I keep wondering how this happened, I mean, those pictures you showed earlier of all those yelling, screaming people, it’s just, it’s so unpleasant, and I just have to believe it has to do with the shortage of nuns, because anybody raised by nuns would not behave in that way… Cokie Roberts

It’s not her obviously facetious reference to nuns that’s infuriating, though that’s certainly annoying as all Hell. It’s that look of dignified bewilderment and horror. Yes, like much of the mainstream media, Cokie is shocked, I tell you, shocked that the Republican base, incited by inflammatory and irresponsible claims by healthcare reform opponents, is now shrieking threats, insults and accusations at Townhall forums and effectively shutting them down.

It must be the lack of nuns. Yeah, that’s it…

Or, as Sam Donaldson says, the fact that there’s “no bill to talk about…”

Or is it because there are five bills instead of just one, as George Stephanapolis says? (“Exactly!” says Donaldson. Huh? But I thought you said….Oh, never mind…)

No, no, I got it! It’s because Obama trying to pass healthcare reform is just like Bush pushing the Iraq war! Yeah, that’s it! Remember all those Town Halls that opponents of Bush disrupted so completely that at least one Republican had to be escorted to his car under police protection?

It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with a media that long ago threw away its responsibility to actually inform, now could it? Couldn’t be related to the press treating, say, creationist crackpots with the same level of seriousness they treat respected biologists and scientists? Couldn’t have anything to do with a “he-said/she-said” approach to reporting that has left informed viewers wondering what exactly some beltway reporters do to earn their high salaries other than pointing a microphone and transcribing sound bytes?

It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with an unprincipled political party exploiting the laziness and incuriousness of our DC press corps, stepping into the vacuum to spread rumors about war heroes not being war heroes, or elected presidents not being native born Americans, or healthcare reform including a plot to euthanize old people?

Nahhhh.

It’s the lack of nuns… Or sunspots…or