TORTURIN' RUDY. I'm not sure what's more depressing about yesterday's debate -- the current forerunner enthusiastically and unequivocally supporting torture, or how well it went over in the audience. Obviously, Giuliani's authoritarianism is going to become more and more manifest because it's his only possible route to victory. I still think that when Rudy goes to the GOP primary markets to realize his soul he'll find what he needs he just doesn't have--his competitors will be able to offer pointless wars and arbitrary executive power without being dragged down by a rational position on the abortion issue--but certainly the dynamic he's going to bring to the race is going to be bad for the country and (I hope) for the Republican Party. On the other hand, I think the Sexiest Torturer Alive's proposal (already K-Lo -approved!) to "double Gitmo" has considerably more merit to it. Oh, he doesn't mean that it should be doubled to accommodate all the Bush administration officials and apologists who should be sent there? Never mind. --Scott Lemieux