Today’s edition of quick hits.
* I sure hope there’s some kind of coherent diplomatic strategy to back up Bush’s antagonistic attitude towards Russia: “President Bush risked further stoking a testy dispute with Russia over a new U.S. missile defense system on Tuesday, saying Moscow has ‘derailed’ once-promising democratic reforms.” Bush added that he’s seen “troubling implications for democratic development” in Russia.
* I don’t know which war he’s looking at, but Gen. David Petraeus is under the impression that Bush’s surge policy hasn’t been implemented yet: “We haven’t started the surge — the full surge — yet. So let me have a few months.” No wonder Bush likes this guy so much — he spins like a White House staffer.
* Alberto Gonzales was asked a variety of reasonable questions today about his showdown with Jim Comey in John Ashcroft’s hospital room in 2004. He refused to respond, citing classified information related to the surveillance program. When reporters went out of their way to ask questions that in no way related to the program, Gonzales continued to refuse. (Maybe he’s shy.)
* NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked why he hasn’t been talking much about the alleged terrorist plot at JFK Airport. “There are lots of threats to you in the world,” Bloomberg said. “There’s the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can’t sit there and worry about everything. Get a life.”
* The Hill reported today that William Jefferson, indicted yesterday, became “the first lawmaker to be indicted since 2001, when the Justice Department indicted then-Rep. James Traficant (D-Ohio), who is still serving a prison term.” Tom DeLay was indicted in 2005 and was forced to resign in disgrace, not to mention Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham.
* Department of Corrections: Last week, like a whole lot of other blogs, I reported on an AP article that said, “The Agriculture Department regulates the test and argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.” Apparently, the AP was wrong.
* College students in Iraq appear to feel as hopeless as the rest of the country. One 25-year old Iraqi medical student told the NYT, “Staying here is like committing suicide.”
* A military panel has recommended that Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh, Iraq war veteran who wore fatigues at an anti-war protest, “should lose his honorable discharge status, brushing away his claims that he was exercising his right to free speech.”
* J. Timothy Griffin, the Rove aide who became a U.S. Attorney in Arkansas, apparently can’t find a job practicing law anymore. One chairman of a national firm says his firm was contacted regarding Griffin but declined. “We got a phone call from a recruiter on his behalf but wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole,” says the chairman. “Colleagues who I trust and respect said to take a pass.”
* In a stunning display of dishonesty, Bill O’Reilly told his viewers that the New York Times refused to run a story about the alleged JFK Airport plot on its front page on Sunday — and showed viewers part of the paper to prove it. There was one problem: O’Reilly hid the part of the front page with the story. Wow.
* Atrios, Unity08 keeps sending me the same letters. I’m not sure why.
* Kevin really hated “Knocked Up.” I haven’t seen it, but I thought I’d mention that no one, anywhere, uses the phrase “vapid and platitudinous” with the aplomb of Kevin Drum.
* Conjugal visits for prisoners aren’t terribly unusual, but in an interesting development, California’s prison system is changing its regulations to allow conjugal visits for gay and lesbian inmates. The change comes in response to a threatened lawsuit.
* Anne Applebaum wonders who lost Europe — and has some excellent thoughts on the subject. (thanks to B.D. for the tip)
* Conservatives in Michigan keep trying to undermine abortion rights, and the federal courts keep telling them they can’t.
* And finally, following up an earlier item in which Fox News mixed up William Jefferson and John Conyers, the Republicans’ network apologized today for airing the wrong video; but did not personally apologize to Conyers or explain why it occurred. Conyers responded today, “Fox News has a history of inappropriate on-air mistakes that are neither fair, nor balanced. This type of disrespect for people of color should no longer be tolerated. I am personally offended by the network’s complete disregard for accuracy in reporting and lackluster on-air apology.” Maybe the Congressional Black Caucus can remember this when planning its next debate.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.