As annoyed as you are at this tool for being a ludicrous political hack and a disgrace to his office, please do understand that he’s inadvertently a huge asset to conservatives. Just watch him answer Diane Sawyer’s question about whether it’s appropriate for an investigator to tie his pet theories about talk radio to this case without any evidence. Answer: “Well, that’s my opinion. People can have their own opinions.” We’re talking about a horrific murder spree here, an international news event, with political tensions between left and right terribly inflamed because of it, and the lead fact-finder on the case is yakking to broadcast news about Rush Limbaugh because “that’s my opinion.” Naturally that’ll make him an instant hero to the left, but I can’t believe there’s a cop anywhere who won’t watch this and cringe all the way through. I’m also trying to imagine the reaction in the county D.A.’s office as this imbecile does his level best to prejudice the trial they’re eventually going to have to conduct. But then, what does a conviction of a mass murderer matter when Diane Sawyer’s sticking a mic in your face?

Speaking of disgraceful, ludicrous hacks, in case you missed it this morning, here’s Krugman’s entirely predictable, widely reviled paint-by-numbers indictment of conservative rhetoric. Patterico already tackled it earlier today, but if by chance you’re wondering where the line is now between dangerously irresponsible violent metaphors like Palin’s crosshairs map and genteel political gestures that no one could misinterpret, Krugman himself once chuckled at the idea of hanging Joe Lieberman in effigy. So there you go: If you want to pretend to lynch people (as at least one Palin-hater has done in the past), have at it, but for heaven’s sake — avoid the rough stuff. Click the image to watch.