You remember George W. Bush.  He's the one that the "principled" Republicans allowed an eight minute speech by satellite before being dismissed.

You also remember Dick Cheney.  He was sent on a foreign mission to Georgia and other  regional spots where his acute oil sniffer has picked up the scent of potential trouble.  He was never heard even on satellite.

Meanwhile, as Republicans distance themselves from their current leadership, John "Mr. Maverick of Principle" chooses as a fresh "voice of reform" Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin, who, in the midst of a continuing ethics struggle in her home state, has jumped forth to fill the shoes of Bush and Cheney as spokesperson of Big Oil.

Wednesday was quite an evening in St. Paul as Rudy Guiliani, who had previously fought tenaciously to convince New York City voters to elect him their mayor, promising that he is not one of those right wing hate-oriented kooks and even seeking to seal the deal with a comedic drag queen appearance on Saturday Night Live.