4/5: Tales From The 5-Min Newscycle

So Rep. Tom DeLay's (R-TX) retirement was big news, was it? Well, today comes word that DHS dep press sec. Brian Doyle was arrested 4/4 p.m. for attempting to seduce a 14-year-old girl who turned out to be an undercover detective. The revelation was an overnight sensation for the blogosphere and bumped the day's other major stories, including DeLay, immigration and Iraq, right off the top of the charts. Imagine that. And thus far, we have a rare day of unity as almost all condemn Doyle and, to a lesser extent, DHS.

In other news, uber-blogger Michelle Malkin takes some flack for purportedly allowing ghostwriters to post under her name, but the flacker quickly became the flackee. And new twists in the Senate's immigration debate inspire mixed reactions from the right, while DeLay remains a popular posting subject.

Many link to the local Tampa TV station's report. Captain's Quarters: "I'm not sure what's going on at the Department of Homeland Security, but significant background checks certainly are not. ... Voters may not remember who Jack Abramoff is come November, but they will certainly remember who hired the Dirty Old Man of the DHS." Brilliant at Breakfast: "I can't decide what's worse about this guy -- that he's a creep and a pedophile, or that someone representing the Department of Homeland Security is so damn stupid. ... Somehow I think Scotty [McClellan]'s dronings about 'not commenting on an ongoing investigation' aren't going to cut it here." The Talking Dog: "The one thing you could say about the crop of Bushies and their Republican allies, in contrast to [ex-Pres.] Clinton, was that it was never about sex. ... Well, guess what? This one is about sex." Bark Bark Woof Woof: "Mr. Doyle made no effort to hide his identity or his occupation, and it goes without saying that going after a 14-year-old is creepy. But anyone who works in such a high-profile occupation in a high-profile government department who goes on-line for kids without making any attempt to conceal himself is just plain sick. Enough said." Steve Soto: "I am waiting for James Dobson, Lou Sheldon, Crazy Marion, or Jerry Falwell to weigh in on this. But then again, a BJ in the Oval was worth impeachment to these same guys, so why would they care if a gay prostitute was cleared by the Press Secretary to work in the White House, or a Claude Allen or Brian Doyle were high-level ... officials for a man of 'moral clarity.'" Lorie Byrd: "I know the behavior is dispicable, disgusting, evil, criminal, etc., but I am having such an incredibly hard time getting past the stupidity of it."

Needless to say, this is bad timing for a department that's made headlines lately for all the wrong reasons. Joe Gandelman: "It's ironic but an official working to improve the Homeland Security Department's image in the press has been arrested on child porn charges." Done With Mirrors: "The idea of the department itself and even its very name drew derision from the beginning, at least from some quarters. Its public failures and some of its more, shall we say, controversial employees tarnished the concept and actual operations even more. Now this. Is there any way that this agency -- as served by its employees, who hold their positions in our name -- can be more debased?"

Alternate Brain takes a look at the situation from a security perspective: "When I was in the military, especially those of us with a security clearance, we were constantly being reminded that our enemies ... would attempt use our 'questionable sexual dalliances' to extort secrets and information ... . I wonder, just say, if an 'enemy' would use this man's 'proclivities' to blackmail him to give up DHS info?"

Silflay Hraka writes about past interaction with Doyle. Taylor Marsh: "It's quite amazing that the story about Brian Doyle broke the same day that Justin Berry was on Capitol Hill, with Kurt Eichenwald, talking about sexually exploited children and the pedophiles who corrupt them and what can go wrong on the web."

DELAY: Just Can't Get Enough

Bloggers continue to debate the fallout of DeLay's withdrawal from his re-election race and his pending resignation from Congress. See 4/4's Blogometer for complete coverage, and today's New York Times for the latest story. Righties All Thigs Beautiful, Decision '08 comment. Lefty News Hounds takes the oppotunity to ask readers to contact Fox News about mistakes made in reporting the DeLay story. Daily Kos' DarkSyde has some sympathy for the right. "I'm talking about the ordinary guys and gals. Most of those hard working folks were expertly handled by religious opportunists and misled into supporting some of the most immoral politicians ever to disgrace the halls of power. The Carpetbagger Report, Firedoglake, Taylor Marsh, Preemptive Karma, Bar Bark Woof Woof and others comment.

