From LA Times via Instapundit

Pelosi-Harman friction strains Democrats' unity

After Harman lost her gubernatorial bid, Pelosi urged her to run for Congress again. Harman's choice was made easier by the fact that then-Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) had promised her in writing that she could reclaim her seniority on the Intelligence Committee. That bumped a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.), off the committee and jumped her over another African American, Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.), in seniority.

Rep. Rangel Will Seek to Reinstate Draft

From WashPost:

WASHINGTON -- Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 if the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has his way.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars and to bolster U.S. troop levels insufficient to cover potential future action in Iran, North Korea and Iraq.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel is obviously floating this idea for purely political advantage.  I've gone back and forth on the concept of national servcie, and favored it for a long time.  But the ultimate argument was delivered by my friend Andrew Stuttaford, when he wrote: (paraphrasing here)

"Governments do not own the lives of their citizens."

Think about that for a moment.....I think it is the "killer argument" concerning this topic.

Today is the anniversary of Lincoln's delivery of the Gettysburg Address:

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Newt on Wallace show:  "I'd be happy to come back here next September and talk about that."

Seems Newt knows he has downsides...mainly in his personal life (go here to read about my dinner with average Republican voters and why this could be an issue: Weberlog dinner with R voters)...Newt obviously wants to see how the field is shaping up before he decides to jump in the race.

Chris Wallace is doing his best to permanently sink John Kerry's shot at running for President again.  Entire segment is on the joke.  Keery is coming off as just not that a bright a guy. 

When asked how badly the joke had damaged his hopes to be President, Kerry says "That's up for the voters to decide."  So my guess is Kerry's gonna make the run in any case.  That should be hgihly entertaining.