Bush's new Attorney General still can't give a straight answer on waterboarding.

In 2006, the CIA and Pentagon banned the technique, which involves strapping an interrogation subject to a surface, covering the person's face with cloth and pouring water on the face to imitate the sensation of drowning.

If the Justice Department joined other nations and specifically defined waterboarding as illegal, CIA interrogators might be vulnerable to retroactive legal action in either U.S. or international courts.

Mukasey said he would not and did not need to discuss the legality of something that would only serve to provide information to the enemy.

How would it be providing information to the enemy if the technique is already banned?

Republicans have once again filibustered civil liberties. If you travel outside of the US, you could be captured by someone seeking a reward and sold to the US military, with no legal recourse. Good luck proving you're a US citizen when no one can petition the court in your favor due to the Military Commissions Act passed by the previous, Republic Congress.

According to CNN, Bathroom Break Larry has returned to the capitol.

Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho made a surprise appearance Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, his first since news broke of his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge after getting caught in sex sting in a Minneapolis, Minnesota, airport bathroom.

You'd think he would be spending his time trying to reverse his admission of "disorderly conduct" in the mens restroom. But, I guess that's why he makes the big bucks: so he can pay people who actually understand the law to do some work. Despite the cloud of air freshener surrounding him, some of his colleagues greeted him with open arms.

Immediately after the lunch, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, rushed up to Craig with an extended hand. In front of reporters, Specter shook Craig's hand and chatted with him.

I wonder what Specter is thinking?! The guy gets caught soliciting sex in a public restroom and you want to shake his hand? Come on, he didn't even flush the toilet!

In all seriousness though, Specter isn't too popular with his base to begin with. Considering how homophobic the far right is, he may be causing himself more harm than good by supporting Craig. Craig isn't planning on running in 2008 anyway. Is this a friendship thing, or is something else going on here?

**UPDATE**

I feel I should clarify something. Although I do feel many on the far right are homophobic, there is a legitimate complaint that Craig a) is unfaithful to his wife and b) has misrepresented himself to the public.