Wonkette

Uberpollster Survey USA has conducted its semi-monthly survey of every damn U.S. Senator and his/her approval rating. Whatever the opposite of an upset is, it’s this: Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is the most beloved statesman in the land. Eighteen hard months of being handsome, making speeches, and being handsome have paid off, as 72% of Illinoisans give thumbs up to the skinny kid with the funny name. as some wags have observed, Obama is the only Democrat who can appear in any state and be a boon to his party’s candidates (imagine Hillary stumping for someone in Nebraska. See?). The most popular Republican is Maine’s Olympia Snowe, whose presidential draft movement is slightly, slightly smaller than Obama’s. MORE »

• Sen. Specter (R-Pa.) proposes to give Bush the choice of getting a warrant from a special court for surveillance programs; proposal would specifically not limit presidential powers. Specter: “I think he [Cheney] is serious about trying to work something out. For the first time, he said they are willing to consider legislation.” [WP]
• Cheney says his communications with Sen. Specter “are not unusual.” Specter: “He does not face head on; he does not deal with his not having taken it up with the chairman. This isn’t me personally; this is institutional. This is not the way government works, to deal with a committee without going through the chairman.” [WP, NYT]
• Rep. DeLay (R-Tex.) gives “defiant retirement speech”: “I did a good job… Given the chance to do it all again, there’s only one thing I’d change. I’d fight even harder.” [WP, NYT, LAT]
• Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi will provide little reprieve for Republians feeling political heat. Official: “We don’t want another ‘Mission Accomplished’ moment.” [WSJ]
• Troop levels in Iraq will not be down to 100,000 by the end of this year. [NYT]
• Senate is three votes shy of repealing the estate tax. Sen. Lott (R-Miss.): “The conservative base will appreciate the fact that we are trying.” [NYT, LAT, WSJ, USAT]

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Spotted this week were some damn fine Americans, with a whole lot of shiny metal at home on their mantels. Mia Hamm has her World Cup trophies, Anderson Cooper has his Emmy, Michael Hayden has all that weird military stuff on his shirt, and Jimmy Carter has that thing they call a Nobel. Not everyone can be number one, though, so just enjoy what you can — like Donald Rumsfeld and his juicy steaks, or Antonin Scalia and his fancy car. Feed your need for life envy; there are lots more people richer than you. Check out the sightings, after the jump.

Oh, and intern season is here! It sure is great that just as soon as the laminate dries on their cute little “109th Congress Intern” badges, they’re off and sending us tips. Act like an intern and send in your own via email, with “Wonk’d” or “Sighting” in the subject line, and the name of the fancy pants you spotted. We won’t pay you anything, just like real interns!

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Today’s Wonk’d brings us Hu Jintao, guarded like the superpower leader that he is, and Chris Rock — also being guarded, but maybe for different reasons. Jenna Bush and friends were seen, shockingly, waiting their turn in line, but the guys from Franz Ferdinand had ladies waiting in line for them. Media elites Tucker Carlson and David Gregory, ignoring high gas prices, were fillin’ ‘er up. Also spotted: Chelsea Clinton, hiding behind the latest fashions; R. Kelly, trying to get himself in more trouble; and John Ashcroft, ACTUALLY TAKING THE METRO. We deliver what we promise, plus so much more, after the jump.

We love our tipsters and all your hilarious tips, so please keep sending them to us via email, with “Wonk’d” or “Sighting” in the subject line (along with the name of the spotted celeb). Thanks!

