Another priceless moment in the GOP Iowa debate was the exchange about Sen. Obama’s pledge to take military action within Pakistan if necessary to kill Osama bin Laden and other high-value al Qaeda leaders. As in other cases I noted below, it was another case of the candidates forced to tie themselves in pretzels because they’re saddled with President Bush’s legacy of a mix of rhetorical belligerence, strategic misadventure and unwillingness to actually strike at al Qaeda when given a chance.

Rudy Giuliani felt compelled to recant an earlier statement supporting Obama’s point. And the consensus from him and the rest of the candidates appeared to be that of course the US would take such an opportunity to strike (even though President Bush hadn’t) but that it was the height of naiveté to announce that we would do so. And that in any case, you shouldn’t say such a thing because of the importance of maintaining ties with our friends and allies — even ones who have our prime terrorist foes operating from on their soil.

Here you have again the perfect image of the inverted world of Bush loyalism. Any price to fight non-al Qaeda in Iraq. But don’t go overboard against real al Qaeda in Pakistan. And especially don’t get them upset by talking about it in public.

You remember a little while back we brought you the story of Florida McCain campaign co-chair, Rep. Bob Allen (R). Right on the heels of Giuliani Southern Regional Chairman David Vitter’s exposure as a serial user of prostitutes, Allen got caught in a Titusville park restroom offering to pay an undercover police officer to allow him to perform oral sex on him.

Now it turns out that Allen revealed the true reason for the alleged park-john-offer in a tape recorded statement he made just after his arrest.

“This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park,” said Allen, according to this article in the Orlando Sentinel. Allen went on to say he was afraid of becoming a “statistic.”

I guess this raises the question of whether if you thought you were about to get mugged by a group of stocky black guys, your first plan of escape would be to try to give one of them a blowjob. But I guess maybe you had to be there.

In any case, we now have this further account of the negotiation from the police report …

In a written statement released Thursday, Titusville Officer Danny Kavanaugh recalled entering the restroom twice and said he was drying his hands in a stall when Allen peered over the stall door.

After peering over the stall a second time, Allen pushed open the door and joined Kavanaugh inside, the officer wrote. Allen muttered ” ‘hi,’ ” and then said, ” ‘this is kind of a public place, isn’t it,’ ” the report said.

The officer said he asked Allen about going somewhere else and that the legislator suggested going “across the bridge, it’s quieter over there.”

“Well look, man, I’m trying to make some money; you think you can hook me up with 20 bucks?” Kavanaugh asked Allen.

The officer said Allen responded, “Sure, I can do that, but this place is too public.”

Then Kavanaugh said he told Allen, “I wanna know what I gotta do for 20 bucks before we leave.’ ” He said Allen replied: “I don’t know what you’re into.”

According to Kavanaugh’s statement, the officer said, “do you want just [oral sex]?” and Allen replied, “I was thinking you would want one.”

The officer said he then asked Allen, “but you’ll still give me the 20 bucks for that . . . and that the legislator said, “yeah, I wouldn’t argue with that.”

As Allen turned and motioned for the officer to follow him to his car, Kavanaugh identified himself as a police officer by raising his shirt and exposing his badge.

Just out from the Romney Campaign …

One family, 99 counties … and a Winnebago. As the Ames Straw Poll rapidly approaches, join the Romneys as they trek across Iowa in the famous Mitt Mobile.

If you’re trying to keep up on the political money race or just who some friend or neighbor or enemy is giving money to, check out Huffingtonpost’s new Fundrace engine.

Over the weekend we brought you scenes from the Yearly Kos presidential candidates forum. But we’ve had a lot of call for the specific snippet where Hillary Clinton defends taking contributions from lobbyists …

From USA Today …

USA TODAY’s Susan Page reports that President Bush is making some headway in arguing that the increase in U.S. troops in Iraq is showing military progress.

In the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, taken Friday through Sunday, the proportion of those who said the additional troops are “making the situation better” rose to 31% from 22% a month ago. Those who said it was “not making much difference” dropped to 41% from 51%.

About the same number said it was making things worse: 24% now, 25% a month ago.

Obama and Edwards hit Clinton over YearlyKos lobbyists flap. That and other political news of the day in today’s Election Central Happy Hour Roundup.

