• Scenes from the freak show.
• Good luck in Florida, Secessionist.
• There’s something wrong with these people.
• A preview of tonight’s jobs speech.
• Christie caught on tape.

Oh the repugnant non-drama of modern political theater.

Video of Tillman the Surfing Bulldog plus music by The Beach Boys equals Surfin’ Bulldog.

Remember Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the dipwad who would be governor? He came a bit too close to it for my comfort, largely because of a local legacy media that was far too gentle to him and far too eager to pass along smears against his DFL opponent (and seriously good guy) Mark Dayton, but even the legacy press couldn’t quite insulate Emmer from the effects of his own actions. (Remember his War on the Waitstaff and the mythical $100,000-a-year waitress? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.)

The GOP continues its search tonight for a candidate they want to lead a government all of the contestants swear they hate. Tonight’s debate, sponsored by Politico and MSNBC begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and will be held in the Ronald Reagan Library. I met Reagan once when he was Governor; he’s the cigarette/appliance spokesman and conservative whom the Tea Party would find insufficiently radical to suit them.

In the aftermath of the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009 by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) moved to increase airport security. Passengers flying “non-stop” to the US were subject to enhanced screenings, including in some cases a full-body pat-down. But, immediately, TSA realized that this placed an “extraordinary burden” on airports and airlines and TSA moved to develop a “regime” that would subject a “reduced pool” of passengers to “enhanced screenings.”

On January 13, 2010, it was announced a list of fourteen countries of interest. The list included: Cuba, Sudan, Syria, Iran (four countries on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism) and Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen. The new regime meant all passengers traveling from any of the fourteen countries would, regardless of nationality or US citizenship, be subject to increased security and possible violations of privacy.

Newly published cables from WikiLeaks shed light on reactions from leaders of countries on the list.

What’s your drinking game word, or phrase, for tonight’s GOP debate at the Saint Ronnie Liberry and Shrine? What word will get you wasted under the wing of His Blessed Air Force One?

He won the praise of a few Senate Republicans. But because they are opposed to the entire concept of the agency, they remained in opposition to Cordray’s confirmation. The 44 Republicans who signed a letter vowing to oppose any nominee for CFPB unless the agency is gutted remain opposed.

You know what would have made the Breitbart version even better? If Andrew and Dana and Mike were shown walking away from the building in slow motion while it exploded behind them in a blaze of righteous glory.

That’s always awesome in movies…

On his blog, former Vice President Al Gore harshly criticized President Obama’s recent decision to shelve the EPA’s new ozone regulations. Gore says Obama is ignoring science, and instead, bowing to the pressure from polluters.