Spitball Fight

Spitball Fight - How conservatives can join in the fun�of the Republican crackup. By Bruce Reed

Candor has never exactly been the coin of the realm in Washington, where people who tell the truth are quarantined as "mavericks." The tightly scripted Bush administration has made matters worse, by putting the screws to any Republican who dared depart the party line – and by inspiring some Democrats to adopt the same logic. In such an atmosphere, talking points carry more weight than facts, and message discipline is prized over actual thought.

The coming weeks should bring more candor, not less. Truman used to say that if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Today, he might say: If you want an honest answer in Washington, get a subpoena.

Let's face it – the President is a lame duck. "Lamer" isn't quite fair; let's just say "less able than we're used to."