What can we say? We have a terrible weakness for The Daily Show around here. And even though it’s your civic and comedic duty to watch it, we tune in too — so you don’t have to. MORE »

Arlen Specter (R-Sad Sack) is one of those Senate Republicans who likes to put up at least a facade of independence. Which, despite the total lack of results ever, is fun when it leads to stories like the one in the Times today about how Dick Cheney told the rest of the committee to block testimony from TelComs, but didn’t tell Arlen about it beforehand. Which leads to that strongest of Washington weapons, the angry mildly peeved letter: MORE »

Abandon hope, all ye who submit FOIA requests to the NSA: MORE »

* This is how the world will end, not with a bang, but a clank, and the thump of a pneumatic hammer on an elevator. We’re relieved that no one was hurt, but it sure was exciting covering all the action. Er, whatever it is that passes for action. In the end, the biggest danger of the day was the risk of some soiled gabardine, but even that was averted. MORE »

Michael Hayden has been confirmed! Holy shit! This Friday is FULL OF SURPRISES! MORE »

• FBI receives complaints from both sides of the aisle for raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-La.) office. [WP]
• Democrats, after pointing fingers at Republicans, face a corruption scandal in their own ranks with Rep. Jefferson. [NYT, LAT]
• AT&T allowed the NSA to view “every individual message” on its internet, lawsuit claims. [WSJ]
• Immigration overhaul is expected to be approved by the Senate this week; Speaker Hastert may override. [WP, WSJ]
• Many Republican candidates are keeping their distance from Bush. [WSJ]
• Bush describes Iraq at a “turning point”: “The terrorists are now fighting a free and constitutional government. They’re at war with the people of Iraq.” [WP]
• Democrats are concerned that voters would be “concerned or distracted” by Bill Clinton if Hillary runs for president; “he has told friends that his No. 1 priority is not to cause her any trouble” and “they appear in the public spotlight methodically and carefully.” [NYT]

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• Oh yeah, we heard you patting yourself on the back for not being a dumb ol’ AT&T customer. “The NSA can’t find me! Ha ha ha!” Well, if you’re reading this, they can. [Rox Populi]

• Once we croak, it’s first-come, first-serve for the inevitable lawsuits. Start buttering us up now. You could start by buying us a carton or two. [Hit & Run]
• The Corner: “Things turned around when folks decided that Dan Quayle was right.” Do you really want context? [The Corner]
• Just in case you missed it: New School student Jean Rohe defies noted cockblocker Bob Kerrey, gives speech mocking John McCain right before his commencement speech, posts it on HuffPo (natch). McCain’s Chief of Staff, Mark Salter, responds angrily in the comments, calls her a commie or something, it’s sorta long. Rohe says, stop being mean to me. She’s a music major, lay off! [HuffPo]

* The Senate confirmation hearings for soon-to-be CIA Director Michael Hayden began this week. In the great tradition of the adult film industry, there will be two versions of the hearing; one for cable and one for pay-per-view, er, Senate Members’ Ears Only. We were actually pretty relieved that the hardcore hearings were closed, that shit was long enough. Finally, the denouement: he’s an idiot. MORE »

3:10 — Hayden: “if I had no lawful authority to do something that needed to be done to protect this country, of course I would do it.”

Russ: “Can you explain to me why we even need to pass laws in this Congress?” if the Pres is going to get all Article 2 on us. Well, Russ, uh, no. Have you been paying attention? TIME OF WAR.

We aren’t liveblogging that much because Feingold actually asked interesting questions. Hayden didn’t answer them, but they were interesting questions. And now we’re on to Chambliss, so BRING ON THE CRAZY!

3:00– Yes! Russ “See Ya!” Feingold! The program is illegal, the President mislead the country! And WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US? “What kind of CIA director will he be? Will General Hayden follow the law?” You could ask him, Russ, he’s sitting right there.

Hayden — You have to look at the context in which I lied. “I knew in my own heart and mind that we were not talking about domestic-to-domestic.” But his voice failed to make that distinction. “I think that was the speech where I talked about Osama bin Laden traveling from Niagra Falls to New York.” OSAMA BIN LADEN HAS DEVELOPED BARREL TECHNOLOGY. Why would Hayden want to remind anyone of that speech? It’s the stupidest hypothetical ever. Seriously. And we already heard the “WILL YOU CALL RUMMY BACK” bit earlier.

2:40 — Don’t crowd the ball! Focus on the scoreboard! No “I” in team! A lot of it is attitudinal! Should the head of the CIA be a complete idiot? Does that make their lack of oversight more or less dangerous? We usedta think “less,” but complete idiots have demonstrated an alarming ability to fuck things up a lot these last couple years.

“For every 10 analysts with fewer than four years service, we only have one experiences analysts with between 10 and 14 years service.” No one in the CIA knows what the the hell they’re doing.

We are cheering ourselves up by watching this.

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Happy Hayden Confirmation Day! We, the unwashed masses, shall get the sanitized, boring hearing, and we’ll like it, dammit, while the cool kids on the intelligence committee will hold the real one in a locked room with no lights on, whispering all their super top secret questions. Yeah, the guy’s a lock. Go democracy! It’s an inspiring tale, really, that a guy who can’t remember the entirety of the fourth amendment and who’s personally responsible for an illegal domestic spying program that sidesteps congressional oversight completely can win the support of said congress with a few well-timed secret briefings. You exercise those powers, Senate! MORE »

* John Negroponte will get Bill Frist’s phone records when he pries them from his cold dead hands! [Rude Pundit] MORE »