Short Takes

- First, an announcement. Former Yellow Line founder Alan Stewart Carl has returned to the blogosphere over at Maverick Views, which I've added to the links at right and urge you all to check out.

- National Journal suggests that with the Abramoff scandal coming to a head, calls for new leadership of the House Republican caucus may result in elections as early as this month. I'm sorry that it's taken this long, but I hope they're right.

- From Politics1 (via Mathew at Centerfield) continued rumors that my own congressman, staunch centrist Sherwood Boehlert, may not run for a thirteenth term. Boehlert, who is currently leading a Congressional trip to Antarctica, was not available for comment. He's in line to chair the House Transportation Committee in the next Congress, but his scuffles with leadership this year have put that position for him in doubt. I hope he doesn't retire, it would be a tremendous loss for moderate GOP ranks. I'll try to get more on this story as soon as I can.

- The Financial Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette pick up the story about Bush contradicting the torture ban.

- A decent dKos diary about the FEC recess appointments forced through yesterday evening. Oddly, almost no media coverage of this story today, which is depressing. Still on vacation, I guess.

- Wonkette's DCeiver finds a funny-but-not moment from today's White House press briefing.

- In what (as a severe "Daily Show" addict) I see as an excellent move, the Academy of Motion Pictures has announced that Jon Stewart will host this year's Oscars ceremony. I might actually watch.