REPUBLICAN PRIORITIES

In the Tribune's story on the $40 million war-themed inaugural celebration, Rep. Rahm Emanuel says the GOP's true stripes are showing:

"This is just who they are. We've got a bunch of working-stiff kids who are going to serve in the Army without a policy, without Kevlar vests, without [heavily armored] Humvees, and corporate America is going to make sure it has a good party. This is their idea of sacrifice. Some will sacrifice, and some will have a Bacchanalia. That's their idea of America at war."

And, just in case you thought there wasn't anything else to spend that money on, the story also notes that Bush's private inaugural committee reported raising about $5 million per week since Dec, 26, when the tsunami struck Indian Ocean nations.