Americablog just touched the third rail in Democratic politics.  In the past few weeks it's become clear that the entire rationale of the Clintons' continued presence in the campaign is "vetting."  They're the self-appointed pledgemasters, and the Democratic primary is one long hell week.  In between flippant threats to nuke Iran, Hillary Clinton performs a public service to all Democrats by slinging meritless personal attacks Barack's way -- racially loaded innuendo, implying on "60 Minutes" that his religion is an open question, mentioning Farrakhan appropos of nothing, and going the Saxby Chambliss route in advertising Bin Laden.

It's to Obama's great credit that he's not performing the same public service.  The Clintons believe that to be a good Democrat, you must employ discredited GOP talking point to slime your opposition, since the GOP is run by professional kneecappers in any event.  This is how your party nominee is "vetted" and "tested."  It's not intraparty cannibalism, you see, but simply tough love.

The conservative narrative about the Virginia Tech massacre won't be limited to Glenn Reynolds's call for loosening gun control laws.

By late afternoon the Drudge Report was running a headline stating that the shooter was issued immigrant visas via Shanghai.  That headline was pulled by Tuesday night, but the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting the following:

The 24-year-old man arrived in San Francisco on United Airlines on Aug. 7 on a visa issued in Shanghai, the source said. Investigators have not linked him to any terrorist groups, the source said.

A new review of Neil Young's album "Living With War" has perked up my cold and dreary Saturday in New York.  Over at Raw Story, Jim Cirile has written a new review of Neil Young's "Living With War."

Last night Kdoug suggested that we thank God for Neil Young, and I wrote an earlier diary excerpting a review by former Reprise Records CEO turned blogger Howie Klein. Cirile's review offers the conclusion that I'd previously hoped for -- that "Living With War" is rock's "Farenheit 9/11." Cirile describes the release as "one motherfucker of a protest album."

I second Kdoug: Thank God for Neil Young.  Excerpts from Cirile's review below.

Howie Klein (not to be confused with Howie Kurtz) is the former president of Reprise Records, now blogging at Down With Tyranny.  He recently heard a preview of Neil Young's soon-to-be-released epic protest album, "Living With War," which I previously wrote about here.  (It was, incidentally, my first diary after years of visiting the site, and thanks to all who commented and recommended.)

The remainder of this diary will consist of large excerpts of Klein's review, which I suggest clicking to and reading in full.

In short, Klein thinks that "Living With War" is a lyrical and musical masterpiece.

Music and political blogs have been buzzing today with news that Neil Young will soon be releasing an album called "Living With War." From everything I've read, it sounds scorching -- by the time Bush and his cronies get the Neil Young treatment, Michael Moore will look like a pussycat.

Late today, Neil confirmed the rumors.  Reportedly written and recorded in a three-day creative burst, it sounds a return to Neil's "Rust Never Sleeps," proto-grunge style.  As Neil himself describes it on his website, it's "Metal folk protest" music in the tradition of Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs.

Is Neil Young a great artist?  Definitely.  Does this have potential to be a great album?  It sounds like it.  Is this going to be the most controversial album of the year?  Reaction in the last twelve hours says yes. It will be to the midterm elections what "Farenheit 9/11" was to the 2004 election.