Could it be true?

Frank Rich proclaims, "The death throes of Mel Gibson's career feel less like another Hollywood scandal than the last gasps of an American era" in today's New York Times. Rich's thesis is that the actor's recent problems are indicative of the collapse of the religious right.

It's certainly interesting times for the political right. Republicans everywhere are seeking Sarah Palin's endorsement (and PAC money), but when questioned, no one seems to want the Alaskan grizzly to run for office. (See The New York Times' story.)