Jeez:

Sen. Charles Grassley is standing by his earlier comments suggesting some embattled AIG executives should "resign or commit suicide," but told CNN Tuesday he was merely speaking rhetorically.

"Of course I don't want people to commit suicide," the Iowa Republican said.

No, I didn't think so.

It says something odd about the state of political discourse in this country when a politician has to step back from comments which obviously weren't literal.