Sometimes when I read the news about the latest politician who opened his or her mouth I wonder how they could let themselves say the things they do. Today I'm going to hand out a couple of Tin Ear awards.

Tin Ear Award 1 goes to:

Hillary Clinton.

"When you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run, it has been run like a plantation, and you know what I'm talking about," Clinton, D-N.Y., told the crowd at the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem.

Yes, I'm sure that Hillary's urban audience knew all about what plantations are like. Just by virtue of being black, of course.

Tin Ear Award 2 goes to:

Ray Nagin.

Mayor Ray Nagin apologized Tuesday for a Martin Luther King Day speech in which he predicted that New Orleans would be a "chocolate" city once more....

Meaning that the "vanilla" residents of NO are chopped liver. Well, at least he apologized. But this comment is telling:

The political analyst added: "He also tends to speak to the literal audience he's with at the time instead of the whole world he reaches through the TV, radio and print media."

That means that he said what he wanted that audience to hear, but didn't think about the wider audience that would hear him. Missing in this is whether he meant it or not. If he did, what was the apology for? If he didn't, he says whatever he thinks his audience of the moment wants to hear. Which means you can't believe a thing he says, but I suppose that's a politician for you.