• Bush renews call to ban gay marriage; social conservatives cheer the “litmus test” as critics contend the move is mainly political. James Dobson: “It is true what this vote will do will be to help the voters identify who is and is not supportive of the family, and I think those that are not are going to have to answer for it.” [WP, NYT, USAT]
• This week’s Senate agenda, from the ban on gay marriage to a repeal of the estate tax, is “all about” motivating conservative voters. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) on the marriage amendment: “I am confident that the American people will see this for what it is: a mean-spirited attempt to score political points in an election year.” [WP, W$J]
• Intense campaigning is already underway for the midterm election, “reflecting a consensus in both parties that Republicans could lose control of the House and perhaps the Senate”; Republicans have spent at least $4.5M on today’s special election for Randy Cunningham’s seat. [NYT, W$J]
• Congress and the courts “are beginning to push back against what has been the greatest expansion of presidential powers in a generation or more.” [USAT]
• Bill Clinton hopes to raise over $20M for midterm campaigns. [NYT]

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• At his confirmation hearing, Gen. Michael Hayden deflects specifics, defends NSA wiretapping, distances himself from Pentagon brass, and urges a focus on the future of the CIA: “It’s time to move past what seems to me to be an endless picking apart of the archaeology of every past intelligence success or failure.” [WP, NYT, NYT, WSJ]
• Senate votes 63 to 34 to make English the “national language”; vote continues “the conservative turn that a major overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws has taken since the Senate began debate this week.” [WP, NYT]
• Judiciary Committee approves constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage; Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) says “good riddance” to Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), who replies, “See ya.” [WP]
• Bush in Arizona: “It makes sense to use fencing along the border in key locations in order to do our job. We’re in the process of making our border the most technologically advanced border in the world.” [NYT, WSJ]
• BellSouth seeks a retraction from USA Today for “the false and unsubstantiated statements” about NSA phone logs. [WSJ]

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Can’t you two see you’re in love? MORE »

Slow news day so far — CNN is reporting on the prosecution of a German cannibal. So we bring you these two screen caps. This one’s from the New York Sun: MORE »

* Feingold takes a stab at political satire; angels collectively lose their wings. [Captain's Quarters]
* Shamelessly self-promoting bloggers shamelessly self-promote their books. [Daily Kos]
* If you’re qualified to pen prescriptions for erectile dysfunction meds, you’re qualified to make fun of advertisements for erectile dysfunction meds. [HuffPo]
* Tony Snow knows how to please a man. [Rude Pundit]
* If you incessantly ask what the Ref’s calls mean, you have no business sitting in a stadium. [Moonbattery]

* Feingold cozies up to fringe liberals and same-sex couples; Dems take back his friendship bracelet. [Captain's Quarters]
* The Religious Right parties with Catholics, Mormons, and Muslims to propagate a pro-life agenda. Venue of choice: the United Nations. [Political Cortex]
* Meet Vikas and Oswaldo, two foreigners working in America. One arrived by plane, the other by a flatbed truck under a pile of hay. One lived like a eunuch, the other like a man who saw flashing FREE DAYCARE lights above P.S. 127. Guess which one’s not a welcome guest, even if McCain and Kennedy say so. [Right Wing News]
* Dems flirt with two-jobs-and-18-credit-hours college girls on the Pill. [The Fly Trap]
* DeLay’s stale cologne lingers on our shirts. Who’s strong enough to get theirs dry-cleaned? [DailyKos]

* Administration is underfunding democracy-building in Iraq; security costs receive an “enormous share” of funds as democracy and infrastructure goals are scaled down. [WP]
* Rep. Tom DeLay “set the terms of his departure” to ensure some dignity was not lost; he was “dispirited” and viewed his Republican primary challengers as “gadflies and traitors.” House ethics panel, meanwhile, will not investigate DeLay and other lawmakers. [WP, NYT, USAT, WSJ]
* Senate Appropriations Committee adds billions to hurricane relief package. [NYT]
* GAO criticizes bulk of Bush’s global AIDS initiative. [WP]
* John Snow said to be seriously mulling retirement; White House seeks successor. [NYT, WSJ]
* DeLay decision throws Texas political landscape into “electoral free-for-all.” [NYT, USAT]
* Democratic takeover of the Senate is deemed “distant” but “possible.” [USAT, LAT]

