Wonkette

Nothing says “Our Precious Freedoms” like PETA’s annual State of the Union video of a young lady taking about an hour to get naked because she’s saying something about how you are not supposed to waterboard hamsters or eat steak. [PETA]

Way back in 1846, a hallowed tradition was born in the great state of Iowa, because Iowans hated voting. They did, however, love to stand around and eat sandwiches. Thus was born the Iowa Caucus. But nobody really noticed what the Iowans were up to until 1972, when George McGovern’s insurgent campaign against Democrat frontrunner Ed Muskie needed some weird stunt to distract Muskie’s staffers. MORE »

Bush is bravely protecting the life of a death-row Mexican who killed two girls in Texas. [Crooks & Liars]

Carlos Arredondo was in town for the anti-war protests last weekend, with a traveling memorial to his son — Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo, a soldier killed in Iraq. A bunch of fat wingnuts knocked him to the ground, kicked him in the face and stomach and back, and tore up pictures of his son. [Crooks & Liars]