Yesterday’s quick hits seemed to be pretty well received, so here’s another edition. These are items that definitely deserve attention, but which I just didn’t get to today.<\/p>\n
* I’d strongly encourage readers to make time to watch Keith Olbermann’s oration<\/a> from last night’s “Countdown.” (C&L <\/a>also has the clip.) Powerful, poignant, and the kind of commentary you’ll find nowhere else on a major network. This<\/i> is must-see TV.<\/p>\n * Surprise, surprise, negative advertising works<\/a>. Who knew? Oh right, everyone<\/i> knew.<\/p>\n * Maryland’s Republican Senate candidate, Michael Steele, came up with a pretty clever TV ad<\/a> last week. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee came up with an even more<\/i> clever response ad<\/a> this week. (via Michael Froomkin<\/a>)<\/p>\n * Remember that Coburn\/Obama spending database<\/a>? It passed and the White House held a brief event today for the signing ceremony. The good news, the White House acknowledged<\/a> the role blogs played in helping the bill pass by inviting some high-profile bloggers to the event. The bad news is the president didn’t mention blogs in his statement. The really bad news is the White House only invited right-wing bloggers, despite the bi-partisan support the project garnered.<\/p>\n * Bush’s latest malapropism came, ironically<\/a>, during the White House Conference on Global Literacy.<\/p>\n * Sen. George Allen’s (R-Va.) just<\/a> can’t<\/a> shake<\/a> his racial problems.<\/p>\n * Stephen Colbert’s “The Word” segment was particularly brilliant<\/a> last night. * National joke Jerry Falwell plans to compare Hillary Clinton to Lucifer “over and over again<\/a>.” Classy.<\/p>\n * And, according to one source with unknown credibility, ESPN manufacturers<\/a> fake cheers and fake boos for politicians who appear at ballgames, always in the Republicans’ favor. I haven’t any idea if this is true. I hope it’s not.<\/p>\n If none of these particular items are of interest, consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.<\/p>\n
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\n* In Indiana, state lawmakers passed an exemption for themselves to a state gun-control law yesterday, and they are now allowed to bring firearms into the Statehouse<\/a>. I just thought that was amusing.<\/p>\n