I approach this week’s edition of The Party Line with a bit of trepidation–talking about Egypt in a segment I have to tape some hours before I post is risky business. No doubt “facts on the ground,” as they say, have changed since I recorded this. What I really want to address, though, is not so much what is happening in Tahrir Square, but what the hell is going on with the message uttered by US administration officials. That also might have changed since I made this video, but that is exactly what I want to talk about.

Last night, the House Republican caucus held emergency meetings in the basement, only emerging late to say they reached an agreement on a spending cut plan for Fiscal Year 2011, one that would cut spending $100 billion below the Obama Administration’s 2011 request. Because Obama’s 2011 request never came to pass, however, the proper comparison is to the 2010 levels, and this cut would be $58 billion from those.

In a brief announcement on Egyptian state television, Vice President Omar Suleiman said that President Hosni Mubarak has relinquished power and asked the Egyptian Armed Forces Council to assume responsibility for leadership of the country.

I really hope judges begin to show some spine on State Secrets. By now, the assumption should be the government is invoking State Secrets for some stupid reason.

Like an embarrassing nosebleed.

During President Hosni Mubarak’s speech last evening to the Egyptian public, the crowd of pro-democracy protesters began to shout angrily as it became clear that Mubarak would not recognize their demands. The angry shouts have been followed today by enormous crowds in Cairo’s Tahrir Square continuing their demand for an end to the current regime.

• Dude just can’t take a hint.
• Krugman: Abraham Lincoln, inflationist.
• President Snowe, prepare to get teabagged.
• 2012 GOP field insufficiently wingnuttty for CPACers.
• The Chamber of Commerce’s thuggery.

Self-delusional forces meet when CPAC meets Donald Trump in the ultimate self-promotion.

The Beatles — Across The Universe. Leave our tiny planet and travel millions of light years while enjoying the Hubble Telescope’s magnificent images.

I hope Heartless Dick and RumaDon stay gone after today, and I hope Hoser Mubarak and his vice-torturer go away tomorrow. All of these bad men worked together to hurt a lot of people and it’s time for them to just go away and let nice people take over.

The Chamber of Commerce has responded to ThinkProgress’ reporting of the Chamber’s discussions with Hunton & Williams about an intelligence campaign against USChamberWatch and other anti-Chamber efforts. It purports to deny any connection with Hunton & Williams and HBGary. More Baseless Attacks on the Chamber by Tom Collamore We’re incredulous that anyone would attempt to [...]