Mandarins at the Gate

I think they're just there for the free muffins, but:

Republican activists Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed landed more than 100 meetings inside the Bush White House,...

But, stumbling like a drunken French Quarter whore after spending her last FEMA check, the Democrats again fumble for their bra strap with inane accusations like:

"By trying to extend a special privilege typically reserved for U.S. government employees, to protect their Abramoff cronies like Grover Norquist, and Ralph Reed, the Bush administration showed just how willing they are to manipulate the law to hide the truth and protect their political interests," [DNC spokesmodel] Finney said.

Somehow, I think their twin message of (a) only bureaucrats may address elected officials and (b) Democrats would never be visited by lobbyists who represent a substantial number of voters, will fail to resonate with the electorate.

In a mature democracy, it's not a choice of evils, but one of the lesser dumberer.