I’m watching Bob Novak on Capital Gang right now casting serious doubt on Syrian culpability for the assassination of Rafik Hariri, insisting there’s “not a shred of proof” — as though anybody could wander around Beirut planting hundreds of pounds of explosives along the route of the former prime minister without drawing attention.

But that ain’t all. He also – can you guess? – is saying that blaming Syria is part of “the Israeli agenda.”

How does he figure? Because the Israelis don’t want Syrian troops occupying Lebanon. (Oh, that would explain it. Can he not find any Lebanese Christians and Muslims to talk to? How about Syrians in exile? I’ll give him phone numbers. Hey, I’ll supply him with the quarters.)

Thank goodness Kate is on the show. (She’s the only conservative on today – the others re Mark Shields and Al Hunt, with Margaret Carlson sitting in the middle. What happened, did the invited guest get stuck in traffic?)