The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

News of the Tautological

  • “Umami Ingredients Add Meaty Flavors to Vegan Dishes”–headline, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), April 17
  • “Thatcher’s Funeral: Mourners Pay Last Respects”–headline, Scotsman, April 17

Bottom Stories of the Day

  • “Friends Cast Won’t Be Reuniting”–headline, Independent (Ireland), April 17
  • “Obama Plans Wednesday Dinner With Senate Democrats”–headline, Associated Press, April 16

Now We Get It 
For weeks we’ve been trying to figure out why West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, the Democrat whoran in 2010 touting his endorsement from the National Rifle Association and even used the cap and trade bill for (literal) target practice in an ad, has been carrying water for President Obama on gun control.

The conclusion of a Puffington Host piece about Manchin’s legislation–which failed this afternoon on a procedural vote–gives it away:

Manchin later criticized the NRA, of which he has been a lifetime member with an “A” rating. “Now when . . . they are so disingenuous and telling members that our legislation, and I quote, ‘would criminalize the firearms by honest citizens,’ ” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “This bill does not even touch . . .”

“That’s a lie,” MSNBC host Joe Scarborough interrupted.

“It is a lie, Joe,” Manchin responded. “If they lose credibility, they’ve lost everything in Washington.”

He delivered that last line in a total deadpan. Joe Manchin may be the greatest comic genius of our time.

For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.