Soothsaying raconteur Martin Peretz has a little story for you. Come children, gather ye rosebuds, for it is time to hear the sorry tale of Sidney Blumenthal, who is, at this very moment, maybe already on Hillary Clinton’s travel diplomacy team! You see, Blumenthal once worked for Peretz at the New Republic magazine, a “The Spine” avant la lettre, if you will. Despite knowing absolutely nothing about foreign policy (or literally anything) and overcoming his debilitating addiction to borrowing $3000 from Peretz and not paying him back, Blumenthal ascended the ranks of Peretz’s Arabic-language fiction quarterly!  Sacre Blume! MORE »

Real Wonkette operatives eat quiche. And then they come back from their Charlie Cook brunches and deliver the second-hand wisdom of Washington’s foremost political prognosticator. Highlights:

• Of all the current scandals, Abramoff might hurt the worst, “Hanging around the Louisiana delegation, I’ve even known a scumbag or two in my time,” but even he was taken aback by how Abramoff conducted business. 

• How can Republicans get back on track?   Cook said that he would turn the White House upside-down and shake things up.  “These people are absolutely fried.”

• Dems 2008: Warner, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Indiana Senator Evan Bayh. As for John Edwards, his biggest problem continues to be his lack of experience. However, he is a good campaigner and his economic message has gotten even stronger and is delivered better today.

• GOP 2008 The only way that Cook felt that McCain might be the nominee is if Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton were the Democratic nominee and if Republicans felt that only McCain could stop her.  Under those circumstances, he would unify the party. Otherwise, the Republicans need a “bridge candidate,” like VA Senator George Allen.

Highly-compensated dish, for free, after the jump.

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