Relish those tomatoes

Salmonella update: the CDC said yesterday that those tomatoes we've been warning you about since June 7? Well they're fine, don't you worry about them at all. Of course when you go to the main CDC page about the salmonella Saintpaul outbreak it still says "the accumulated data from all investigations indicate that jalapeño peppers caused some illnesses but that they do not explain all illnesses. Raw tomatoes, fresh serrano peppers, and fresh cilantro also remain under investigation."

Wait, what? Tomatoes are safe but they're still under investigation? Is this some sort of Lenny Briscoe/Rey Curtis thing where they release the suspect but still do a stakeout outside his house?

Ah, perhaps this explains it: on Wednesday the agricultural trade association Western Growers (representing AZ and CA) sent a letter to the FDA asking for tomatoes to be publicly cleared. "It is time for the Food and Drug Administration to make a public statement giving consumers the 'all clear' announcement that tomatoes produced in the U.S. are safe to eat," wrote CEO Tom Nassif. "The urgency of the matter and increasing damages to the industry compel immediate action.

Yikes, run for cover, it's a cave in!

And apparently I'm not the only screwball up in arms about this. CNN's Lou Dobbs has called for Bush to be tossed out of office because of this issue:

“You know, I have heard a lot of reasons over the years as to why George W. Bush should be impeached,” Dobbs said. “For them to leave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this state, its leadership in this sorry condition and to have no capacity apparently or will to protect the American consumer – that is alone to me sufficient reason to impeach a president who has made this agency possible and has ripped its guts out in its ability to protect the American consumer.”

Um, *this* is where you'd draw the line after more than 7 years of Bush in office? Wow.