'This is Fresh Meat for That Smear Machine'

Yes, why bother examining the facts and letting the investigation play out?

Let's just start with the snide innuendo that Republicans are smearing people.

Speaking on the low-rated MSNBC shoutfest with Chris Matthews, Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, who obviously should know how corrupt his hometown is, lamely tried to divert attention from Blagojobamagate by insinuating the Republicans are smearing people by even discussing the scandal which threatens to consume the Illinois Democratic Party and taint the incoming Obama administration.

What a jerk.

Number two, this is the-this is the brightest moment for Republicans since the Reverend Jeremiah Wright tapes came out. They are going to have a lot of fun with this.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: They're flashing like E.T. all of a sudden.

PAGE: Exactly.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: They're getting...

(CROSSTALK)

PAGE: They are going to have a lot of fun with this. This is fresh meat for that smear machine. But I don't think it's going to last long.

Of course it won't last long. Page and his hack cronies in the media will make sure of that. And if it does last any amount of time, it'll simply give him and others more fodder to claim Republicans are smearing these criminals.

Matthews later recounts other corrupt politicians and--surprise!-- most of them are Republicans. He goes back three years to mention Duke Cunningham and to 2006 to note Bob Ney.

Somehow, he manges to avoid mentioning Charles Rangel, Kwame Kilpatrick, Dianne Wilkerson, and Eliot Spitzer, corrupt Democrats all very much in the news this year.

And no, I'm not smearing these crooks. They've brought it all on themselves.