Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Shortly after unveiling their no-confidence resolution on Alberto Gonzales, several Senate Dems suggested the AG may have obstructed justice by discussing events after-the-fact with Monica Goodling. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told reporters, “It is surprising how often a whiff of obstruction of justice has reared its head in the course of this investigation.” He said the “standard of impropriety that Kyle Sampson and the attorney general and the Department of Justice, through its public spokesmen, have defined is, in effect — tracks almost exactly the standard for criminal obstruction of justice.”
* On a related note, how did Dems on the House Judiciary Committee know to ask Goodling about the awkward chat she had with Gonzales? Apparently, Goodling’s lawyer told them to ask about it. (Thanks to VS for the tip)
* Congratulations to John McCain for finding time in his busy schedule to show up for work today and cast a vote. He’d missed 46 votes in a row, dating back to mid-April, before today.
* The House passed a measure yesterday on price-gouging among oil companies. The White House is already talking about a veto.
* Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: “We are in the midst of a slow-motion war, and McCain is a warrior. He knows the world, its dangers and wonders; he knows the military, its powers and its limitations.” These people really are trying to drive me crazy, aren’t they?
* MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann had another “special comment” last night, this time devoted to taking congressional Dem leaders to task for backing down over Iraq war funding.
* During Bush’s press conference this morning, a sparrow relieved itself on the president’s sleeve. It’s been that kind of presidency.
* On a related note, Dan Froomkin noted that Bush’s press conferences this morning was announced at 9:24 a.m. Reporters had 19 minutes to sign up for an event that began at 11. How odd. You’d think the White House didn’t want reporters to be fully prepared or something.
* Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said yesterday that the Bush administration would never declassify intelligence “just for political purposes.” Silly me, I though that was the only reason they declassify intelligence.
* Brendan Nyhan reminds us that one must “never, ever trust the Wall Street Journal editorial page. This is a basic rule for life — the intellectual equivalent of telling children not to talk to strangers and to look both ways before they cross the street.” Good point.
* The FDA still bans gay men from donating blood? On a policy implemented 24 years ago? I had no idea.
* The Boston Globe’s website ran an interesting feature this week. Noting that the war in Iraq would soon pass the half-trillion dollar mark, the site asked readers how they would have liked to see that money spent. They got some good responses.
* Sectarian violence in Baghdad is rising again. Bush responded that the increase is just a “snapshot,” but he had a very different take before the recent increase.
* Iraq veteran Phillip Carter writes a “step-by-step plan for withdrawing from Iraq” for Slate.
* Atrios: “The problem is not that there is celebrity news or sports news, the problem is when trivial stories dominate the entire news narrative. That almost never happens with sports, which gets little coverage on cable news or Matt ‘Rules Their World’ Drudge. The problem isn’t that there’s a sports section in your newspaper, the problem is when unimportant stuff bleeds into the regular coverage.”
* And finally, today’s hilarious YouTube clip of the day comes by way of several alert readers — thanks to all. In this must-see video, we learn of a fascinating new cure for Republicans’ memory problems. Take a look; it had me laughing out loud.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.