Something to Keep in Mind When Reading About the GOP's Outrage Over the AP Phone Records Search

It has been Republicans who have blocked the passage of a federal law to shield reporters. They filibustered it to death in 2008. Chimpy threatened to veto it if it had passed.

A similar bill was re-introduced in the following session, but it died in the Senate. Two of the larger GOP goons in the Senate, Jon Kyl and Jeff Sessions, had their fingerprints all over the death of the shield bill in 2010.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Blame Obama For Everything) voted against the 2007-08 shield law. Which doesn't stop him from expressing his outrage now, of course, as politicians like him are routinely immunized against any feelings of hypocrisy.

The only real good that might come out of the current brouhaha over the AP's phone records is that Republicans are going to look even dumber than normal if they block a shield law this time around.