THUGGISHNESS: WSJ on DeMaurice Smith, the White House, the NFL, and Rush Limbaugh.

Just remember — if football is so thoroughly politicized under this gang, why expect that liver transplants will be different?

UPDATE: CNN’s Sanchez Apologizes For Airing Fake Limbaugh Quote.

Not the most handsome apology ever, though. Two thoughts: (1) I don’t want to hear CNN slurring bloggers for insufficient fact-checking ever again; (2) Limbaugh’s got a libel suit if he wants one — and if this aired in Britain, too, an even easier one there. . . .

ANOTHER UPDATE: Good point: “I’m sure someone has made the connection between these two, but the media was fact checking the SNL Obama skit while preparing the stories on Rush. CNN is literally more interested in ‘disproving’ satire about Obama than bothering to confirm bizarre and scandalous things said by Rush. I am literally amazed.” Sadly, I’m not.

MORE: A reader emails: “I suspect the discovery process alone would be enough of a living hell for CNN and MSNBC. There is certainly lots of painful information about their internal decision processes just waiting to see the light of day. Rush does not have to win a judgment in order to prevail on this one.”