A check of Technorati today revealed that lots of people were talking about something called “Smoking Dutch Cleanser.” Since I missed this reference the other day, I went looking for it. Turns out Maureen Dowd, Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist, had something interesting tucked behind the New York Times’ “Orange Curtain” of premium content.

Not to worry, I knew someone would make it their business to part that curtain so that all could enjoy the sensation of

Nevada Thunder | Blog Archive | Smoking Dutch Cleanser

Vice President Dick Cheney bitterly complains that national security leaks are endangering America. Unless, of course, he’s doing the leaking, tapping Scooter Libby to reveal national security information to punish a political critic.

President Bush says he will not talk about specific security threats to America. Unless, of course, he needs to talk about a specific threat to Los Angeles to confuse the public and gain some cheap political advantage.

The White House says it has done everything possible to protect the homeland. Unless, of course, it hasn’t. Then it can lie to hide the callous portrait of Incurious George in Crawford as New Orleans drowned.

The attorney general can claim that torture and warrantless wiretapping are legal, and can mislead Congress. Unless, of course, enough Republicans stand up and say, as Arlen Specter told The Washington Post, that if that lickspittle lawyer thinks all this is legal, “he’s smoking Dutch Cleanser.”

Attaboy, Arlen! Perhaps deep in your subconscious, you remember your momma using this product. Perhaps you’re thinking “I am coming to clean up this town.” Well, that would be a far better use for Dutch Cleanser than smoking it, so carry on, sir.

Anyway, Ms Dowd’s column hits all the hot points so much better than I have over the last couple of days. Clearly, she’s the professional, you know, award-winning journalist.

Prediction: cans of Dutch Cleanser will soon be making their way to the Attorney General’s office, so that his stash doesn’t run low.