Normally, readers, we don’t delve too deeply into political fundraising stories. For one, they’re pretty dry. For another, we know that likability is the No. 1 factor in determining who gets elected, not money. And for a third, we find that they are generally only interesting to political insiders, campaign operatives and elected officials, and we are in none of these groups.

But we’re glad we slogged through the Review-Journal’s fundraising piece today, or we would have missed this line: "The biggest surge in fundraising in the second quarter belonged to Democrat [U.S. Sen.] Joe Biden. The Delaware senator’s campaign is considered a long shot, but he raised nearly $70,000 in Nevada, more than [U.S. Sen.] Barack Obama or fellow Democrat [former U.S. Sen.] John Edwards."

(Point of clarification: Although the oddly awkward phrasing above might suggest that Obama is not a Democrat like Biden and Edwards, the Illinois senator is, in fact, a Democrat.)

A long shot? Who says? Biden is a very experienced, very intelligent candidate, who has extensive experience in foreign policy, which is just what our country needs right now. Unlike certain so-called front-runners, he’s authentic and unafraid to make verbal gaffes. (Let’s see somebody say that about U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton!) He may not be pretty (like Edwards) or flashy (like Obama) or blessed with executive experience (like New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson) but he’s got the chops to do the job.

Now, we admit that Biden isn’t doing too well in the polls. But we’ve interviewed the guy twice, and we can tell you, he’s presidential material. So don’t let media bias convince you that he’s done. Biden still has a shot! So keep that money coming, and, if you’re an elected official who hasn’t already signed on to Clinton’s campaign (or Obama’s, or Richardson’s) why not given Biden a try?

» You’re all familiar with U.S. Sen. David Vitter, aren’t you? He’s the Republican hypocrite who talked all moral about teens saving sex for marriage and then staying faithful, and protecting the institution of traditional marriage, while at the same time being the biggest whoremonger around!

Anyway, he emerged from seclusion with his wife to say, once more, that he’s sorry and that he’s going back to work in Washington, D.C. "I want to again offer my deep, sincere apologies to all those who I have let down and disappointed with actions from my past," he said. "I am completely responsible and I am so very, very sorry."

Oh, David, you big freak! Just relax! We don’t think any less of you for consorting with whores, but then, we’re pretty liberal that way. But now that we’re on the subject, there is something you can do as part of your penance. And that’s this: Instead of being such a moralistic, tight-assed, judgmental asshole, why not lighten up? Realize that people are people, we all have our own issues, and our charge as human beings should be learning to live together in as much harmony as we can muster. You can use your personal story to encourage people to be nice to one another, not judge each other and forgive each other. How about it, David?

» So Clark County wants a bigger share of the room tax money generated around here. Yeah, it’s probably because it has to pay lobbyists on all sides of critical issues. And speaking of stories broken by the Las Vegas Sun, can you believe the College of Southern Nevada official who’s under investigation by the state for allegedly having college contractors help build his home is getting a raise? In the immortal words of … well, us … "what the fuck?"

Now if only those newshounds would publish our July 3 letter to the editor that we wrote to correct a glaring omission in a news story about syndicated columnist Gustavo Arellano, whose work appears in CityLife (although you wouldn’t know it from reading the Sun). It’s Day 13, and still no joy! We’re beginning to lose hope. This can’t be a personal thing, can it?