SNL Talk Express.

John McCain gets flak from Drudge and elsewhere for missing a Defense spending vote to prep for Saturday Night Live. Hmm. I think you can go ahead and file this complaint along with the ones about Cornel West being in The Matrix sequels. While it’s true that all the rehearsing in the world isn’t going to make 75% of today’s SNL skits funny, the bill in question passed 93-1. I’m not sure how McCain voting on it would have made much of a difference. And it’s not like this is last week’s Iraq vote, where every Senator should be on record for or against ceding their Constitutional authority to the President. In fact, I think you can argue it’ll make more difference to have a few grotesquely apolitical Americans see “that cool senator” on a late-night show.

This Time It’s Personal.

Today I settle all family business, so don’t tell me you’re innocent, Carlo. Bush tells the UN we’ll go it alone against Iraq if need be. I mean, something has to happen before the first Tuesday in November, or else there’s not much point, is there?

Et tu, Scowcroft?

While Maureen Dowd reads Oedipal strife into Brent Scowcroft’s recent decision to pooh-pooh Dubya’s bellicose policy on Iraq, Tom Oliphant thinks the rift’s been overstated. In related news, Trent Lott belatedly sees the wisdom in a congressional debate on an Iraq war.