Shooting one's mouth off

I've commented before on my daughter's occupation. She's been home this week, and we had a chance to talk about Gabrielle Giffords' wound. Not its social or political dimensions, but its clinical dimensions. She sees trauma of this level daily.

We hear--we hope--that Ms Giffords will live. That is just one part of the challenge.
In the opinion of one traumatic brain injury specialist, she will be very fortunate if she can ever again function at a Congressional level. After high-caliber injuries at short range, the brain suffers massive trauma. As a rule, complete recovery happens only in Hollywood movies.

As I scribble, the leading figures of right-wing vitriol are doing what they did after the Oklahoma City bombing: running and hiding. Now, of course, we have in addition a vendor of right-wing vitriol who pretends also to be a legitimate candidate for high office.

In 2005, I thought it would be meet and just if Terry Schaivo had been able to appear before Congress: simply because, just possibly, there might have been enough people in Congress and the media capable of feeling ashamed at the act.

Today, I should like to look forward to a day when the vitriol vendors could visit Ms Giffords en masse. If she is very fortunate, she may be able to form a coherent sentence when they do. It isn't likely, but rehab must cling to hope or fail entirely. I am not in rehab, so I hope only for those who run away from their responsibility to have their noses rubbed in it.

Sleep well, Sarah Palin.