Righting Wrongs

Kudos to conservative columnist Cal Thomas and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow for behaving like grownups after Thomas said something dumb in front of a camera.

Thomas made a lame and cruel joke -- about Maddow's existence being an argument for her parents' use of contraception -- in a panel discussion that was being recorded. Maddow responded with graciousness, although she also managed to tint it with political commentary, but that's her job. Thomas properly apologized. Maddow accepted the apology and the invitation to break bread.

Bravo to both, and what should be a clarion call to whomever runs MSNBC that Maddow is the only host they have who seems to know how to live out the idea of tolerance that their whole lineup shouts about every night. And also that she rather than Schultz, Sharpton, Matthews or O'Donnell should be the model for their on-air personnel and their lead face because she is in fact an actual liberal instead of a closed-minded leftist.

Of course, if they did that her ratings might go up. And if her ratings went up, I imagine Roger Ailes, a man who is firmly committed to the ideology "WWNW?" or "What Would Nielsen Watch?" might have someone give Ms. Maddow's agent a call come contract time.