I was halfway through writing this item when I saw that Jeralyn beat me to it, but, what the heck, it's still worth saying: Each year, our Top of the Town issue includes a category called "Top Loudmouth in Need of a Muzzle." Truth be told, that's just a family-friendly way of saying "Top Jackass." And though we're only a few weeks in to 2008, I have a strong hunch that we've already seen our winner. I refer, of course, to Douglas Bruce, the anti-tax crusader and newly elected state lawmaker, who today kicked a Rocky Mountain News photographer. The incident came during Bruce's swearing-in ceremony, which the Colorado Springs activist had insisted be performed in front of the full House of Representatives. As long as we're talking about awards, I'm thinking we may need to create a new one for the year's most understated public statement. An early front-runner for that honor has to be Rocky Mountain News editor and publisher John Temple. Normally a passionate (some would say hot-headed) kind of guy, he had this to say about the kicking incident:

"For a person to believe that he can provide a lesson in decorum by kicking another human being is unfathomable," Temple said. "Mr. Bruce's conduct was totally out of line. He owes the photographer and the full House an apology."

Actually, what Bruce needs is to be arrested for assault. Surely if the tables were turned, he'd do just that.