Madeleine Begun Kane gives DeLay a limerick sendoff. Mark Kleiman has details on DeLay's upcoming gig with Vision America. Capitol Annex offers a hefty roundup, including local TX coverage.

IMMIGRATION: Seventeenth Verse, Same As The First

The continuing hot topic on Captiol Hill, Washington Post notes that GOP Sens are looking to compromise on the comprehensive immigration-reform bill currently being debated. Riehl World View, asserting that conservatives are not necessarily anti-immigrant, thinks the compromise can work: "If the Senate can produce a reasonable compromise such as the one being contemplated, my feeling is that Conservatives will sign onto it, provided there are dollars and a genuine willingness to follow through with enforcement." ParaPundit wants enforcement to come first, before any other reforms are considered. Similarly, Steve Sailer calls the compromise "a surrender" by GOPers. PoliPundit offers a tale of two immigrants. The Moderate Voice notes a CNN poll showing Americans torn on illegal immigration. He notes: "If people keep streaming across the border ... we're going to keep on having this same conversation over and over and over again."

Citing reportsyesterday that Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) guest worker program lacks enough votes to survive a filibuster, many conservatives react happily. Conservative Outpost, embodying the sarcasm common in many bloggers on this issue: "What a pitty [sic]. McCain doesn't have enough votes to sell citizenship to criminals for a thousand bucks plus back-taxes. Shame." Mr. & Mrs. Hobbesian Conspiracy, in a post called "Yay!": "I'd love to hear how a bill that would grant illegal aliens a green card provided they manage to evade the INS for 6 years isn't amnesty."

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) involved himself in the debate once again, holding a conference call with bloggers on the subject. Right Wing News has a transcript.

IRAQ: One Well Dries Up

Buckeye State Blog's Tim Russo writes about USAID's grants being cut off to NDI, a nonprofit org "working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide." Russo: "When NDI, IRI, and NED money dry up, that means one of two things. Either the country has 'graduated' from assistance programs and the work is no longer needed ... or the country has become so politically unstable or dangerous that further programming is simply impossible. Take a guess which applies in Iraq."

WHITE HOUSE '08: Kerry Offers Withdrawal Plan

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) writes in today's New York Times: "We are now in the third war in Iraq in as many years. The first was against Saddam Hussein and his supposed weapons of mass destruction. The second was against terrorists whom, the administration said, it was better to fight over there than here. Now we find our troops in the middle of an escalating civil war." Kerry goes on to call for two deadlines by which U.S. forces will withdraw from Iraq if conditions aren't met by the Iraqi gov't. Democratic Daily's Pamela Leavey is supportive: " It's time for Iraq to get it together, it's time for the Bush administration to get it together. John Kerry is right!" The Left Coaster wants Kerry's argument to be the basis of the Dem platform on Iraq. Middle Earth Journal calls it "a fine piece." Left I On The News calls Kerry a late convert and sees his call now as gearing up for an attack on Iran: "John Kerry hasn't learned any lessons, either from Vietnam or Iraq, because he's ready to repeat the experiences (and spend the 'human treasure') once again in Iran. Pathetic." California Conservative says the piece "offers a scary glimpse into Kerry's view of Iraq." The News Blog sees a third way and says: "It seems like a viable solution, but it really is the trigger to the civil war." DailyKos's post on the subject draws 532 comments by 9 a.m. EDT.

IN THE STATES: Moonie Alert!

Kos is highlighting a different "Fighting Dem" every Tuesday, through a partnership with Air America Radio. Yesterday's feature: Psychotherapist/vet Bill Falzett (D), running against Rep. Wally Herger (R) in CA 02.

Politics1.com's Gunzberger calls Rep. Curt Weldon's (R-PA 07) connections to the Moonie cult one of the reasons Weldon's '06 race against ret. Admiral Joe Sestek (D) "will be a race to watch." Frequent readers of Politics1.com's blog will note that certain members' connections to the Moonies get under Gunzberger's skin.

BLOGGERS VS. THE MSM: Or Should It Be BLOGGERS VS. MSM BLOGS?

