Could We Possibly Have an Actual Opposition Party for Just a Couple of Minutes, Please?

Maybe we should just throw in the towel and admit we've got a one-party system. The Republicans have been playing hardball for years, and yesterday Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid indicated that he's ready to play a nice, friendly game of backyard softball.

On Tuesday, he seemed to come out loaded for bear. In a press release entitled, "Republicans Cannot Be Trusted to End the Culture of Corruption," he singled out thirty-three Republican senators by name who have ties to Jack Abramoff or have other questionable incidents in their past. The Republicans, who, don't forget, could often be found morphing the faces of their Democratic opponents into Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden--when they weren't accusing them of treason outright--complained. So what did Reid do? Did he stick to his guns? Did offer a new volley of criticism?

No. No, he didn't. Instead, he apologized. He sent a letter to Republicans admitting that he was sorry "for the tone of this document and the decision to single out individual senators for criticism in it." He also wrote, "The document released by my office yesterday went too far, and I want to convey to you my personal regrets." Way to pin those Republicans to the wall on Abramoff and ethics. We'll have them on the run in no time.

For the expurgated statement (which has no details but is still hard hitting--too bad he ceded the momentum to the other side), take a look at Reid's Senate Website.