I heard an audio clip of Riordan's so-called "monumental gaffe." Inane it is indeed, and I further love the end of the clip when Riordan is spelling out an email address that ends in dot-gov and he states that that the "gov" stands for "governor." Uh, no Dick. It doesn't.

Whaddya mean, "couldn't" happen at Fox? Given the Times's penchant for pre-burning every bridge it might have had to the Schwarzenegger Administration, a better heading would have been "Might Actually Accomplish Something If it Happened at Fox."

First of all, I've met Riordan on a number of occasions, and once sat next to him and talked with him for an hour at a breakfast for David Tokofsky (who was up for school board). Anybody who's spent even a few minutes in Riordan's presence would know that he is by no means mean spirited. In fact, I find it refreshing that he's one of very few politicians who doesn't weigh and measure his every word. In fact, he seems to me to be kind of a jokester. So, this one didn't play. Riordan said he was sorry, the mother says the kid's not damaged...so why don't you who are drooling to have Riordan's head on a platter go soak your own heads in some more productive pool? Perhaps the one with a little handle for flushing that you'll find in your bathroom.

I'm curious if there is a divide on this question between parents and non-parents?

I think he should resign, personally, in the same way that I think a teacher or anyone else working with children who made a similar remark to a 6-year-old should find another line of work.

Apparently his heart really is not in it.

Obviously, little Isis and her mother are in deep denial about their rich African heritage. Riordan, with his customary laser-keen focus, knew at a glance Isis was African-American, and thus, wasted no time in making a racial slur. Since she is black, he is a racist and Child Protective Services will be removing Isis from her home and placing her in a more "authentic" situation, where no small child ever hears a discouraging word.

Why was Isis out there flappin' her gums at the grown-ups, in the first place? Can't peeople control their brats?

Said it before, but I think it's worth repeating. Nobody here ever got embarrassed by his/her grandpa witha joke Gramps thought was cute but nobody else did?

The "Isis crisis" aside, can we all agree that thist type of political photo op is a giant waste of time for everyone? A politician reading in a classroom might look good on the evening news but what does it really achieve? It is the worst form of political pandering. Yes, OK, we get it, you like children, you have the compassion gene. Now go fix the education system and keep the country running. Despite the infamous scene in Michael Moore's film of Bush reading to children while the country is under attack, I'm yet to here any serious examination of why these stupid political schoolroom charades are necessary. Did Bush have so much free time in his busy schedule as leader of the free world that he was able to cut loose for a visit to a Florida classroom? Apparently so. You'd think these guys would have learned from Dan Quayle's potato mistake.

Here's hoping the word "wingnuts" is used equally for the right and the left.

This is very hard for me to type, but, ugh, I agree with Amy Alkon. I too have supped with Riordan and found him to be a little dotty, but harmless enough, even a little charming.

Politics would be a lot more interesting if we didn't chase people around with torches every time they said something silly.

It all depends on what the meaning of Is, is.