Mr Rangel,

While I am unable to contribute to your birthday party, I will happily contribute to your retirement party.

Regards,
JSchuler

Mr. Rangel,

I called up a local radio station and said 'Rangel for Congress' and talked for about 3:16. That runs to about $7,000 of airtime, so you can reimburse me for the overage.

Thanks.

Mr. Rangel,

We are sending you a jumbo-pak "Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey" with extra pins for you and your guest's entertainment. Since this donation will match our annual allotted PAC ceiling, we hope that you will be able acquire padded pantaloons from another interested party or that another group may point you in the right direction. We apologize in advance for our inability to attend.

Stuck down South,
DNC "PToD" PAC of the Lower 49

Oops, forgot a "to".

Can't afford a proofer,
DNC "PToD" PAC of the Lower 49

Hmmmm.

If I give $5 do I get an invite?

And is it an open bar?

Hmmmmm.

Let's examine this for a moment:

1) A right-of-center columnist claims, although he offers no evidence other than alleged quotes, that a Democrat is soliciting donations for his birthday party.

2) That column runs in an online journal, where, should one actually possess the solication in question, it would be trivial to post a .pdf of it.

3) A blogger decides it's "payola" and comes to that judgement in the absence of any of the surrounding context - or proof that the solicitation actually exists.

4) Rob extends the "payola" charge, and points, not to the original article, but to the blogger who links it.

I'm not suggesting that the story is untrue. What I am suggesting is that, if some lefty blog wrote that President Bush was soliciting "donation bribes" for his birthday, and then refused to provide a link to the actual solitiation, they'd be roundly criticized by righty bloggers, and rightly so, as Bushaters not to be believed.

Is it too much to ask for Robert Novak to fax over his copy of the solicitation before we just grant that it's true and in context?

After all, he's quoting from it as if he has a copy ... right? So, why can't we see it?

I'm surprised, Rob, at your lack of skepticism.

Rangel's 74th Birthday celebration at Tavern on the Green.

In view of this, I don't doubt Novak's report. If you're Rangel, why stop celebrating yourself, especially when it brings in cash? I have nieces and nephews try this ploy all the time... the rascals. Fortunately, they grow out of it.

Can you say payola?

Can you say "hypocritical fat tub of shit?"

Damn. That one belongs to Whiskey Ted. My bad.