Sometimes ya just gotta laugh

And sometimes you can.

First, the media reports on a GOP talking points memo on the bill allowing Terri Schiavo's parents to file in federal courts for habeas corpus relief, noting that among the arguments are assertions that it's "a great political issue" and "the pro-life base will be excited." Second, the right wing flakes (assuming that's not redundant) in the blogsphere go ape, using all sorts of nit-picking arguments - such as a typo - to claim the memo is fake. Third, the attack escalates to the charge that it was actually produced by Democrats to "make Republicans look bad." Fourth, the right wing mass media pick up the story, amplifying the "Democrats did it" line. Fifth, it becomes established fact in their gnarled little minds that the memo is in fact a Democratic dirty trick, the evil fiends.

Sixth, Brian Darling, legal counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), the bill's chief sponsor, admits he wrote the memo.

Seventh, the wingnuts fall all over themselves to see who can do the best Emily Latella impression.

It actually is quite amusing.

AMERICAblog has a run down on the screaming of the reactionary noise machine; so does Media Matters for America (MMFA).

Footnote: The Miami Herald notes that this is the third time in less than a year that Martinez has come under fire for what's come out of his office: In the GOP primary, his opponent, former Representative Bill McCollum, was called "the new darling of the homosexual extremists" because he supported federal hate-crime legislation. In the general election,

a press release from his campaign likened U.S. immigration agents to "armed thugs" for seizing Elián González from his Miami home in 2000.

And now this. In all three cases, Martinez blamed staff members, claiming he had nothing to do with it and was blissfully unaware it was going on. As Phil Singer of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said, "the first time it's an accident, the second time it's a coincidence, the third time it's a pattern."