Negroponte was the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras during the illegal war we backed in Nicaragua, when Honduras was being used as a base for the Contra rebels. His complicity in that scandal is now being used as a credential in his new position as intelligence czar. Washington Post

Q. Why -- if you're suggesting that people will debate the numbers, that's kind of a backhanded way to say, oh, who cares about the numbers. Well, apparently, the President's top economic advisors do, because that's why they wrote a very large report and sent it to Congress. So why was the prediction made in the first place, if the President and you and his Treasury Secretary were going to just back away from it? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, I disagree with the premise of the way you stated that. This is the annual Economic Report of the President and the economic modeling is done this way every year. It's been done this way for 20-some years. Q. So why not -- why aren't you standing behind it? MR. McCLELLAN: I think what the President stands behind is the policies that he is implementing, the policies that he is advocating. That's what's important. Q. That's not in dispute. The number is the question. MR. McCLELLAN: I know, but the President's concern is on the number of jobs being created -- Q. My question is, why was the prediction made -- MR. McCLELLAN: -- and the President's focus is on making sure that people who are hurting because they cannot find work have a job. That's where the President's focus is. Q. Then why predict a number? Why was the number predicted? Why was the number predicted? You can't get away with not -- just answer the question. Why was that number predicted? MR. McCLELLAN: I've been asked this, and I've asked -- I've been asked, and I've answered. Q. No, you have not answered. And everybody watching knows you haven't answered. MR. McCLELLAN: I disagree.

Press Gaggle

... at John Kerry for not mentioning their membership in the colation of the willing at last week's debate that they're pulling their troops from Iraq.

Should we even be posting election commentary under a "politics and policy" header any more? I'm thining "ephemera" might be more appropriate. Anyway, guess who is operating the pool for tonight's [most important because it is the first one, and best for GWB because the topic is the War on Terror, or as Ali G would say, "Wot?"] debate... Link

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill yesterday repealing most of the District's gun laws, in a vote that handed an election-season victory to gun rights groups and was denounced by the city's leaders as a historic violation of home rule.

It's interesting to see just how seriously the Republican Party takes state's rights when it means allowing decisions they don't like. The "Personal Protection Act" not only repeals the D.C. gun ban, but prohibits the Mayor and the City Council from ever exceeding federal standards again. It even goes so far as to prohibit legislation that might "discourage...the private ownership or use of firearms." Thankfully, this hypocrisy has zero chance of passing the Senate this session. Link

The Bush administration has been entertaining the idea of having the CIA support the election of Iraqi candidates. This is, of course, the best way to encourage an Iraqi democracy: take an agency synonymous with coups and assassinations, and put them in charge of getting your guy elected. For examples of how successful the CIA is at this kind of work, see Iran, Vietnam, Cambodia, Chile. In any other administration, this would be the scandal. For the Bush administration, this is small potatoes. Time

AP - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — and some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment — have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.

And formal oversight is nowhere to be found... Link

Libertarians are as funny as they are cranky.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Democratic candidate John Kerry blasted George W. Bush's "excuse presidency" on Wednesday and demanded that he take responsibility for the economy instead of playing victim.

Link

What does it mean when the miserable harpies at Campaign Desk sound incredible partisan by advocating fact-checking?