The Cone of Silence

Well, well, what do you know? During Rick Warren's little get-together with McCain and Obama last weekend, McCain was supposed to be sitting in an isolation room so he wouldn't hear the questions and have an unfair advantage.

But he wasn't. He was in his limousine while the questions were being posed to Obama, and, incidentally, being broadcast to the world.

Knowing what you do about the Karl Rove school of politics, do you think it's just possible McCain (who knew he was supposed to be in a sound-proof room) was told the questions -- and how to frame his answers?

Mr. Warren started by asking Mr. McCain, “Now, my first question: Was the cone of silence comfortable that you were in just now?”

Mr. McCain deadpanned, “I was trying to hear through the wall.”

Interviewed Sunday on CNN, Mr. Warren seemed surprised to learn that Mr. McCain was not in the building during the Obama interview.

But a spokeswoman for the McCain campaign, demonstrating a command of logic we have not seen since the build-up to the Iraq War says:

“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous.”

You know, the world is a very dangerous place. Being stupid just isn't going to be enough anymore.