A special Thursday edition, just because there's so much going on.

"Report on Whether Public Statements Regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials Were Substantiated by Intelligence Information"

"Report on Intelligence Activities Relating to Iraq Conducted by the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group and the Office of Special Plans Within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy"

Spoiler: They lied to us.  You're shocked, I know.  More below.

So, what are the McCains hiding? Cindy McCain was asked about releasing her tax returns, on the Today show, and reiterated that she would never release them -- ever -- even if she becomes First Lady:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZi6...

We're All Hacks Atrios is right

It's important to remember that none of us are above the fray, that we all have hackish tendencies to suppress information which doesn't fit our worldview and privilege information that does. We're more likely to excuse behavior from people we like and exaggerate the ills of people we don't like. I try to fight hackish tendencies especially during this intra-Dem battle, but I don't claim to have superhuman Nonhack powers.

For the record, I make no effort to be above the fray nor any pretense of being fair or balanced.  I'm not only a member of the Hack Club for Men, I'm the president.  It's good to know your own filters....

More hackery below.

We're Number One!  (again) The Iraq war has set a new record. Just like the guy who started it. http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/24/...  
More news below.

Look, I don't care who gets your vote for President. I don't even care if you'd vote for Chris Dodd if you lived in Connecticut or if you'd like to have him as the next Senate Majority Leader. (Doesn't matter what you or I think about that last one, anyway - it's a decision made by the Democratic caucus for the Democratic caucus. We're irrelevant.)

But the fact of the matter is that Dodd stood up to preserve the Constitution from a far greater threat than being rewritten - he fought to make sure that it wasn't ignored. (Determined enemies of the Bible, take note.)

Having done so, he stuck his neck out not just with voters and the Bush Administration, but with his own caucus. There's big money floating around, and his colleagues want to make sure he respects it.

So if you give a rat's patooty about basic American freedoms, reward good behavior. Drop Sen. Dodd and his staff a line to let them know you support his position on telecomm immunity. It's the right thing to do.

Two Senate votes yesterday – on habeas corpus and on needed rest for our troops.  Neither achieved the sixty votes necessary to be veto proof.  But, oh, they came close.

They were filibustered by Republicans.

Tonight begins the Muslim celebration of Ramadan and the Jewish celebration of Rosh Hashana, the New Year.

September always feels like the beginning of the New Year to me, much more than the dark days of January. As the mom of school age children and as a minister of a church that begins its year in September, it is now that I gear up, make plans, create new resolutions, and one more time, begin anew.

It feels like a new year in this country, with true possibilities for sexual justice.

Today promises to be a long night on Capitol Hill.  I hope Harry Reid and the Democrats feel refreshed and ready for it.

You’ve heard about Sen. Reid’s plan to force a Republican filibuster tonight.  If Bush’s Senatorial allies don’t support a troop withdrawal, they will have to talk all night – and thus clearly display themselves to the American people as obstructionists to the people's will.

A friend of mine once said of the actions of vociferous but misguided believers, "Sometimes things done in the name of Christianity make me want to become a druid."

And so it was today in the chambers of the United States Senate, where a trinity of Operation Save America members repeatedly disrupted an opening prayer that was delivered by a Hindu priest.

"'Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer of the wicked, which is an abomination in your sight,' the first protester began." (Source) The trio eventually were escorted from the chamber by the Senate's Sergeant-at-Arms.

For more than 200 years there has been a chaplain in both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. The tradition has been challenged by advocates of a strict separation between church and state, but the Supreme Court has upheld it, as long as the chaplains remain nonsectarian and nonpartisan.

 Is it time for this to stop?

[Bumped by Mahanoy.  This is an excellent summary of the immigration bill currently before the Senate.  Be sure to check out the links, too.]

PD's post earlier today on family values in the immigration debate reminded me that I hadn't followed through on a promise to do a write-up of the Senate's immigration bill and what's at stake. Since members of Congress were slacking off on foreign junkets dutifully participating in community town hall meetings and listening sessions last week for the Memorial Day recess, I finally had some time to catch up on my reading and get a little summary ready for y'all.

Caveats: 1) I'm not an immigration expert (this is one of TOO MANY issues that I work on), so I may not be able to answer everything; 2) I do have my own biases which will likely show through in the diary; and 3) The Senators start bloviating ppntificating debating and voting again tomorrow, things could change pretty quickly, so this info could become quickly outdated, but I think it will cover most points.

Follow me below the fold for the gory details, a little analysis, and a few linkies for good measure (and to prove I'm not pulling all of this out of my...ok, you get the point).