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Prince George's County's Democratic African-American politicians are backing Republican Senatorial candidate Michael Steele . They all seem to claim that race isn't a factor, but at the same time agree that the the Democratic Party has ignored or used them. Strangely, none of these people seem to have vocally endorsed Del. Anthony Brown (also from PGC). Look, I know Kathleen Kennedy Townsend picked an old gray Republican for her running mate, but that was her mistake, not the Democratic Party. Putting Steele in the Senate will not make the Democratic Party "pay attention." What it will do is put a another rubber stamp in the Senate. This support looks to be nothing more than a vengence vote. It's either that, or PGC has more black Republicans mascarading as Democrats than I thought. It should be pretty clear at this point where Cardin and Steele stand on the issues, and which candidate has what it takes to represent Maryland in the US Senate. For Steele, this

E. J. Dionne Jr talks about how far Republicans have come since Reagan .

Jalen Rose is waived by the New York Knicks.

Via the WashPost article about the Meet the Press debate: " Have I moved off of my philosophical orientation on these issues? The answer is no, but I have learned to listen to the people. . . . In that sense, I have grown ." WTF?!? "I haven't changed, but I've grown?" What kind of Roshomonian nonsense is that? Sadly, Steele's entire time on the show was like this. You have to have a decorder ring to figure out what he means, and even then there's a different decorder ring for each scenario. Without a doubt, Steele's platform is simply: "Trust me." That simply isn't enough for Maryland, and not enough to get my vote.

Via WashPost, William Saletan gives his take on the Fox/Limbaugh battle.

Oliver Willis with a very good breakdown of the Cardin-Steele Debate on Meet the Press. Bottom Line: Steele gets exposed.

Stephen Maynard Caliendo, a political scientist at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., weighed in on the MD Senate Race: " Michael Steele in the ad was really appealing to black voters. He was basically trying to say, 'It's OK to vote for me, even though I'm a Republican, because I'm black ." If that's Steele's message, yikes. I would think that you'd see a list of accomplishments on Steele's site (other than education ). But there's nothing. So it really boiling down to voting based on race and promises. I don't remember Steele being all about African-Americans before he decided to run, and nothing about his past implies and Afro-centric agenda. So while he is black , there's enough doubt to whether he's for blacks . As for his talk about changing Washington, well, he's in Maryland!! Why didn't he try to change the tone in DC earlier? DC isn't that far from Prince George's County; again, this is Steele ad

From the WashPost : The text of President Bush's news conference yesterday ran to nearly 10,000 words, but what may have been more significant were the things he did not say. The president talked repeatedly about "benchmarks" for progress in Iraq , using that word 13 times. But he did not discuss the consequences of the Iraqi government missing those targets. Such a question, he said, was "hypothetical." That response left unclear how the benchmarks would be different from previous times when the United States has set out intentions, only to back down. For example, the original war plan envisioned the U.S. troop presence in Iraq being cut to 30,000 by the fall of 2003. Last year, some top U.S. commanders thought they would be able to significantly cut the U.S. troop level in Iraq this year -- a hope now officially abandoned. More recently, the U.S. military all but withdrew from Baghdad, only to have to have to reenter the capital as security evaporated from its

"Iraq's most notorious death squad leader escaped a major US-led raid on a Shi'ite Muslim militia stronghold in Baghdad, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday."

Self-Proclaimed Heir to the Throne Bill Frist has joined the "Desperate Wing" of the Republican Party. But what else can you expect when the headlines read: " Polls: GOP losing advantage on national security ?" Apparently he didn't see the "We're Winning" Press Conference his Master gave yesterday. "The challenge is to get Americans to focus on pocketbook issues, and not on the Iraq and terror issue," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said in an interview with the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire. Frist, of Tennessee, is considering a 2008 presidential bid. He might want to re-consider that bid. Of course the "pocketbook issues" must include things like defaming Michael J. Fox, labeling Harold Ford Jr. a Hollywood-addicted womanizer and calling Hilary Clinton ugly - because that's what Republicans have spent their time , money and resources on. I think the challenge is getting this country back on track. I think the challe

"Two weeks before the midterm elections, at least 10 states, including Maryland, remain ripe for voting problems , according to a study released yesterday by a nonpartisan clearinghouse that tracks electoral reforms across the United States. The report by Electionline.org says those states, and possibly others, could encounter trouble on Election Day because they have a combustible mix of fledgling voting-machine technology, confusion over voting procedures or recent litigation over election rules -- and close races. "

WashPost has part of the Senate Debate today (notice that Steele has positioned himself in the "middle"). Independent Kevin Zeese seems to want to paint both Cardin and Steele as Bush-lovers. Also, if you read this story you get the impression that Cardin's biggest fault is that he doesn't understand the Purple Line. If the people of Maryland care more about that than, say, soldiers sacrificing their lives in Iraq or stem cell research, so be it.

