Even TNR's offices are not immune to veepstakes fever. It all started when John Judis put the "unity ticket" idea out to pasture. Soon, Jason Zengerle and Josh Patashnik were dishing on how the veep debate misses the mark, and frequent contributor Tucker Carlson was comparing the veepstakes to sex. Michael Crowley quickly dispensed with Nunn and Daschle, plonking himself down on permanent "Webb Watch"--where he noted Webb's conspicuous opposition to the death penalty and his G.I. Bill heroics. Zengerle asked how to make Webb more palatable to women, and Chris Orr brought up questions about his temperament.
The contents of Scott McClellan's blistering biography hit the papers this week, and TNR asked why he didn't speak up earlier. Jonathan Chait had predicted McClellan's discontent long ago, and Zengerle (who thought the McClellan's book was a shrewd business move) asked if McClellan was really a Manchurian memoirist or just responding to incentives.
The week was rough for John McCain. He had to deal with bad news for the GOP, and weasel out of voting for a climate change bill. Seeing McCain flounder, Noam Scheiber wondered if McCain is cynical enough to win, while Zengerle asked if McCain is corrupt enough to keep his operation alive. On top of that, McCain had to spend time with George Bush--Josh Patashnik suggested a workaround--and he came down with a terrible cold, only to later deny it.
--Barron YoungSmith