The XX Factor: What women really think.

Jesse: Happy To Help, Wink, Wink?

Actually, E.J., I read Gail Collins this morning and thought, well, I needn't have been such an old sourpuss. Nothing wrong with copping a laugh, especially when the general sitch is so not funny. And Emily, your case against dynasties, political and otherwise, is exactly (and ironically, maybe, on this one occasion) why I'm all for affirmative action: Because without it, even now, the merit  in meritocracy all too often means "worthy enough, after Daddy got me into Yale and Uncle Potsy used his piston at the bank." As most Americans share your view, why do the sons and daughters of privilege and power continue to enjoy such an electoral advantage? Because name ID equals campaign cash, of course. Which is why, if Jon Stewart ever asked me that question he puts to a lot of the official types who go on his show about what they'd do if they had one crack at a magic wand, I would say: Money out of politics, many problems solved. (Yes, I have heard of the First Amendment, but refuse to believe there's no way to get a lot closer to a level playing field than we are right now.)

As for the presumption of Jesse Jr.'s innocence, of course you are right, and it's perfectly possible that he neither offered Blagojevich anything in return for the Senate appointment nor deputized anyone else to do so. Or, maybe he did make some vague noise along the lines of, "Sure, I'd be happy to support you in any future race,'' when what the thought bubble really contained was, "Haha, what future race? The only contributions you're going to need are to your defense fund, or for cigarette money when you're in the cell next to Ryan in Terre Haute." What I have a harder time believing is that Blago could go a full 90 minutes—the length of time he apparently spent meeting with Jackson on Monday—without talking moolah. Or that Jackson had no idea that Springfield's Monty Hall was looking for a quid pro quo; since Gov. Potty Mouth seems to have been raising his favorite subject with everyone he sat by on the El, that would make Junior sort of uniquely out of the Loop, wouldn't it?