Election 2008

Who won the debate Tuesday night? Hard to say, but we know who lost: America, for having to sit through another insufferable performance by the blowhard Dean of the Jackass Press Corps, Tim Russert. In classic Russert style—what Josh Marshall calls "militant simpletonism"—Tim breathlessly presents his incisive, instructive, gotcha hypotheticals, e.g., "One year from now, the Iraqi government says they want us out, plus, an asteroid is hurtling towards earth. What does President Obama do? Answer the question!"

But in what most analysts agree was his worst moment, he asked, nay demanded, that Barack Obama denounce and reject Louis Farrakhan, who had said something positive about Obama earlier in the week. But this wasn't that unusual for Tim. Two years ago, after Harry Belafonte said something stupid about George Bush, Tim naturally sprung into action. The two people that Tim thought should have to answer for Belafonte's remarks? Barack Obama and Colin Powell.

We can't wait for Tim to hold John McCain responsible for every stupid thing every white dumbass has ever said. In the meantime, what should Obama have said last night that would have satisfied Russert that Obama could somehow overcome his and Farrakhan's, uh, similar complexions?