Each generation's riddle

In the 1960s, the question was, "Who was the 5th Beatle?"

In the first decade of the 21st century, the question is, apparently, "Who was the 20th hijacker?"

Thought that was settled? Silly you. In Karl Rove's America, nothing is settled as long as there's possible political advantage to be gained from keeping it an open question.

I have to admit, though, the formidable GOP Subject-Changing Spin Machine doesn't seem to be working as smoothly as it did in the not-too-distant past. Bush's second secret-Iraq-visit stunt didn't even get him a dead-cat bounce in the polls. Immigration reform stalled when the House and Senate Republicans couldn't agree on how xenophobic was xenophobic enough.

If only America had an opposition party. If only . . . if only . . .