This time of year when people are away on vacation has always been known as the silly season for journalists. News is scarce, but time and space still have to be filled between commercials and ads, so they usually give us the odd, the trivial and outlandish.

But no two-headed snakes or lions cuddling with lambs are needed this year. The Tea Party is serving up what John McCain calls the “bizarre-o” and providing headlines by the hour from Washington.

Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell play out the equivalent of a runaway bride story by embracing and breaking up in less than a news cycle, while John Boehner sulks over having his wedding gift returned by the Senate.

And Barack Obama in his Weekly Address is still searching for the normal by quoting an e-mail from such a person:

“I keep my home clean, work hard at a full time job, give my parents any monies I can so they can afford their medications, I pay my bills and by all appearances I am a responsible person. All I’m asking is that you be responsible. I have my house in order and all I’m asking is that you get yours the same way.”

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