In the Eye of the Beholder

And now the most intriguing two minutes in television, the latest from the political grapevine.

The Palestinians are said by some to be masters of playing the victim, and the Israeli Defense Force has released what it sees as the ultimate example. It's this video, from an overhead Israeli spy drone, shot last Sunday in Jenin. Protesting Palestinians are carrying what appears to be a body wrapped in a green flag, or mourning cloth. But they drop the guy. He then picks himself up and lies back down on the flag, to be wrapped up and carried on again.

There's some encouraging news for Congressional Republicans in a new Gallup poll, which appears to contradict other recent polls on what voters think is the most important issue before Congress. Terrorism and the war against it came in first, albeit with only 15 percent. That, though, put it well ahead of the second most important issue, national defense, which is another issue that has favored the GOP. Education, an issue both parties are struggling over, was third along with the economy at 7 percent. Social Security — 2 percent — and  environment — 1 percent — were well behind.

Saudi Arabia has mounted a TV advertising campaign to convince Americans the Saudis are our friends and allies against terrorism. The newest FOX News Opinion Dynamics Poll suggests the campaign is needed. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said no when asked if the Saudis are friends in the war on terror. And 70 percent said the Arab states are likely to use oil as a weapon against the United States.

Joan Rivers the comedienne, is reported to have stunned British audiences with part of the new standup routine she is doing called "Broke and Alone in London." In it, she reportedly ridicules the widows of American firefighters killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. The Web site Internet Movie Database quotes an audience member as saying of Rivers, "She said  they got paid $5 million each, and how disappointed they'd be if they were told after all that their husbands had been found alive."