The Zeitgeist Checklist

KEY MISJUDGMENTS

L ast week: -- Weeks on list: 1

1War on Terrorism. President Bush tries to counter leaks with more leaks, but the "key judgments" of a National Intelligence Estimate on terrorism pretty much confirm the original, unauthorized leak: that the Iraq war has increased jihad. White House takes solace in report's finding that leaving Iraq now would make things even worse.

MORE CORPUS, LESS HABEAS

Last week: 2 Weeks on list: 2

2Torture. Congress blesses White House-McCain deal on military tribunals and interrogation rules for detainees. GOP's Arlen Specter wing suffers a double defeat: His plan to extend habeas corpus to detainees is rejected and his legislation on warrantless surveillance dies.

PINING FOR HALLIBURTON

Last week: 1 Weeks on list: 14

3Iraq. Army posts a help-wanted ad for a contractor to conduct polls and focus groups to assess coalition's PR efforts in Iraq. Focus group moderators will probably want to avoid asking about the $75 million Baghdad Police College, which is built so poorly that feces and urine pour through ceilings in student barracks; the builder, Parsons Corp., has botched 13 of 14 projects, investigators find.

WAITING FOR WOODY

Last week: -- Weeks on list: 1

4State of Denial. With a new Bob Woodward book coming out, Washington plays its biennial game of guessing which media outlets can publish the famed Washington Post reporter's scoops before he does so in his own newspaper. Last time it was Vanity Fair and NBC. This time the prize goes to CBS and the New York Times.