Washington Post:

Ted Kaczynski, the convicted “Unabomber,” is upset that his Montana cabin, where he was eventually captured, is part of a display at the Newseum….

“I recently received a page from the Washington Post, June 19, 2008, page A9. This comprises a full-page, full-color advertisement that features my cabin, which is being exhibited publicly at something called a ‘Newseum,’ ” Kaczynski wrote, using careful printing. “Since the advertisement states that the cabin is ‘FROM FBI VAULT,’ it is clear that the government is responsible for the public exhibition of the cabin. This has obvious relevance to the victims’ objection to publicity connected with the Unabom case.”

“Something called a ‘Newseum’”?  Wait’ll he hears about the admission fee.

In the Washington Post.  In a John McCain story.  On the beach.  With a hookah.  Like this:

At the Twilight Hookah Lounge, owned by Nadia and Shawn Abdalla, patrons smoke tobacco flavored with honey and fruit from a menu that includes the strawberry-flavored Sex on the Beach and the strong, orange-flavored Fuzzy Navel.

Politico:

“I have always loved longitude,” Nancy Pelosi says before breaking into laughter. “I love latitude; it’s in the stars. But longitude, it’s about time. … Time and clocks and all the rest of that have always been a fascination for me.”

Barack Obama meeting Hill Democrats yesterday, according to Dana Milbank:

Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, “This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for,” adding: “I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions.”

From the Wash Post:

“[First name of a candidate]! and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm!”
– A type of Internet search string recommended to [Monica] Goodling by her predecessor.

Yesterday we enjoyed this threat by Harry Reid:

“We’ll be here this weekend. There’s a lot to do.”

So what exactly is Congress doing these days?

Here’s something: A press release — in its entirety — from Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)….

Loud Commercials Muffled by Eshoo’s CALM Act

June 13, 2008

Washington, DC – Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) introduced the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM Act) to address loud commercials. The bill would direct the FCC to enact within one year rules requiring that television advertisements not be excessively noisy.

“Most Americans are not overjoyed to watch television commercials, but they are willing to tolerate them to sustain free over-the-air television. What annoys all of us is the sudden increase of volume when commercials are aired,” Eshoo said.

“A TV program has a mix of audio levels. There are loud and soft parts. Nuance is used to build the dramatic effect. Most advertisers don’t want nuance. They want to grab our attention, and to do this, they record every part of it as loud as possible.”

“My legislation will reduce the volume of commercials in order to bring them to same level as the programs they accompany.”

Hmmm, interesting.  But one question: Any chance the mute button could be mandated for these videos?:  http://youtube.com/user/RepAnnaEshoo

A quick case study in how the media covers the burgeoning bris industry:

Washington Post:  “Speaking near a Fox News microphone that he thought was turned off, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson on Sunday disparaged Sen. Barack Obama’s embrace of faith-based social services, using crude language to suggest that he wanted to castrate the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.”

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer:  And I want to go back to Don Lemon, who has been working this story for us.  As precise as we can be, tell our viewers what exactly he said. We can’t be exact here in THE SITUATION ROOM. But the remarks he made, disparaging Senator Obama were, as he himself acknowledges now, rather crude.
LEMON: Well, it’s to the effect that Barack Obama was cutting off his manhood with black people, or genitals, or something.
BLITZER: Male private parts. The suggestion really was castration, if you will.

Guardian:  “Clarence Page, a columnist at the Chicago Tribune, reported on the paper’s political blog yesterday that Jackson had said Obama was going to get his “twin objects of male anatomy” cut off.”

AP:  “The Fox News program ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ aired Jackson’s comment Wednesday night, including a slang reference to his wanting to cut off Obama’s testicles. The report bleeped out the slang but made clear what Jackson said with subtitles.”

Los Angeles Times:  “I want to cut his nuts off,” Jackson said, making a jabbing gesture with his hand.”

Bottom line: no castration without representation.

(photo hat tip: L.A. Times’ Top of the Ticket)

Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas, who agreed to a six-year, $111 million contract with the Wizards after the team offered him a six-year deal worth between $125 million and $127 million:

“I looked at like this: There is nothing I can do for my family with $127 million that I can’t do with $111 million.  I mean, college is expensive but it ain’t that dang expensive.”

Also, John McCaslin, Hunk.

Yes, those titles and more for the sensationally wonderful Inside the Beltway columnist for the Washington Times, particularly after he ran this insightfully entrepreneurial item this week:

Thrills and groans

Washington political observer Howard Mortman (ExtremeMortman.com) has just posted another batch of the Top Ten Funniest Political Quotes So Far In 2008.

“Fortunately … a wealth of material to work with,” Mr. Mortman notes. “The challenge was trimming, not scrambling.”

In our opinion it’s difficult to beat No. 2 on the list, figuring MSNBC “Hardball” host Chris Matthews actually admitted: “It’s part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama’s speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don’t have that too often.”

But former President Bill Clinton did not disappoint, expressing in no uncertain terms: “The country is groaning and moaning and screaming for change to turn this country around and get it working again.”

President Bush meeting today with President Arroyo of the Philippines:

“I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the — of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House.”