[Keith in Iowa]

That would be Jeff Birnbaum...

he's usually reasonable. Tonight, he was clueless.

[YaYa123]

thanks, Keith. I think I must have a mental block keeping Jeff Birnbaum's name from entering my brain. (I get him and Ron Brownstein mixed up all the time.)

Birnbaum was worse than clueless tonight, more like despicable and duplicitous, trying to protect the NYT's quest for information on the Roberts' adoptions, with the subliminal suggestion that sealed adoptions are somehow unusual, out of the ordinary, hence worthy of the media investigating them. When Birnbaum realized that wouldn't fly, he made the unbelievable statement, how until this very night he had no idea sealed adoption records was the norm.

I was glad super Dad Bill Sammon was on tonight to keep Birnbaum in line.

[pollyannaish]

I think of Brinbaum as the Kondracke wanna be. Usually reasonable, but not quite as reasonable as Kondracke.

[Shortstop7]

I don't know that I'd describe him as usually reasonable, but have to admit he was off the charts tonight. He was horrible, and sounded like a total fool.