No one has a clue who’ll control the Senate when it reconvenes next month, because poor Tim Johnson remains in critical condition. Al Kamen reminds us that things could be worse — or that they could get much, much worse: MORE »

Not even God loves Republicans these days: Tim Johnson has apparently recovered from his horrible ordeal. The South Dakota Democrat whose brain went screwy this week is now “responsive,” which is way more than you can say for Strom Thurmond’s last 20 years in the Senate. MORE »

* Harry Reid tells Tim Johnson to “stay alive, no matter what occurs.” [WP, NYT, WSJ]
* And about 50% of people who Democrats don’t depend on for a tenuous majority in the Senate who also have arteriovenous malformations do make complete recoveries, “more or less.” [WP]
* But even if he’s totally “Schiavo’d,” the Senate has never “forced a member out of office because of a physical or mental inability to serve.” [LAT]
* President Bush couldn’t care less about you, is playing for your grandkids approval ratings — just like Harry Truman did. [WP]
* Condoleezza Rice thinks Iran and Syria’s asking prices for help in Iraq are too high, she’s only willing to offer economic incentives and a player to be named later. [WP]
* To stay “Army Strong,” top General recommends getting “Army Big.” [WP, NYT]
* White House pissed at Sen. Bill Nelson for going to Damascus, “undermining democracy in the region.” Still glad to have him and not Katherine Harris. [NYT]
* Pastry chef blows Laura Bush’s sugar, is hired at White House. [NYT]

In the Department of Stuff That Might Be True, we go to Wayne Madsen and his occasionally semi-accurate unsourced website. Madsen says the new Senate Majority Leadership will try to convert moderate Republican Susan Collins and Oregon rebel GOP’er Gordon Smith should Tim Johnson be unable to continue as senator. MORE »

* “Hundreds” of journalists from “top papers” happy to forsake journalism to begin capricious motherfucker apprenticeship with Bob Woodward. [Boston Herald]
* Tim Johnson to steal from Strom Thurmond’s playbook and have, “epoxy and polyurethane to prevent his skin from drooping off his skull ,” before allowing a Republican replacement. [Rude Pundit]
* A couple years of governing Massachusetts has made Mitt Romney hate the gays. Actually, just being Mitt Romney has made Mitt Romney hate the gays. [Andrew Sullivan]
* Budding online romance sends Malkin to Iraq., finally [Michelle Malkin]
* Democrats use powerful new media tools to strong political advantage. [Democrats.org]
* Louisiana banker tries sneaky The Price Is Right bidding technique to land a dinner date with Katrina fuck-up Kathleen Blanco for only $1. [AP]

* Senator Tim Johnson apparently suffered a “brain hemorrhage,” or “an intracerebral bleed caused by a congenital arteriovenous malformation,” which you might remember as the thing that happened to Nate on Six Feet Under.
* Even if Johnson resigns, the January 4 “organizing resolution” could — could — keep the Senate in Democratic control. We didn’t pay attention all that closely to how (this ain’t Hotline, fer chrissakes), but Time attempts to explain here.
* South Dakota’s Secretary of State has a totally kickass website, mustache. Also, people are paying attention to him for the first and last time in history. He was also Kip in Napolean Dynomite. A journalist tells us that he ends calls with “Mmmmmkay bye.”

If South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson dies (”critical condition” still), the guy who’d most likely have opposed him for reelection, SD Gov Mike Rounds, will appoint his replacement. Unfortunately, it is still not known at this time whether Governor Mike Grounds is or isn’t a dick.

But while the “movement” to convince a Republican Governor to appoint a Democratic Senator just ’cause will probably turn out like most blog-based campaigns, there is still hope for the Democrats: It’s really hard to get someone to leave the Senate.

MORE »

* SD Democratic Senator Tim Johnson is in critical condition following emergency brain surgery. Everybody pray panic. [WP
* It was Pentagon day in President Bush's whirlwind "gimmie advice" tour, with the Joint Chiefs backing the "train 'em, don't fight 'em" plan for Iraq. [WP, NYT]
* Nancy Pelosi to satiate Democrats’ lust for overseeing things by announcing creation of a new intelligence spending panel. [WSJ]
* Also, war funding will be made part of the regular budget. [NYT]
* The lone Republican ray of hope: ‘08 hopefuls have reputations independent of “boat anchor” Bush. [WSJ]
* All you gotta know about Charlie Rangel is, “he’s awesome!” [WP]
* The 2006 Midterms put Tom DeLay “in the grave with dirt on top of him.” [WP]
* Subpoena issued for the ACLU to return a memo with information “mildly embarrassing” to the government. [WP, NYT]

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) had a stroke today (we think? Everyone thinks? This is what the tee vee has told us.). We have no idea how he’s doing now, but if he retires/dies, his replacement will be appointed by South Dakota’s legislature or governor, all Republican. So, hey, wouldn’t that be nutty? Maybe they could appoint Conrad Burns, that would really be the only silver lining in this mess. MORE »

* Sens. Kerry and Kennedy may attempt to filibuster Alito; Dems Ben Nelson (Neb.), Robert Byrd (W.Va.), and Tim Johnson (S.D.) announce support of Alito’s confirmation. [WP, NYT, LAT]
* Bush distances himself from Jack Abramoff during news conference; offers defense of NSA eavesdropping and stance on Katrina inquiry. [WP, NYT, LAT, USAT, WT]
* Admin has used “at least two separate rationales for why they did not ask for statutory authority” for NSA eavesdropping program. [WP]
* Public opinion of NSA eavesdropping is “nuanced and remains highly unresolved,” according to NYT-CBS poll; disapproval of Congress and the Republican Party are both high. 61% are concerned about losing civil liberties. [NYT]
* If tax cuts are allowed to expire in 2010, deficit will turn to surplus in 2012. [USAT]
* Lewis Libby’s lawyer asks Patrick Fitzgerald for documents “related to what journalists knew from any source” about Valerie Plame. [WP, NYT]

MORE »

• Leahy, Baucus, Johnson will support Roberts; Kerry, Kennedy, Corzine, Boxer, Reid will vote no. [NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Bush multitasks over second Supreme Court nomination, hurricanes, Iraq, and Social Security; talks of Katrina and terrorists, “They’re the kind of people who look at Katrina and wish they had caused it. We’re in a war against these people.” [NYT, USAT]
• Republicans propose spending cuts as Congress passes $6b in Katrina-related tax breaks. [WSJ, WP, USAT]
• Next Supreme Court nominee will face heightened scrutiny. [WP]
• House Republicans will pursue inquiry of government’s response to Katrina in spite of boycott by Democrats. [WP, NYT]

MORE »