Slime the Messenger

"By a 2 to 1 margin, those who see little accomplishment in Congress's first nine months blame the inaction on Bush and the GOP more than they do the majority Democrats."

One Big Break

E. J. Dionne Jr. writes in his Washington Post opinion column: "Astonishingly, 26 Republican senators broke with President Bush's Iraq policy last week. But you may not have noticed this, and it's not your fault.

"Sen. Joe Biden's resolution calling for a federal solution to the Iraq mess -- sometimes known as 'soft partition' -- got almost no attention, even though it passed, 75 to 23. . . .

"The vote on Biden's proposal to devolve power to Iraq's regions and three major groups could turn out to be a milestone in the effort to end the war. It was also a reflection of how much Republican frustration there is with the Iraqi government and the direction of President Bush's policy."

Presidential Records Watch

Michael Abramowitz writes in The Washington Post: "A federal judge yesterday invalidated part of a 2001 executive order by President Bush that gives former presidents and vice presidents the right to review executive records before they are made public under the Freedom of Information Act.

"The Bush order added layers of review to the process of releasing presidential records, giving sitting presidents the right to delay their release indefinitely while extending review authority to former presidents, vice presidents and their families. . . .

"The order aroused controversy among scholars and journalists, who saw the Bush move as an effort to keep presidential records secret long past the point when most FOIA exemptions expire. Their lawsuit challenged the action as a violation of the 1978 Presidential Records Act and an unjustified expansion of executive discretion."

Here's the ruling by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly and some background from the National Security Archive, one of the plaintiffs in the case.

Bush Bids Pace Adieu

AFP reports: "President George W. Bush ripped into 'Hollywood values' on Monday, in a surprise attack at the entertainment industry that overwhelmingly backs his Democratic foes.

"Bush's rhetorical broadside came as he paid tribute to the new chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, noting that his parents were well regarded behind-the-scenes players in the US movie industry.

"'Many people are surprised when told about the admiral's show business roots. After all, he is humble, well-grounded and filled with common sense. Not exactly what one thinks about when they think of Hollywood values,' said Bush."

The line came during Bush's speech at a farewell tribute for Mullen's predecessor, Gen. Peter Pace.