Thank you, Atrios, for spotting the story about plans to rush the environmental review of the Ground Zero monument in lower Manhattan in time to "allow [officials] to lay the cornerstone of a 1,776-foot tower in August 2004, during the Republican Convention" -- and thanks to Thorswitch at Different Strings for posting a scan of the article in its original form, with the headline "Goal Is To Lay Cornerstone at Ground Zero During GOP Convention" (in the online incarnation, this point is obscured).

Maybe -- maybe -- public exposure short-circuited this attempt to put a GOP brand on September 11. But I'm sure there's going to be a lot more where this came from. I put nothing past these people. A Bush acceptance speech at Ground Zero, delivered via bullhorn? Bush's name put in nomination by a 9/11 firefighter or Pfc. Jessica Lynch? Think of the most shameless, nakledly partisan idea you can imagine and know that someone involved in the campaign has seriously considered it.