We met Tammy Faye Messner (formerly Bakker) in 2003 at a drag-queen-hosted book party for her self-help book, I Will Survive and You Will, Too!, in which she offers thoughts like, "I think almost every woman should own a wig." She was all smiles and mascara and graciousness and yes, she got a little weepy talking about how grateful she was for her life post PTL.

Radar Online is reporting that John McCain has a gay sweater problem (look here for pictures of his so-called gay sweaters and the "controversy" surrounding them). He apparently wears too many of them. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But there is something wrong with that if you're doing it because your handlers told you to.

I believe in balance. You shouldn't always ignore your handlers. Sometimes they have very relevant poll results (like 70% of the country wants to withdraw from Iraq, you will lose the race if you support that position -- not that there's anything wrong with that either, if you really believe in staying in Iraq you should fight for it even if you're going to lose). Sometimes they tell you about facts in a policy debate that might help shape your opinion. Sometimes they tell you whether you have schmutz on your tie.

Some people make fun of anyone who listens to their advisers. That's ridiculous. You know what you get when you don't listen to anybody? George W. Bush. So, there is value in advisers and consultants. They have specialties and you should take their advice. But that's all it is -- advice. Then be a man, and make up your own mind.

The venom expressed by some on the left and in the atheist community upon the death of Falwell is very revealing. I don't think you'd see anything comparable if, say, Michael Moore died. Falwell was, by all acounts, a good Christian. He didn't approve of things that Christianity teaches are bad, but he was unfailingly decent in the way that he treated individuals, even those he strongly disagreed with. Moreover, he didn't just condemn things like abortion. He sponsored programs to help unwed moms carry their fetuses to term. Unlike some of the other televangelists, he wasn't a hypocrite who preached one thing and did another. His lengthy public life was free of financial and sexual scandal.

And yet here is blogger Amanda Marcotte--a former employee of John Edwards--declaring that upon Falwell's death "the gates of hell swing wide open and Satan welcomes his beloved son." Religion columnist Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun Times reacted this way. "Good. Ding-dong, the witch is dead." Then there were all the folks on Wonkette and other blogs who wished he suffered, wished he turned into a vegetable, and so on.

Jerry Falwell had an opinion on everything. Surely he favored one AI semifinalist over the others, and talent likely had little to do with his decision. To review:

Jordin Sparks, 17, is a Christian with pro-life sympathies. (She participated in an anti-abortion rally in 2005.) She is from Arizona, a generally red state with a more Western conservative libertarian bent. She is the product of an African-American former pro football father and caucasian mother.

Melinda Doolittle, 29, is an African-American Christian from Tennessee, a bible belt red state. She is less politically active than Jordin. She said she would first thank Jesus and her mommy if she won the competition. She once sang backup for the controversial Christian singer - and former AI finalist - Mandisa.

Blake Lewis, 25, is a beat-boxer from Washington State - a state that has not gone Republican in a presidential election since 1984. It also has the lowest rate of church attendance in America. Lewis' religion (or religiosity) is unknown. He is of Welsh, German and Irish descent - presumably Christian, perhaps Catholic. He is a white male.