Government Humor Specialist Job Is No Longer Available

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Funny Business

The Treasury Department has decided that it no longer needs a humor specialist for its Bureau of Public Debt. The department had been advertising the position for about a week, but announced this morning the job was no longer required. The original post called for an individual to conduct seminars teaching participants how to use humor to improve communication and relationships, alleviate stress, and prevent burnout.

Applicants were advised they would be required to create cartoons on the spot about jobs in the Bureau of Public Debt. The Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Byron Dorgan, the Democratic Senator from North Dakota, squashed the effort saying: "Of all the agencies, the Bureau of Public Debt should know that there is very little that is funny about today's economic conditions."

Flying in Style

Embattled South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's reputation as a fiscal conservative has taken a major hit after the release of his travel expense records. The Republican has charged the state almost $38,000 for one first-class and four business-class overseas flights since 2005. Other state employees flew the same flights for a fraction of that cost.

Sanford's ticket to Brazil last year cost almost $9,000, while other state employees flew for under $2,000. That visit included a liaison with his Argentinean mistress. Sanford has reimbursed the state $3,300 for that trip.

While running for governor, Sanford criticized the Democratic incumbent for "lavish spending" on airfare and hotels, saying he would "fix that problem." He also criticized a state employee for spending $269 a night at a New York hotel, which he pointed out was $61 above the federally accepted rate.

Error Message

Senator Chris Dodd sent out a fundraising e-mail this week poking fun at lobbyists who were complaining they couldn't get a meeting with the Connecticut Democrat. But The New York Times online reports that Dodd's staff forgot to remove those same lobbyists from its e-mail list.

The note called "those poor lobbyists," included a link to a video set against the sound of weeping. One of the lobbyists forwarded the mail to the Times saying: "Can you believe this idiot is sending this to lobbyists?"

Playing Politics

And Tuesday we told you about an Army reservist who said he was fighting his deployment to Afghanistan because he believes President Obama was not born in the United States and therefore is ineligible to be commander in chief.

Now Major Stefan Frederick Cook's orders have been revoked and his lawyer is declaring victory. But an Army spokesman tells FOX that any soldier in the reserves who volunteers may request his orders be rescinded at any time, up until he enters active duty. Privately, U.S. officials say Central Command got word that Major Cook was trying to play politics with this order so they revoked it.

As we've said before, documents show the president was born in Hawaii in 1961. There are now dozens of lawsuits challenging those documents and therefore his citizenship. White House officials call the efforts "ludicrous."

— FOX News Channel's Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.