The Kerry Watch Gets Easier

"Sept 21 -- 12:00 pm Redbook Women's Luncheon . . .

"September 30-October 5 -- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Chicago

"[Sister] Peggy Kerry's birthday -- November 11"

First an F-Word, Now a T-Shirt

It's the entrepreneurial spirit that makes America great. Vice President Cheney hardly had time to feel chipper about swearing at Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) on the Senate floor June 22 before Sean Bonner, a Los Angeles art gallery owner and blogger, was selling Cheney's memorable words -- opting for the version of the vice president's elegant suggestion that starts with "go" -- on clothes and hats and such.

Each item has the quoted phrase with attribution to "Vice President Dick Cheney" underneath. There's your usual T-shirts and tank tops and women's T-shirts. But there's also a dog T-shirt for $19.99, a "classic thong" for $14.99, a toddler T-shirt and, our favorite, an "infant creeper," along with mugs, mouse pads, a trucker hat (not some goofy liberal baseball cap) and various stickers. (Dog shirt and creep shown here have been fuzzed for sensitive Loop Fans.)

Bonnor said he got the idea as soon as he read about the exchange. Given the recent Federal Communications Commission anti-smut actions and such, he said, "I thought it was comical and it would make a great T-shirt." And the dog T-shirt? "What dog wouldn't want to wear it?" he asked. Within a week, he had his creations up for sale on www.cafeshops.com/vpquote.

Cheney said he "felt better" after his cathartic encounter with Leahy. Can you imagine the euphoria after wearing or looking at one of these things all day?

'Kessler Moment' Disclosed

Reporters generally try to be crisp when firing questions during news conferences. But sometimes, on a long trip, it's not easy, as we see in this transcript from a foreign ministers' news conference last week in Jakarta, Indonesia, with Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.

"Please identify yourself," Indonesian Foreign Minister Noer Hassan Wirajuda said.

"Yes, Glenn Kessler with The Washington Post," our colleague replied. "The United States last week at the six-party talks presented a more detailed proposal on resolving the crisis with . . . over North Korea's nuclear program, yet it seems like the bottom line has not changed the United States that before . . . Sorry, it's been a long day, as you well know . . . that the bottom line for the United States seems to be that before, before that . . . God, I'm sorry [laughter]. Yeah."

"Have a seat," Powell said. "I'll take care of it ([laughter]."

Kessler recovered to ask his question about the preconditions Washington was setting for any talks with the North Koreans on their nukes.

Relaxing with his traveling press over Mai Thais in Hawaii the next day, Powell recalled an occasion when he was in a meeting and he, too, had what he called a "Kessler Moment."

(Loop Note: This item was written after Powell and other top State Department officials insisted it run in the newspaper and threatened to accuse us of a coverup if it didn't.)