Apparently, "Stay the Course" really means "Adapting to Win." I think the White House needs to be more honest with their strategies/slogans. How about mixing some of our most famous ones? If you think about it, these can still apply: 1. Stay and Run: As in "stay in Iraq and run from the bombs." 2. Cut the Course: Liberate part of Iraq, let the Iraqi government handle the rest (currently happening). 3. Adapting the Course: This is actually a political strategy, and an explanation of how we came from "WMDs" to "Saddam was an evil dictator" to "bin Laden wants us to lose in Iraq." 4. Adapting to Run: A complete and utter pullout (Bush will only do this if a Democrat wins the 2008 election). 5. Stay and Win: Just stick around and hope the enemy gets bored. The bloodiest option. 6. Cutting to Win: Bring troops home; declare victory anyway (Bush will only do this if impeachment crops up). Any other slogans/strategies?

"Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have fled the unrelenting violence in their homeland since the U.S. invasion in 2003 -- a mass exodus directed primarily to neighboring Arab countries."

"An Iraqi civilian detained by British troops in Iraq told a military court Monday that he was beaten and forced to drink urine by his captors. Muhanned Thaher Abdullah al-Mansouri said he had been repeatedly beaten and forced to lie face down over an open toilet while detained as a suspected insurgent in Basra in September 2003. Seven soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment are standing trial for abusing the Iraqis. One of the detainees, Baha Mousa, 26, died. "

Just keepin an eye out for the proverbial October Surprise . If someone sees it, please let me know.

1. Michael J. Fox's video about stem cell research (and the canidates for/against it). 2. Water flames . Very cool. 3. Glen Greenwald on fringe versus mainstream .

"Kim Jong-il has reserved the right to escalate the nuclear crisis, China said today , refuting earlier reports that the North Korean leader apologised for this month’s atomic weapons test." Guess something got lost in MSNBC's translation .

From Richard Holbrooke's letter to the President : I urge you to lay out realistic goals, redeploy our troops and focus on the search for a political solution. We owe that to the Iraqis who welcomed the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and put their trust in us, only to find their lives in danger as a result. By a political solution, I mean something far more ambitious than current U.S. efforts aimed at improving the position of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki by changing ministers or setting timelines for progress. Sen. Joe Biden and Les Gelb have advocated what they call, in a reference to the negotiations that ended the war in Bosnia in 1995, a "Dayton-like" solution to the political situation -- by which they mean a looser federal structure with plenty of autonomy for each of the three main groups, and an agreement on sharing oil revenue. Your administration has dismissed these proposals out of hand, and the time lost since Gelb first presented them more than two years ago

The White House doesn't plan on making any big changes regarding Iraq .

Miley Cyrus of Hannah Montana hangs out with sumo wrestler Manny Yarbrough .

Foxy Brown misses court again .

An alternative to Micahael Steele's homepage . And while I'm at it, more MD-Senate news. First, The Washington Times Adrienne Washington tries to figure out who Steele really is and what he stands for . Second, Michael J. Fox comes out in an ad endorsing Democrat Ben Cardin .

Via testimonies, Chelsea Kaplan explains why some women cheat : " You’ve probably heard that men cheat for physical reasons, women for emotional reasons. Sure, there’s some truth to that, but when we asked real women around the country to share why they strayed from their boyfriends, we learned they had a whole host of explanations—from bad kissing to sheer revenge. Read on for the truth about why women have given in to temptation . " Kaplan gives six other reasons: lack of passion; delay in a breakup; long-distance relationships (aka absence); the old flame comes back; the current guy's a jerk; and the current guy's not her type . Can't say these are all legitimate, meaning, why couldn't the women just break up with the guys in some of these situations? Guys I've known who've cheated say they don't break up with the girl they're cheating on because they fear reprisal. Maybe some women feel the same way?

