By any argument necessary" - that has always been the mantra of those trying to bring legalized slot machines back to Maryland.

So our Aug. 23 story delivered something less than a crushing surprise by reporting that the chief slots advocates have stopped talking about slots as a way of propping up the horse-racing industry. From now until the Nov. 4 referendum we can expect a nonstop barrage about how gambling money is needed to save Maryland schools.

Apparently, they couldn't think up a way to link slots to motherhood and crab cakes.

Vanished down the memory hole is the press conference where the governor announced his...