Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has been one of my heroes for a long time. Before becoming Mayor, he was an outstanding criminal defense attorney. I've lauded him on TalkLeft several times. I've even endorsed him for Governor of Nevada.

But today, Oscar disappoints. He appeared on television and advocated that graffiti artists have their thumbs amputated on public television as punishment. Then he advocated caning as punishment for children who misbehave.

``I'm dead serious,'' said Goodman, adding, ``Some of these (children) don't learn. You have got to teach them a lesson, and this is coming from a criminal defense lawyer.''

``They would get a trial first,'' he added.

No, this is coming from a former criminal defense lawyer. Oscar, we thought we knew you. Please, take it back.

The results of a new Washington Post - ABC News poll show Bush's approval ratings have dropped to an all time low.

For the first time in his presidency, a majority of Americans question the integrity of President Bush, and growing doubts about his leadership have left him with record negative ratings on the economy, Iraq and even the war on terrorism, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

On virtually every key measure of presidential character and performance, the new survey found that Bush has never been less popular with the American people. Currently 39 percent approve of the job he is doing as president, while 60 percent disapprove of his performance in office -- the highest level of disapproval ever recorded for Bush in Post-ABC polls.

55% of the American people now believe Bush misled the country in taking us to war. 59% say Karl Rove should resign.

This quote is buried in a AP story tonight about three Congressmen who are seeking Cheney's testimony in a congressional probe.

In response, Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said that the vice president would cooperate with the Justice Department as the criminal investigation of Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald moves forward.

I wish these Congressman would wait until Fitzgerald's investigation and the criminal cases are over. Don't they remember Iran-Contra? Can't they spell "immunity?" In case they forgot, here's Last Night in Little Rock. If they won't listen to us, maybe they'll listen to Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

I'll admit, James Carville always has been tough for me to watch on tv. It's nothing personal, I just don't get his appeal. He figits, over-dominates the discussion and his lightening speech and country twang rub me the wrong way. Add that to his wife's politics, and he's a channel-changer for me.

Arianna makes a good argument today that he needs to take a vacation . On PlameGate, he's picking up his wife's talking points on Cheney.

Karl Rove was perceived as one who stabbed Trent Lott in the back when he lost his position as Senate Majority Leader to Bill Frist. Today, it was Lott's turn.

Crooks and Liars has the video of Trent Lott today on Hardball.

TRENT LOTT: Well, the question is, that you asked, is he good for American politics? Look, he has been very successful, very effective in the political arena. The question is should he be the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy under the current circumstances? I don't know all that's going on, so I can't make that final conclusion. But, you know, how many times has the top political person become also the top policy advisor? Maybe you can make that transition, but it's a real challenge, and I think they have to – I do think they need to look at bringing in some more people, you know, old gray beards that have been around this town for a while, help them out a little bit at the White House.

The Times UK First Post has an excellent analysis of George Bush today. His uninspired appointments are indicative of a President who has run out of energy.

Having won two presidential elections and fought two unending wars, President Bush has run out of energy. Instead of the bouncing enthusiasm of happier days, his subdued manner indicates a loss of interest in the presidency itself, a desire to go home and rest.

He also has no honorable exit.

As Buzzflash writes,

Holy Batman! The Mainstream Press is Even Sounding Grim on the Busheviks, "Dark days: Singed by the special prosecutor and rattled by the Harriet Miers mess, Team Bush is in turmoil."

There is a huge sea change going on in the MSM. Check out Newsweek's Flying Blind and The TimeonLine article Bush Got Whacked. The Washington Post features a similar article and notes that Bush's approval ratings are at the lowest of his presidency.

Michael Isikoff writes in Newsweek (as I speculated most recently yesterday) that Novak's source cooperated with Fitzgerald and got a pass.

Earlier today, I referenced Libby and Cheney using Bob Dylan lyrics. Several commenters chimed in, with additonal Dylan song lyrics.

Arianna uses Shakespeare, particularly Macbeth, to explain the turmoil now going on in the White House. It's a great read and I love the part about Dick Cheney being Lady Macbeth.

As Arianna says, "Double, double, toil and trouble!"

Not much attention has been paid here to international press reports of the current state of the Bush presidency. Tomorrow's Independent has this description:

Senior White House officials face indictment over CIA leak. Protests across US as military death toll in Iraq passes 2,000. Republicans may force retreat over Supreme Court nomination

This perception, quite accurate I think, doesn't help him.

...the leak investigation has become a metaphor for the alleged manipulation of intelligence to make the case for military action.

Via Crooks and Liars: Today is the third anniversary of Senator Paul Wellstone's death.

I happened to be in St. Paul, Minn. the day he died. It was awful, as I recounted here.

When is another liberal hero going to come along? It can't happen soon enough for me.

by TChris

Senators who no longer deem it appropriate to rubber stamp unqualified presidential appointees to federal jobs are starting to ask questions. The latest nominee to search for answers is Ellen Sauerbrey, "a Republican loyalist chosen by President Bush to head the State Department's refugee program."

"It doesn't appear that you have very specific experience," said Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., during Sauerbrey's confirmation hearing before the Foreign Relations Committee.

"I don't think we see the requisite experience that we've seen in other nominees" for the job, added Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

What experience did Sauerbrey have that motivated the president to nominate her to the post? She ran Bush's 2000 campaign in Maryland.

Many news reports from 1999 have this quote of George Bush at a 1999 news conference. (E.g. AP, 6/8/99, USA Today, 6/11/99, Dallas Morning News, 6/9/99, available on Lexis.com)

Texas Gov. George W. Bush said Tuesday that he would have voted to impeach President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

"I would have voted for it. I thought the man lied," he said in response to a question posed during a news conference.

Memo to President Bush: If you're thinking of reacting to any false statement or perjury charges with a statement that your boys just got confused in their testimony, that dog won't hunt.