Applause! (On Cue, Please)

Two quick reasons TV studio audiences are cued by applause signs:

1. Timothy Geithner. The Treasury Secretary informed President Obama that he has reconsidered his intention to leave his post, and will stay on through 2012. APPLAUSE !!!!???  No, I don't think we should clap. This a guy who was wrong about the size and shape of the stimulus, wrong about  whether to bail-out or straighten-out the banking industry during the financial collapse, and tried like hell to reach a deal to cut Social Security and Medicare during the so-called "Grand Bargain" negotiations.  The administration is reportedly relieved because they worried it might be difficult to get this Congress to approve a replacement.  Well, sometimes you really can do worse than no one.  Geithner proves it every day.
2. The Tea Party (Teacaners).  Yesterday, something called The Tea Party Express rolled into a rally in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The rally was part of the desperate campaign to save the six union hating Republican State Senators who are going to be voted out of office Tuesday, in the recall election.  Well, one of the speakers claimed the media had taken to crediting the Tea Party with causing the S&P downgrade of the US credit rating.  Guess what?  These knuckleheads cheered!  They really need  a sign to cue them.  Just because something hurts, it doesn't mean it's getting better, guys.