Updated

At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, the liberal senator from California — who opposes the Iraq war — said this to Secretary Rice:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. BARBARA BOXER, D-CALIF.: Who pays the price? Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young. You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, Secretary Rice was stunned and later said this to FOX News:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE: I guess that means I don't have kids… was that the purpose? At the time I just found it a bit confusing, frankly. But in retrospect, gee, I thought single women had come further than that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And, the White House was quick to react to Senator Boxer's attack. Tony Snow said this on FOX News Radio:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY TONY SNOW: Here you got a professional woman, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Barbara Boxer is sort of throwing little jabs because Condi doesn't have children, as if that means that she doesn't understand the concerns of parents. Great leap backward for feminism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Well, Talking Points does not think this has anything to do with feminism. It has to do with the far left — of which Barbara Boxer is certainly a part — using foolish personal arguments to debate issues vital to this country.

I mean, think about it: If you don't have a kid in the military, you can't make policy about war? I wonder what FDR and Abraham Lincoln would have thought about that.

But the far left doesn't care. All it wants to do is throw emotion at complicated problems. I ran up against that with Michael Moore and Phil Donahue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL MOORE, ANTI-WAR ACTIVIST: So you would sacrifice your child to secure Fallujah? I want to hear you say that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL DONAHUE, FORMER TALK SHOW HOST: You wouldn’t send your children to this war, Bill. Nobody…

O'REILLY: My nephew just enlisted in the Army. You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

(CROSSTALK)

DONAHUE: Very good. Congratulations…

O'REILLY: And he's a patriot. So don't denigrate his service or I'll boot you right off the set.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Summing up this ridiculous display, if Senator Barbara Boxer represents a sane view of the War on Terror — including the Iraq War — we're all in very big trouble.

We need professionals in Congress, not foolish ideologues.

And that's The Memo.

Most Ridiculous Item

Jupiter the lion is very, very grateful to Nurse Ana Torres.

Ms. Torres nursed Jupiter back to health after he was abused in a traveling circus and Jupiter really appreciates it as you can see.

The 47-year-old nurse says she's amazed Jupiter is so affectionate and it's the best hug she's ever gotten in her life.

If Ms. Torres says so — I believe it. Even though it might be ridiculous.

—You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com