I think most people this side of Brit Hume winced uncomfortably when Tim Russert tried to make Barack Obama responsible for everything Louis Farrakhan had ever said in last week's debate.

I'd forgotten (until Jamison Foser reminded me) that this was standard operating procedure for Russert. I wrote this in 2006:

What the hell is Tim Russert asking Barack Obama to express his opinion about Harry Belafonte for? Harry...