2006 in DC, SD, VA, etc., etc.

The Rothenberg Political Report offers up "[a] [v]ery, [v]ery, [v]ery [w]eird" year in politics. I must say that the biggest surprise of the year -- and as a new Virginian, the most pleasant surprise of the year that is soon not to be anymore -- was Macaca Mouth going down to defeat at the hands of the wacky, wild, and Dubya-dissin' Webb. (I can't believe I linked to the Sacramento Bee; it wasn't even an article about the comparative merits of Mike Bibby and Brad Miller -- the center, not the North Carolina Democrat Congressman [and yes, I had to go to the Kings' website to see who was on the team besides Bibby].)

The closing weeks of 2006 may bring even more aberrations if Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) is unable to continue to serve the Mount Rushmore State following his overnight surgery to stabilize a congenital arteriovenous malformation. The ramifications for control of Congress are immense, to be sure (at least, within the Beltway), but they should -- and must -- take a back seat to concern for the senator and for his family. Democracy in America sums up my feelings pretty well:

May Mr Johnson recover speedily; not only because his incapacitation or death would be tragic, but because Mike Rounds, the governor, will undoubtedly infuriate half the country with whomever he names as a replacement. Name a Republican and Democrats will howl that he has overturned the will of the American people by exploiting a tragedy. Name a Democrat and his party could lynch him. Either way, America's business will be forgotten for weeks if not months of angry finger-pointing between the partisans.

Get well soon, Tim Johnson.