Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: George Clooney on Iraq: “We knew it was bullshit… Which is why it drives me crazy to hear all these Democrats saying, ‘We were misled.’ It makes me want to shout, ‘Fuck you, you weren’t misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic.’”. . . Keith Olbermann to Brian Lamb: “There are people I know in the hierarchy of NBC, the company, and GE, the company, who do not like to see the current presidential administration criticized at all.”. . . Edward Klein is writing a “poison-pen” biography of Sen. McCain. [NYDN]
Cindy Adams: Charles Gibson will be named Bob Woodruff’s “temporary permanent replacement.” [NYP]
Page Six: The Clintons are on the outs with Harold Ickes. [NYP]

Come quick! Harold’s doing his Bob Newhart! MORE »

* House Republicans set vote on Dubai port deal for next week despite White House resistance. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio): “This has become a very hot political potato.” [WP, NYT]
* Military spending for Iraq and Afghanistan will reach $117.6b this fiscal year. [W$J]
* Harold Ickes, with George Soros, are sidestepping the DNC to create a massive nationwide voter list. Ickes: “The Republicans have developed a cadre of people who appreciate databases and know how to use them, and we are way behind the march.” [WP]
* Congress renews Patriot Act by vote of 280 to 138. [WP, NYT]
* Senate Select Committee on Intelligence rejects Democratic calls for inquiry of NSA eavesdropping; White House agrees to new oversight rules. [WP, NYT, W$J]
* The CIA is not interested in cooperating with the Libby investigation by providing classified documents. [WP, NYT]
* Sen. Clinton moves to tie up money and talent for ‘08 race. [NYT]
* Cato Institutes vents beef with Bush. [WP]
* Rep. DeLay wins Republican primary in Texas. [AP]

When you live in Washington and spend all day blogging about politics, it’s only a matter of time before it starts to affect your dreams. Once this starts happening, abandon all hope; you’re trapped inside the Beltway. MORE »

Don’t worry, folks. That scary Vespa accident involving former senior Clinton aide and “political gunslinger for progressives, liberals, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton” Harold Ickes did not take him from us. He’s “back in the saddle,” Washington Whispers tells us, and considering getting another Vespa. MORE »

• Reliable Source: The Bush twins celebrated their 24th birthday in Austin. . . USA Today’s Barbara Slavin presses Condoleezza Rice on her dress size, hopes for her “castoffs”. . . Harold Ickes was hospitalized for two weeks after crashing his Vespa. . . Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) offers to hold a hearing on the unfair treatment of Terrell Owens. [WP]
• Inside the Beltway: DNC to post “Shame on You” poster in Rep. Jean Schmidt’s (R-Ohio) district. [WT]
• Under the Dome: Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) former drivers have used the job as a jump-start to political careers. . . A loser from season two of “The Apprentice” is considering a congressional race. . . What did Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) learn from her controversial comment on Murtha? Not to wear that red dress. [The Hill]
• Cindy Adams: The Clintons are going on public outings together. [NYP]
• Rush & Molloy: John Belushi’s wife turns on Bob Woodward. . . The Clintons are reportedly interested in a home in the Dominican Republic. [NYDN]
• The Scoop: Dennis Quaid spoofs the presidency in upcoming film; William Dafoe plays a Cheney-like vice president and Marcia Gay Harden is the first lady. [MSNBC]

• Reliable Source: Conservative group charges P. Diddy with pushing liberal activism with “Vote or Die” campaign. . . Robert Downey Jr. got a massage from a local Aveda salon. [WP]
• Under the Dome: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Ken Mehlman, and Jon Stewart named as most influential American Jews by The Forward. . . Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) really likes to use metaphors. [The Hill]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Handwriting analyst says Lewis Libby is “a person with big ideas who does not always bring his imaginings into reality.” [NYDN]
• Cindy Adams: Harold Ickes fell off his motorcycle. [NYP]