I was just here talking on the phone and watching Meet the Press on mute. Seeing their end-of-show commentary panel really drives home the state of affairs in what now goes for balance in DC conventional wisdom.

Of the four panelists, one is the profoundly middle-of-the-road David Broder, a paragon of Washington's establishment assumptions. For the sake of discussion, let's call him balanced or neutral.

Two of the other four are Bill Safire and Bob Novak, two of the most prominent and conservative columnists in the country.

Finally, you have Doris Kearns Goodwin. In her personal views, it's probably fair to call her a liberal. But, as you might say, she doesn't play one on TV. She goes in for high-minded commentary, which is fine in itself but makes her little balance for Safire and Novak.

There's your balance. Two against one -- and the one has one arm tied, voluntarily, behind her back.