For those among us who are huge fans of Libor, imagine our thrill to hear this boffo mention of our favorite credit offered rate by none other than President Bush’s own spokesman Tony Fratto at today’s press briefing:

You hear us talk about credit markets, right? Well, something we look at is the Libor rate. Well, can anyone — raise your hand if you’re familiar with the Libor rate. The London Interbank — Bloomberg would know. All right, the London Interbank Overnight [Offered] Rate.  It’s banks lending to banks. That is a critical number.

Well, it reached — that spread reached an all-time high last night. Okay? I mean, that is our communications challenge, is to explain why the Libor rate is at all relevant to an American’s ability to get an auto loan, or a small business’ ability to maintain their payroll account at a financial institution. There are a lot of steps between the Libor rate and the homes of Americans. So we obviously have a challenge.

Obviously so.  And just like George Washington, we cannot tell a Libor.

Chicago Tribune:

There’s been no shortage of takeoffs on Sarah Palin lately, from television skits to action figures, but Bruce Elliott has gone one step further than most. He’s taken off her clothes.

Elliott, whose wife, Tobin Mitchen, owns the Old Town Ale House on Chicago’s North Side, painted a nude portrait of the Republican vice presidential nominee and hung it above the bar, where it’s now a prime attraction among his display of more than 200 celebrity portraits and other racy art.

Reliable Source provides this round-up:

“Now the Wall Street crony capitalists have put a 700-pound, billion-dollar bag of dung on taxpayers’ doorsteps, rung the bell and expect you to thank them when you answer it.”

– Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.)

“This is a huge cow patty with a piece of marshmallow stuck in the middle of it, and I’m not going to eat that cow patty.”

– Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga).

All fun.  But not as fun as John Boehner:

In a closed-door session with House Republicans Sunday evening, Minority Leader John A. Boehner called the $700 billion financial rescue deal a “crap sandwich.”

Former Bush adviser Dan Bartlett describes Joe Biden as “a rhetorical train wreck.”

Looks like being so closely associated with Amtrak is a double-edged sword.

It worked for the greatest generation …

(For the second straight year, we run this posting, revised ever so slightly.  It’s the Art Buchwald in us.)

Extreme Mortman will go dark for a bit in celebration of the Jewish New Year, 5769.  Like most Americans, I’ll still be writing 5768 on my checks for some time.  Before we head down to Times Square to watch the annual New Years eve dropping of the big flavorless roasted chicken, we might want to get into the spirit of things by remembering some of President Bush’s Rosh Hashanah greetings over the years:

* 2001: “Laura joins me in sending best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah.”
* 2002: “Laura joins me in sending our best wishes for a blessed holiday spent with family and friends.”
* 2003: “Laura joins me in sending our best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah.”
* 2004: “Laura joins me in sending our best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah and a sweet New Year.”
* 2005: “Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah. L’shanah tovah.”
* 2006: “Laura and I send our best wishes for a peaceful Rosh Hashanah.”
* 2007: “Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah and shanah tovah.”

And 2008: “Laura and I send our best wishes for a meaningful Rosh Hashanah and L’shanah tovah.”

A happy Rosh Hashanah?

Not if you’re Jewish, a Democrat, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

A report today by CNN’s Jessica Yellin:

“The Democrats, I can tell you what I understand is next. They are trying to bring this to another vote ideally. They’re not letting Jewish members go home.  You know it’s on the eve of the Jewish holiday, Asking everybody to stay put and see if they could have another vote.”

Which makes us wonder, if a Jewish Democratic member voted against Pelosi, is he/she expected to atone for that sin on Yom Kippur?

Tomorrow’s stock market results may be the biggest indicator yet of the Republicans’ fortunes on Election Day.

Why?  Because it’s the last day of the month for the market, and for many folks the last month they will see monthly statements for their 401(k)’s and IRA’s.  And presumably it will all be bad news.   The results for October’s returns will likely hit and be seen after Nov. 4.

So no doubt there are many Republicans tonight praying for the Dow Jones to gain a thousand points of light Tuesday.

Time was when Heather Locklear looked fantastic in a cop’s uniform.

Now, on the other side of the law, she looks like this…