In recent days, especially with a focus on Governor Palin’s youngest child, I thought of an infamous Al Gore line: when he attacked the “extra-chromosome right wing.” Ah, always a charmer, “Prince Albert.”

P.S. Nixon used to talk about “flicking the scab off the wound” — as in, “Let’s flick the scab off that wound.” I’m afraid that’s what I’ve just done. But I will not delete.