Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may soon issue issue a departmental policy to treat the domestic partners of foreign service officers posted overseas the same as spouses for purposes of training, travel, and protection against violence. Is this legal under the federal Defense of Marriage Act?

I read this last night and couldn’t quite believe this got printed. Helene Cooper in the New York Times:

Democrats often complained about President George W. Bush’s frequent use of a rhetorical device as old as rhetoric itself: creating the illusion of refuting an opponent’s argument by mischaracterizing it and then knocking down that mischaracterization.

North Korea reportedly holds new nuclear test.

Unctuous doesn’t begin to describe Newt Gingrich’s “serious look” at a 2012 presidential run.  Isn’t that a fine “how do you do” to return to from a nice vacation…

When will they come home?

Judge not lest ye’ be not…. awe the hell with it. Pick an a-hole.

From the West Lawn of the United States Capitol Building, The National Symphony Orchestra  – The Armed Forces Salute. 

What’s on your mind tonight?

A short list of those whose voices might exit public discourse without tears from me (and two surprises I’d like to stick around).

FDL’s Christy returned and asked whether anything had happened. It’s my job to update her, but looking back, it seems nothing changed this last week. It was same old, same old.

The new administration is talking tough to Bibi and the Israeli government but will it follow through with actions?