URGENT TO JOE WILSON: JUST SHUT UP!

Valerie Plame has lost her career. She is an extraordinarily sympathetic figure. In the meantime the Bushies are still casting about in search of a workable spin, finding none. (In the meantime, they are on about their seventh version of the US Attorney thing but that's for another day). There has been a conviction. On cue, these Repubs have stupidly talked openly about a pardon.

From the perspective of showing this administration for what it is, things couldn't be going much better. Still, there is an "X" factor that could screw it for all of us who want to see the next spin continue to spiral them toward where they deserve to go: Joe Wilson's chops.

Joe, you're in the lead. Everybody loves your wife and feels badly she was outed to bust your chops. But, Ambassador, I have news: you're about as lovable as a laboratory rat in an AIDS testing facility. You're smug. You're gabby. You look like a child of the leisure class. Whether you really are or not, you look like your eastern educated. Even liberal people out here in flyover country are suspicious of that. Everytime you open your mouth, you lose some public opinion. Hide out. Don't even be seen. Let your lawyers fight out your civil case. Quit speculating publicly about who did what to whom.

Your wife should talk and look sad a lot. You should imitate a deaf mute polar bear eating marshmallows in a snowstorm.

When your opponent wants to commit slow-mo hari-kari, it's best not to stand in his way. Please, take heed.