I'm old enough to remember Joe McCarthy. Seems like most everybody knew he was a scoundrel, but, practically speaking, nobody had the nerve to take him on until he tried to pick on the Army.

Nobody in government, that is. Walt Kelly, for instance, had a pretty good satirical character in "Pogo" called Simple J. Malarkey. He said people asked him how he had the courage to do that. He said it didn't take courage; it's what we're supposed to be doing.

But the career politicians were mostly fearfully trying to cover their posteriors. "Don't do your job, keep your job," as they say. To most career men the career is the first priority.

And I believe that's the case today, and most days. That's why I think two career men willing to throw it in is a significant number. It would be hard for anybody, including me, to discard something they had spent years of their life building; they must have had what to them was a compelling reason.

clint