Naturally, the Seattle papers are buzzing over the story that Saddam's intelligence services funded Rep. Jim McDermott's 2002 trip to Iraq. The Seattle Times runs a in-depth news story by David Postman and an editorial that gently warns McDermott to be more careful in the future.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer runs an editorial calling the episode "embarrassing and unfortunate, but nothing more" while affirming that McDermott was "right" about the war. PI columnist Joel Connelly strikes a similar tone:

Biases of this space are well known. I've criticized McDermott's many travels abroad, complained that he neglects the home front, and suggested he retire from Congress.

In 2002, this column wondered whether McDermott had been in a "Hussein asylum" to suggest that Iraqi regime's claims be taken at face value.

The Iraq trip remains a monumentally dumb move, and McD's remarks probably stampeded some Democrats into voting for Bush's war resolution. Still, shouldn't McDermott get chits for resisting the rush to war?

Last but not least cartoonist Eric Devericks of the Seattle Times hit McDermott with this: