Never look for the story in the 'lede.' Reporters are required to put what's happened up top, but the practiced pundit places a nugget of news, even a startling insight, halfway down the column, directed at the politiscenti. When pressed for time, the savvy reader starts there.

Gridlock is great. My motto is, 'Don't just do something. Stand there.'

Cast aside any column about two subjects. It means the pundit chickened out on the hard decision about what to write about that day.

Carter is the best President the Soviet Union ever had.

Only in grammar can you be more than perfect.

Have a definite opinion.

I think we have a need to know what we do not need to know.