BYE, BYE – AT 8:23 A.M. ET:  Why not start the morning with good news?  Only a day after Chris Wallace asked Michele Bachmann, "Are you a flake?" a question for which the gracious Chris has now roundly apologized, a real flake announced that she is leaving Congress.  The skies have turned blue.  From The Hill:

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) confirmed Monday evening that she's retiring next year.

Speaking to reporters at her California home, Woolsey, 73, cited her age as one of the reasons.

"You don't have to stay there till you die," she joked, when asked why she was leaving Congress, according to the Marin Indpendent Journal.

The 10-term lawmaker noted that "after two decades of service to this district, it will be time for me to move on," adding that she doesn't have "one ounce of regret."

Her announcement has been expected.

Woolsey is one of the most liberal members of Congress and has served as co-chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Her district is heavily Democratic and should be easy for the party to retain.

COMMENT:  Woolsey's most recent prominent appearance was with a group of Code Pink hard-left activists.  One suspects Woolsey will join them more formally after she retires, while collecting her generous U.S. Government pension.   At the meeting was the woman who interrupted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress, shouting at him as she was escorted out by the Capitol Police.  Woolsey turned to the woman and said, "You did me proud."  We're talking that kind of nut.

Bye, Lynn.  You didn't do us proud.

June 28, 2011