Scenario: In 1997, Hillary told the same joke as Laura Bush did in 2005.

Now speculate on the reaction of the right. I'll go first. (This assumes that no one ever found out about ML).

Rush Limbaugh not only pilloried Hillary for weeks on end, asserting in every way the English language makes possible that she was not fit to be First Lady, but used the imagery she injected into the public imagination to "Jimmy Carter" Bill Clinton.

The news media picked up on the buzz, and soon amplified it into an uproar, far beyond anything that such a faux pas could ever cause on its own.

Public pressure stemming from the moral outrage of the "What About The Children" crowd eventually forced Hillary to make a contrite and very public apology, which was quickly rejected by all but one Republican, who then lost the primary election for his Congressional seat the following year.

Ultimately, Bill Clinton was forced to keep his wife under wraps and out of the public eye for purposes of damage control, but the damage was already done. No further items on his second-term agenda were allowed to proceed, regardless of their relative merit or benefit to the American people. The power of the Presidency waned significantly in favor of the legislature until the next President, a Republican, assumed the office.

At least we can laugh at them this time around. :P

The same way that Top Republicans would have done if it was Hillary?

Sounds like you want our preening leaders to get their finger nails dirty or somthing.

although they certainly were a bit untoward and ill-suited to the very public venue in which they were uttered. I could care less about the words themselves, and I'm not really even all that keen to see Laura Bush put in metaphorical stocks for them.

What does offend me is the deep divide between media treatment of Democrats versus that of Republicans. My only point is this: IMAGINE if Hillary had said exactly what Laura said the other night.

Imagine the manufactured pandemonium.

If Laura's comments are that important, then Kerry, Dean, Obama, Hilary etc need to publicaly call her on them- Wolf Blitzer aint gonna do it.

but even if one of them were to stand up in protest, would THAT even be covered? In virtual control of the media, the Republicans not only occupy the Bully Pulpit, but the catbird seat as well. It's almost as though nothing will go our way until the Republicans self-destruct (altough that shouldn't take too much longer, it seems).

Of course, whenever I say that, some DUer comes along with the wild notion that Kerry, Dean, Hillary etc are "not allowed" to go on those shows.

Personally I dont think they should go after Laura, but I'm just saying...Whatever the "issue" is- we cant expect wWolf Blitzer to repeat our talking points for us...

They supposedly got into trouble, but the second showing was not an apology; just a shameless replay of some of their funniest material ever. But it's as I say, Rush would've "milked" it for weeks (pardon the unintended pun).

It really is the function of the press to explore the significance of such an event, though. They have a Constitutional role to play as much as do elected officials on the People's behalf, even if that role is only implicit in the Constitution.

I accept that fact.

Top DEMs need to accept that fact too and start "reporting" the news themsleves.

24/7/365

Republican men can't seem to keep their women satisfied.

...even if they did know how to do it right.

Pardon my lack of nuance.