* As John Bolton steps down, his shoes, though not his mustache, are likely to be filled by Zalmay Khalilzad. [WP, NYT]
* Bolton’s UN colleagues feel like it’s their birthday. [NYT]
* Sam Brownback can’t quit the idea of being President. [WP]
* Republicans will try to muscle through a weird “Abortion Anesthesia Bill” before the close of Congress. [WP]
* President Bush meets with Iraqi Shiite leader who thinks the only policy change America needs is to kick more ass, take less names. [WP, NYT]
* FBI spends too much time investigating mine-sweeper, comes up short on funds for new computer system. [NYT]
* NASA’s plan for a new moon base is supported by space cadets. [WP]
* Paper of record covers DC’s ruthless manipulation of Utah, hunt for most basic constitutional rights. [NYT]

* Janet Reno joins Justice Department Officials from Carter, Reagan, and Clinton administrations to issue a letter against indefinite detention of terror suspects. [WP]
* Embattled federal family planning programs chief Eric Keroack has previously prescribed actual birth control and not just the trusty “pull out” technique. [WP]
* Shattering the myth of government efficiency, contracting procedures at DHS are found to be inconsistent and poorly documented. [WP]
* White House appears willing to drop private accounts from Social Security reform package. [WSJ]
* Rules of Congressional real estate: location, location, and “mine is bigger than yours” bragging rights. [NYT]
* Joe Lieberman hires “Trotskyite Zionist Reaganite” as communications director. [NYT]
* Ohio, not wanting Wonkette to be starved for material, puts Jean Schmidt back in office. [AP]

* Steny Hoyer elected House Majority Leader after a divisive inter-party campaign. Democrats now need to move on and show unity. Nancy Pelosi says, “Let the healing begin.” [WP, NYT, LAT]
* Steny Hoyer’s not a man, he’s a Congressman. [WP, NYT]
* Bush administration’s pick to head family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services is a strong opponent of the sexing. [WP]
* “It was a preliminary inquiry before, but we found the basis to open up a criminal investigation,” report Florida authorities investigating Mark Foley. [WP]
* Latest war funding request by Bush administration would make Iraq the most expensive conflict since WWII. [USAT]
* John McCain files paperwork to open his presidential exploratory committee, blathers on about Iraq. [WP]
* Beloved Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman has gone to that big free market in the sky. [WP, NYT, WSJ]

* Last vestiges of notoriety not enough for John Edwards to cut the line for Playstation 3 at a North Carolina Wal-Mart. [Outside the Beltway]
* Jim Webb bored of talking about Iraq war, turns attention to class war. [Winds of Change]
* Republican Congressman blames election losses on “rednecks.” [Hotline on Call]
* Control of America’s population growth has been handed to “a fucking insane person.” [Feministing]
* Tonight’s South Park episode lampoons newspaper critic by portraying him as a newspaper employee. [Buzz Machine]
* Internet awash in unanimous praise for Milton Friedman, almost. [Cryptogon]

• Bush still kicking himself for not standing in the Katrina rubble with a bullhorn. [NYT]

• On anniversary of Katrina, Gulf Coast to receive massive influx of administration officials touting successful reconstruction efforts, “despite visual evidence suggesting otherwise.” [NYT]
• Plane crash in Kentucky is first domestic jet accident since November 2001, kills 49. [NYT, USAT]
• Abortion ban showdown comes to South Dakota, November vote could institute strictest laws in country. [WP]
• Osama bin Laden never actually charged with 9/11 crimes because of, “the need to be fair to any defendant.” [WP]
• Baghdad morgue only received 450 bodies this month, down from 1800 last month, Iraqi Prime Minister: ” What you see is an atmosphere of reconciliation.” [LAT]
• Spending on campaign ads up 45% from 2004 level as candidates and consultants discover cable TV. [W$J]
• “Ernesto” is first hurricane of the season, batters impoverished Caribbean nations on way to Florida. [USAT]
• Sad schism between real and fantasy worlds highlighted as “24″ and “The Office” take top Emmy awards. [LAT]

• France recommits larger number of soldiers, takes leadership of the “United Nations Interim Force of Lebanon.” [WP, W$J]

• Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) has eyes opened during 14th trip to Iraq, says we need “to have a timeline for troop withdrawal.” [WP]
• Bush spends this week fishing with family in Kennebunkport, hiding from Cindy Sheehan, and covering up his New England roots. [WP]
• Emergency contraceptive “Plan B” approved by FDA, to be available in pharmacies without a prescription by the end of the year. [WP, NYT]
• All the big names are going to Iowa pretending to fundraise for mid-terms, but it’s really about 2008. [NYT]
• Kentucky Governor signs plea deal in hiring scandal; Kentucky Attorney General holds press conference, respects seersucker Thursday. [NYT]
• State Department secretive about investigation into Israel breaking secret agreements and secretly using restricted bombs. [NYT]

• Rupert Murdoch carries heads of state in his pocket, “like so many nickels and dimes.” [HuffPo]

• In order to make “Senator Katherine Harris” a reality, she’ll have to succeed where the Mafia and John Kennedy failed. [The DC Universe]
• Ohio’s centuries of bad luck continues, as billboard with gross-out aborted fetus image gets flown over Cleveland. [Evangelical Right]
• Prince “I’m Never Gonna Be King” Harry enjoys fine automobiles, Red Bull, and horseshit. [Borrowing Trouble]
• Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney kicks off nascent presidential campaign by heading to Iowa and blurting racist comment from his honky mouth. [AP]
• Laura Sessions Stepp immortalized by Great Moments In Journalism, still desperately needs to get laid. [Gawker]

MORE »

• ABC News is convinced that foreign diplomats in the US are the most passive-aggressive people on the planet. [The Blotter]

• Congress to Smithsonian: eat shit and die. [LA Times]
• Mojo Nixon campaigns in Texas, “If your state don’t have Kinky Friedman, than your state could use some votin’.” [Mojo Nixon]
• The 2006 federal budget deficit is just barely out of medal contention. [Think Progress]
• The exact price Chris Matthews will pay for transparent knowledge of your soul. [Fishbowl DC]
• College Democrats are sure that you can’t raise money for something unless you dress like a five-dollar hooker. [Truth Caucus]
• Controversy at HUD! Agency only hires women with first names ending in “ee”! Some are cute, some are felons! [The Smoking Gun]

Presenting, in the words of one operative, the “Craziest Dear Colleague EVER.” It comes from Representative Dave Weldon, MD (OB/GYN). It continues the proud tradition of creepy old white guys in congress displaying healthy interest in the reproductive cycle, and it’s headlined “Fetus Farming: What Is It? Why Must We Ban It?”

To answer those questions, look after the jump. Or just make them up — it’s what Dr. Representative Weldon did!

MORE »

Being generally liberal when it comes to matters of reproductive freedom, we are not quite willing to believe that this isn’t a strong argument by the FDA for legalization of and easy access to birth control: MORE »

We now have Samuel Alito’s own spin on his 1985 admission that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion. Yesterday, he met with Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who told reporters that Alito distanced himself from the statement: “What [Alito] said was, ‘It was different then. I was an advocate seeking a job. It was a political job.” MORE »