Margaret Chase Smith

While the jury is out for today's Republicans, it's worth remembering Senator Margaret Chase as we discuss political rhetoric in the wake of Tucson.

Sarah Palin's recent claim that she is a "real American" suggests that she may have spent too much time on her porch in Alaska. I have outlined an itinerary for the former half-term Governor.

Viewed in isolation, any one of several recent incidents might be dismissed as an aberration. Together, they form a disquieting, unmistakable pattern.

If Clinton calls up her foremothers in delivering her campaign's last hurrah in New York tonight, she'll find inspiration in a stunning speech made by the only woman in the U.S. Senate on June 1, 1950.