I’ve only just now caught up on watching all of the 26 videos we produced at YearlyKos over the weekend, so I suspect you might be a bit behind, too. In case you don’t have time to watch them all, some favorites of mine you might have missed:

The distinguished Juan Cole calls the DailyKos community his “homies”:

Max Blumenthal, of videoblogging fame, explains the Freud-on-steroids method to his wonderful madness:

Time’s Jay Carney woos the netroots and attacks the pseudononymous all at once:

And finally, debate moderator Matt Bai gives his postgame take on the debate and explains how he achieved netroots cred:

We had a grand time. Thanks to everyone who chatted with us and to TPMtv leader Ben Craw for his tireless editing.

In my post yesterday about the Republican debate in Iowa, I said I thought that Tommy Thompson was supposed to be a “sharp guy.” And that because of that purported sharpness I was surprised that his answer to one of the questions about Iraq was one of the stupidest and more ignorant things I’ve heard on the subject in some time.

Well, a lot of TPM Readers in Wisconsin beg to differ. Like TPM Reader RK, for instance …

My drink nearly came out my nose when I read your remark about Tommy Thompson (he’s supposed to be a “sharp guy”). Those of us who have lived with him for decades here in Wisconsin know his reputation for being a mental midget, a clown, an inarticulate moron. I don’t know where you’re getting your impression, but — as much as I love and respect you — I can’t share it.

We got several other emails in a similar vein. And I got the sense this wasn’t your garden variety not liking a guy because you don’t like his politics but a more considered appraisal that the man is in fact a doofus and a buffoonish moron.

So where did I get this idea? I think the root of my misapprehension is the sense I had back in the 1990s that as Governor of Wisconsin Thompson was something of an innovator in the world of conservative social policy — with things like school vouchers, welfare reform and health insurance provision. I think I also had the impression that Thompson was someone who was interested in this stuff at the level of substance and because of that I jumped to the conclusion — a flawed leap in light of what I’m hearing now — that Thompson was a sharp guy when in fact he may be a real boob.

Late Update: Another TPM Reader dissents …

As a news volunteer at Madison’s community radio station, WORT, I interviewed Tommy Thompson when he was minority leader of the Wisconsin Assembly. I found him articulate, funny and charming, even though I knew even then (circa 1985) that Thompson was an early version of Newt Gingrich. I don’t think Thompson is stupid, but I think that, like Mike Gravel, he humors himself by speaking unedited. He thinks this makes him authentic. As governor of Wisconsin, he came across as a clumsy, folksy gadfly, which was part of his political schtick. Something he probably copied from Proxmire, but which Proxmire did with much more actual authenticity.

Thompson’s brother, who ran for governor last time as a libertarian, is an even more extreme gadfly. Pretty funny, but not taken seriously.

My brother who still lives near Lacrosse hates Thompson with a passion, quoting him shouting, “WisCONsin, where eagles soar and Harleys roar!!!”

As for all the Republican innovative policy clap trap — that was rolled out by the Heritage, Bradley and Olin foundations. Thompson was smart enough to get out of the way.

Still, I wouldn’t mind sitting around the Memorial Union’s Rathskeller and sharing a pitcher or two with Thompson, not that I’d ever consider voting for him. Given how he came across in the interview, Thompson would probably be down for that.

Even Later Update: TPM’s Eric Kleefeld, guest-hosting at Andrew Sullivan’s site, takes us deeper into the Thompson: Doofus or Policy Wonk? debate.

These are tough times for the Stevens clan. The Boss, Alaska Sen.Ted Stevens (R), is now at the center of major public corruption investigation. And his son, former Alaska state Senate President Ben Stevens looks to be in even more dire legal jeopardy, after one of the VECO bribers admitted to bribing Stevens as part of his plea agreement.

In any case, back in fatter days, Ben lived large on multi-hundred thousand a year consulting fees for unspecified services provided to major corporations in the state while he was also serving as senate president. But now he’s fallen on such hard times that he’s been forced to take up work on a fishing vessel to make ends meet.

At present, Ben Stevens is at sea.

What’s not clear is whether Sen. Ted Stevens (R) might also be forced to put to sea if his legal woes get any worse.