Tipsheet

Hello Cleveland!

(Note:  If you're reading this because of the headline and associated picture; Bret Favre has not been traded to the Browns.  This is purely a Spinal Tap reference ...)

Remember when John Kerry referred to "Lambert Field"?

Well, Sam Brownback made a similar mistake on Friday when he used a football analogy in Wisconsin, and in the process, said that Colts star Peyton Manning was the "... Greatest quarterback, maybe, in NFL history."

... Of course, this didn't go over well in Packerland, where Bret Favre is still revered. (Note to political candidates: Make sure your football analogies mention the home team.)  Of course, this reminds me of the part in Spinal Tap where, during the concert, they yell: "Hello Clevelend!"  (They were not in Cleveland).

Brownback was trying to make the point that focusing on families is "fundamental blocking and tackling... " That analogy also applies to public speaking, except, in this case, the fundamentals are to "know thy audience."

Were Brownback either an effete windsurfer -- or a serious contender for the nomination -- this mini-scandal would probably have been a bigger deal.  Instead, it's just a dropped ball.