Not Quite Balloons In Clay Jars

So get this. Bad enough we've got Cheney shooting his friends, but is Condi smuggling drugs out of South America?

Bolivian President Evo Morales, when receiving visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, presented her with a gift of a guitar. Adorned with a coca leaf inlay.

Yes, folks, that's the same leaf that we spend upteen billions of bucks on to keep from coming onto our red, white and blue shores. The ones usually shipped in balloons or condoms, stuffed inside some poor schmuck's stomach.

I'm wondering: was she THAT uptight? "Here, Condi, you look like you could use a hit."

Here we have the president of a country we're trying to stop the flow of drugs coming out of, handing over what is essentially a cache of drugs to our visiting dignitary.

Supposedly, Condi told Morales "I'm a musician you know," and strummed the instrument, a typical Bolivian lacquered handicraft with five pairs of strings. I wonder if she tapped the side of her nose when she said that. Wink wink nudge nudge.

The U.S. response?

"The gift was well received. We will just have to check with our customs to see what rules apply. We certainly hope we can bring it back (to Washington)," said a senior State Department official who attended the meeting.

I bet you do, buddy. I just bet you do.