Being There, with Ed Rogers

What happened to the Ed Rogers we all know and love?

You know, this guy:

ED ROGERS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: The clumsy politics that the Kerry campaign is playing on terrorism should be offensive to all Americans. And the media should blow the whistle on them. I think -- in my heart of hearts, I think that they're hoping for an attack, so that they can say, I told you so.

Deep breath... Count to 10...

Well, somehow he's been replaced with soft-spoken zen master Chance the Gardener:

In a garden, growth has its season. First comes spring and summer, then we have fall and winter, and then we get spring and summer again. There will be growth in the spring.

Here's how Rogers quietly enlightened "Hardball" viewers today:

Every White House has their time in the dunking booth. This is clearly the Bush White House's time in the political dunking booth.

Paging Peter Sellers! "This is just like television, only you can see much further."

Forget about everything bad this administration has done. It's just the natural cycle. Soon they'll be back in full bloom and we'll all be right as rain!