There is a joke about the Catholic sacrament of confession that begins with a rather dodgy penitent admitting to the priest that he stole a rope. The priest then asks a few questions, only to discover, gradually, out that it was attached to a harness, which was attached to a horse, which was in turn attached to an entire team of horses, which was attached to a carriage.

Something like this is happening to Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and at a very inconvenient time.