• SO MUCH FOR THAT ONE: Sen. Arlen Specter has flipped his long-held stance siding with unions on the Employee Free Choice Act and will now vote against invoking cloture on the measure, which is kind of important, because he very well may have been the deciding vote over a filibuster. It may have been to help him win back some conservatives in Pennsylvania, where he will still probably get trounced in the closed Republican primary next year since he voted for the Communist’s stimulus package. And the EFCA is probably done for this legislative session. Take that, remaining people in America who still actually make things! The Fat Cats shall dine on the finest of steaks and potatoes tonight. [National Journal]

There’s a hot new website out called “Younger than McCain,” which mostly consists of one YouTube where two young sprites list things younger than McCain. Even by Wonkette standards, it’s mean (and not funny!) MORE »

* Over 1,300 Iraqis have died in the past week due to the sharp uptick in violence. Asks one Iraqi, “And they say there is no sectarian war? What do you call this?” [WP]
* 70% of Americans are against the Dubai port deal, including 58% of Republicans; Bush’s approval rating slips to 34% in NYT-CBS poll. [NYT]
* Coast Guard assessment cited “many intelligence gaps” in Dubai port deal. [WP, NYT, USAT, WT]
* Senate drafts bill to curb earmarks. [WP]
* India meets Bush with a new sense of empowerment. [NYT]
* Intelligence agencies remain in bureaucratic disarray. [NYT]
* Administration will oppose new United Nations panel on human rights. Kofi Annan: “I think we should not let the better be the enemy of the good.” [WP]

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