Cathy Hughes , founder and chairperson of Radio One , has put her support behind Michael Steele. Listen . This is big. Radio One has quite a reach in the black community , and I'm not sure if Ben Cardin has gotten any kind of comparable endorsements. Oh, and add her to Don King, Mike Tyson and Juste Pehoua (other picture). UPDATE: Via their website, here is a look at Juste Lounge's clientele.

Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh wants the US to be patient and don't "cut and run" because he's on the verge of regaining 39% of the country by the end of the year.

From CBS News : "Army Staff Sgt. Bryce Syverson spent 15 months in Iraq before he was diagnosed by military doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sent to the psychiatric unit at Walter Reed Medical Center, CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports. That was last August. This August, he was deployed to Ramadi, in the heart of the Sunni triangle -- and he had a weapon. He's still there. Under pressure to maintain troop levels, military doctors tell CBS News it's become a "common practice" to recycle soldiers with mental disorders back into combat. " Dealing with their disorders over there so they won't have to deal with them over here.

That seems to be the deabte over at BAW. Here's the " yay " and the " nay ." Basically, it boils down to "he's too popular not to run now" versus "he has zero executive experience," and neither are real reasons to be for or against the guy. I think the question that needs to be answered is "Is he the best candidate that the Democrats have to offer?"

"As Maryland's hotly contested campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate entered their final two weeks, the candidates drew contrasts on education, transportation and foreign policy yesterday as they reached out to voters in the state's heavily populated Washington suburbs." Just a reminder of who the WashPost seems to be endorsing : "ONE CANDIDATE in Maryland's U.S. Senate race, Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin , would be a natural leader in the Senate by dint of his command of issues, proven integrity, formidable intellect and unstinting work ethic. The other candidate, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, deploys platitudes and gauzy rhetoric to disguise a tissue-thin grasp of policy. Mr. Cardin would give Maryland legislative clout from Day One; in Annapolis and on Capitol Hill, he has been an effective, knowledgeable, serious lawmaker. Mr. Steele is hard-pressed to claim a significant achievement in public service. Slightly frumpy and occasionally professorial, Mr. Cardin,

"Iran must be prevented from attaining nuclear weapons, and its threats to destroy Israel must not be taken lightly, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday . ... Israel considers Iran to be the greatest threat to its survival, and rejects Tehran’s claim that its nuclear program is peaceful. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for the Jewish state’s destruction, and Iran already has missiles capable of carrying payloads to Israel."

For the Ironically Funny File : "The White House is bracing for guerrilla warfare on the homefront politically if Republicans lose control of the House, the Senate or both — and with it, the president's ability to shape and dominate the national agenda. Republicans are battling to keep control of Congress. But polls and analysts in both parties increasingly suggest Democrats will capture the House and possibly the Senate on Election Day Nov. 7. Democrats need a 15-seat pickup to regain the House and a gain of six seats to claim the Senate." "Guerrilla Warfare?" Like in Iraq ? "The U.S. military announced the deaths of a Marine and four soldiers, raising to 83 the number of American servicemembers killed in October — the highest monthly toll this year. The pace of U.S. deaths could make October the deadliest month in two years." If the President didn't make the false case for invading Iraq, if he hadn't invaded the country without a viable plan

Remember when Al Gore gave George W. Bush the "I'm not ready to concede yet" call on the eve of the 2000 election? Bush was understandably confused, then upset that Gore would dare changed his mind. Gore told not to get snippy. Little did we know that this was a foreshadowing of both Gore's penchant for using posh terms, but also Bush's temper when things don't go his way. Fastforward to now: George H. W. Bush has expressed some concern over what may happen to his son should Democrats take over. Once again, Junior's gotten a little snippy : " He shouldn't be speculating like this, because -- he should have called me ahead of time and I'd tell him they're not going to (win) ." Jesus. So it's gotten to the point where Bush's own father can't give him some friendly advice, or show some concern, without getting the Naughty-Naughty Finger Wave? I've had more than my share of arguments with my father. But any advice he's

