Opinion

Norman Thomas, Huey Long, and Upton Sinclair are all looking down (or perhaps up) on President Barack Obama and smiling.

Perhaps it seemed like a good idea at the time.

That may explain all sorts of behavior, both by private individuals and public officials. And aside from a human tendency toward rationalization, it may be the only reason why someone would go to a brothel on a presidential trip, waste pots of public cash on a luxury trip when the country is struggling out of a recession, or travel on a highway with the family dog on the roof.

"Stay-at-home mom" has entered our political lexicon with a vengeance, and we all know why. The Hilary Rosen-Ann Romney cable brou-haha. I won't belabor the particulars. Whoever dreamed that clever one up to update "just a housewife" had a passive-aggressive streak. The phrase is a conversation stopper, but not for the reasons Clark Judge, my bloleague, gives. At least not for me.

We can't call it a gaffe per se. Former Gov. Mitt Romney said it months ago, and it didn't seem remotely controversial at the time. But in light of last week's controversy involving Hilary Rosen and Ann Romney's skirmish in the "Mommy Wars," the remark has taken on a fresh significance.