"No," he said. "I think the defining issue in '08 is going to be Hillary Clinton and the Democrats in Washington who are busily at work trying to raise taxes, [and] add more regulation and more litigation."

We have a war of choice to pay for, corporations that somehow think that they're more important than real people, and an Administration that's apparently thinks there's no such thing as a phone call it shouldn't be able to eavesdrop in on. We need higher taxes, more regulation, and more litigation. After all small (when it comes to helping people), low taxes (for the rich anyways), laissez-faire (for corporations, not individuals) government has worked out so swimmingly.

Clinton's by no means my ideal candidate, but I'd take her in a heartbeat over any of the top-tier Republicans. Besides, given Junior's reign, do you really want to dig up Whitewater again?

... Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell will design the procedures for using the new surveillance powers Congress has approved and determine whether the administration is complying with them.

I note that the additional "and" is missing - as in "and bring the program into compliance with Congressionally-approved limits where it is not". Somehow, I don't think the "bury them deep" procedure to handle findings that the program is exceeding its bounds is going to help me sleep better at night.

BTW - if Nancy doesn't like the bill, why did it get to see the floor of the House? Nothing makes it to the floor that the Speaker doesn't OK.

While I know neither your age, physical condition, or much of anything else about you beyond your apparent political persuasion - if you're between the ages of 17 and 40 and in reasonably good physical condition, you could always go find out for yourself.

As they used to say back when the world and I were young: "It's not just a job, it's an adventure".

The president noted that he'd be "on the road behind" Rove "in a bit."

C'mon Junior,this afternoon would be just fine.

Let's face it, this morning we've had what might be described as a "target-rich environment" for snark. And while I'm not normally one to kick a guy when he's down, in this crowd's case I'd be willing to curbstone them.

As we all know, you don't have to know diddly about issues, politics, or politicians to be a campaign reporter. All you need to be able to do is parrot the conventional wisdom about your target, er... I mean subject, no matter what's going on around you. It's that ability to ignore any reality that conflicts with the meme du jour and stay on topic that's the mark of the true campaign journalism professional.

Well OK, that and the ability to find the open bars at a lobbyist's hospitality tent.

Leahy responded with the appropriate but predictable outrage, saying he'll take up the matter with the full committee when the Senate returns from its August recess.

In short, Pat got into a total snit and told Junior "Wait 'til my big bruddah gets here, he'll show you". I imagine that the band of incompetent miscreants at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. is quaking in their boots. They've taken the measure of their opponent and don't seem to think it's very much. Why else would Fielding give what amounts to a reprise of Cheney's "Go fuck yourself" as his way of asking for more time? Unfortunately, this is one I fear they may have gotten right.

Impeachment is the only course left that might grab this administration's attention.

Our pet troll "Anonymous" also posts here under his (or her) own name and is upset that some of us (like yours truly) post under screen names and that others post anonymously. So, in order to get Joan to get rid of anonymous posting, he continuously posts the first idiotic thing that jumps into his head.

Either that or he's a truly deluded little spud, who if he really has "invested in this war with my soul" must have only been able to afford penny stocks and junk bonds.

You pays your nickel and you takes your choice.

that "politicians in Washington, D.C." aren't trying to select Iraq's Prime Minister. It's a job so much better left to right-wing lobbyists, AKA "Out-of-Office politicians in Washington, D.C.".

This is what six-and-a-half years of a supine Congress buys us; an Administration that regards lying to Congress as a right to be exercised rather than the crime that it is that carries any risk of consequences.

The Republican Congress wouldn't hold Junior's gang accountable, the Democratic Congress can't. Effective difference on this front - zero.

And no, Gonzo resigned on his own terms,under a cloud to be sure, but on his own. Other than various Senators going into a snit, they never really took any action.

You know, I don't really care about Craig's sex life, gay straight, bi, or non-existent. What I do care about is his flashing his Senate ID and expecting to skate. That's the issue at hand. And that, and the perp's attempts to wriggle away, are always worth an article.

Besides, the letters are worth the price of admission alone. And reading this thread has not managed to distract me from what's going on in the rest of the world.

how McCain feels about a President with a DUI conviction?