr. Libby did not makethe statement to Cooper?'' jurors asked in the note. "Or is the allegation that Libby did know Mrs. Wilson worked for the CIAwhen he spoke to the FBI'' in late 2003?

Sheesh, that can't make Libby feel great.  

Update: The latest on Fox News is that he's been found guilty on four of five counts.

Update: Judge Napolitano says the defense will likely go to thejudge and ask him to throw out charges, based on the confusion of thejury, but that the judge will likely not throw out the obstruction ofjustice charge. Appeals will be possible in the future. And, youthought this was gonna be over. Silly you. In the meantime, obstruction of justice alone carries 10 years.

Update: This account makes it clear the jury was unclear as to whether lying to a reporter was a crime with which one can be charged. Yikes. From the judge to jury:

“To be clear, Mr. Libby is charged in Count Three with making falsestatements to the FBI about what was said during his July 12, 2003 conversation with Mr. Cooper,” Walton wrote in response. “Mr. Libby isnot charged with making a false statement to Mr. Cooper.”

Of course, that confusion's on Count 3 (the one on which he was found not guilty), so it seems less likely charges could be dropped due to confusion.

Update: Reaction from the White House in 15 minutes or so.

Update: The WH Deputy Press Secretary is doing the statement on the case, not Tony Snow, which looks like an attempt to downplay. Interesting.

Update: Attorneys for Libby:

"We are very disappointed in the verdict of the jurors. This jury deli for approx 10 days. Despite out disappoin in the jury's verdict, we believe int he American justice system and we believe in the jury system,. We intend to file a motion for a new trial, and if that is denied, we'll appeal the conviction...We believe...that he is totally innocent, that he did not do anything wrong. We intend to keep fighting to establish his innocence."

Update: The Democrats are already giving press releases. The gist of Harry Reid's was that it's about time someone in the Bush administration was held accountable for manipulating on the way to war (ignoring, of course, that that's not what Libby was found guilty of). He also called on Bush not to pardon Libby, even though the White House hasn't even spoken up yet.

Update: Another bummer about the Coulter Affair. She has written well about this case, and has a good understanding of it that she translates into easily digestable column form.  Despite all of this, will it matter what she has to say about Libby, knowledgeable or not? No, because she said "faggot" at CPAC, and shot herself in the foot.

Update: Fitzgerald:

"We took a case to trial and we proved the charges...Any lie under oath is serious...we cannot tolerate perjury. If people don't tell the truth, we have no hope of making the jury system work."

Q: "Cloud on the White House?" Was the VP truthful in his testimony?

"We try and treat everyone the same in our legal system. We don't talk about people not on trial. When someone doesn't tell the truth to the system, everyone suffers."

"We responded fairly and honestly by saying that there was a cloud there, put there not by us, but by Libby."

Q: Is your investigation over?

"I do not expect to file any further charges..We're all going back to our day jobs." 

The Nutroots won't like that at all. 

Update: Hot Air's collecting video.

As others have suggested; Sandy Berger lied to investigators and destroyed national security documents to prevent them from being seen by the 9/11 Commission. He paid a $50,000 fine, had to do 100 hours of community service or thereabouts, and lost his security clearance for two years or so.

I'd say that should be the maximum sentence for Libby. Maybe about half that.

Here's the story with no comment thread.

Hmmm, I wonder why they might have had to do that.

Many people suffer DVT after spending long periods without moving,such as passengers on long-haul airline flights. Cheney spent about 65hours on a plane on a nine-day, round-the-world trip that ended lastweek.

''When you're just sitting there with your legs hanging downfor long periods of time, that's what predisposes you to the problem,''said Sean O'Donnell, chief of vascular surgery of Washington HospitalCenter.

''Treated properly, it poses a small threat,'' O'Donnell said. ''Untreated and unrecognized, it's a very serious problem.''

I'm positively amazed at all the serious American conservative voices who are throwing right-wing flamethrower Ann Coulter under the bus for her schoolyard joke about political correctness and the word "faggot."

The snorts of disapproval and huffs and puffs are pouring in.  "I was not amused."  "She hurts the conservative movement."  "We should never name-call."  "She was a distraction from the serious straw poll that featured strong showings by Romney and Guiliani."   And on and on...

Why are so many conservatives afraid to fight back?

Time and time again, we're called a variety of names by liberal Democrats.  We wag our finger at them and warn them to stop calling us Nazis and liars and warmongers and the like.

So when one of our own gets under the skin of wimpy liberals, we burn her at the stake?

