... they knocked on my door, and then they blindfolded me, tied me up, and put me in their car. They took me to their apartment and tried to force me to take bong hits. They'd been smoking pot...

They told me their god was "Aqua Buddha" and that I needed to bow down and worship him. They blindfolded me and made me bow down to 'Aqua Buddha' in the creek. I had to say, 'I worship you Aqua Buddha, I worship you.' At Baylor, there were people actively going around trying to save you and we had to go to chapel, so worshiping idols was a big no-no.

 - - Alleged kidnap victim of Rand Paul, quoted August 9, 2010
     On a criminal "prank" by Rand Paul and friends at Baylor University

During his time at Baylor, Dr. Paul competed on the swim team and was an active member of Young Conservatives of Texas.

 - - Jesse Benton, Rand Paul campaign manager, quoted August 9, 2010
     When asked to confirm or deny kidnapping incident at Baylor University

It's a little like catching a sudden glimpse of the little creep who once stole your new tires then won your girl, just as he slips and falls into the thrasher. If you don't watch, you'll miss out on the most delightful tragedy ever. If you do watch, you risk needing years of therapy. So, of course, you watch. Some risks are worth taking.

Last Tuesday, I really wanted to join in the horrified glee. But then Eric Boehlert spoke. It was bad enough when he rained on my parade. When he put his finger in my eye and began to dial a number, I had to turn off Chris Matthews. I did go back and see it when it ran again later that night.

For Democrats, the wonderful, warm, squishy feelings surrounding pretty much everything Sharron Angle says or does in public have accumulated into a lush and comforting oasis amid the harsh and bitter Death Valley that November 2010 has become. Harry Reid's chances of surviving into another term in the United States Senate are still not what can be described as excellent. But at least the odds no longer have to include a minus sign.

The shift from primary to general election is often difficult for a candidate. It is hard to keep in mind that a political party is usually not representative of all voters. The Looney Toons applause lines at rallies of the largest fraction of a minority party might just horrify the general electorate. This often does not happen in off year elections, when most voters would rather go about the business of eking out a living. In years not divisible by 4, motivating the base will usually get a candidate more votes than going after the bland middle.

But Susan Angle (R-BizarroWorld) is a walking, talking candidate from another planet. It was her statement about the proper role of the press that offended Chris Matthews on MSNBC's Hardball. "We wanted them to ask the questions we want to answer so that they report the news the way we want it to be reported." Oh my.

Hardball played and replayed the 26 seconds from comedy hell, laughter growing each time. Matthews asked his guests for reactions. Reactions provoked more laughter. Then Eric Boehlert of Media Matters stopped chuckling long enough to deliver the next punchline. "And this is part of the larger trend. For the tea party movement, this is how they view the press. It‘s not an information function. They do not see the press as being legitimate. This is a statewide candidate that refuses to talk to reporters. These are people who don‘t think the press represent the people..."

Soooooooo......... Eric Boehlert thinks it hilarious that someone, somewhere, thinks the press does not really inform, that they are not legitimate, that they do not represent the people. If that's what's absurd, where do I sign up for the crazy train? At least Matthews and his other guest, Ryan Grimm of The Huffington Post, had the good sense to stop laughing. Matthews quickly moved on, lest our liberal audience learn that conservatives are not the only victims of epistemic closure. The chronic sinking feeling in my stomach suddenly got more pronounced. We're about to lose this one big time.

He was one of the most kindly fellows I had ever met. When he spoke at the traditional service of the church I attend, I was happy for him because of the reaction of the somewhat elderly congregation. I didn't much care for his rhetorical style. He slowed his speaking waaayyy dowwwnnnn. He chose words that were seldom more than two syllables, never more than three. He spoke in lists and his sermons were self referential. "The next point in my list is..." The subtext of every public word was unspoken Bushism at its worst: "You all are dumb as bricks, but you should like me anyway because I'm like you, my brothers and sisters. I'm dumb as a bag of hammers."

