Back and forth

Yesterday was one of those not-close-to-e-mail days, so it was embarrassingly late when I got to the bad link to Washingtonian I gave yesterday. Correct link is here. Your patience is appreciated.

On the topic of Sen. Roberts, Washingtonian's "Funniest" senator isn't laughing, according to the Hill. His intelligence plan is floundering, and Roberts himself is concerned that the plan that's advancing in the senate doesn't give a national intelligence director enough authority. A vote on intel reform is expected before Congress adjourns at the end of next week.

Sen. Brownback hit headlines twice yesterday, one for North Korea legislation and one for a hearing on embryonic stem cell research. Different lawmakers portray the stem cell debate in different ways, some of which have implications for the abortion debate. Sen. Brownback falls squarely in the when-life-begins camp. From Wired News:

Brownback persistently asked Dr. George Daley, associate professor of pediatrics and biological chemistry at the Harvard School of Medicine and Children's Hospital, to tell the subcommittee exactly how old an embryo would have to be before he would decline to use the embryo for medical research.

Daley said repeatedly he could not define when an embryo becomes a human being.

Kris Kobach picked up the Kansas Farm Bureau endorsement in KS-3. Meanwhile, a Topeka TV station pulled a Jim Ryun ad in his race against Nancy Boyda after Boyda's campaign accused the ad of violating federal campaign law. The ad charges that Boyda helped organize anti-war protests. Boyda says that's a lie, Ryun says it's the truth ...

Wichitans are gathering for the presidential debates tonight. If you're inWichita and are looking for a place to watch, click here. I plan to catch it at the National Press Club downtown, which should be packed for it tonight. And for comprehensive coverage of everything imaginable related to the debates, go here.