Today’s edition of quick hits.
* NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker has released a statement: “We are heartbroken at the sudden passing of Tim Russert. We have lost a beloved member of our NBC Universal family and the news world has lost one of its finest. The enormity of this loss cannot be overstated. More than a journalist, Tim was a remarkable family man. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Maureen, their son, Luke, and Tim’s entire extended family.”
* The flooding tragedy in the Midwest is growing increasingly severe: “Rising water from the Cedar River forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital Friday after residents of more than 3,000 homes fled for higher ground. A railroad bridge collapsed, and 400 city blocks were under water… Gov. Chet Culver declared 83 of the state’s 99 counties to be state disaster areas, and nine rivers were at or above historic flood levels. Elsewhere in the upper Midwest, rivers and streams tipping their banks forced evacuations, closed roads, and even threatened drinking water.”
* A breakthrough appears unlikely: “Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declared Friday that talks with the U.S. on a new security agreement were deadlocked, as Sunni and Shiite preachers spoke out against the deal that would enable American troops to remain in Iraq after year’s end. Al-Maliki said negotiations will continue, but his tough talk reflects Iraqi determination to win greater control of U.S. military operations after the U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.”
* Cheney’s office has admitted that the VP was wrong about China drilling for oil in Cuba’s waters. Will congressional Republicans make the same concession?
* The housing crisis is not improving: “The number of U.S. homeowners swept up in the housing crisis rose further last month, with foreclosure filings up nearly 50 percent compared with a year earlier.”
* Inflation: “Americans faced sharply higher prices in May, the government said today, as soaring costs for energy drove overall prices up at the fastest rate since November.”
* Colin Powell might vote for Obama. I don’t blame him.
* Olbermann offered a more subdued special comment last night on McCain saying it’s “not too important” when U.S. troops come home from Iraq. “The full context is that the Iraq you see is a figment of your imagination,” Olbermann said.
* It looks like Sens. Dodd and Conrad have some explaining to do about their mortgages.
* The NYT tackles the issue of sexism in the presidential campaign, and Krugman has an interesting item on the subject.
* Give ’em hell, Henry: “Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) has had enough of the great stonewaller himself, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. In a letter today to Johnson, Waxman threatens to hold Johnson in contempt for failing to comply with congressional subpoenas requesting information on two recent controversial decisions by Johnson that overruled EPA’s professional staff: his refusal to grant California a waiver to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and his refusal to fully raise ozone standards.”
* Why has ABC News assigned a full-time journalist to cover Hillary Clinton during the general election campaign?
* Have I mentioned today how truly ridiculous the obstructionism from Senate Republicans has become?
* Have I mentioned today that there is no talking point too stupid for the McCain campaign? In response to negotiations over extra debates, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said, “Barack Obama requires more preconditions to meet with voters and John McCain than he does Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.” Does McCain really want to be associated with such transparent idiocy?
* And finally, my very favorite right-wing headline of the week: “Kos Tries To Pass Off Obama’s Birth Certification As Birth Certificate.”
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.