By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist

OK, so South Carolina Congressman Joe ("You Lie") Wilson came to Missouri over the weekend to lend some fundraising help to his pal, Congressman Roy Blunt, who has his hands full with a Senate race against Robin Carnahan.

And during said fundraiser, Wilson gave an "aw shucks" sort of apology, which didn't sound too sincere. Which it wasn't, because somebody who really feels bad about doing something doesn't travel the country making money off of the transgression.

You know the GOP is in sad shape when its hottest fundraising draw is a previously anonymous Congressman who gained notoriety for a public show of disrespect toward the U.S. president. The party of ideas? Not lately.

Blunt seems pretty comfortable traveling the low road to higher office. I just hope, as the campaign moves along, he doesn't start lecturing us about bipartisanship or or "Missouri values." You only throw out red meat in a form of a Joe Wilson appearance if you're willing to let things get ugly.

Follow Barb Shelly on Twitter.