When You're in a, Um, Hole, Stop Digging

Or, you know, that's how we would translate this most excellent comment from poli sci prof Stephen Farnsworth on VA Governor Bob McDonnell's sudden reversal on a bill that would have required women to have, at their own expense, an unnecessary and invasive medical procedure before having an abortion:

Bob McDonnell's political future is not enhanced by vaginal ultrasound legislation.

Yes, it's only February, but can we declare this the Best Understatement of the Year and be done with it?

Also, can we say how delighted we are that this tiny victory against the GOP forces leading Virginia's war on women was secured, not only by the heroic efforts of Jon Stewart and Saturday Night Live, but by lobbyists and legislators who screwed up the courage to use words like "vaginal" and "probe" in House hearings on the bill? Read to the end of that WaPo story for the details on how opponents of the bill moved from being indirect and delicate about what it would actually require -- "We had a hard time messaging why it was so bad," says the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia -- to being so clear that even people without vaginas began to grasp the intrusive nature of the procedure.

Another thing we love: Virginia sounds so much like vagina that, after all this hullaballoo, we will never again be able to think of one without thinking of the other. Thank you, Gov. McDonnell, for forging that link in our admittedly immature brains. You say Virginia, I say vagina. Virginia, vagina, vagina, Virginia, let's call this whole politically inconvenient thing off!

What a world, what a world. Be careful out there, my pretties, especially if you've got the lady parts.