David Broder talks about what Sens. Carl Levin (D-Michigan) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) think would happen if the Democrats regain control of Congress : " When the senators were asked if a Democratic majority in the House or Senate would force the issue in Iraq by threatening to cut off funds for the war, they quickly ruled out any such action. Levin said that a simple resolution recommending to the president that he set a date to begin redeployment might do the trick. Other forces could nudge Bush in that direction, he said: the growing concern among senior uniformed officers about the impact of the lengthy Iraq deployment on troop morale and unit readiness; and the post-election report of the special Iraq Study Group, headed by James A. Baker III and Lee Hamilton. But after all the debate on Iraq this year, a change in control of even one house of Congress ' would have a major impact, a huge motivating force on the president to change course ,' Levin said. 'More a

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed regret about his country’s nuclear test to a Chinese delegation and said Pyongyang would return to international nuclear talks if Washington backs off a campaign to financially isolate the country, South Korean media reported Friday. 'If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks,' Kim was quoted as telling a Chinese envoy, the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a diplomatic source in China." Uh-huh. OK.

This ad says so , according to the WashPost . Maybe during the Lincoln Administration, but I doubt that King would recognize this particular incarnation of the Republican Party.

I've been looking for this for a long time. Personally, it's the music more than the lyrics that do it for me.

"Homeland Security doubted the credibility of a recent threat made on a Web site, claiming seven NFL football arenas — including Houston's Reliant Stadium — will be hit with a radiological dirty bomb on Sunday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, who oversees terrorism investigations in the Houston area, said the agency's preliminary determination is that the threat doesn't appear to be real." I'm sure I've seen this somewhere before.

1. From Slate: The magic and myth of Karl Rove. 2. From WashPost Wizards' Insider: Gilbert Arenas says he's not quirky . 3. From the Onion: Spurs star Tim Duncan cuts loose .

Fred Kaplan on John McCain's apparent memory loss .

And he's slimmer, vegetarian and has a new album .

"Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid, D-Nev., announced Monday that he will amend four years of ethics reports to Congress to more fully explain a real estate transaction that allowed him to collect $1.1 million in 2004. At the same time, he said he will reimburse his political campaign $3,300 that his campaign fund had contributed for the Christmas bonuses of support staff at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, where he lives." Let's hope so. Democrats can't campaign on "cleaning up Congress" if the Senate Minority Leader is involved in any shenanigans. Well, they can, but it would be so hypocritical.

"Tag, you're out! Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable. Recess is "a time when accidents can happen," said Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban." It's bad enough most schools are trying to get rid of recess (which, I think, contributes to them being fatter than the last generation). But now the schools who still allow are trying this crap. If "we don't want the kids hurt" was a viable excuse, than they should ban sports as a whole. But they won't do that because (1) the schools make a little money off the deal and (2) where would colleges get their recruits? I think the other important thing at stake is this: when kids play at recess, they use their brains and their bodies. I won many a tag game not just by being fast, but by outwitting

"Lynddie England, the young woman associated with some of the most notorious photographs to emerge from Abu Ghraib, has offered new insights into the abuse scandal that rocked the US military and revealed how she acted to please her former lover. Speaking for the first time since she was jailed more than a year ago, England revealed the abusive nature of her relationship with fellow reservist Charles Graner and suggested that her actions inside the Baghdad jail were largely directed by him. She has also reiterated claims made by her lawyers that much of the mistreatment of prisoners was carried out at the behest of military intelligence officers or the CIA. "

President Bush signed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 with about five days to spare. " Spare what ?" Spare the ordeal of having to debate the legislation again . Unless I'm mistaken, Congress adjourned on 10/06, which gave the President until the 20th (or 21st) of this month to sign the MCA.

"Three years ago, at the tender age of 17, Metok Lhazey sat in solitary confinement in a pitch dark, filthy and horribly cramped Chinese prison cell in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. This weekend, the nervous 20-year-old is dreaming about being crowned Miss Tibet in a small but controversial beauty pageant held by Tibetan refugees in northern India."

