Afternoon, folks

But before I continue my research paper on the impact of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on the news, I wanted to make a few updates.

Congrads to Senator Bayh. He finished the Big Sur International Marathon in 103rd place of the 40-49 age group. This is a 26 mile marathon. His health should be no problem. I'm impressed. I wonder if Sen. Bayh reads this.

The National Jewish Democratic Council responded to the mess that went on this weekend. Oh, and a religious conservative invoked the Shoah.

Jewish leaders have been appalled. ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said that "playing the 'religious' card is as unacceptable as playing the race card." The president of B'nai B'rith International, Joel Kaplan, said, "Without doubt, the whole idea of judicial independence is under attack. ... I just don't know how far this will encroach on the separation of church and state before the electorate calls a halt to it."

And Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said, "When leaders of the Republican Party lend their imprimatur to such outrageous claims... it should be of deep concern to all who care about religion. ...[Frist's] association with the scheduled telecast is, in a word, shameful."

What Senator Frist refuses to acknowledge -- what we all know to be true -- is that the separation between church and state in America grants every American a level of religious liberty that is envied around the world. It is because of this separation of church and state that faith in America has flourished; this separation helps faith, while protecting Americans of all faiths from religious or governmental coercion.

James Dobson, a well-known member of the religious right invoked the Holocaust. I denounce his comments and I ask all Jewish Republicans to do so as well.

DOBSON: And in 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court labored forth and came to us with the abortion decision that all abortion is protected by the Constitution. And that has now resulted in 44 million deaths. The biggest holocaust in world history that came out of the Supreme Court.

On April 11, 2005, Dobson also compared the Supreme Court to that of a evil organization that I consider a terrorist group. Reminder, 7 of the 9 Sumpreme Court Justices were appointed by Republicans.

DOBSON: I heard a minister the other day talking about the great injustice and evil of the men in white robes, the [expletive], that roamed the country in the South, and they did great wrong to civil rights and to morality. And now we have black-robed men, and that's what you're talking about.

Ira Forman released a statement:

It is disturbing enough that a radical-right leader like Dobson would engage in such divisive rhetoric to score anti-choice points. But it is inexcusable for the Senate GOP Leader -- the second highest-ranking elected Republican in the land -- to appear on the same telecast where the memory of the Holocaust is diminished. The Anti-Defamation League has rightly pointed out that such comparisons between a woman's right to choose and the Holocaust are 'hideous and offensive,' implying that American women who exercise their rights under U.S. law are somehow Nazis. Such rhetoric is patently offensive, and it trivializes the memory of the Holocaust.

"The GOP and conservatives have an insidious, pervasive problem with inappropriate abuse of Holocaust rhetoric. Bush White House insider Grover Norquist does it; GOP lawmakers and conservative talk show hosts and commentators do it; even the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign did it. Such unacceptable rhetoric is an epidemic among conservatives and Republicans, and it must end," Forman added.

Bob Uecker changes the number at Busch Stadium from 71 to 70. Uecker, a Ford Frick Winner and Milwaukee Brewers announcer, is a former St. Louis Cardinal ballplayer. He was a catcher on the 1964 World Championship Team.