Daily Jumble: Almost Rove-Free Edition

• Romney pet's "airtight" carrier was totally humane... except if it really was "airtight," right? [C&L]

• I think an intervention is warranted: Chris Matthews told CNBC's Erin Burnett: "[Y]ou're beautiful" and "[y]ou're a knockout," before closing the interview by saying, "It's all right getting bad news from you." [Media Matters]

• And then there's what Burnett actually said: "If China were.. to start making say, toys that don't have lead in them or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up and that means prices at Wal-Mart here in the United States are going to go up too. So, I would say China is our greatest friend right now, they're keeping prices low and they're keeping the prices for mortgages low, too." Translation: We are more than happy to trade our pets and children for a low monthly rate! [C&L]

• Iowa is lonely: "It's just like going out on a date...If you want to meet someone, you have to make an effort to talk to them." As for this year's missing suitors, he added, "If they don't show up, we feel a little bit neglected." [WP]

• Is Lindsey Graham the Republican's Lieberman? (As if the Republicans didn't already have Lieberman, I mean.) [LAT]

• "'The first couple of months,' he said, 'if I didn't bring somebody to tears during a speech, people said, ‘You know what? The guy's not as inspiring as we thought he was.'' Part of what he's been trying to do, Obama explained, is to actually lower expectations, to turn Barack Obama, celebrity politician, into Barack Obama, serious and sober candidate for president." I'm sure appearing in GQ will totally help! [GQ]

• "That being funny would make Mr. Huckabee stand out says less about this year's flock of candidates and more about how politics has changed. Humor, at least the unscripted kind, has become a risky business." Only because there's so much to laugh at when people are being serious. [NYT]

• Fun Rove flashback. [Esquire]