Now here's a gem from the "Michael Steele is a hypocrite" file: Steele’s campaign is passing out bumper stickers with “Steele” printed in capital letters on the top line and “Democrat” underneath it. Is there a chance some Democratic voters might mistakenly conclude that Steele is a Democrat? Steele reacted testily to that question: “Remember the term ‘Reagan Democrat’? So where’s the confusion here? Why are people making such a big deal about something that has been part of the political lexicon for over 20 years?” WTF? The question was not about whether Democrats support Steele, it's about whether or not Steele is (by his actions or inactions) encouraging the myth that Steele (a Republican) has Democratic leanings , maybe moreso than the actual Democratic candidate, Ben Cardin. And I'm sorry, but it's not been "part of the political lexicon" to lie about your party affiliation so you can get some votes . The press really needs to call Steele out

Somebody make this girl an ambassador: Hilton and Lindsay Lohan make up, but mostly out of boredom .

Antawn Jamison says that he wants to be remembered as more than just a good player and scorer. My response: start guarding people. If you can average 9rpg, than you can get a blocked shot. Gilbert Arenas shouldn't be the player trying to defend LaBron James , you should .

1. Only In America : Mike Tyson considers fighting women . 2. Always a Wedge Issue : A majority of Virginians support a same-sex marriage ban. 3. Join the Club : U.S. gets her 300 millionth person today. 4. Thanks for Catching Up : WashPost is picking up on President Bush's rejection of reality.

From Yahoo (I'm reposting in full because sometimes it's hard to get yahoo-linked stories back): Bush keeps revising war justification WASHINGTON - President Bush keeps revising his explanation for why the U.S. is in Iraq moving from narrow military objectives at first to history-of-civilization stakes now. Initially, the rationale was specific: to stop Saddam Hussein from using what Bush claimed were the Iraqi leader's weapons of mass destruction or from selling them to al-Qaida or other terrorist groups. But 3 1/2 years later, with no weapons found, still no end in sight and the war a liability for nearly all Republicans on the ballot Nov. 7, the justification has become far broader and now includes the expansive "struggle between good and evil." Republicans seized on North Korea reported nuclear test last week as further evidence that the need for strong U.S. leadership extends beyond Iraq. Bush's changing rhetoric reflects increasing administration effort

1. Do You Know What Time it Is? : An ex-NASA employee uses go-go to promotes peace . 2. Not Your Average Family Feud : "A day after five members of a family were gunned down in their southeastern Iowa home, the family's 22-year-old son was charged with murdering them , authorities said." 3. Holy Eco-System, Batman! : The environmental benefits of those ugly little bats. 4. Blame Someone Else For a Change : At least that what Bill Clinton says . 5. All His Life : Michael Steele has been preparing to be a MD US Senator since waaaay back in 2004 .

To interesting stories in the Washington Post that refer to "giving up," but in different contexts. First, there's Congressman Jack Murtha addressing claims that Democrats are defeatists who want to quit . Basically, Murtha says it's a reflection on how desperate Republicans are to keep control of Congress. Then there's Lonnae O'Neal Parker, who talks about why she "quit" on Hip-Hop . The main reason: the misogyny and glorification of violence.

" Faced with a deteriorating political climate, Republican Party officials are hoping to keep control of the House and Senate with a strategy aimed at shoring up enough endangered incumbents to preserve their majorities, while scaling back planned spending on races that now appear unwinnable . In recent days, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has given back television time it had reserved in Democratic-held districts in West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio -- apparently concluding that those races are beyond reach unless something dramatic changes the national political environment in the 25 days before the Nov. 7 election ." (Compare that to the Democrats " 50-State Strategy ," which some once called crazy:) The Democratic Party is committed to winning elections at every level in every region of the country, and we're getting started right now with a massive effort to fund organizers on the ground in every state. The ultimate goal? An act

Rep. Chris Shays blames Maryland National Guard Troops for the " sex ring " known as Abu Ghraib.

Media Matters breaks down many Foley-related myths and misgivings (aka, Lies).

Saying that President Bush is stubborn is an understatement, but it's not that surprising. Most contraversal presidents have ranged from "stubborn" to "steadfast." However, in Bush's case, it seems like his time in the White House hasn't changed his stubborness : " But a survey of transcripts from Bush's public remarks over the past seven years shows the president's worsening political predicament has actually stoked, rather than diminished, his desire to proclaim what he cannot abide. Some presidential scholars and psychologists describe the trend as a signpost of Bush's rising frustration with his declining influence. In the first nine months of this year, Bush declared more than twice as many events or outcomes "unacceptable" or "not acceptable" as he did in all of 2005, and nearly four times as many as he did in 2004. He is, in fact, at a presidential career high in denouncing events he considers intolerable. They

"Some of Washington's most vibrant neighborhoods, destinations for suburbanites, barhoppers and urban professionals, share a lesser-known distinction: They have the highest concentrations of holdups in the city . Criminals are striking in areas that boast of dynamic nightlife, newly minted condominiums and restaurant grand openings."