I squirmed and tried to think pleasant thoughts that would take me out of worship service and back at work. And I became preoccupied with beating down more evil desires. What had we ever done to him? But the service, eternal as it seemed, always came to an end, I stopped wishing he was dead and burning in Hell, and we were friends again.

Once, he explained to me that he never wrote his own sermons. Each Saturday night, just as he was in despair about what to say to whatever congregation he would be visiting the next day, he would be visited by the Holy Spirit. "God," he told me, "writes every sermon for me."

I hear that sort of thing from devout volunteers in the church. The messianic arrogance was unintentional. The I-am-a-prophet sort of Rat Robertson self-aggrandizement did not often come into it. Rather it was an attempt at modesty. Whatever I do that has merit, please credit the Lord who gives me inspiration. Whatever is flawed comes from me.

Lately, we have been hearing that sort of thing from minor politicians, mostly from the right. It's not unprecedented, of course. Sarah Palin came close, when she publicly asked for guidance from a spiritual counselor whose previous claim to fame had been accusing a woman of witchcraft and making her life miserable. Palin asked if God wanted her to become Governor of Alaska. Turns out the Lord did. The voters obeyed, but then did not cooperate with the Almighty in making her Vice President.

Pat Robertson had obeyed the Lord when ordered to run for President. The late Sam Kinison speculated that a very bored divinity was having fun at Robertson's expense. Michelle Bachmann is waiting for her orders. Sharron Angle (R-NV), God's seemingly eternal gift to Democrats, is the latest. After announcing to a FOX interviewer that the purpose of television news is "to ask the questions we want to answer so that they report the news the way we want it to be reported," she has told voters of having received her latest endorsement. God is urging voters to cast their ballots for her.

Thomas Merton reminded us that humility demands we acknowledge our ignorance. We never know what God wants. We do our best, in faith that our desire to please, itself, pleases God. Perhaps it is a sign to us that Angle has already performed one miracle, bringing back Harry Reid from the dead.

• Slant Right's John Houk is not a bigot. He does not hate Muslims. He only hates everything about them. Also, Jesus would beat them up. The Bible tells him so. So we must oppose that NY Islamic Center!!

• MyCue at RANDOM THOUGHTS finds reasons to support the Center.

• Max's Dad is in a bad mood. So he takes a refreshing moment to sandblast 1 Democrat, 2 Republicans, and the American Family Association. Now we all feel better.

• While his computer is under repair, Jack Jodell, friend of the working blogger, at THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON POST has learned a lot about Republicans by staring at the wallpaper in his office. Cool Zen!!

• Our favorite-priest-in-training at World of Doorman-Priest offers a religious perspective on the overturning of Prop 8. Paraphrasing, his reaction is something like "Yaaaaayyyy!!!"

• MadMike observes something odd about the English Only Movement.

• Manifesto Joe of Manifesto Joe's Texas Blues gets a headache from CNN coverage of the expiration of Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

• Adult stem cells are now used in more advanced medical research than embryonic stem cells. It works like this: Research with embryonic cells were severely restricted by our last President. So current research had to start without embryonic cells. So... embryonic stem cells are useless for research. Right? If you think that reasoning sounds like Ned Williams at WisdomIsVindicated you are vindicated!

• Gwendolyn Barry with New Global Myth is really down on her President because Obama is not doing much for individual homeowners. She anticipates a new wave of homelessness.

• James Wigderson believes in the right of gargantuan corporate behemoths to conduct massive public relations campaigns without disclosing it. Clandestine financing for advertising may seem self-contradictory, but it's all about free speech. If we don't allow secretly funded politics, Castro wins. Or something.

• Chuck Thinks Right comes out against corporate contributions to political figures. It's a matter of principle. Well, maybe not ALL corporate contributions. But contributions to projects favored by members of the Black Caucus? "...get mad," he says. "I did."

• Nancy Hanks discovers a Friday political forum on political reform.

• David Everitt-Carlson of The Wild Wild East Dailies in Vietnam is now handling on-line music differently. He doesn't seem all that enthused, but I think it works.