Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Sen. David Vitter (R-La.)

The Little Black Book has claimed its first congressional victim.

Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican (right, in happier times following the 2004 election), apparently has admitted that yes, he called Deborah Jeane Palfrey's escort service while he was a member of the House of Representatives, in 2001.

The real schadenfreude here is that Vitter long has been known for his social conservatism ... not to mention prior marital problems.

In 2006, Vitter emerged as a strong supporter of Marriage Protection Ammendment [sic], a proposed constitutional amendment that emerged in reaction to the push for the right of gays to marry. It defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. On Monday, Vitter indicated that his marriage had survived his sin, which lay in the past. Vitter said, "Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way." He did not name the escort with whom he sinned.

And the schadenfreude goes all the way to the race for the GOP presidential nomination: "Vitter is currently the Southern campaign director for presidential candidate Rudolph Guiliani [sic]."

According to the Washington Post, though, Sen. Vitter has a lot more to worry about than the smudge on his squeaky-clean reputation:

His wife, Wendy, told Newhouse News Service in 2000 that if her husband cheated on her, she would react less like Hillary Clinton and more like the Manassas woman who cut off her sleeping husband's penis in 1993. "I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary," Wendy Vitter said. "If he does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me. I think fear is a very good motivating factor in a marriage."

I'll say this: I'm all for laughing and pointing at hypocritical Republicans (actually, that may be redundant), since they bring it on themselves -- and I will bet anyone that Republicans outnumber Democrats significantly on Ms. Palfrey's list. However, if Mrs. Vitter really does decide to, um, dismember her husband, well, I don't even want to think about that ...

So, while you're still physically whole, Sen. Vitter, please accept my congratulations -- today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!

Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Randall Tobias

Who?

You mean the Randall Tobias (left) who was in charge of the Bush crime syndicate's foreign aid programs?

Yep, that's the one. Nice combover, Randy. You use spit on your comb?

Methinks he had a different definition of "foreign aid" ...

Tobias submitted his resignation a day after he was interviewed by ABC News for an upcoming program about an alleged prostitution service run by the so-called D.C. Madam.

ABC reported on its Web site late Friday that Tobias confirmed that he had called the Pamela Martin and Associates escort service to have women come to his condo and give him massages. More recently, Tobias told the network, he has been using a service with Central American women.

Tobias, 65, who is married, told ABC there had been "no sex" during the women's visits to his condo.

An aside: I always wondered what Pamela Sue Martin (right) had been doing since "The Nancy Drew Mysteries."* But I digress ...

Tobias' actual title was Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator, in which capacity he reported to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. According to the article, "[h]is rank was equivalent to deputy secretary of state."

On Wednesday, Tobias attended a luncheon at the State Department with Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes and actress Angelina Jolie, who was in Washington pushing for more U.S. education aid for developing countries.

"Psst ... Angie ... you doing anything after the luncheon? I've got some 'foreign aid' you can give, if you know what I mean ..."

It's so refreshing to see bad things happen to bad people. And as far as I'm concerned, anyone who aligns him- or herself with the Bush crime syndicate is a bad person. So, congratulations to Randall Tobias -- today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!

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* I keed, I keed ... Ms. Martin is a lovely woman, on whom I've had a crush since 1974. I would never cast aspersions on her character. Cross my heart. Now bring that flashlight and come sit by me, Pam ...