Brian Moran Channels Otter

At one point during today's big debate at William & Mary, Andrea Mitchell asked Brian Moran about all those contributions he's been receiving from defense contractors, and whether something would be expected from him (or his brother) in return.

Moran clumsily, but effectively, ducked the question. He launched into a statement about how those defense contractors made things like bullet-proof vests that saved lives, which indeed they do. Moran even got a little self-righteous about it.

The problem with his response, of course, is that he was indignant about an allegation that had never been made. No one questioned the legitimacy of the work these contractors do; rather, the question was whether Brian's Moran's powerful brother in Congress had anything to do with the fact that an inexplicably high percentage of their contributions in the race so far have gone to him.

I say it was effective because it was enough to satisfy Mitchell, who went on to something else, even if the gods of logic and common sense looked down with puzzled looks upon their faces.

On the drive home, I was trying to think of what Moran's response reminded me of. It wasn't until I almost reached Charlottesville that it hit me ...