Since I'm traveling today, I think an open thread is appropriate.

To set the mood, here's a Friday Funnies I received by e-mail:

In honor of Trent Lott's return to power, coffee shops are bringing back the popular "Trent Latte."

It's separate but equal parts of milk and coffee.

Also, Poor Man begins the pre-nominations phase for Golden Wingers Awards.

Via Oliver Willis, the military about to ask for another $127 billion to fight the Bush Administration wars.

The Bush administration is preparing its largest spending request yet for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a proposal that could make the conflict the most expensive since World War II.

The Pentagon is considering $127 billion to $160 billion in requests from the armed services for the 2007 fiscal year, which began last month, several lawmakers and congressional staff members said. That's on top of $70 billion already approved for 2007.

Now that Steny Hoyer has won the Majority Leadership over Jack Murtha, imo mainly based on false charges of ethical lapses against Murtha, I think it is now incumbent upon Hoyer to give up his K Street ways and lead the charge on lobbying reform,

The Nation describes Hoyer's victory as based on other things:

Hoyer's seniority, experience and deep connections helped win support from a broad array of groups within the caucus. He courted incoming freshman Democrats by emphasizing the $4.4 million he gave or raised for House members and won a majority of endorsements from them. Before the conservative Blue Dog Democrats and moderate New Democrat Coalition he touted his centrist reputation and work to make the party more inclusive. Appealing to members of the Progressive Caucus, he detailed in great depth, his "commitment to core Democratic principles," such as raising the minimum wage and protecting reproductive rights and the environment. Hoyer boasted of a perfect score from NARAL and an "F" from the NRA, the exact opposite of the socially conservative Murtha. Opposition to the war could only carry Murtha so far.

I am not convinced of this at all. If this were so, the smear campaign against Murtha would not have been necessary. Hoyer won as the ethics candidate, ironically. But that means he has a big responsibility now. To lead the charge on ethics. One thing he will NOT be leading the charge on is Iraq. That will still be Jack Murtha.

And an interesting and, imo, unfortunate consequence of this result is that I think Jane Harman's chances of chairing the Intelligence Committee, and I support her for that slot, are greatly diminished. Alcee Hastings will likely be passed over too in favor of Rep. Reyes, the emerging compromise candidate. I think that is a shame and that Steny Hoyer was not worth it. But that is the reality imo.

Michael Crowley and TNR continue to embarrass themselves:

Update: Reader AM asks a compelling question: "Would the Hammer ever have allowed himself to be humiliated this way?"

DeLay was never Speaker, but it so happens:

Regarding Hoyer's win, it's worth noting that Tom DeLay beat Newt Gingrich's preferred candidate for Majority Whip in 1994. So this isn't the first time a Minority Leader has presided over a historic victory but failed to totally consolidate power.

Apparently TNR allows itself to be embarrassed in this way EVERY DAY.

I'm heading back to Omaha Friday where I'll be until after court ends Monday afternoon. This sculpture [larger version here] is my favorite of the many public art works there. It's a tribute to the workers in the labor unions that helped build Omaha and is the second largest labor memorial in the country.

Kudos to CT Senator Chris Dodd who will introduce the Effective Terrorists Prosecution Act of 2006 (complete bill here, pdf) which would amend the Military Commissions Act to restore habeas corpus to detainees and bar evidence obtained through coercive techniques.

“I take a backseat to no one when it comes to protecting this country from terrorists,” Sen. Dodd said. “But there is a right way to do this and a wrong way to do this. It’s clear the people who perpetrated these horrendous crimes against our country and our people have no moral compass and deserve to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. But in taking away their legal rights, the rights first codified in our country’s Constitution, we’re taking away our own moral compass, as well.”

The key provisions, received from his office, are set forth below.

Florida has opened a criminal investigation into his e-mails and conduct.

"It was a preliminary inquiry before, but we found the basis to open up a criminal investigation," Kristen Perezluha, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said Thursday. She would not elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. The FBI is also investigating whether Foley broke any federal laws.

What might the charges be?

Florida law prohibits seducing or attempting to seduce a minor. However, authorities have said the term "seduce" is open to interpretation.

If there is no evdience of actual physical seduction of minors, they ought to save the taxpayers' money or spend it on real child molesters. Splitting hairs over the definition of "seduce" is overkill.

The Wall St. Journal reports (free link):

John Altenburg said that when he accepted the job as “appointing authority” for the military commissions, he expected Guantanamo trials to start in short order—and that he’d be back at his job at the Washington law and lobbying firm Greenberg Traurig by mid-2005. Instead, the military commissions collapsed under a concerted assault by military and civilian defense attorneys, who eventually won a landmark Supreme Court decision in June declaring the entire project unlawful.

....No one has been selected to fill the slot, and it could remain vacant until the likely new defense secretary, Robert Gates, takes office.

Unbelievable.

UCPD officers shot a student several times with a Taser inside the Powell Library CLICC computer lab late Tuesday night before taking him into custody.

The student hadn't shown his ID.. LA Times article is here.

The feel-good story of the day. Lawrence Downes of the New York Times attends the fourth night of the Sing Sing inmates' production of Oedipus Rex.

Sing Sing is not known as a progressive place. But its theater program is a rarity in New York prisons. It relies on a nonprofit group, Rehabilitation Through the Arts, and the savvy benevolence of Sing Sing's superintendent, Brian Fischer.

....As I watched, I wondered what it would be like to be defined by my own worst sins. It struck me that when people are locked up for horrible crimes, a lot of goodness and beauty necessarily get locked up too. It also seemed that the Theban society onstage - though afflicted by plague, vengeance and divine cruelty - was probably gentler and saner than the one the inmates knew. Its members clearly cared for one another, and were not numb to grief.

A good reminder that we are all more than the sum of our misdeeds.

It's over. Steny Hoyer will be the House Majority leader.

Hoyer was elected on a vote of 149-86.

The AP is reporting it as a snub to Nancy Pelosi.

Update: Arianna weighs in.

don't shed any tears for Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi. Even though her guy lost, this was still a big win for her. A victory for taking a stand -- and for her leadership. Because that's what real leaders do, they take stands. They listen to their hearts and follow their gut. If you only jump into the fights you're sure you can win -- notches in the W column that will look good on your political resume -- you're a hack, not someone who can move the party and the country forward. It's not about trying to have a spotless record; it's about knowing which battles are worth fighting, whatever the outcome.

It bodes well for Pelosi that was willing to spend her political capital right off the bat -- especially on the issue that will define her time at the helm. Far too many modern politicians save their political capital until it's lost all its value.

Agreed.

Spencer Ackerman upbraids his former employers at The New Republic for their lack of seriousness on Iraq while feigning "seriousness." This is exactly the problem with the Establishment Beltway and, frankly, anyone who wants to "Stay the course" without asking for real sacrifices from Americans. I tell you, just one time I would like to hear a stay the course person propose a draft, tax increases to pay for the Debacle and, in essence a reconquering of Iraq with 300,000 soldiers - because then I would know I am dealing with a person who is arguing honestly about the problem. Instead we get this:

The coming debate over timetables and troop levels will likely generate much anger, shattering postelection illusions of bipartisanship and provoking intra-party squabbles. But, in the end, this struggle will be over the difference between a largely intolerable outcome and a completely intolerable one....

What in blazes does that mean?