Today’s edition of quick hits. (Sorry I’m late today)
* Another step towards instability in Pakistan: “A bomber blew himself up about a quarter-mile from President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s office Tuesday, killing seven people and deepening Pakistan’s insecurity ahead of crucial elections. Officials said the attacker detonated his explosives among police at a checkpoint in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, just south of the capital, Islamabad.”
* Dems are still trying to figure out what to do with the president’s latest funding request: “Democrats are debating whether to approve $50 billion to $70 billion more for Iraq and Afghanistan, less than half of President Bush’s $196 billion request but enough to keep the wars afloat for a few more months. Such a move would satisfy party members who want to spare the Pentagon from a painful budget dance and show support for the troops as Congress considers its next major step on Iraq. But it also would irritate scores of other Democrats, who want to pay only to bring troops home and who say their leadership is not doing enough to end the war.”
* Mukasey plays dumb: “President Bush’s nominee for attorney general told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he does not know whether waterboarding is illegal. He pledged to study the matter and to reverse any Justice Department finding that endorses a practice that violates the law or the Constitution. ‘If, after such a review, I determine that any technique is unlawful, I will not hesitate to so advise the president and will rescind or correct any legal opinion of the Department of Justice that supports the use of the technique,’ Michael Mukasey wrote to the committee’s 10 Democrats.”
* The Col. Boylan story unfolds a little more. E&P got an unsolicited, critical email, too? “E&P contacted Boylan for a clarification about the email. Late Monday night he (or someone claiming to be him) replied: ‘I am denying writing and sending it. I know from past experience with Mr. Greenwald that any email exchange with him would be posted to his site as well as there is no need to discuss anything with him. I would only contact him in response to anything he would directly send to me as he did in this case. I have not contacted Mr. Greenwald since this summer’ — until Greenwald asked him to confirm the Sunday email, when ‘I told him it was not mine and I did not send it.'” How very odd.
* It looks like Code Pink played quite a nasty prank on the Politico today.
* It’d be nice if Cheney could go hunting without causing a controversy: “Vice President Dick Cheney spent about eight hours hunting Monday at a secluded Hudson Valley gun club where well-heeled enthusiasts shoot ducks and pheasants. It was Cheney’s second visit to Clove Valley Rod & Gun Club in Dutchess County, about 70 miles north of New York City. The previous trip was in fall 2001. Although a heavy police presence kept the media and curious local residents at a distance, Cheney’s visit did stir up a bit of controversy when a New York Daily News photographer snapped a picture of a small Confederate flag hanging inside a garage on the hunt club property.”
* The White House wants to spend more than $50 billion a year on intelligence activities. Cernig offers some helpful perspective on how that matches up to the rest of the world.
* He’s bound to be better than his predecessor: “President Bush said that retired Army Lt. Gen. James Peake, chosen on Tuesday to head the embattled Veterans Affairs Department, will work to end months-long delays facing hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops trying to get treatment and benefits. The nomination comes as the administration and Congress struggle to resolve some of the worst problems afflicting wounded warriors, such as getting adequate mental health care and disability checks on time.” I don’t know anything about Peake’s background, but I spoke with a few people today who said he’s a reasonably good choice.
* Tony Snow has been on a roll this week: “There is a perceived bias on the part of Fox [News] because it doesn’t treat conservatives like knuckle-dragging morons.”
* Max Blumenthal brought a camera to the Values Voter Summit, hosted by the Family Research Council a couple of weeks ago. He captured the lunacy quite well.
* Remember the “don’t taze me, bro!” student at the University of Florida? Apparently, a little electroshock therapy has apparently done wonders for his disposition.
* Pajama’s Media ran a column today comparing former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer to Moses. Seriously.
* And finally, Atlas Shrugs, a prominent far-right blog, has produced its first music video. It’s even scarier than you might expect — but it’s perfect for Halloween.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.