If we can get off the elementary science discussion...

Thanks to Bobert for cluing us in about Harry Sargeant III.

After reading about his efforts, I had to ask myself how much I'd have to be paid to write a $2,300 check in support of a political campaign.

If I really didn't care one wayor another about the outcome, I'd probably do it for as little as $2,500, and certainly for three grand or so.

If I were being asked to stealth-contribute to candidates of opposing parties, as Sargeant persuaded Floridians to do for Giuliani and Clinton during the primaries, I wouldn't hesitate, assuming I were being paid any extra bucks at all.

But the hardest question to answer ~ how much would I have to be paid to funnel a contribution to a candidate I wanted to lose? I'd like to say I would not pass along a $2,300 contribution tio McCain for President for any amount of money, but given enough incentive, I just might. The only question is how much: $5,000? Maybe... $10,000? Probably...

I found it very interesting that so many of the unlikely contributors mentioned in the story were unregistered voters, very busily running their own small businesses, with obviously Arabic names. What's that about?