We like Condi Rice — perhaps not her retro-hair — but definitely her. We think she's smart and thoughtful, and has carried herself in a high-minded way amid much criticism of the current administration. We do not think she is the wisest choice for vice president.

Not that she isn't qualified, because she is, but because of her connection with George W. Bush. That will most certainly be used against her if she is the veep nominee. The Barackster, who seems like he's headed toward victory, even with all of the Hill-Bill machinations, will point to the General and Condi and say they represent the past. It's not a bad political argument either. They sorta do. He'll use McCain's age and Condi's Bush association against them very effectively. We can already see the TV ads, too. With a younger and more unknown running mate, McCain escapes a lot of the "this is a total step backward" criticism, we think. Not that we don't respect Condi and hope she continues in some sort of national public service role. That said … a black female candidate on a GOP ticket would just kill a bunch of the liberals, dontchathink?

Firing her chief strategist at the 11th hour won't help Hillary. It might be the above-board thing to do, but it also makes her look like she continues to crash. It's the notion that she can't keep her team together as her campaign runs out of steam. Some people in the middle of America who can't find Colombia on a map will not understand the implications of his lobbying, thus making her look more like a shrew for canning him when she's losing. It's a perception thing, and not everyone out there is a political junkie, something people in Washington tend to forget.

NFL star and PETA bullseye Michael Vick is now playing football on his prison's team. Mebbe he's trying to stay in shape while he's in the pokey. Wouldn't he be concerned that he might get hurt? Seems like a good place to sustain serious injuries. Go play — uh, go.

We were sorry to see that Charlton Heston died, but very glad that he disappeared from public life when it was clear his Alzheimer's was progressing. We remember him strong and passionate — doing that "my cold dead hands" speech at the NRA meeting.

We still don't think the USA should be going to those Olympics this summer.

They call it a polygamist "retreat" so we gotta wonder if this is where dudes worn out by having four or five wives and three dozen children go to chill before returning to their illegal broods. Probably it's the womenfolk who need the rest here, although they always have free babysitting, we bet. Life there is also likely nothing like it is on "Big Love." The subject matter is tough but we think the writing is sublime.

— Andrea Billups, The Washington Times