Well, as we look ahead to an Obama vs. McCain general election, we should start sketching out lines of argument we can use against the gentleman from Arizona. We can talk about his right-wing politics, his abysmal record, his wild-eyed militarism; but I have to say right now I'm not comfortable with attacks on McCain's age. We have too much dignity, and respect for our elders, to resort to... to...

OH HELL IT'S JUST TOO EASY.

Although I have to give Senator McCain credit here -- Matlock was a quality show. You got Andy Griffith, you got a courtroom, what's not to like?

(If you paid close attention there you might have noticed Fred Thompson seated in the audience. Intertextuality much?)

It occurs to me that some of you young'uns out there might not be familiar with the work of Andy Griffith. If anything you know him from The Andy Griffith Show, classic 1960s TV-Americana, best remembered today for giving us the catchiest theme song ever. But Andy Griffith had a long and fulfilling acting career; the highlight is undoubtedly Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd, 1957, a brilliant and gut-wrenching drama/satire. The Network of its day, this is a criminally underrated film that you owe it to yourself to see:

That clip doesn't quite bring it across, but it's a really discomfiting look at entertainment, business and politics. Go get a copy.

I'll close there. Hope reading period isn't too stressful for those of you who, unlike me, aren't Gov concentrators and therefore have work to do (suckers). Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll see you around; this is an open thread.