WASHINGTON - At his press conference this morning, Senator John McCain spared time for some nice words towards Reality, his departing campaign worker. "Reality has been a big part of this campaign, and I'm sorry to see him go. He has, however, requested time to be with his family, and I feel we should respect that."

Senator McCain's running mate, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, had harsher words that cast a different light on the staffer. "You know, he was a real downer. All the time it's 'Conservative estimates say Barack Obama's going to win with at least 307 electoral votes,' I said to him, 'But hey! We're the conservatives!' I mean, who really wants a guy like that around."

Whether Reality was fired or left of his own accord, it is clear that it will no longer be hindering the McCain/Palin campaign. When asked if perhaps Reality's departure had been hasty, his replacement, Mr. Lah-Lah, responded, "I don't agree with their conclusion that I'm down eleven or twelve of fourteen points, whatever it is. There's a Zogby poll showing us three or four points behind. If you to continue to refer to poll I disagree with, I have to start our conversation by saying, 'I don't agree with that.' We're closing and we have been closing." The fact that Mr. Lah-Lah had responded to a question which hadn't been asked was ignored.