Richard Clarke Report: Clarkegate (grin) is a clear example of how Kerry (whose 1971 Dick Cavett appearance was re-aired on C-SPAN over the weekend; pretty impressive though his opponent was a bit too ad hominem and kneejerk to serve as a proper foil) has to take a "don't foul things up" strategy. Clarke continued to impress, putting out his far from controversial (see here and here) case and calmly answering critics.

And what lame ass critics. We have the Senator Majority Leader making arguably libelous insinuations. And, Condi Rice refuses to testify under oath, perhaps because she knows what would happen if she did. It's a matter of protecting the executive privilege (and separation of powers) to talk to their national security advisors about policy. The finely tuned "privilege" involved here does not cover: members of the Cabinet, Deputy National Security Advisors, or National Security Advisors not quite talking about policy (see last link). The fact she talked publicly about the matter apparently doesn't breach the privilege either ... as long as she doesn't have to speak publicly to a congressional committee. Oh wait. The 9/11 Commission is a special committee not really a branch of Congress.

Ah for a simpler place. A place where truth prevails, life is more fun, and misguided grown-ups are properly put in their place using logic, persistence, and some creativity. A place of talking dogs and slackers voiced by vegetarian disk jockeys. You know ... the land of Scooby Doo.

---

Talking About Misguided Grownups: Mark Kleiman helpfully explains how early Christians gave up their lives resisting the "ceremonial deism" of Ancient Rome. A piece education expert Diane Ravitch should read before justifying the use of "under God" in the Pledge because our forefathers (well, George Washington didn't have kids, but you get the idea) honored the principle. The idea, Ms Ravitch, is not that we shouldn't understand what they believed or even read what they said, but that we personally should not be compelled to accept their ultimately religious belief via a form of test oath. Is this THAT complicated? I guess so.