Today’s edition of quick hits.<\/p>\n
* The House passed<\/a> the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act this afternoon, 237 to 180. Dems picked up 25 Republican votes to pass the measure, which has already drawn a veto threat from the White House.<\/p>\n * Brad Plumer<\/a> and the Progress Report<\/a> both did a fine job today debunking some of the more commonly heard myths about hate crimes legislation.<\/p>\n * CNN reported today that Barack Obama has been placed under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service<\/a>, but the agency said no specific threat had been made against Obama. A statement from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he authorized the protection detail for Obama.<\/p>\n * In case you missed it, Bush has given himself a new title. First, he was The Decider. Now, he’s The Commander Guy<\/a>.<\/p>\n * On Hardball last night, Chris Matthews asked<\/a>, “So, why do people think [Rudy Giuliani] did serve well and perform well, as the leader of New York, during that crisis [9-11]? Why do people think that?” I don’t know, Chris, maybe because you’ve spent the last several years insisting that Giuliani performed well?<\/p>\n * As Paul Kiel explained<\/a> today, “Alberto Gonzales and others at the DoJ keep claiming that the department has pursued public corruption investigations regardless of the subject’s political affiliation.” Now we’ll see how true (or not) that is — Sens. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) have “requested an analysis from the Justice Department’s inspector general breaking down public corruption investigations by the party affiliation of their targets.”<\/p>\n * Classy<\/a>: “U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill was uninvited from speaking at her daughter’s Catholic high school commencement because of her positions on abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. Students at St. Joseph’s Academy in the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac wanted McCaskill to speak at their graduation this month, McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh said Tuesday. But the offer was rescinded last week.”<\/p>\n * The Children’s Health Fund of Columbia University has a new study showing one in four<\/a> U.S. children are without health care insurance. That’s nearly double previous estimates. * Renzi’s case is so embarrassing, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) “walked away from a question<\/a> about [Renzi] at the end of a press conference” yesterday. A reporter “stopped Boehner on his way out of the room and asked whether Renzi, who has not gotten much public support from GOP leaders as he faces a corruption scandal, should retire or resign. Though he seemed to have heard the question clearly — he was only about a foot away — Boehner turned and walked out, rather than answer.”<\/p>\n * Impeachment backers will be pleased to know that Dennis Kucinich is no longer the only sponsor of a measure to impeach Dick Cheney — yesterday, Reps. William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) and Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.) signed on<\/a> as co-sponsors.<\/p>\n * In case you hear any right-wing rumors about fluorescent light bulbs being dangerous, keep in mind that the claims have already been debunked<\/a>.<\/p>\n * E&P<\/a>: “Clark Hoyt, the longtime editor and most recently Washington chief for Knight Ridder, will become The New York Times’ third public editor, succeeding Byron C. Calame. A memo sent to staff today by Executive Editor Bill Keller revealed: “In addition to a thick skin, the job calls for a clear head, curiosity, patience and a deep respect for the values we profess — impartiality, fairness, accuracy and independence.” Good choice, NYT.<\/p>\n * In honor of tonight’s Republican presidential debate, the Campaign for America’s Future recommends viewers play Conservative Failure Buzzword Bingo<\/a>. Players are encouraged to watch out for phrases such as “Cut and Run,” “Sanctity of Marriage,” “Culture of Life,” and “Tax and Spend.” As CAF put it, “Conservatives may not have a coherent plan to move America forward but they certainly have their buzzwords.”<\/p>\n
\n
\n* Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), burdened by some serious corruption allegations, now believes the Bush administration is working against him<\/a>. In his first interview since FBI agents raided his home, Renzi told a Phoenix radio station that Bush’s Justice Department is trying to railroad him and may have attempted to rig his recent election. Whatever you say, Rick.<\/p>\n