To the relief of the civilized world, the Afghani Government today agreed to drop all charges against Abdul Rahman, who had been facing the death penalty for his conversion from Islam to Christianity.  In exchange for his release to the custody of the United States, Afghanistan is to receive Cindy Sheehan, the notorious war protester, in a straight-up trade.

In a hastily called press conference, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan explained that Ms. Sheehan was obvious trade bait, since she was just 19 days short of the protest time required to be eligible for free agency as a peace activist.

In response to outcries from the White House press corps about the potential dangers to Ms. Sheehan, Mr. McClellan insisted that she would not face serious jeopardy in Afghanistan, since it was obvious that she was not really a Christian.

Mr. McClellan further stated that the Administration had also offered to include in the trade intrepid reporter Helen Thomas, and an unnamed Democrat to be named later.  However, the Afghani Government declined that deal, on the grounds that Helen Thomas would be too much trouble, and that the Democrat had no real trade value.

In a somewhat related story, a leak from the White House has revealed that President Bush has recently been contemplating a trade of wife Laura for Nancy Reagan, on the grounds that he needs someone with a connection to a good astrologer.

 

BLOGWORTHIES:

Madkane,¬†the High Priestess of political poetry, regales us with the saga of Momma Bush’s odd notion of “charity.”¬†(I guess Babs believes in giving the gift that “keeps on taking.”)

Norm Jenson at One Good Move shines a spotlight on Arkansas, where¬†”evolution” is apparently a four-letter word. (Maybe in Arkansas it¬†is.)¬†¬†¬†

Cookie Jill at Skippy The Bush reports on the¬†fascinating¬† story¬†of a Native American woman, who promises to fight South Dakota’s abortion ban with a Planned Parenthood clinic on an Indian Reservation. (Let’s hope¬†South Dakota history doesn’t¬†repeat with¬†a Battle of Wounded Womb.)¬†