Cookbook politics -- the kitchen in blue and red

The partisan pantry?  It's nothing new, says our own Betty Hallock, who knows a thing or two about how campaigns cook. There's "The Democrats' Cookbook", "How to Eat Like a Republican," "The Watergate Cookbook"  and  "The Axis of Evil Cookbook," and don't forget about all those cookie recipes:

In recent years the cookie recipe has become some kind of litmus test for domestic bliss for political candidates. Hence, the McCain oatmeal cookies and Michelle Obama's shortbread, one of a cadre of recipes in the "Obama Campaign Family Cookbook" posted on Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's website. (In 2004, Laura Bush's oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies took on Teresa Heinz Kerry's pumpkin spice cookies.)

Are the recipes beside the point? Answers, and fun political facts, in Betty's full story here.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times