The Washington Post would rather you not say anything at all. Some advertising types at the Post came up with a good idea for making the paper some money -- something I enthusiastically approve of -- sell classified ads in a special Jan. 20 Inauguration Day issue of the paper. For $5 a line with a two line minimum, you can congratulate Barack Obama in print.

And only congratulate.

The notice at the bottom tells potential customers:

All messages must be placed by 6:30pm on Friday, January 16th. All ads must be congratulatory in nature. The Washington Post reserves the right to reject any notice. Available to private individuals only.

I can understand why the Post would want to put this limitation on the ads -- worshippers of the One are going to be less likely to buy the special edition and advertisers are going to be less likely to buy big, expensive display ads if they know there's going to be some less than flattering content mixed in among the adulation.

However, I tend to doubt that the paper would extend similar courtesies if the parties were reversed.