This Washington Post article about the faith-based Monica Goodling probably just scratches the surface.

Part of a generation of young religious conservatives who swept into the federal government after the election of President Bush in 2000, Goodling displayed unblinking devotion to the administration and expected others to do the same.

The only good news in the article:

"The young conservatives who came off the campaign and were new to town with this administration, they've never seen lean times," said a veteran Republican political appointee who declined to be quoted by name saying anything critical of Goodling. "They had no appreciation for what would happen after the Democrats took control and how tough it would be."

How do we get rid of the rest of them?

Rudy Giuliani says his wife Judith Nathan would be welcome to sit in on cabinet and policy meetings if he were elected President.

How typical of his absolute arrogance.

If Hillary gets elected, we'd have Bill Clinton either sitting in on meetings or being Ambassador to the world.

Hillary Clinton says many people want her to appoint her husband secretary of State if she wins. Such nepotism was outlawed after John Kennedy made his brother Bobby attorney general, she noted at the fundraiser.

Then she added, to huge cheers, "But I sure can make him ambassador to the world!" That is a role the former president already is playing, mostly through the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation.

How is this even a close call?

The final episodes of the Sopranos will begin to air on HBO on April 8. Fans of the Bada Bing might appreciate this story about two "accused members of a notorious New York crime family [who] turned a strip club into a training ground for mobsters."

The Senate passed its Iraq funding bill today.

The 51-47 vote fell mostly along party lines, with two Republicans -- Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Gordon Smith (Ore.) -- joining Democrats in support of the package, which would fund U.S. military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Democrats also attached language that would start troop withdrawals within 120 days of passage, with a March 31, 2008, goal for completing combat operations in Iraq. Some troops could remain in Iraq after that deadline in order to conduct counterterrorism training and security operations.

What's next? The House and the Senate have to come to an agreement about the date for requiring troops to pull out. Once the House and Senate agree on a version, it goes to President Bush, who has threatened to veto the bill.

Is there no one President Bush is accountable to?

Diane Rust-Tierney writes about Alberto Gonzales' attempt to politicize death penalty cases. Just another reason for him to go.

Did Gary Tyler, age 16 at the time, shoot 13-year-old Timothy Weber in Louisiana in 1975? A white mob launched a violent attack on a school bus filled with black students. Weber was hit by a bullet while standing near the bus. Tyler was on the bus, but he had no gun, and there's reason to believe that a gun that was eventually recovered from the bus (but never actually linked to the shooting) was planted long after Tyler's arrest.

Tyler is black, and he's consistently denied that he shot Weber, who was white. Race and an inept lawyer play ugly roles in the investigation and trial of Tyler's case.

Tyler was tried by an all-white jury with members of the black community deliberately excluded from jury selection. The prosecution relied mainly on the testimony of one student, Nathalie Blanks, who was in the same bus with Tyler. She testified to having seen him fire the gun but after the trial she recanted her testimony. Other students who also testified against Tyler have later recanted, saying that they were coerced by the police to making the statements.

Tyler is serving a life sentence. Amnesty International provides detailed background on the case here. Columnist Bob Herbert wrote a series of articles about the case that are available here.

What can you do? This posting at The Nation's Act Now! blog links to a petition asking Kathleen Blanco to issue a pardon, and suggests other ways you can get involved on Tyler's behalf.

In today's press briefing, David Gregory asked Dana Perino, Acting Press Spokesperson for the White House, if there is room for compromise with the Congress on the Iraq supplemental bill.

In marked contrast to the Decider's defiant uncompromising statements, Perino flatly stated there is room for compromise and tried to frame the Congress' position as "extreme," ironically citing the Iraq Study Group report as the mainstream. Yes, the very report President Bush tossed in the trash can when he ordered his Escalation.

Via Atrios.com

Specter asked about Attorney General Gonzales' "candor" in saying earlier this month that he was not a part of any discussions on the firings. He asked about the November 27, 2006 meeting "where there were discussions" and Gonzales allegedly attended. Was Gonzales' statement about taking part in no discussions accurate?

"I don't think it's accurate," Sampson said. "He recently clarified it. But he was present at the November 27 meeting."

"So he was involved in discussions in contrast to his statement" this month? Specter asked.

"Yes." Sampson replied.

More...

Bumped because of update. -BTD

Update [2007-3-29 11:25:1 by Big Tent Democrat]: Senate Passes Iraq supplemental 51-47. The game is on. And by game, I mean Bush's veto game. Getting out of Iraq is no game. Not sure but it appears that all Dem Caucus members save Lieberman voted for it. That would mean Pryor (D-Ark) voted for it. The 2 Republicans who crossed over were Smith and Hagel.

Sam Rosenfeld notes that one plan, to provide only short term funding for dealing with a Bush veto of the Iraq supplemental funding bill that has been bandied about, has been floated by some conservative Dems Congressmen:

Conservative Democrats also discussed alternatives for providing troop funding, if the standoff proves to be prolonged. For instance, Reps. Dennis Cardoza (Calif.) and Mike Ross (Ark.) suggested that the war funding be parceled out in three-month increments to force Bush to keep coming back for more.

The source of the idea intrigues more than the idea itself. I prefer a different approach, but it is a good sign when conservative Dems are preparing fighting tactics, as opposed to rollover tactics.

Here's one view of a plan by D.C. Metro police to crack down on jaywalkers.

The right to jaywalk isn’t in the Constitution, but neither is the right to suspend habeas corpus or arbitrarily wiretap citizens, and you don’t see Metro giving the President a $20 ticket. If this ordinance is enforced, the terrorists have already won.

The Iraq Debacle, and the perceived reesolve of Democrats of late has the Beltway perplexed:

Their aggressiveness and unity on a major foreign-policy challenge to the president is a striking change for a party that has, on many occasions over many years, seemed to be on the defensive on national security issues.

The article also provides textbook examples of how to discuss and NOT discuss the Politics of National Security.

The Senate Judiciary Comittee holds hearing today on the attorney purge scandal. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' former Chief of Staff, Kyle Sampson has his Norma Desmond moment. C-Span covers it.

TChris has the latest developments.