How did we come to this?

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Clinton replaced the longtime chief strategist of her struggling presidential campaign after the disclosure that he was working with Colombia's government to help win congressional approval of a trade pact that she opposes. The move comes two weeks before the pivotal Pennsylvania Democratic primary, where trade issues are likely to play a big role.

In a statement, campaign manager Maggie Williams said that "after the events of the last few days, Mark Penn asked to give up his role as chief strategist." Clinton campaign advisers made clear that he was all but forced out for what Mr. Penn on Friday conceded was "an error in judgment" in helping a client of his private, public-relations firm at the same time he held a top role in the campaign.

The quick ouster of Mr. Penn, despite his long and close ties to both Hillary and Bill Clinton, reflects the potential damage done by his actions at a time when the New York senator is fending off calls within the Democratic Party to concede the presidential-nomination race to Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

It's Sen. Clinton's second big staff shake-up this year, following the replacement of her campaign manager two months ago. Mr. Penn's sudden fall came after The Wall Street Journal disclosed Thursday that he had met earlier in the week, in his noncampaign capacity, with the Colombian ambassador to the U.S.

Mr. Penn didn't respond to requests for comment.

Penn was helping put the trade deal together because he knows that it is a good idea. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama also know that free trade is a good idea. That is why both of them sent backchannel word to Canada that all their anti-NAFTA rhetoric was just so much campaign smoke and mirrors and should not be taken seriously.

How did America come to this point? We have an unpopular president and an unpopular war which should make this election a cake walk for the opposition party. Yet the best the Democrats can do is to come up with two completely hollow people with no real experience or qualifications beyond their melanon or sexual plumbing. Neither of these people seem able to unite their party and either of them seem easy pickings for even a moderately qualified Republican.

But the Republicans don't nominate a Republican. Instead they pick a closeted Democrat whose greatest joy in life is kicking the Republican party's conservative base and preening for the ultra-liberal mainstream media as he helps pass left-liberal pieces of legislation.

I seriously begin to wonder if God has abandoned America.