Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Horrific devastation in China: “The toll of the dead and missing soared as rescue workers dug through flattened schools and homes on Tuesday in a desperate attempt to find survivors of China’s worst earthquake in three decades. The official Xinhua News Agency said the death toll exceeded 12,000 in Sichuan province alone, and 18,645 were still buried in debris in the city of Mianyang, near the epicenter of Monday’s massive, 7.9-magnitude quake.”
* Devastation of a man-made variety: “Bombs ripped through crowded parts of this ancient city in western India on Tuesday, killing 60 people and wounding 150, police said. The seven explosions in Jaipur took place in markets and several other areas of the city in Rajasthan, a region dotted with palaces and temples that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, said A.S. Gill, the state’s police chief. ‘Obviously, it’s a terrorist plot,’ he told reporters. ‘The way it has been done, the attempt was to cause the maximum damage to human life.'”
* It doesn’t sound like much of a cease-fire: “A shaky cease-fire appeared to take hold Tuesday in Baghdad’s Sadr City, after a cleric who brokered the deal for Shiite fighters said they would honor it even after clashes left at least 11 dead and 19 wounded.”
* When Pentagon-coached “media analysts” show up on the networks to repeat propaganda, it’s a problem. When they do it 4,500 times, it’s a scandal. (There’s even a spreadsheet.)
* I’ve lost count of the number of 20th hijackers: “The Associated Press reports this morning that Pentagon officials have dropped military commissions charges (for now) against Mohammed al-Qahtani — better known as Detainee 063 after the Time magazine cover story detailing his interrogation. Prosecutors alleged that al-Qahtani was the ’20th hijacker,’ who narrowly missed participating in the 9/11 attacks after being detained at a Florida airport. However, the prosecution stalled because of government admissions that some evidence against al-Qahtani was gleaned through coercive interrogation (read: torture) like waterboarding, and that al-Qahtani himself was harshly treated (read: tortured) at Gitmo. And so, yet again, the decision to ‘take the gloves off’ in prisoner interrogations comes back to haunt us.”
* John McCain is impressed with John Hagee’s apology. What a surprise.
* Whatever happened to institutional pride? “Throughout the House Judiciary Committee’s struggle to obtain White House documents and have Harriet Miers testify about the U.S. Attorney firings, House Republicans adopted a contrary stance…. Well, now House Republicans have brought their opposition to court.”
* For the love of God, won’t some program director show the good sense to give Rachel Maddow her own cable show?
* Dems in the Ohio legislature are nearly unanimous in their support for impeachment against state Attorney General Mark Dann (D).
* John McCain’s questionable association of the day: Terry Nelson.
* It’s probably a little too late for this: “It is a quintessential example of political irony. Just hours before Sen. Barack Obama uttered his now famous “bitter” comments, suggesting that small town Americans had turned to guns and religion out of economic frustration, he appeared at a different private event and offered a much more nuanced, sympathetic interpretation of gun ownership. That quote, however, never made it public.”
* Doug Feith on The Daily Show. Oh my.
* Ol’ Karl must be feeling shy: “The House Judiciary Committee wants Karl Rove to testify about what he knows about the prosecution of ex-Gov. Don Siegelman (D-AL). Rove doesn’t want to testify. Conyers has threatened to seek a subpoena, and in response, Rove’s lawyer made an offer for a compromise yesterday. It was somewhat of an improvement on Rove’s preliminary offer, which was a private interview with no transcript or oath and with strictly defined parameters.”
* There’s been a Vito Fossella sighting.
* The competition is stiff, but “The Journal Editorial Report” on the Fox News Channel may very well be the “worst show on a cable news network.”
* MSNBC, part of the “liberal” media, has invited Mike Huckabee to offer election analysis tonight. Given that Huckabee is still angling for the #2 slot on the McCain ticket, this strikes me as pretty irresponsible, as far as journalistic standards go.
* I’m quite impressed that Bill O’Reilly’s meltdown has been put to music so quickly. (Thanks to J.B. for the heads-up)
* Republicans really aren’t going to be pleased: “Michael Moore is making a sequel to ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ for Paramount Vantage and Overture Films, who will shop the project to international buyers when the Cannes Film Festival and market get under way today. The two companies are co-financing and co-producing the untitled documentary, which will be released in 2009.”
* And finally, John McCain is older than chocolate-chip cookies. Seriously.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.
