Tuesday Night Briefs

Break out the champagne! The Mitch McConnell Republican Senate minority is now officially the most filibustering, most obstructionist Senate minority in history. And the McConnell Republicans broke the record in less than one year of the two-year 110th Congress!

Oregon: Integrity and conviction are two qualities Gordon Smith completely lacks. To wit: at today's send-off of Trent Lott, Gordon Smith criticized the "wolfpack" that questioned Lott's racist sentiments at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party, calling Lott's comments "misconstrued." The problem? At the time, Gordon Smith was part of the "wolfpack," saying that "Senator Lott's words were offensive and I was deeply dismayed to hear of them." Smith sure didn't seem to consider Lott's comments misconstrued at the time. As Greg Sargent says, "Classic Gordon Smith -- condemns Lott when the pressure is on, but completely exonerates him when no one's paying any attention."

Mississippi: Speaking of Trent Lott, his spokesman says that a formal resignation will occur "either Wednesday or Thursday." Republican Gov. Haley Barbour plans to appoint a successor to serve until a special election in November 2008. However, state Attorney General Jim Hood released a statement saying that "a special election must be held within 100 days after U.S. Trent Lott makes his resignation official." It looks like we can expect a showdown in a Mississippi courtroom over the scheduling of the special election.