Quote of the day: The Man from M.A.C.A.C.A. earns hisself an editorial raspberry (Plus: Denny Crane laments how soft we Americans have become)

"[Virginia Sen. G. Felix Macaca "My Mother Made Great Pork Chops"] Allen certainly is an inspiration -- to anyone who believes that political campaigns may be won by diversions and dirty tactics, even as the candidate calls high-mindedly for a discussion of 'the issues.' Win or lose, he'll be remembered for his performance during this race, and not fondly."
-- conclusion of an editorial in this morning's Washington Post, referring specifically to the senator's bizarre attempt to smear opponent Jim Webb for the novels he's written, which have in fact been exceedingly well received and widely sold and read

Oh yes, the editorial notes: "Mr. Allen wouldn't say whether he'd read any of Mr. Webb's novels himself--only that 'I've been reading initiatives and ideas and I'm trying to motivate people and inspire people.'" If the good citizens of Virginia are silly enough to return their Felix to the Senate, and if he is then silly enough to follow through on his whispered threats to run for president, that should be a hoot, maybe a hoot and a half.


ALSO TALKING--How do you explain Denny Crane?
[Caution: Please do not read this item if you have recorded but not yet watched last night's Boston Legal episode.]

We had actually slotted in, for today's QOTD, Denny Crane's typically--er, Denny-esque observation on last night's Boston Legal after colleague Alan Shore got his creepy pal Jerry "Hands" Espenson acquitted of perjury charges even though Jerry did in fact lie about his opposition to the death penalty to get onto a "death qualified" federal jury--in a case, Alan learned, that Alberto Gonzales had personally plucked out of state courts in favor of federal jurisdiction, precisely in order to get a death-penalty conviction in no-death-penalty Massachusetts.

What was it, that that's why nobody thinks we're tough enough, because we can't even kill our own people? I've got it written down at home, but I'm not home anymore. Which could be another reason it didn't make the cut this morning.

But the real problem is, for the quote to make real sense, you have to know Denny Crane--and how do we explain Denny Crane? We can say that he's the character played by William Shatner. We can say that despite his mad cow affliction he's only the second-craziest of the name partners of the firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. We can just say that he's a disgusting sexist pig. But I think that still leaves us a long distance from the full bloom of Denny-dom.

While we're on the subject of Boston Legal, is anyone else starting to see worrying signs of incipient--and always terminal--davidkelleyitis? Like the lingering of creepy Jerry, with his physical and mental weirdnesses--far beyond any point of reasonableness or dramatic usefulness? Wouldn't the death-penalty perjury plot line, for example, have been more interesting with a less distracted and distracting defendant?