This is a new category (we think), required now because of the incredible pace at which newspapers and other MSM outlets are starting their own "blogs." For the first entry, we take note of a skirmish in OH between local bloggers and the Cleveland Plain Dealer over comments on the paper's "Openers" site. Buckeye State Blog quibbles with the PD's Mark Naymik and his word choice when describing a group of clergy. After an initial back-and-forth, Naymik allegedly writes: "Read into this what you want but I don't owe you a clarification or an explanation. I really don't have time to worry about providing you anything. Thanks." From the BSB: "There ya have it. The PeeDee's political team doesn't owe its readers any explanations about how they label people in their pieces, in fact we readers are just getting in the way of them going about their important job of journalisming. ... At best it is sloppy and at worst it is intentional to paint candidates and representatives with broad brushes for political purposes -- and it really needs to stop."

Brewed Fresh Daily had a similar interaction with a PD editor.

Michelle Malkin questions NBC's decision to again "stage news." The net's "Dateline" apparently sought Muslim males to send to NASCAR races, hoping to document negative reaction.

BLOGGERS IN THE MSM: Kos-ting To Good Press

Markos Moulitsas Zuniga was profiled by the San Francisco Chronicle. Some highlights:

• Kos is "'getting flacked to death' -- solicited by political consultants who know that a blessing on Daily Kos can bring their candidate as much as" $50K "in online donations within days, plus street credibility among its opinionated activists. Moulitsas can expect more suitors in the next few weeks as" his book hits shelves.
• He "is not a pundit nor a strategist, and he doesn't want to be a spokesman for a new generation known as 'the netroots.'"
• While bloggers "can't win elections," they can "influence them by creating buzz for little-known races and pressing the mainstream media to report on untold stories."
• On the 3-15 record by candidates he's endorsed, "Moulitsas said anybody can jump on a winning candidate's bandwagon. His aims are long-term. He wants to foment a universe of liberal think tanks, media outlets, leadership courses and a coalition of interest groups marching in lockstep for the progressive cause" (Garofoli, 4/5).

Meanwhile, Kos revels in a positive review from National Journal's own Charlie Cook. "So there has been little public backlash, and that's been, well, a bit weird. On the other hand, the ideas presented in the book are getting a fair reading -- much fairer than two political neophytes like me and Jerome ever deserved -- and clearly many of its criticisms, lessons, and recommendations are being heeded."

BLOGGERS VS. BLOGGERS: Longing For The Days Of PBS' "Ghostwriter"?

At his blog, Is That Legal, UNC law prof Eric Muller questions Michelle Malkin's blogging habit, putting together a timeline that leads him to believe others may be posting under her byline. Malkin responds: "I am amused to see that insanely obsessed, deranged people continue to have a problem with my work ethic, efficiency, and output ... . Thanks for the back-handed compliment. Now, I suggest you get. A. Life." Muller comes back to question how she could blog while in the air, and she again knocks it down. Before long, Muller has dozens of comments.

Others sounding off on the issue: Talk Left: "[L]ots of his own readers telling him how off-base he was. Add me to the list. In fact, it's creepy, almost like cyber-stalking." Confederate Yankee: "If you strip out the images and quoted text in the 20 posts selected by Eric Muller, Michelle Malkin wrote a grand total of 938 words over 3 days, or just shy of 47 words a post ... . As the vast majority of those 47 words are straightforward descriptive writing that comes as easily as speech for journalists, this level of output is well within her capabilities, even while traveling." Tiger Hawk: "Whether one agrees with her or not, she obviously writes her own stuff." Political Pit Bull: "Liberal bloggers rightly deserve credit for uncovering gross inpropriety in the case of Ben Domenech. But, as the saying goes, one rotten apple does not a spoiled bunch make."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: The Dead Tree Society

First Draft by Tim Porter, in an article that also appears in the Spring '06 issue of Nieman Reports, comes up with a stark conclusion about the "dead tree" MSM: "Reinvent or die. It's that simple."

LEST WE FORGET: Zip It

Crooks And Liars has put together a funny video, combining moments from Sen. Joe Lieberman's (D-CT) Jefferson Dinner speech with clips from "Austin Powers."