There really is little doubt that this was pandering. Pandering to that infinitesimal minority that will never have an effect on an election. Through the ballot box that is.

As I write this, and as you read, there is a man, or several, who are dreaming, awake or asleep, of ending what they see as a great threat-Barak Obama, the Black Muslim devil. You've gotten the e-mails, pointing out every slight "un-patriotic" thing the man has done. You have heard the words of his preacher drummed into you nonstop for two months, and the words of his wife. You have heard that he will, God forbid, Talk, to "our" enemies. You have even heard that he might end the occupation in Iraq, turn tail and run.

Aren't you ready to shoot the bastard yet? Did I mention he was Black?

To consider Hillary's invocation of the RFK assassination, twice, as anything but an invitation to violence is insulting to her. This is a smart, experienced, woman. She says what she means, usually twice. And she knows about that dreaming guy above, of that you can be sure. The true horror here is not that there is outrage, but how slight that outrage is.

As far as I am concerned, Hillary Clinton is no longer a political entity in this country, and I call on the Senate to demand her resignation. I may have serious issues with my government, but this is not a Banana Republic, we don't do that here.

From Chris Matthews to EJ Dionne to John Harwood to Rachel Maddow, cable's voices of authorized observation intoned, one after another, that they just couldn't bring themselves to believe that Hillary had in mind the happy prospect of triumph through elimination, rather than the chronological lethargy of past primary seasons.

Only the Washington Post's Eugene Robinson — based, that is, on my circumscribed viewing — finally encountered reality in a rousing flurry of disgust and disbelief.

To paraphrase Robinson: What in God's name are you people talking about? She said it. It's right there on tape. "Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June." What other interpretation or spin could one possibly put on it? She was saying, point blank and in plain English, that it's not nearly too late. Stuff happens, dear troops, so don't give up hope.

Hillary said what she said, just as Eugene Robinson said what she said, and there simply aren't any two ways about it. It transcended mere stupidity. It exceeded the forgivable boundaries of the effects of sleep deprivation. It soared far above and beyond mere historical, chronological analysis.

It was, rather, quite simply a chilling public admission of what swims in any desperate politician's mind: "My opponent might die, so there remains hope."

That is, indisputably, what she said. It's on tape. No interpretation is required, no creative assignment of motive is necessary — not when it's right there, in printed black and white or video color, right in front of you.

You actually invoked the specter of an inspirational leader, at the seeming moment of triumph, for himself and a battered nation yearning to breathe free, silenced forever.

You actually used the word "assassination" in the middle of a campaign with a loud undertone of racial hatred — and gender hatred — and political hatred.

The new Inspector General’s report adds to the growing body of evidence that — in the months before Election 2004 — Bush only feigned shock about what was being done to detainees in American custody.

The evidence is now overwhelming that Bush knew of — and approved of — those violations of the rules of war and basic human decency, that the “war crimes” catalogued by the FBI agents could be traced to him.

Senator Obama said that to show how much he loved Jews, the circumcision would be performed without the aid of painkillers, so the Jews could see that Obama feels their pain, the pain that they suffer anytime someone questions the Holocaust™ or worse, there is talk about ceasing Holocaust™ reparation payments to Israel.

Asked for comment, Abe Fuchman of the Jewish ADL (Another Damn Lie) said he still had questions about Obama's Jewish devotion, since he had not pledged to either incinerate or obliterate Iran.