Oh boy : A coroner ruled Friday that U.S. forces unlawfully killed a British television journalist in the opening days of the Iraq war. Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker said he would ask the attorney general to take steps to bring to justice those responsible for the death of Terry Lloyd, 50, a veteran reporter for the British television network ITN. Witnesses testified during the weeklong inquest that Lloyd — who was driving with fellow ITN reporters from Kuwait toward Basra, Iraq — was shot in the back by Iraqi troops who overtook his car, then died after U.S. fire hit a civilian minivan being used as an ambulance and struck him in the head. 'Terry Lloyd died following a gunshot wound to the head. The evidence this bullet was fired by the Americans is overwhelming," Walker said. "There is no doubt that the minibus presented no threat to the American forces. There is no doubt it was an unlawful act of fire.'"

Republican Senatorial candidate Michael Steele is so desperate to separate himself from his conservative (Read: currently unpopular) bretheren that he's decided to bash the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind initiative . My question: if Steele think that Republicans aren't the right choice either, then why doesn't he pull a Joe Lieberman and run as an independent? Until he does that -or at the very least, answer why he doesn't- he's a hypocrite in my book. He can criticize the Republicans all he wants, but as long as he's one of them, he'll support them more often than not as a Senator. And I still don't believe he'll be the outspoken maverick he claims he'll be. If he's a true conservtive Republican, he should just admit it and stop faking. Those stupid dog ads aren't fooling anyone. Meanwhile, Russell Simmons tries to explain why he's endorsing Steele: Some of my liberal friends and associates are quite upset with me for

File this under "That Didn't Take Long:" T.O.'s not happy with his role in Dallas .

1. " Vote for Me If you Want to Live :" Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger goes on Jay Leno and, among other things , criticizes the way Iraq's going. 2. Another Spokesman for Viagra ?: Hugh Hefner says he's running low on energy . 3. I Guess An American Can be Charged for Treason : The first since WWII , infact. 4. LOST was awsome last night . Add Sun to the list of trigger-happy killers. The best way to neutralize Kate? Put her in a dress. Jin's English is improving, as well as his ability to use firearms. And I'm beginning to wonder how Jack and Sayid became the default leaders of this group.

Well ... "North Korea's explosive declaration that it has joined the ranks of nuclear-armed nations is the sort of shock wave that at first glance would seem to provide a boost to Republican candidates. One month before election day, with the GOP mired in a congressional sex scandal, the emergence of a new global threat and a renewed focus on national security seems to play right into a Republican strength with an issue that has secured their national majority the past two elections. " What a disturbing world we live in when a country going nuclear -and therefore has the capicity to use nuclear weapons against America and her allies- is considered a boon politically. But that's just how John McCain sees it : "The North Korean nuclear crisis is causing a political showdown in the United States between Sen. John McCain and his potential rival in the race for the White House, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband, Bill Clinton. McCain is pinning the blame for

"State Rep. Russell Pearce, already facing severe criticism for his nostalgic comments about the offensively named "Operation Wetback" federal deportation program, this week sent out an e-mail to supporters that unbelievably quoted from and linked to an anti-Semitic article from the Web site of the neo-Nazi hate group National Alliance." Seriously: are candidates vetted at all anymore? We could have vampires in our government (if they existed) and the story wouldn't break until they run for a second term ("Nobody thought that when the Congressman starting biting people in the neck that it was unusual..."). Or is it just that our media has been scared and handcuffed to the point where they can't do decent investigative reporting?

1. Stand by Your Man : Joe Torre will stay with the Yankees , but doesn't someone have to go (A-Rod)? 2. Get Ready to Root for the Drunk Guy : Mel Gibson blames his anti-Semitic rant on (what else?) booze . 3. Generation XXL : 7 ways to slim them down.

