The Bush White House will help out strapped homeowners seeking mortgage relief, but apparently only if you’re Christian. Bush mistakenly gave out a number yesterday for the new “Hope Now Hotline” set up by his administration. But anyone who actually dialed 1-800-995-HOPE did not reach the mortgage hotline. Instead, they reached the Freedom Christian Academy, some creepy group in Texas that provides homeschooling materials. But, you know, materials just for Christians. Bush gives out wrong mortgage hotline phone number [Think Progress] MORE »

How much is the final payout for being one of the most despised men in the Bush White House? Around $3 million. The bidding for former White House senior advisor Karl Rove’s memoirs kicks off today. “It will sell for millions, but how many millions is the question,” one potential publisher said. MORE »

The new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran “concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen, contradicting judgment two years ago that Tehran was working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb.” No word yet on whether this will affect Bush’s plans to invade Iran for working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb. [NYT]

Each week, veteran Condiwatcher Peter Huestis (also known as Princess Sparkle Pony) provides a summary of the searing wit and infinite wisdom of America’s Favorite Princess Diplomat™! Last week was all about Condi’s big Carnival o’ Peace™ in Annapolis. Yes! That was only a few days ago! Not much happened, but that didn’t stop people from writing about it. Plus: more excerpts from Elizabeth Bumiller’s Condiography which is maybe going to be serialized in Maureen Dowd’s column. And, finally, it was Mean Caricature Week! After the jump, we’ll relive the Condiweek that was.

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News stories are held and spiked for lots of reasons. But all sorts of red flags should go up when the delay–say, um, three years–is coming from the White House. Shame on The New York Times. Politico explains. At White House Behest, NYT Sat On Scoop [Politico]

What has Condoleezza Rice accomplished in the past week? The answer is always the same: nothing! What has she been doing, where has she been going? Well, that’s a more complicated question. Each week, veteran Condiwatcher Peter Huestis (also known as Princess Sparkle Pony) provides a summary of the searing wit and infinite wisdom of America’s Favorite Princess Diplomat™! This past week was really fun in Condiland! Like her illustrious mentor, G. H. W. Bush, she inspired a new foreign language insult! It was her birthday! Something about laser helmets! And at the end of the week? OMG, new hairdo. Did you hear me? NEW HAIRDO.

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What has Condoleezza Rice accomplished in the past week? The answer is always the same: nothing! What has she been doing, where has she been going? Well, that’s a more complicated question. Each week, veteran Condiwatcher Peter Huestis (also known as Princess Sparkle Pony) provides a summary of the searing wit and infinite wisdom of America’s Favorite Princess Diplomat™! This past week? OMG, it was mostly all about writing about Condi! We’re talking people running into each other at cocktail parties and going, all, “OMG, you’re writing a book about Condi? Me too! Have you seen my latest newspaper article about her? It’s so much better than Glenn Kessler’s.” Soon there will be enough words written about Condoleezza Rice to build her a stairway to the moon! Which would be a good idea right around now! MORE »

Green Day’s Billy Joe Armstrong, who sat down for an interview with Rolling Stone’s David Fricke, sorta, kinda likes Barack Obama because he’s “sick of the religious-figure thing,” thinks the draft is needed to wake up apathetic youth, loves Bill Clinton and still really, really hates Bush. “When you say “Fuck George W. Bush” in a packed arena in Texas, that’s an accomplishment… ” Oh, totes!

Billie Joe Armstrong [RS] MORE »

Hey everyone, only 365 days left (leap year!) until November 4, 2008, when we hold our massive election things! What a wonderful opportunity to listen to our candidates’ stump speeches and teevee bits a few more thousand times before making a lesser-of-sixteen-evils decision, and then regretting it and voting for other people two years later. MORE »

“Long-time Bush adviser Karen Hughes will leave her post as undersecretary of state at the State Department in mid-December, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced Wednesday.” Sad! Especially since the State Department has been promoting American ideals of “freedom” so well in the Middle East recently. For example: Those Blackwater guards were able to shoot civilians at will because they were free. [CNN]

Dude above is Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), who lashed out at House naysayers during yesterday’s SCHIP debate in somewhat controversial fashion. Minority Leader Roy Blunt is already calling for Democrats to denounce him post haste! And for him to denounce himself! MORE »