The Deputy and the Deadlines

But by yesterday afternoon, "the seriousness of my mistake" somehow had occurred to him. Wolfowitz wrote an open, one-page letter to "journalists covering Iraq" saying he felt "deep regret . . . that I did not instantly correct the record" at the hearing. "Just let me say to each of you . . . I extend a heartfelt apology and hope you will accept it."

Unclear what the odds are of that.

Wilkinson's People

With all the hoopla over Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary, we should note that one of People magazine's "50 Hottest Bachelors," Jim Wilkinson, aka the National Security Council spokesman, is making his own movie debut. He's in the acclaimed new documentary, "Control Room," about the different ways Arab and American media cover Iraq.

Wilkinson is filmed at work running the media center in Qatar during his tour as spokesman for Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks. He is not identified on camera, we're told, but his name is listed in the credits.

Meanwhile, word is that female staffers at the NSC have been asking him to autograph their copies of People. Adding to his allure is that he had a Virginia concealed weapons permit for that handgun he used to carry in the small of his back. Apparently he has not done that since the permit expired a while back.

Wilkinson is refusing all comment.

A British Threebie

Hurry! Hurry! Attention, all lawmakers and top staffers: Call the British Embassy immediately! The plane leaves Monday for a three-day conference in London to talk with government officials and business types about climate change. As of a couple weeks ago, a bipartisan group of only nine Senate staffers had signed up, along with Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-Md.) for this fine trip.

"All travel and accommodation costs (except incidentals) met by British Government," our invite says.