Duke of Desire?

Those many Republicans banking on public inattention to the sordid tales of GOP corruption may not want to pick up today’s Post anytime soon — Sex has entered the equation. “Federal authorities are investigating allegations that a California defense contractor arranged for a Washington area limousine company to provide prostitutes to convicted former congressman Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham (R-Calif.) and possibly other lawmakers, sources familiar with the probe said yesterday.” Uh, oh…DC just loves a good sex scandal, right, guys? Update: The limousine firm in question denies the allegations.

Ney to Pay.

In related news, federal authorities expand their probe into Casino Jack flunky and former House GOP higher-up Bob Ney. “Court papers filed in recent months show that prosecutors have lined up at least four cooperating witnesses against the Ohio congressman: Abramoff, former congressional aides Michael Scanlon and Tony C. Rudy, and businessman Adam Kidan. All have pleaded guilty to various conspiracy, fraud or public corruption charges.”

A Rush and a push and a plea.

That font of compassion for drug addicts, Rush Limbaugh, cuts a deal with prosecutors, copping to a lesser charge of prescription fraud that will be stricken from his record should he stay in rehab for 18 months. “A spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, Mike Edmondson, said the agreement dropping the charge is ‘standard for first-time offenders who admit their addiction.‘” Well it wouldn’t be if Rush had anything to say about it…

You’re so Iron and you don’t even know it.

Among a slew of recent announcements, including the writers of Thor (Mark Protosevich of Poseidon), Captain America (David Self of Thirteen Days), Nick Fury (Andrew Marlowe of Air Force One), and Hulk-2 (Zak Penn of, sigh, X3 and FF) — as well as official word on Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man — Marvel’s Avi Arad says Jon Favreau will helm Iron Man.

Mutant Massacre.

In related news, a clip from X3: The Last Stand makes it online, and it looks and sounds as bad as feared. If you would have told me beforehand that a clip featuring the Danger Room, Sentinels, and a Fastball Special would be this inert and cringe-worthy, I wouldn’t have believed you. Good going, Ratner.

A Rodham by any other name.

“Including Hillary Clinton’s maiden name increased her approval rating among Republicans polled to 23 percent. “Hillary Clinton” had a 16 percent approval rating among people who identified themselves as Republican.” What’s in a name? For Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, seven points.

Bleeding Turnip (Day.)

“Up until now, you have probably thought that when you saw Democrats dumping their traditional principles in order to run pallid, market-tested campaigns appealing to swing voters with rhetoric borrowed from the G.O.P., they were doing so because they had been listening to consultants, pollsters, focus groups and so on. Well — according to Mr. Klein, you have it precisely backwards. In Joe’s world, the consultants and the pollsters and even the money are all on the other side, forever driving the cowardly politicians to the partisan extremes. Consultants on the Democratic side seem always to turn out to be liberals in Mr. Klein’s telling, and liberalism itself is usually the sad result of a candidate listening to consultants.” By way of Ted at The Late Adopter, Thomas Frank of What’s the Matter with Kansas? eviscerates Joe Klein’s new book Politics Lost. I liked the TIME excerpt decently enough, but Frank pretty much takes the book apart here.

Warrantless? Try Cashless.

“‘Institutionally, the presidency is walking all over Congress at the moment.’ Specter, R-Pennsylvania, told the panel. ‘If we are to maintain our institutional prerogative, that may be the only way we can do it.‘” Fed up with White House stonewalling regarding the illegal NSA wiretaps (and likely emboldened by Dubya’s grotesquely bad poll numbers), Arlen Specter threatens to cut off the program’s funding.