Earlier this week, Columbia University replaced MoveOn.org as Public Enemy #1 for many conservatives, because the school hosted a forum for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Most notably, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) announced on Fox News that he would "move in Congress to cut off every single type of federal funding to Columbia University.”

Now, Hunter clearly has an incentive to appear unhinged. He’s a faltering presidential candidate, and the GOP base is easily riled up by absurd stunts like these. Indeed, it’s a two-fer -- it’s posturing on Iran and it’s blasting an Ivy League university filled with “intellectual elites.”

Part of me assumed the controversy would fade; even conservatives would realize Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia made him, not the university, look ridiculous; and the right would find some new boogeyman for next week.

Alas, no such luck. Hunter meant it -- he's introduced a bill called the "Restore Patriotism to University Campuses Act."

It's almost as if Hunter wants to look ridiculous. I'm sure someone will get around to mentioning to Hunter the constitutional problems associated with Congress punishing colleges based on the content of political speech, but I have a hunch it won't matter.