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* Josh Bolten seeks “fresh start” for the White House. McClellan: “This is a time to reenergize and renew our commitment to help the president advance his agenda.” [WP, NYT, W$J]
* Mississippi senators are criticized for allocating $700M from war funding to relocate brand-new freight rail line. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.): “American taxpayers are generous and are happy to restore damaged property, but it is wrong for senators to turn this tragedy into a giveaway for economic developers.” [WP]
* Sen. Hillary Clinton raised $6M in the first quarter and holds $20M in the bank; Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) has $7.2M on hand. [WP]
* Rumsfeld says calls for his retirement will fade. [NYT]
* Gay families attend White House Easter egg roll; few complaints about missing the Bushes. [USAT]
* States are showing some fiscal restraint; surpluses seen in 42 states. [USAT]
* National Archives pledges new era of “transparency”; Archives had “secret agreement” with the CIA to withhold documents. [WP, NYT]
* Mike Gravel, former Democratic senator from Alaska, officially announces bid for ‘08 presidential nomination. [WP]

Springtime in the city, and everybody is out grubbing. This week in Wonk’d finds Bill Clinton, feasting like a king, er, president; Justice Samuel Alito, chowing like it was his constitutional right; and Michael Chertoff, securing some risotto. Also spotted: Steve Carell, filming a new movie; Tom Brokaw, picking up some workout threads; and Grover Norquist, doing the shimmy-shimmy-shake. All this and more, of course, after the jump.

Loyal readers, you have supplied us with a bounty of celebrity sightings this week. Take advantage of the warm season, and go out and spot more people that may or may not want to be spotted. Then send the info to us via email, with “Wonk’d” or “Sighting” in the subject line (along with the name of the spotted celeb). Thanks!

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* Embattled Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) announces he will resign “within months.” DeLay: “I’m very much at peace with it… I’m a realist. I’ve been around awhile. I can evaluate political situations.” [Time, Time]
* DeLay’s decision came as the findings of federal prosecutors have pushed “an already difficult reelection bid all but out of reach.” Says his lawyer, “It was personal and political.” [WP, WP, NYT, LAT, USAT, WSJ, WT]
* Swing Republicans in the Senate hash out compromise on immigration; proposal would restrict new illegal immigrants but offer citizenship to those who have been here for over five years. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.): “What we’re looking for is a middle ground, something that will appeal to a broader base.” [WP, LAT]
* Senators add billions of dollars in pet projects to Katrina relief bill. [WSJ]
* Capitol Police seek warrant for the arrest of Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.). McKinney: “If security of the House of Representatives is based on how members of Congress wear their hair… that is ridiculous… my face hasn’t changed.” [WP, NYT]

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As you may have heard in our Morning Roundup, the seven member subgroup of the Senate Intelligence Committee received their first White House briefing on the Bush’s domestic wiretapping nonsense. The Washington Post article on the briefing contained one section that immediately gave us a case of the WTFs.

Members of the Senate subcommittee — which, along with Roberts and Rockefeller, includes Republicans Mike DeWine (Ohio), Orrin G. Hatch (Utah) and Christopher S. Bond (Mo.) and Democrats Carl M. Levin (Mich.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) — will not be able to share what they learn with the other eight members of the intelligence panel, according to rules the White House has proposed.

That is the foofiest fucking idea we’ve ever heard! How can a debate about intelligence priorities take place if the entire committee isn’t on an equal footing? Are the non-committee members going to have to sit in smaller chairs, too?

Here is how we imagine the future of the Senate Intelligence Committee:

[sorry, only super special Wonketteers can read after the jump]

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With “lobbying reform” still in the zeitgeist, and facing the need to do the bare minimum necessary to trick their constituents into thinking that they are concerned with something besides re-election, the Senate agreed to a ban on undisclosed meals from lobbyists. The job of infusing the dully obvious with the breathless gravitas of the narration in the Shawshank Redemption fell to Barack Obama, who said: “In cities and towns all across America it turns out that people pay for their own lunches and their own dinners…People who make far less than we do.” MORE »

Last week, we introduced you to our helpful Hill staffer friend. Still recovering, as are most at the Capitol, from his three-day weekend, he sobered up just long enough to answer more of your questions.

Today, our man on the inside tackles (and peppers) Hill living, Hill drinking, hot chicks, and, of course, commemorative flags.

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