It's very sad and all...I suppose...to see two young lovers torn asunder. So, leaving aside the weepy and over-told tale of Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston one is left to wonder: What's it like in that strange household? Is Sarah Palin able to use her questionable political skillset to better effect in her personal life?

One certainly hopes. And one hopes that they are--all of them--happy, healthy, and not to be heard from on the national stage for a long time to come. And while it's hard to be 100 percent sure, I'm pretty sure this is about how it's going down just outside Wasilla.

(h/t Heather) The team here at C&L were a bit confused earlier today when we heard that Kathy Lee Gifford was dating Levi Johnston. No no no it's Kathy GRIFFIN. We love her.

And unlike Sarah Palin, Kathy keeps it real via Twitter (yesterday): "Spooning with Levi (my new very serious lover/boyfriend) now. "D List" season finale is tonight. Coincidence? Of course not."

Open thread below...

Who knew The Tyra Banks show could be this good? Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol Palin's child went on to clear the air about rumors and lies.

I'm not interested in their sex life, but it's obvious that Sarah forced him to go the RNC convention.

In the interview, the Johnston family reveals Bristol Palin, who became pregnant at 17, forced Levi to attend the Republican National Convention in September.

Mercede said, "Levi told me [Bristol Palin] called and said that, 'You're going,' and he said, 'I want to go hunting,' and she said, 'You're going.'"

Sarah Palin was not too pleased and her camp released this statement attacking Levi:

After talking about sex on "The Tyra Banks Show," Johnston – the 18-year-old father of Bristol Palin's baby – was hit with a blistering response from Bristol's mother, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

"Bristol did not even know Levi was going on the show. We're disappointed that Levi and his family, in a quest for fame, attention, and fortune, are engaging in flat-out lies, gross exaggeration, and even distortion of their relationship," says the statement from the Palin family rep.

"Bristol's focus will remain on raising Tripp, completing her education, and advocating abstinence," the statement continues. "It is unfortunate that Levi finds it more appealing to exploit his previous relationship with Bristol than to contribute to the well being of the child."

The statement ends, saying, "Bristol realizes now that she made a mistake in her relationship and is the one taking responsibility for their actions."

It's pretty sickening to use a child for political gain when their baby was used on the national stage and it appears Levi got the old shotgun treatment to attend the RNC Convention.

Yes, that is a tattoo of Bristol's name on Baby Daddy Levi Johnston's ring finger. Anyone else picturing Todd Palin brandishing a shotgun at the tattoo parlor? And just because this campaign can't get surreal enough, from TPM:

(Given) what we've seen so far, I can't say I'd be surprised if the moral jalopy that is the McCain-Palin Straight Talk Express sunk us even further into farce with something like this. From the Times of London ...

In an election campaign notable for its surprises, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, may be about to spring a new one -- the wedding of her pregnant teenage daughter to her ice-hockey-playing fiancé before the November 4 election.

Inside John McCain's campaign the expectation is growing that there will be a popularity boosting pre-election wedding in Alaska between Bristol Palin, 17, and Levi Johnston, 18, her schoolmate and father of her baby. "It would be fantastic," said a McCain insider.

If this actually sways a single voter, I weep for my country.