Rep. Chris Shays is winning the Michael Forbes Award for his statement to AP that Tom DeLay needs to resign. Why Forbes? He said at the end of 1996 he would not vote for Newt Gingrich for Speaker, and ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC all devoted a full story to this one New York GOP back-bencher. For putting his own media clip file ahead of party loyalty, many Republicans would like Shays to continue on the Forbes path: switch parties, and then lose your seat.

These kinds of stories should prompt one to remember how much loving media attention and encouragement the media gave Democrats who considered voting for Clinton’s impeachment: cue the crickets sound effect.