Of the several problems that took shape, the most obvious was the fact that Dillon left his colleague Tim Melton hanging and did not show up for the press conference.  Furthermore, Melton did not directly answer questions about Dillon and State Rep. Matt Gillard's trip to California that was partially funded by Apple just before the iPod "vision" was introduced.

In addition, I spoke with a Republican Party staffer just before the press conference who told me he was turned away from the press conference and told that the event was for "press only".  The press conference was held at the Michigan Capitol Building, last time I checked, that was open to the public giving Dillon and House Dems no right to censor themselves off to anybody wishing to view the press conference.  The staffer was disappointed saying that Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer and Michigan Democratic Party Spokesperson Jason Moon have attened several Republican press conferences in the past without being told they could not attend (the only exception that comes to mind was Brewer's ambush last year on D4G's private property.  But D4G was not out of line there as it was Brewer's stunt.  I think Eaton County even has a police report somewhere that proves that).

But basically what today amounts to is a political game, which is surprising of Dillon since he has lamented them since we was elected Speaker.  Just yesterday Dillon denied an reasonable request by Minority Leader DeRoche to remove an embattled member from his committees because DeRoche was "playing politics".

If Dillon's idea today was to set the record straight, why did he care if a Republican staffer was there?  Why weren't the most pressing questions surrounding this controversy answered?  Most importantly, WHERE WAS HE?

Chalk this one up as another blunder on a rapidly growing list of horrible political decisions by House Democrats.  Even recruiting former GOP Speaker Rick Johnson to bail them out did little to advance their argument.  Let me make the difference clear:

Johnson's laptop proposal came BEFORE there was a budget crisis.  AFTER finding out about it, he slashed the program.

Dillon's iPod proposal came AFTER there was a budget crisis.  And even AFTER he knew about it, he and his caucus still kicked this idea around.  It's like someone living in poverty seriously talking about buying a Ferrari in order to get around town.  Way out of leftfield, right?  Way down the road if it ever happens, right?  SO WHY BRING IT UP NOW?

John Kerry has is "Botched Joke", Bill Clinton has his own definition of "Sexual Relations" and now we have the House Dems tearing a page from the playbook and trying to wiggle their way out of a public relations disaster.  Hopefully, this isn't a sign of things to come from the speaker, but I haven't seen much else that would convince me otherwise.