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Happy Censure Day everyone! It’s gonna be a helluvalotta fun — we’re glued to C-Span, obvs, and you should be too! MORE »

This Sunday’s shows undertook a major military operation. Between the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and “Operation Swarmer,” talking heads all but saluted. Russ Feingold managed to grab some of the spotlight, and his motion to censure President Bush gave Bill Kristol another chance to rock Chris Wallace’s world: Feingold “is smarter than the Democratic congressional leadership” and “deserves credit for taking a principled stand, and I honestly think he’s winning this debate.” That sound you heard is Nancy Pelosi’s head exploding. Dick Cheney did “Face the Nation” but did not make much news beyond the world’s most awesome Freudian slip: “Most of my predecessors spent a good part of their time as President–Vice President running for President.

Also, debuting this week on ABCNews.com was “The Green Room,” a brave attempt to wring every possible bit of hot air from the “This Week” panel while they stand around uncomfortably after the show wraps in the nondescript, motel-ish decor of ABC’s DeSale St. digs. Personally, I have always found pre-show green room chatter more interesting (everyone’s trying out their lines) and the whole thing strikes me as an empty attempt to show us another side of people who are basically one-dimensional, but I applaud this Taylorite approach to news content and hope that less practiced pundits do something stupid and/or inspired backstage in the future.

Top topics: Iraq, Feingold’s censure motion and by extension the NSA wiretap program.

One-hit wonders: Boston College’s Sweet Sixteen chances (”Meet the Press”); Joey Cheek, humanitarian (”This Week”); Mark McClellan, TREKKIE (”Fox News Sunday”)

Quotes to live by:
• Dick Cheney admits that shooting someone in the face is “one of those situations that’s difficult, that generates controversy.”
• Chris Wallace, SUPER GENIUS: “It seems to me that the Senators who are most critical of [the NSA wiretapping] program are the ones who know the least about it.”
• George Will lays it out: “We need to define victory down.”
• Sam Donaldson is totally high: “Russ Feingold threw the long ball… but it might connect, as the Washington Redskins learned in the mid-70s.”

Also, Shorter Chris Matthews Show: David Gregory observed that “George Bush is the George Clooney of Washington… but that’s a little bit of a patina.” Wha?

Full rundown appears after the jump.

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* You almost had her, Russ. But then you started talking about that time you backpacked through Europe. Dude: Play. It. Cool. [Captain's Quarters]
* So you came on a little strong — we’ve all been there. Just have your friends call her friends. And if that doesn’t work, steal Dad’s Drakkar and call some pissed off bloggers. [DailyKos]
* I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know. I just don’t know. Seriously though — thumb, forefinger, snap! Reid’ll teach you. [Eschaton]
* We, like, invented “rage,” Russ. And the ladies don’t like it anymore. Too musky. [Blogs for Bush]
* You may still have a shot with her. Copious application of Old Spice Red Zone = bad, Norelco beard trimmer = good. [The Right Place] via [The Jawa Report]
* Enough with the chicks. Mike Wallace is leaving! Hold me. [Anderson Cooper]

* Reliable Source: Former Clinton staffer tries to sell official White House program signed by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin on eBay for $50,000. . . Robbery scare at the home of Ken Mehlman. [WP]
* Under the Dome: Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) reads blogs of all persuasions. [The Hill]
* Inside the Beltway: Chief Justice John Roberts’s speech at the Reagan Library was “absolutely captivating.” [WT]
* Inside Politics: Wall Street Journal editorial board on Sen. Feingold: “He’s had the courage to put on the table what Democrats are all but certain to do if they win either the House or Senate in November.” [WT]
* Rush & Molloy: Bono thinks Bush is “funny” and recalls Bob Geldof spraying Tony Blair with saliva. [NYDN]
* Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: George Clooney feels “abused” by the Huffington Post: “I stand by what I do, but I’m very cautious not to take giant steps onto soapboxes because I think they’re polarizing.”. . . Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer approached by staffers of “The Bachelor.” [NYDN]
* Cindy Adams: House Republicans schedule another vacation period from Friday to the 27th. [NYP]