Fred Kaplan of Slate : "There's a final benefit for Bush in [Former Sec. of State James] Baker's plan. Woodward's title State of Denial renews the critique that the president is isolated from reality and criticism. If Bush ultimately accepts the findings of a Study Group led by James Baker, he won't be the boy in the bubble anymore." I don't trust James Baker. He dismissed the 2000 election recount attempt and his law office fought against one of the earliest independent 9-11 Commissions. I'm with Kaplan; Baker is trying to give Bush some wiggle-room.

ABC News' Charles Gibson obviously doesn't understand the data coming from his own network .

How? By exposing the closeted hypocrites .

"Legislation passed by Congress mandating the fencing of 700 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico has sparked opposition from an array of land managers, businesspeople, law enforcement officials, environmentalists and U.S. Border Patrol agents as a one-size-fits-all policy response to the nettlesome task of securing the nation's borders. Critics said the fence does not take into account the extraordinarily varied geography of the 2,000-mile-long border, which cuts through Mexican and U.S. cities separated by a sidewalk, vast scrubland and deserts, rivers, irrigation canals and miles of mountainous terrain. They also say it seems to ignore advances in border security that don't involve construction of a 15-foot-high double fence and to play down what are expected to be significant costs to maintain the new barrier."

"Women dress to impress when they are at their most fertile, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday in a study they say shows that signs of human ovulation may not be as mysterious as some scientists believe. A study of young college women showed they frequently wore more fashionable or flashier clothing and jewelery when they were ovulating, as assessed by a panel of men and women looking at their photographs."

The numbers here are very interesting. It's gonna take some time to crunch them (from a historical standpoint) even though it's pretty obvious that the message now is "people are pissed."

" Compelled to respond to a spike in school violence, the Bush administration is hoping that a high-profile summit will get the word out about safety ." I like the "compelled" part; it's like Bush needs to be prodded to give a damn about America's children...which is true. " Two Cabinet members, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, will lead panel discussions. First lady Laura Bush is also scheduled to speak ." Because if there's one thing the Bush Administration can do, it's look after the kiddies. Yeah; right .

"The U.S. Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties."

"Two Burger King employees are in jail this afternoon for allegedly putting marijuana in hamburgers served to on-duty Isleta pueblo police officers."

Charley Rosen goes over the training camp issues for each NBA team , and I couldn't be happier. His take on the Wizards' needs: " Is this the season in which Brendan Haywood fulfills his potential? Will DeShawn Stevenson oust Antonio Daniels as the starting 2-guard ?" Compared to the other 29 teams, the Wizards have it easy. Haywood's been a 7-foot question mark since he first hit the hardwood, and if Stevenson cuts into Daniels playing time, that doesn't change the production of the Big Three (Arenas, Jamison and Butler) by much. Of course, the team still has to prove that they can shut teams down.

1. Take the money and run : "Jennifer Wilbanks, who became known as the 'runaway bride' after taking off just days before her lavish wedding in 2005, is suing her former fiance for $500,000 ." 2. Watch what you say; it may come back to bite you : "Nearly five years after President Bush introduced the concept of an 'axis of evil' comprising Iraq, Iran and North Korea, the administration has reached a crisis point with each nation : North Korea has claimed it conducted its first nuclear test, Iran refuses to halt its uranium-enrichment program, and Iraq appears to be tipping into a civil war 3 1/2 years after the U.S.-led invasion." 3. Eugene Robinson on the 'vote values' song-and-dance of the GOP : "The Republicans wouldn't be where they are today -- in control of the White House and all of Capitol Hill -- if they hadn't portrayed themselves as the stalwart defenders of moral standards and painted Democrats as a bunch of anything-

Apparently, VA Senator George Allen liked to play the race card literally .

One may read this and think "Sweet Merciful Crap! The President didn't give two figs about North Korea!" I see something else. Take this quote: "Hmmm," Bush said. " I wish those assholes would put things just point-blank to me . I get half a book telling me about the history of North Korea. This, I think, is all we need to know about President Bush. He's just not a big-pitcture, abstract thinking kinda guy. So how in the world are we supposed to buy their all-new "winning by adapting" strategy (which is just "stay the course" in a shinny new wrapper)? Everything has to be boiled down to a sentence or phrase for him to get it; a version of what Ed Schultz calls the "two-word culture" that neo-conservative Republicans have used to win the last three election cycles. That may be fine for running a failed oil company or a floundering baseball team, but it shouldn't be the mindset for the POTUS, let alone a President who

Any wonder why Spain's trying to ban "overly skinny" models ? I know "less body means less materials" ergo, "more $ for designers," but come on. Does this poor lady even look healthy?

