Wonkette

We know it’s not ’till Thursday, but we wanted to beat the rush.

The AP is amazed to learn that our President is greeting his 60th birthday not with deep, suicidal despair, but rather with — wait for it — relative good humor! But that good humor masks — wait for it — “unmistakably wistful notes.” Join us for a birthday think-piece fun-fest, after the jump.

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The old news is that a majority of juridically minded conservatives have now taken to telling Bush, “Cut the shit.” But just how bad is the pre-midterm Republican Thermidor shaping up to be? Well, eleven months ago, would this — MORE »

• Washington Whispers: Hastert may be urged to stay put if Hillary wins ‘08 nomination. . . Some Commerce Department employees complain Gutierrez is pressuring them to participate in the Freedom Walk. . . Trump says that if he could talked to Saudi Arabia about oil, “prices would drop like a rock”. . . California Democrats float idea of a celebrity candidate to defeat Schwarzenegger: Bill Clinton? Magic Johnson? Gavin Newsom? Rob Reiner? [USN&WR]
• Inside Politics: Landrieu on “This Week”: “If one person criticizes our sheriffs, or says one more thing, including the president of the United States, he will hear from me. One more word about it after this show airs and I — I might likely have to punch him — literally.”. . . 44% blame Bush in ABC/WP poll. [WT]
• Inside the Beltway: Rehnquist liked his anonymity. [WT]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: FEMA site encourages donations to Pat Robertson’s Operation Blessing. [NYDN]
• Page Six: Streisand requested to be on the same floor as Clinton when they stay at the New York Sheraton. [NYP]