From yesterday's Defense Department Operational Briefing, via Wonkette:

Q: I wanted to go back for a minute, if I might -- for both of you -- to the question of the seriousness of Iraq. And I want to stipulate two things. We understand and we know at neither of you gentlemen were at the Radio-Television Correspondents dinner last night here in Washington where the president spoke. I also want to say that I am specifically asking you this question -- it's difficult to ask, but with all respect to the Office of the President.

And I brought the transcript with me. And it goes to the point of whether Iraq is really a serious matter or not. The president made some remarks in a humorous fashion, and he showed some pictures there which most of us there saw. And he made some jokes about the hunt for the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. And he said, quoting from the transcript, showing a picture, "Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere." And then there was, in fact, laughter and applause from the audience. And then he showed another picture: "No, no weapons over there." Laughter and applause. Another picture: "Maybe under here." Laughter.

So my question, really, truly in all seriousness, is -- both for the president, with respect, and for the news media -- is it appropriate to make a joke -- seriously, sirs -- about the hunt for weapons of mass destruction, when both of you, of course, were involved in the difficult issue of sending troops to war for that hunt? And did the news media also blow it by sitting there and laughing? Did we blow it last night?

SEC. RUMSFELD: I wasn't there, and I --

Q: I understand. (And that is why ?) I'm reading the transcript very accurately to you.

SEC. RUMSFELD: I think you have to -- to know what I would think, I would have had to be there. I think the context of those evenings -- I wasn't there, as you said, but I think I've attended in previous years on occasion, and I just am not in a position to be judgmental about that.

Well. It's a very good thing the Secretary isn't judgmental, because if he were he might wonder about the extreme inappropriateness of the President making light of his inability to find weapons of mass destruction, the hunt for which was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition soldiers and thousands of Iraqis.

But then we guess that wouldn't be funny after all.