Short Takes

A few stories, a few comments.

- On the Senate blocking the nomination of Julie Myers to be assistant secretary of homeland security for immigration and customs enforcement: GOOD. This is too important a position to be handed over to an unqualified patronage nominee. Ms. Myers has minimal experience in immigration or customs issues, and I'm glad Sen. Susan Collins, the chair of the Senate's Government Affairs Committee, is going to keep this nomination on hold until qualification concerns are answered. The president should withdraw Ms. Myers' name.

- On Bill Frist looking more and more like Martha Stewart every day: SO DUMB. As I've said many times, I think Bill Frist has the political acumen of a rotten potato, and this latest kerfluffle is further evidence of that. Whether or not he had inside information when he sold off stock in a company his family founded (a month before a significant price drop) will probably end up being irrelevant - the investigation will sink any remaining shred of his presidential ambitions, which were already infinitesimal. The question now is more like will be be able to finish off the next two year and a half as majority leader?

- On the WaPo analysis today suggesting that the Bush presidency is back on its heels: YES, BUT ... Will any real lessons be learned from the mistakes? Iraq didn't do it. Social Security didn't do it - will the White House learn from Katrina? Too soon to tell.

- On Hurricane Rita: GO AWAY! Thanks.