A few people have asked me if I’m planning to catch one of Ashcroft’s performances during his national tour, in which he visits several American cities and defends the Patriot Act.

I gotta tell you: I just can’t do it.  There’s nothing more disappointing than seeing a performer you love long after that performer’s glory days.  Inevitably, the show turns out to be a bunch of crummy new material and it lacks the energy of the artist’s earlier work.

Now, two years ago?  Absolutely, I would have been there.  I would have waved my bic, swaying to and fro as Ashcroft talked about the need to destroy constitutional liberties and protect Americans from future terrorist attacks.  He would have been confident, impassioned, and bold.  I would have cheered on my feet, stayed for the encore, and bought the T-shirt.

But now?  He’ll be defensive and grumpy, drilling down into the specifics of wire tapping and right-to-know search procedures. 

I bet he won’t even perform “Hotel California.”