The Incumbent Democrat Body Count

They're dropping like flies, these Democrats. Some of natural causes (Murtha), some because of special elections (Massachusetts), some are being railroaded out (Gov. Paterson), some are being eaten by their own (Rangel) and accused of nasty things (Massa), and some are mysteriously retiring (Bayh).

It's widely known that the wheels of justice grind slowly, but they do grind -- and in this case, the more the better. And yet, there seems to be an uncanny clustering of misfortune that suggests something more than coincidence at work. While we cannot attribute, prima fascie, the natural causes to anything known to be in the control of David Axelrod or Rahm Emanuel, it does seem that the Democrats are purging their ranks. Forgive us for adopting a skeptical demeanor with regard to whatever it is they intend to install to replace these dead democrats walking.