Today’s opining on the public discourse.

Surprise, surprise: Rove didn’t answer his supoena:

As a rule, Karl Rove’s word isn’t worth much, but today he did exactly as promised — he said he’d blow off a House Judiciary Committee subpoena, and that’s precisely what he did.

Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, chairman of a House subcommittee, ruled with backing from fellow Democrats on the panel that Rove was breaking the law by refusing to cooperate — perhaps the first step toward holding him in contempt of Congress.

Reports from Think Progress had it Rove went so far as to leave the country. This should get exciting. Rep. John Conyers, at least, is all set and ready to hold the slimy little bastard in contempt. Let Congress have the balls to do just this one thing, please o please. I really want to see that little fuckwit in handcuffs.

In other news, Obama shows a beautiful talent for snark:

You can’t give Barack Obama a slow, hanging curve, right over the middle of the plate, and expect him not to swing.

[snip]

“One of his top economic advisors, former Sen. Phil Gramm, said that we’re merely in a ‘mental recession.’ That’s what he said,” Obama said, smiling. “Said we’re in a ‘mental recession.’ He didn’t say this, but I guess what he meant was it’s a figment of your imagination, these high gas prices….

“Sen. Gramm then deemed the United States, and I quote, a ‘nation of whiners.’ Whoa. Now, this comes after Senator McCain recently admitted that his energy proposals for the gas tax holiday and the drilling, will have, quote, ‘mainly psychological benefits.’

“I want all of you to know that America already has one Dr. Phil. We don’t need another one when it comes to the economy…. This economic downturn is not in your head. When people are out there losing their homes, and property values are declining, that’s not a figment of your imagination — and it isn’t whining to ask the government to step in and give families some relief.”

It’s one thing to go on the attack, but I’ve long felt one of Obama’s great strengths as a candidate is his ability to use humor, and frankly, mockery, to drive his point home. He’s not mad at McCain and Gramm; he just thinks they’re ridiculous.

Don’t we all? All right, so the bugger pissed me off royally with his flip-flop on FISA, but still, set against McCain – there’s just no fucking contest. Besides, as Sen. Feingold points out, a Democratic President with a Democratic House and Senate may be able to undo some of the damage:

Feingold conceded that public disappointment following gains for Democrats in the 2006 elections was understandable, but said that a Democratic president, “in particular, Barack Obama, should allow us to greatly change this mistake.”

“Barack Obama believes in the Constitution,” he continued. “He’s a constitutional scholar. I believe that he will have a better chance to look at these powers that have been given to the executive branch, [even though] he’ll be running the executive branch.

I think he will understand and help take the lead in fixing some of the worst provisions.”

“I do think that people have a right to be disappointed,” he went on, “but they also have a right to hope for change–on this issue, in particular–starting in January.”

Feingold’s right. We have a chance with Obama. We have 0 chance with McCain. I’ll take a small hope of getting things fixed over no hope at all, muchos gracias. Besides, with nothing but Dems in power, we may be able to hold a few feet to the fire in very contructive ways, eh?

At the very least, we’ll have a President who knows how to crack a joke without threatening to blow someone up.