ABC News:  “Speaking Out:  Air National Guard Colonel Denies Bush Got Preferential Treatment”: The man cited in media reports as having allegedly pressured others in the Texas Air National Guard to help George W. Bush is speaking out, telling ABC News in an exclusive interview that he never sought special treatment for Bush. Retired Col. Walter [Buck] Staudt, who was brigadier general of Bush’s unit in Texas, interviewed Bush for

He even put on a pair of clean socks for the occasion.  **** 1.  Thanks so much to Lloyd Williams for the Hitchcock titles; thanks to Scott Pinkerton for the Agatha Christie DVD; and thanks to Brian Kanaga for the sci-fi flicks.  You guys really made my week.  And filled in some holes in my weekend plans.  Grazi. 2.  Pizza

“I’ll fight you, Billy.  But regardless of the outcome, I stand by my contention that embracing small lies in pursuit of larger Truths is both noble and necessary.” “You know something?  You’re absolutely right.  Tell you what: instead of my kicking your ass six ways to Sunday, let’s you and me go somewhere for a soda or some french fries or something…”

From FOXNews:  “Report: Saddam Had No WMD, But Was Importing Materials” Fallen Iraqi President Saddam Hussein did not have stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, but left signs that he had idle programs he someday hoped to revive, the top U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq concludes in a draft report due out soon. According to people familiar with the 1,500-page report, the head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer,

Ever notice pie…? (unrelated)*

Reuters headline, September 16:  “Polls Show Nov. 2 Race Even as Bush Bounce Fades” Gallup headline, September 17:  “Bush Bounce Keeps On Going: President leads Kerry by 13 points among likely voters; 8 points among registered voters” Reached for comment, Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) mused, “I can remember a time when the ladies kept parasols.  Our Toms would serve us mint juleps on the porch, and we would pass the

To:     CBS News From:   Protein Wisdom Re:     Dan Rather’s fate I have this idea about a rubber chicken smoking a joint.  Interested? Sincerely, protein wisdom cc:  monkey with hook; Casey Kasem

…from bacon cheeseburgers with your wife at the Whistle Stop Cafe, to ‘reassembling’ dubious military records, to forging documents on wordprocessing software and faxing them off* to a major network news organization (who then eagerly runs with the story, despite your history of raving anti-Bush lunacy)… Bill Burkett…this is your life! (perhaps.) *see September 15 entry **** update:  more here. And here.