Oh now what is this idiot monster chicken up to? No good! He is an envoy from Nick Leibham, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray in California’s 50th Congressional District — the northern San Diego seat formerly occupied by Duke “Dick” Cunningham. Liebham made the chicken deliver a letter to Bilbray’s office that called him a chicken for agreeing to debates in San Diego. If one actual chicken calls another person a chicken, then is that really an insult? Everyone in California sucks and Brian Bilbray’s vanity daughter “Briana” is hot, the end. [San Diego Union-Tribune, Flickr]

* Reliable Source: Real celebs block media from screening of spy pic… Rep. Brian Bilbray literally has Duke Cunningham’s office exorcised… Bono was here for some fucking reason or another. [WP]
* Yeas and Nays: At Nat. Geographic event, President Bush “upstaged” by dude from Grey’s Anatomy… Senator Lott’s lobbyist son would’ve benefited from pork project championed by Senator Lott. [Examiner]

* Don’t fret, we wouldn’t let an idle summer week pass without a shallow poll. Thus, we proudly present: The Hill Intern Hotties competition. Since everyone already knows how this works, we’ll just let you speed along - boys’ poll here and girls’ poll here. In case you’re one of those “readers,” we’ve also got written testimonials for all the pretty girls and all the strong men. MORE »

Briana Bilbray invites you to enjoy the champagne of beers — responsibly.

We hereby retroactively endorse Brian Bilbray for the seat he already won. It’ll take a big man to fill the shoes of Duke Cunningham, entertainment-wise, but Bilbray may be up to the challenge. His kids certainly are, as can be seen on their oh-so-public MySpace and Photobucket accounts. Above, daughter Briana, 19. After the jump, more proof that Briana would be way more fun to hang out with than Francine Busby’s kids. If she has kids, anyway, we haven’t bothered to check.

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• Page Six: First daughter Barbara Bush hunts for jobs on Craigslist, applies for position at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. [NYP]

• Reliable Source: Rumors of Placido Domingo’s retirement greatly exaggerated… Three-year-old has “NewsHour With Jim Lehrer”-themed birthday party. [WP]
• Heard on the Hill: Democrats faring well in the “Hottest Man in U.S. Politics” contest… Newly elected Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) presented with “greatest surfer in Congress” award by colleagues… House Majority Leader John Boehner loves the Weather Channel. [Roll Call]
• Under the Dome: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) spotted wearing a Nationals cap… Robert Novak has submitted the manuscript of his memoir to his publisher. [The Hill]
• Lowdown: Keith Olbermann sends obscene emails to viewers… Cher hits Capitol Hill to promote her helmet program. [NYDN]

• Primary results “yielded no significant surprises”; Republican Brian Bilbray beats Democrat Francine Busby in race for Rep. Randy Cunningham’s seat. [WP, LAT]
• Cheney brokers deal to keep telephone company executives from testifying about NSA database. [USAT]
• Some Republican Senators think the recent focus on “ideologically charged topics” like gay marriage could backfire; voters have more pressing concerns. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.): “I know in many meetings of our colleagues when the issue of marriage comes up, heads drop. It is just an issue that people just feel uncomfortable talking about. It’s something that maybe in some respects they feel like, why do we even have to? Why is this even an issue?” [NYT]
• Use of “taxpayer-funded databases” provides an advantage to incumbents who can “cultivate constituents more attentively than ever.” Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.): “As incumbents, we have unlimited access to the most up-to-date technology in the world.” [WP]
• FBI sought proof that Rep. William Jefferson may have tried to bribe the vice president of Nigeria. [NYT, LAT]
• Judiciary Panel members are riled by a Justice Department official’s refusal to say “whether the Bush administration has ever considered prosecuting journalists for publishing leaked national security information.” [WP]
• Tom DeLay says “panic, depression and woe-is-me-ism” risks losing the election for the GOP. [USAT, USAT]

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