Today’s edition of quick hits.<\/p>\n
* The post-election season hasn’t been kind to the Bush White House. A new Harris poll<\/a> shows the president’s job performance rating dropping to just 31%, down three points since late-October. Overall, 31% of Americans also believe that things in the US. Are going in the right direction, which is a four-point up-tick over the last month.<\/p>\n * When soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that she’d skip over Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and name someone else House Intelligence Committee chair, many assumed the gavel would go to Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), who was next in line. As of today, Hastings is no longer in the running<\/a>. There’s some ambiguity about whether Pelosi rejected Hastings, or Hastings withdrew from consideration, but either way, he’s not getting the job. Rep. Rush Holt’s (D-N.J.) name is in the air<\/a> as a possible candidate.<\/p>\n * For Newt Gingrich to tell a New Hampshire audience last night that the nation might need a “different set of rules<\/a>” to regulate free speech to prevent terrorism was odd. For Gingrich to say this at a First Amendment award dinner, honoring those who stand up for freedom of speech, is classic Newt. (thanks to SKNM for the tip)<\/p>\n * Remember those awful “robo-calls” in the run-up to the election? The Federal Trade Commission has a proposal on the table to ban most recorded sales calls<\/a> to telephone customers, unless the person gives written permission. Telemarketers are urging policy makers to reject the measure.<\/p>\n * In Estonia today, the president seemed rather preoccupied<\/a> with the country’s flat-tax system. Of course, it’s better then him being preoccupied with a pig<\/a>.<\/p>\n * Is it accurate to describe the war in Iraq as a civil war? The Daily Show explains<\/a> the situation as only it can. * Dick Morris believes<\/a> Nancy Pelosi is sexist — against women.<\/p>\n * I don’t imagine James Dobson is going to be happy about Sean Hannity’s online dating service<\/a>. Apparently, gay customers are welcome.<\/p>\n * I suspect Liddy Dole may have a little trouble raising money to retire NRSC debt<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n
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\n* It fascinates me that the Republican National Committee would replace one chairman with an Abramoff problem with a new chairman with a bigger<\/i> Abramoff problem<\/a>.<\/p>\n