Another reminder of how we do things around here

From "Broad Bills Stuffed With Lawmakers' Pet Items," New York Times, November 27:

A provision benefiting a specific hospital in Tennessee was added to the Medicare bill at the last minute in an effort to get the vote of Representative Harold E. Ford Jr., Democrat of Tennessee.

The hospital was not named in the bill, but was described in terms that apply to only one hospital in the United States, the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Mr. Ford's father, a former congressman, is a lobbyist for the hospital.

In the end, Mr. Ford voted against the bill. Bush administration officials now say they will probably not provide any extra money, even though the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, is urging them to do so because the hospital is in his state.

Vital addendum: Robert Novak (of all people) described how the GOP leadership rammed the Medicare bill through the House in that infamous three-hour-long 15 minute vote. He opens this way:

During 14 years in the Michigan Legislature and 11 years in Congress, Rep. Nick Smith had never experienced anything like it. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, in the wee hours last Saturday morning, pressed him to vote for the Medicare bill. But Smith refused. Then things got personal.

Smith, self term-limited, is leaving Congress. His lawyer son Brad is one of five Republicans seeking to replace him from a GOP district in Michigan's southern tier. On the House floor, Nick Smith was told business interests would give his son $100,000 in return for his father's vote. When he still declined, fellow Republican House members told him they would make sure Brad Smith never came to Congress. After Nick Smith voted no and the bill passed, Duke Cunningham of California and other Republicans taunted him that his son was dead meat.

This is not just politics, this is not just "horse trading." Threatening Smith's son's campaign and then mocking him is bad enough. But offering him $100,000 for that campaign is outright criminality. Is nothing beyond these people?

There's an old proverb that has it that "some questions need only be asked."

Smith Update, December 9: Despite it all, Smith shows himself to be a loyal Republican:

By Friday, Smith was backpedaling, saying his earlier suggestion that he had been bribed for money was "technically incorrect." ...

In a column on his Web site the day after the vote, Smith said "other members and groups made offers of extensive financial campaign support" for his son, Brad, an attorney who is running for Smith's seat when Smith steps down next year. Neither Smith nor his son will reveal who spoke to Smith that morning.

Just what the hell does "technically incorrect" mean in this context?