Score one for the good guys.

A federal judge has ordered the White House to release two years' worth of visitor logs outlining visitors to Vice President Dick Cheney's office and residence.

The order, by District Judge Ricardo Urbina, orders the Secret Service to give up the records by Oct. 27 or identify them and justify why they should not be released.

This comes three months after The Washington Post asked the White House for visitor logs covering people visiting Cheney, his legal counsel, chief spokesman and other aides. The Secret Service refused to handle the request, and attorneys representing the federal government called it "a fishing expedition into the most sensitive details of the vice presidency."

"Fishing expedition?" That old dog won't hunt.

(Whoops. I probably shouldn't write the words "hunt" and "Dick Cheney" in the same blog post! Somebody might get ideas.)

The question Jeffrey Birnbaum asks in today's Washington Post is "Will the corruption issue go national?"  He answers it himself by considering the growing list of familiar Abramoff-linked names in electoral trouble, along with non-Abramoff-linked names that are finding their campaigns in undesirable waters (such as Ohio Senator Mike DeWine).

Tom DeLay.  Bob Ney.  Conrad Burns.  Ralph Reed.  Why is it that these Abramoff-associated names evoke more visceral reactions than other names linked to corruption, such as Jefferson, Doolittle, Mollohan, and Harris?

Here's a quick and dirty answer - isolated incidents of corruption are deplorable, and the electorate will punish those at fault.  But the Abramoff scandal carries the connotation of a conspiracy, which permeates throughout an entire party and casts doubt on the integrity of our political system as a whole, and that is unforgivable.

It's unfortunate for upstanding members of the Republican party, who for all intents and purposes had little or nothing to do with Abramoff and his cronies.  The Abramoff stink is threatening to contaminate their campaigns just the same, and it's unclear at this point if there's any escape.

An ancient Chinese proverb states: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."  Fortunately, Ralph Reed's first step towards the presidency went backwards.

Once a power broker in the evangelical movement, Reed's projected political ascendancy was easy to chart.  The first stop was Lt. Governor of Georgia--a demotion in responsibility but a necessary step-ladder for his political ambitions.  After dutifully serving his four-year term, Reed would've been perfectly positioned to succeed term-limited Gov. Sonny Perdue.  (Assuming, for the moment, that Perdue is re-elected in 2006.  If not, Reed would've been the likely challenger to a Democratic incumbent.)  Once Chief Executive in Georgia, Reed would've had a prominent platform to promote his legislative agenda, consolidate evangelical support and plan a run for the presidency.  Unlike the failed campaigns of Pat Robertson, Gov. Reed would've had a legislative track record to accompany his roots in the Christian Coalition.

But Reed's blueprint has been officially scuttled by Georgia voters.  Republicans, no less.

Maybe it's finally sinking in that voters aren't so keen on their elected officials peddling influence, funnelling dirty money, taking bribes, and selling access.  It seems as though Ralph Reed's primary loss in Georgia was a wake-up call.  Today's Washington Post has a good article on how the corruption issue is worrying both parties:

I especially like how they'll consider effective lobby reform as a "political cover," but not on its merits.  Democrats discussed are Reps. Jefferson (LA) and Mollohan (WV).  The other Republicans mentioned are Reps. Lewis, Doolittle, and Pombo, all from California; Tom DeLay makes a cameo appearance.

It's a good breakdown of exactly why politicians should care about scandals and corruption.  Let's hope it's a lesson that sticks with them.

Let me introduce you to Abramoff and His Friends, the Hard Luck Gang.  First there's Grover Norquist, whose lobbying activities are taking a serious hit along with his reputation.  Then there's Representative Bob Ney (R-OH), who may be facing indictment.  And now rounding out the club:  Ralph Reed.  

Yes, the very same Ralph Reed who used to run the Christian Coalition.  The same Reed who served as Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party.  More pertinently, the same Reed who is running for Georgia Lieutenant and seemed a shoo-in just months ago.

And now he's that Ralph Reed.

Reed is paying for his dealings with Abramoff, which the article expands upon.  Lesson learned: corruption doesn't pay, but it certainly costs -- in this case, a shoo-in candidacy.