It's Okay, Senator Hatch; We Confuse Iraq With Vietnam Sometimes Too

Over the weekend, a knowledgeable Wonkette operative suggested that we look into the rumors of Senator Orrin Hatch having lots of "senior moments" lately. Apparently Sen. Hatch's mental lapses have become more serious and more frequent over the past few weeks.

The rumors have surfaced in a number of places, including the Deseret Morning News, one of Salt Lake City's two major newspapers. In late December, Bob Bernick Jr., the paper's politics editor, reported as follows:

Sen. Orrin Hatch is seeking a record-setting 36 years in the U.S. Senate. Everyone is predicting a Hatch re-election. But I think it will be a rocky road for the senior senator. Hatch has had what fellow-U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett calls some "senior moments" over the past year.

Hatch clearly forgot the names of U.S. representatives (and fellow Republicans) Chris Cannon and Rob Bishop during a speech at the GOP state convention in August, even though both men were sitting on the stage behind him. He confused Vietnam with Iraq in a public statement