We like Kurt Andersen, who in this issue of New York Magazine dissects Liberal Guilt and Embarrassment about the fact that the invasion of Iraq - leading to elections he describes as having been "surprisingly smooth" even if, to some, they were also "unsettling" (i.e., they got wasted) - might have been A Good Idea.

Rather than debate the wisdom of that, we thought we'd offer a counterpoint from fellow preppy Garry Trudeau, whose snappy straw poll is shaping up as an (so far, tiny) indicator of the exact reverse of "smooth." Because, Kurt, have you seen the jigsaw coalitions those new Iraqi pols will have to gerrymander to make anything work? It's gonna make Tom DeLay's tricks seem like he's been working pro bono for the Southern Poverty Law Center.