I hope everyone who wants to bash Ann Coulter had a chance to see her on "Hannity and Colmes" last night.   As the videotape proved, her entire speech to the CPAC crowd included a series of zingers and punchlines and potshots at the other side.  And as she said on the show, her joke was intended to be a commentary about the idiocy of sending a Hollywood actor into rehab because he used a bad word.  Besides, unless John Edwards was preparing to announce that he's coming out of the closet, the happily married man with children should have no real worries about being called something he's not.  She intended it to be the schoolyard taunt of "wuss", something said all the time.

Well, I'm not going to cave with the rest of the weenie liberals and pompous conservatives who like to eat their own.   I think Ann Coulter is gutsy and terrific.  Besides, she's a commentator, not a U.S. Senator.   

In college, I discovered Townhall. It was this wondrous place where I could read all sorts of conservative opinion all in one place, and use the political analysis I found to better arm myself against lefty professors. I'm not just saying that 'cause I work here, either. Really, that's where I read my daily political commentary. Among my most frequent reads were Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin. I read others, too--notably Thomas Sowell and John Stossel, because I dig me some fiscal conservatism-- but Coulter and Malkin had an impact on me. They were young, strong conservative women who were sometimes biting and always successful. I liked the idea of what the future might hold for a young, strong conservative woman, though at the time I didn't think politics was going to be my career path.

Point being, I had a soft spot for Ann. When I left N.C. to move to D.C. a couple years ago, a friend gave me one of those talking Ann Coulter dolls, which I immediately set about hiding in my liberal editor's office, rigged to squawk about liberalism every 10 minutes. Heh. Luckily, he was a good-humored man.

For those reasons, I'm often more inclined to defend Coulter than others in my office, and others inside the Beltway, in general. But it's been a few years now since Coulter's become a caricature of herself, and I'm about done defending. I defended her on the grounds that she's a whip-smart woman who can whip-crack her political opponents like nobody's business. She's still both those things, but the shock jock element has really grown to overshadow the smartness, and it's not the liberal media bias that causes that effect. It's Ann herself.

I also defended her because I think it's very easy for policy wonks and Beltway snobs to forget that there's a large segment of decent, hard-working Americans for whom Coulter is an outlet and an icon. They get angry with liberals; they get frustrated with wimpy Republicans, and they let Ann lash out for them. I understand. There have been times that I've marveled at whatever stinging witticism she's levied and wondered at the fact that I could never do the same.

One of those times was not Friday, when she used the word "faggot" to refer to John Edwards. One of those times was not last year's CPAC when she used the word "ragheads" to refer to Iranians. I think it's important for us, here in our Washington pundit circles, not to forget that there are a bunch of right-leaning regular people out there who like Ann Coulter, and with good reasons. In the past, I've recoiled when confronted with reflexive Coulter snobbery because it's the "right" thing to say in Washington circles. "Oh, Ann Coulter. No, of course I don't like her. She's so gauche."

In the past, I've defended her, even as her rhetoric got worse, as a "gateway conservative"-- an entertaining act that pulled in folks who are ticked off at the modern liberal movement, but not necessarily ideological conservatives. However, once those people start reading her, I argued, they generally migrate to other conservative writers like Thomas Sowell and Charles Krauthammer, which I felt was a net win for conservatism. Many more people have been exposed to the ideas of free-market conservatism because of Coulter than would have been without such a popular figure to bring them in.

"Faggot" is a nasty word. I learned that from a teacher in first grade, when it suddenly became the in thing for my classmates to call each other, but I'm pretty sure I knew it before that. I knew it was a nasty word on the elementary-school playground. Why would we, as conservatives, not acknowledge that it's a nasty word when used at a mainstream political conference attended by presidential candidates and packed with young conservatives who are ostensibly learning to lead our movement?

If some liberal blogger had caught a random CPAC attendee on camera saying, "John Edwards is a faggot," I would have been embarrassed for our movement. How much worse that it was a featured speaker who said it?

Tough is fine. Even some of Ann's over-the-top jokes can be written off as just that-- jokes. But you can't write off every hateful, politically damaging crack as a-O.K. simply because that Ann's a jokester. I, for one, am proud that there are Middle Easterners, gay men and women, and other minorities for whom conservatism is an ideology that empowers. Don't they get enough crap from our lefty colleagues for "leaving the plantation?" Why should they be subjected to more from one of their supposed allies?

Ours is not the ideology of identity politics and knee-jerk, manufactured outrage that serve political ends, not people. But it is an ideology that should seek to serve everyone, regardless of color or sexual orientation. We're always going to disagree within our ranks about some issues, but if conservatives truly believe that free-market conservatism serves all Americans better than does big-government liberalism, then why scare people out of our big tent? We should be working, as Michael Steele said, "invite everyone to our table, because it's the table of opportunity"-- not by compromising our beliefs, but simply by not compromising our conferences with folks who say "faggot." It's really not much to ask.

As for the Left--no, they will never apologize or denounce similar behavior on their side, and no one will ever notice or give credit to the right for calling out its own. But to take that as a cue to excuse ourselves in acting just like them is ridiculous. I don't wanna be no Kos just because he can get away with it, so why can't I?

And, speaking in a politically pragmatic sense, it just does us no good to have her at CPAC, associated with all of the Republican Party's presidential candidates. Who will come to CPAC to bother with conservatives next year if she is there to cause a liability by proximity to any campaign that sets foot in the door? Don't conservatives want presidential candidates to come to their biggest gathering and address their concerns? The front-runners are all moderate-ish men that need to make some promises. That's a significant amount of political pull lost for a couple punchlines, if you keep Ann in the line-up, isn't it?

Check out the damage Coulter already did to Romney. He praised her before her speech, and she sucker-punched him. Now, anyone on YouTube can splice the two clips back-to-back and make Romney look like a jerk. Insodoing, as Ace points out, Ann handicaps a conservative guy who has the potential to effect more change on a conservative policy level, for all of America, than she'll ever have. Do we really want her doing that every year to our top candidates? We don't want to become the left:

It's a tenet of the fightin' fightin' nutroots that you spray your invective around indiscriminately, without thought to its effectiveness or blowback, because it's the fightin' fightiness of the fight that really matters, not actual results. Or prudence. Or simple decency.

I reject that. Most conservatives do, at least when they see such infantile tactics used by the left. But when it's Ann, well, many conservatives find themselves defending the fightin' fighty fightiness of the nutroots.

We're better than that, and Ann used to be better than that.

Right now, she's just making our battle more uphill, and we don't need that. She's also made it necessary for every conservative blogger to spend the past couple of days writing about a rude gay slur when they could have been writing about some of the actual ideas expressed at CPAC.

Not cool, Ann.

Anyway, who wants a doll that says "faggot?"

And, of course, not much more beautiful than a south Georgia drawl, when it comes natural.

There's a Hall of Shame for Bad Southern Accents. I think it's in Pumpkin Patch, N.C., and funded entirely with earmarked funds, but that's beside the point.

Inside its walls resides a commemoration of Demi Moore in "The Butcher's Wife," which might have taken first place had it not been for the relative obscurity of the movie, which prevented most self-respecting Southerners from seeing it.

There's a full wall display featuring Keanu Reeves' costume from "Devil's Advocate" to lend that touch of realism to the remembrance of his grave inflectionary sins. I'm sorry to do this to you, but this is sort of a PSA. We have to remember such horrors so that we can prevent repeating them:

Keanu's gonna be so ticked about losing his crown. Awful. It's like that teacher we all had who tried to be cool with the kids by employing slang terms--always outdated by just enough to be lame but not enough to be retro.  The words clearly aren't comfortable in his mouth, and his audience ends up very uncomfortable with his words.

Same for Hillary. That performance is so transparently panderific, it's embarrassing.

"I don't feel no ways tired." Did she really say that?!? I didn't hear the whole context up until that comment. Was she quoting someone? Someone's grandmomma? I don't even use that phrase. Well, not often. Ha.

Now, I'm from the South, but I don't sound particularly Southern, as most people point out (there are a few who think I sound like a hick, but the more frequent comment is that I don't have much of an accent). However, if I were to go spend a weekend in North Carolina, it would come back a bit. It would settle in.

If I were to speak to a Southern crowd, I'd undoubtedly sound more Southern than I do when I'm on the radio in D.C. or something. But I've got some actual Southernness to fall back on, and I don't think even I'd end up laying it on as thick as Hillary tried to, and everyone knows she's a Wellsley-educated carpetbagger.

It's so bad, and it shows a basic, blatant disrespect for Southerners--particularly black Southerners-- that I've never been able to believe anyone puts up with. She's a Clinton. If she's gonna pander, she could at least hire a good dialect coach. You know they've got the money. Or, she's been living with Bill for 30 years. Surely all that time with him could produce a better fake than that. She sounds utterly ridiculous, and you know everyone in the room with her knew it. I'm sure a shot of the audience would have shown more than a few snickers shielded by church-cough hands.

They clapped because she's a Democrat. She didn't need to fake it up to earn applause, but she did, because Dems have to keep their black support in the 90s to win, and they think handing down money from on federal high while talking like they've "got the Spirit" is good enough to do that.

So lame. On the bright side for Hill, she did earn herself a spot in the Pumpkin Patch museum, so congrats.

Update: Obama, also with the hickin' it up, and bonus historical misrepresentations!

Update: Commenter tdau1997, who was a-O.K. despite being in hurricane territory this weekend (yay!), reminds me of another Hall of Shamer-- "Ahh don't won't your lyyfe" from "Varsity Blues." A classic: