A POX! It may surprise you to hear this: In his column today, David Broder assesses the Democratic and Republican primary debates that happened this week, considers both parties to have engaged in a "dispiriting display of pandering and group-think," and warns that "the dynamic on both sides is trending toward extreme positions that would open the door to an independent or third-party challenge in 2008 aimed at the millions of voters in the center." The door, it's opening! Very slowly, but still opening ...

"A BIZARRE NOTION." He ended his answer implying that he'd authorize air strikes against an Iranian nuclear warhead if one's built, but prior to the conclusion Joe Biden made two surprising (for a debate) and welcome points on Iran: that the policy of "regime change" itself -- of making demands on a country like Iran while also touting our intentions to topple the government -- is "bizarre" and should be abandoned; and that, according to actual and credible analyses, Iran is many years further away from developing nuclear weapons than is commonly discussed or assumed.

--Sam Rosenfeld