From the WashPost : "Using language that suggests they are fed up with the Bush administration, federal judges across the West have issued a flurry of rulings in recent weeks, chastising the government for repeated and sometimes willful failure to enforce laws protecting fish, forests, wildlife and clean air. In decisions in Oregon, California, Montana and Wyoming, judges have criticized the judgment, expertise and, in some cases, integrity of the federal agencies that manage natural resources on public lands." Dan Rohlf (a law professor at Lewis & Clark Law School) says, "You are seeing frustration in the federal judiciary. When judges express that frustration on paper, which is not all that often, they are often reflecting what they see as a systematic effort to get around the law ."

Via the Boston Herald : "President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department’s reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists. In the law Bush signed Wednesday, Congress stated no one but the privacy officer could alter, delay or prohibit the mandatory annual report on Homeland Security department activities that affect privacy, including complaints. But Bush, in a signing statement attached to the agency’s 2007 spending bill, said he will interpret that section “in a manner consistent with the President’s constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch.”"

If you're a Pacers fan, there are three phrases you don't want to hear together, especially after the "Ron Artest Affair." They are: 1. "Pacer's player," 2. "Fires gun" and 3. "Strip club." Sadly for Pacer fans, they're going to have to hear it anyway.

I thought the whole Foley/Hastert thing was about hypocrisy. Eugene Robinson sees it differently : "Still, I don't think hypocrisy alone is enough to explain why the Foley mess is such a big deal. I think it goes deeper. One of the central tenets of anti-homosexual doctrine is the notion of "recruitment" -- that adult gay people lure young people into homosexuality as a way of increasing their numbers. The most extreme anti-gay activists perceive a full-fledged conspiracy. The Traditional Values Coalition, a group whose homophobia can only be called rabid, goes so far as to claim that, after being enticed into sexual acts, the "young 'initiates' into the strange world of homosexuality are to be trained to reject the moral beliefs of their parents." This is complete bunk, of course -- most new research has tended to support the idea that homosexuality is more a matter of nature than nurture, and in any event the notion of an organized "recruitme

From the WashPost : "Thirteen U.S. soldiers have been killed in Baghdad since Monday, the American military reported, registering the highest three-day death toll for U.S. forces in the capital since the start of the war." Check the graph; doesn't it look like some kind of message ?

Courtesy of AHN : "Despite top U.S. military leaders saying the conflict in Iraq is continuing to devolve into a sectarian civil war, Congress will spend $20 million on a 'commemoration of success.'" Funny; not everyone thinks there's cause for celebration . I mean, couldn't that have gone into say...body armor so we'll have troops to celebrate with us? Or to increase medical benefits for vets?

From the Boston Globe : "President Bush's frequent use of signing statements to assert that he has the power to disobey newly enacted laws is ``an integral part" of his ``comprehensive strategy to strengthen and expand executive power" at the expense of the legislative branch, according to a report by the non partisan Congressional Research Service. In a 27-page report written for lawmakers, the research service said the Bush administration is using signing statements as a means to slowly condition Congress into accepting the White House's broad conception of presidential power, which includes a presidential right to ignore laws he believes are unconstitutional."

From C&L: apparently, the best way to get out of a political scandal is to claim that the guilty are really part of the other party . Hastert is a Republican , BTW.

Martin Smith discussed his film on the WashPost's webpage. Here is the transcript (the Post doesn't always archive these discussions): The transcript follows. Martin Smith is a leading documentary producer with over 25 years experience in television. He recently won an an Emmy award for "The Storm." He has also won every major television award, including two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Gold Batons. In 1998 he created RAIN Media, an independent production company, specializing in current affairs programs. He has made a handful of films on related topics, including Beyond Baghdad (2004), Truth, War and Consequences (2003), In Search of Al Qaeda (2002) Saudi Time Bomb? (2001), Looking For Answers (2001) and Hunting bin Laden (1999). ____________________ South Riding, Va.: I think you should also have highlighted the reason (I think), Pakistan army has not cracked down on the Taliban's, and that is due to the Pakistan's strategic depth policy. Pakistan does not like