According to a piece in yesterday's Washington Post, only 36 of the 2,380 delegates seated at the Republican National Convention are black -- the lowest number in 40 years.

That number still sounds pretty high if you ask me. Every time TV cameras panned the crowd at the Xcel Energy Center this week, they kept coming back to the same deranged-looking black guy booing every time a speaker mentioned Barack Obama's name.

Gone were the gaggle of excessively happy black folks boogying in the aisles during the last two RNCs.

Stung by charges of faking diversity in the past, the GOP didn't even bother going through the motions this year. I mean, how do you one-up the Democrats after they nominated one of them as their standard bearer?

Larry Wilmore, the Senior Black Correspondent of "The Daily Show," was interviewed on National Public Radio Wednesday night about the racial vibe at the Xcel Center. "Well, it's not exactly what I would call brother friendly," he told the NPR host before announcing his take on why John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin was a brilliant way to win the African-American vote.

Puzzled, the NPR host asked Mr. Wilmore to explain himself. I'm paraphrasing, but he said something like: "Think about it. Is there anything more 'black' than a 44-year-old grandmother? I became a grandfather at a fairly young age myself."

I almost drove my car off the Homestead Grays bridge laughing.

Here's a thought experiment for the folks who salute Gov. Sarah Palin's desire to see intelligent design taught in Alaska's public schools next to the theory of evolution on the grounds that we should not "be afraid of information."

I wonder if she'd tolerate sex ed courses taught with abstinence-only education? After all, sex education is just "information," too.

Sometimes the best column ideas are suggested by my readers. Yesterday, Kenneth Perkins of Squirrel Hill wrote: "I wish someone in the media would comment on the extreme difference between how Democrats are treating John McCain's service in Vietnam, versus how Republicans in 2004 treated John Kerry's service in the same war.

"Obama and Biden never forget to salute McCain's heroic service while Republicans backed the Swift Boat smears and handed out 'Purple Heart' band-aids at the Republican convention to ridicule Kerry's wounds."

Ken was too polite to mention that McCain's military service was savaged during the Republican primaries in 2000 by the same cynical establishment currently elevating his life to mythic status in St. Paul. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Thanks for the suggestion, Ken.

Oakland resident Karen Waggoner was so impressed by Sarah Palin's nomination that she wondered what other ordinary folks might occupy key posts in a McCain administration. The following are a few names she hears are being vetted by the campaign:

State -- Charisma Holloway of Big Tussle, Ala., a 22-month veteran of divorce mediation and mother of 12-year-old twins who are not yet pregnant.

Treasury -- Dalton Paltrey of Tightwad, Mo., world's record holder for most pennies collected in quart-sized Mason jars.

Interior -- Jack Jacquard of Bird's Landing, Calif., zany host of HGTV's "Dare to Decorate this Dump."

Agriculture -- Sally Smuthers of Katy Did, Ill., believed to be the only person ever to hold the simultaneous titles of Miss Beehive and Miss Backhoe.

Health and Human Services -- Debra Isles of Neverfail, Tenn., whose needlepoint salute to abstinence-only education took second place ribbons at the county fair three years running.

Energy -- Charley Vines of Fair Play, Calif., a 27-year understudy for exercise guru Richard Simmons. It's about time Charley got his shot at fame while he's still limber.

Veterans Affairs -- Bill "Shot and a Beer" Wysocki, veteran bartender and resonant baritone at the VFW Post in Double Trouble, N.J.

When he's not praying for hopeless reprobates like me, Pastor Jim Walker of the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community writes terrific books about urban ministry on the South Side. He'll read from his first book "Dirty Word: The Vulgar, Offensive Languages of the Kingdom of God" at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in SouthSide Works tomorrow at 7 p.m.

The reception for "Dirty Word" proves that a prophet can be honored in his own town.