While most politicians see the annual Xmas Card as a way to show off their oddball tendencies, War On Christmas Scrutiny is so heavy in these early years of the New Millennium that a few guvs have opted out of the whole tradition:

* Bill Richardson is still hoping to be president someday, which is why he won't walk into the trap of putting out a card in Espanol about how much he loves booze and broads.

* Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty wants to be John McCain's vice president, so he didn't want a holiday card that implies Walnuts fathered a mulatto girl.

* Arizona Democrat Janet Napolitano is one of the "8 in '08" women expected to make a White House run, so she's obviously afraid of sending a yuletide message that could be misconstrued as a savage attack on Hillary Clinton's polarizing personality and ceaseless support of a doomed war.

Seasons Greetiings [Stateline.org]