• This is just dumb. Dammit Hillary.
  
  
• Chris Dodd = MODOK.
  
  
• I firmly believe that it's part of the press' job to badger people in power when they screw up, and not stop badgering them until they respond and try to make things better. It's gotten to the point where I almost get nauseous every time I see a Blackwater article because I've read so many and because they're all so depressing. On the other hand, now the State Department seems to actually be taking some steps to at least document any continuing malfeasance from our soldiers of fortune.
  
  
• I just don't know how this jackass got elected twice.
  
  
• If it turns out that Larry Craig was actually involved with Ted Haggard's manwhore meth dealer, I don't know whether I'm going to laugh, cry, or laugh so hard that I cry. I'm skeptical, because, y'know, it's a meth dealing prostitute who's promoting his new book, but I still get a little giggle out of it.
  
  
• Chertoff: Remember how awesome 9/11 was?
  
  
• This article is more in line with the Obama I've seen personally: when he's improvising, or when he's thinking as himself and not as the fixers want him to think, he is stunningly forthright and direct. He comes off as intelligent and compassionate and honest, and he doesn't talk down to people. Somehow, this never seems to translate on television, where he sounds like a bumbling hopemonger. It's true though: he does have a brain, and he does have something to offer. He just needs to learn how to talk to the camera like he's talking to a single person.
  
  
• Oh, this is just fucking scandalous. 2,600 soldiers serve 22 month tours in Iraq, and come home to find out that they're not eligible for the GI Bill.
  
  
• Durbin has an interesting idea for immigrants: if they're productive members of American society, how about we don't deport them?
  
  
• The Iraqi president says we can have our troops back soon, and thanks for letting him borrow them for so long. Especially since the government has resolved not to make any progress.
  
  
• TPM:

  "Progress on most major policy initiatives has been difficult in the Senate this year, due entirely to the fact that the chamber's Republicans have decided to filibuster practically everything that moves. Indeed, the Senate GOP is on track to block more legislation in the 110th Congress than any in history -- filibustering at triple the usual rate."

  
  
  
• Fred Thompson scheduled to crash and burn tomorrow night.
  
  
• Giuliani knows that the Christian secession threat has him in deep shit, so he's going straight to them to pander. I look forward to his explanation of how keeping abortion legal means the terrorists have won.
  
  
• When I saw that Thurston Moore would be opening for Bright Eyes, I got sad. Very sad. Then my associate, Mike, put it into context: Thurston Moore isn't opening for Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes is closing for Thurston Moore.
  
  
• In other music news, while I don't care about Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails, I am excited that artists that actually have clout with the mainstream music industry are telling the major labels to get bent.