The New Republic

One of the many, many highlights of the gargantuan new "Daily Show" website: This 2003 clip, in which senior correspondent Stephen Colbert totally cracks up.  Hey, it happens. Just ask Jimmy Fallon. -- Ben Wasserstein READ MORE >>

The AP did a story last night noting that John McCain and Mike Huckabee were both angling for Brownback's endorsement yesterday, or at the least the goodwill of his supporters, by offering up nice comments about the senator. Notes the story: READ MORE >>

Props to Politico's Jonathan Martin for getting all TNR-ish with a counterintuitive defense of that favorite scapegoat of struggling campaigns, "DC pundits". READ MORE >>

Is Fred Thompson lazy--or just kind of an unhealthy guy? At the last Republican debate I noticed he was constantly rubbing his nose and coughing into his fist as though he had a cold. But that was a couple of weeks ago. And yet I just listened via radio to his remarks at the Values Voters conference, and a defining thing about his remarks--apart from such typical pandering as a vow that his first act as president will be to close the Oval Office door and pray for wisdom--was his nonstop coughing and throat-clearing. For his sake I hope he didn't look as bad as he sounded. READ MORE >>

Never mind Iraq and health care, this could be the issue that decides the Democratic primary. Des Moines Register: READ MORE >>

Pandering as Overcompensation [Brian Beutler]: "It's hard not to suck up to the rottenest elements of the GOP if, like Rudy and Mitt, you have a history of universalizing health care, or regulating guns, or being friendly to 'the gays.' In recent history, the Republican party has been better at keeping people like that from reaching any real prominence." READ MORE >>

I'm Your Man: [Liz Sidoti, AP]: "Leading Republican presidential candidates, all flawed in the eyes of influential social conservatives, sought Friday to convince the restive group they will carry the torch for the right flank -- and Rudy Giuliani won't." READ MORE >>

A tipster writes in with a question about this weekend's Values Voter Summit at the Washington Hilton hotel: Do you think the organizers or attendees know they are working from the very same Washington Hilton stage that hosted the Miss Adams Morgan drag pageant last month?   Adds our correspondent of the pageant: "I'm still washing my eyes." READ MORE >>

Well, it wasn't exactly JFK at the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, but Mitt Romney did broach the religion question at the Family Research Council's "Washington Briefing" just now. READ MORE >>

Mirabile dictu, The Nation has panned the Walt-Mearsheimer screed against Israel and the Jews, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. This proves that, even on the far left, there are some lies that are so egregious that they are not to be applauded. Denis Lazare is the intelligent reviewer and Michael Weiss of Jewcy has the details. This makes the count virtually a shut-out. READ MORE >>