Democrats Schedule Pheasant Shoot — There's a Problem

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

House Democrats are inviting campaign contributors to join them for a March 11 Pheasant Shoot, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will supply the dogs, the guides, and the 12 and 20-gauge ammunition. All of the donors have to bring their own shotgun and a $2,000 contribution. The Washington Times points out there's one problem, though. The hunting party is to be held in Boonsboro, Md., a state that requires all hunters complete a state-certified hunter safety education course, and very few such courses are being given this time of year.

If that's embarrassing to House Democrats, think how House Republicans may be feeling about their invitation to one Mark Grethen of Virginia to come to Washington to accept an award as “Republican of the Year.” Mr. Grethen will be unable to come because he is serving 26-year stretch in the state pen for sex offenses involving children. The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, which actually gives out 500 Republican of the year awards, told the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot that it was unaware of Grethen's convictions and had based its invitation on his past campaign contributions.

Mike Marland, the editorial cartoonist of the Concord, N.H., Monitor today apologized publicly for this cartoon, which ran in the paper last week, likening the Bush budget in its effect on Social Security to the 9/11 terrorist atrocities. Marland said it was "not my intention to desecrate the memory of those who died that day, nor to add to the anguish and sorrow of their loved ones." His apology, however, made no mention of the president and what his cartoon implied about him.

The latest Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll asks people if they have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of both Kenneth Lay and John Walker Lindh. The most striking finding was the nearly four  in 10 of those surveyed had never heard of either one of them. Among those that had and had an opinion, the view, as you can see, was overwhelmingly unfavorable.