Not One Appointed By Bush
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
‘Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison’
The Iranian military has launched a new division, known as "The Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison" — to identify, recruit and train volunteers for suicide operations against Western targets... that according to a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Commander Mohammed-Reza Jaafari, who heads the new division, tells an Iranian newspaper — "The United States should know that we have nuclear weapons ... in the hearts of our suicide bombers." And, he says, — "Israel must be wiped off the face of the Earth, but so far practical steps have not been taken. Our garrison must ... materialize this objective."
Not One Appointed By Bush
Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean has denounced last month's Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain as a product of "The president and his right-wing Supreme Court." In fact, not one of the justices on the Supreme Court was appointed by President Bush. And the most conservative justices — William Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas — dissented on that ruling.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dean, speaking to College Democrats, also accused Republicans of "bring[ing] a culture of corruption to Washington," saying, "they've sold our government to the highest bidder."
Parents Arrested, Children Taken
Two parents in Raleigh, North Carolina, were arrested and their children taken from them after someone tipped off authorities. The mother was charged with taking sexually explicit photographs, and the father was charged with sexually assaulting their newborn son. He was then imprisoned for six months. So, what exactly did they do?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Why, the father kissed his new baby's belly button and the mother caught it on film. Only after an expert recently told a court that the photos showed no criminal intent were the charges dropped. The parents have since been reunited with their children.
Watching Lance
Senator John Kerry is back in town, but while he was away, the Massachusetts Democrat, who has strongly criticized President Bush for failings of public diplomacy, skipped a confirmation hearing for Karen Hughes — nominated to become the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. So where was Kerry?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Why, he was near Paris, watching Lance Armstrong go after his seventh Tour-de-France victory.
Miller's Man Not Around
Meanwhile, the husband of New York Times reporter Judith Miller is not back in town. While she's in a Virginia prison for refusing to reveal a source to federal investigators, husband Jason Epstein — former editorial director for Random House — is reportedly somewhere in Spain — this after embarking on a Mediterranean cruise. Miller's lawyer tells the New York Daily News that Epstein was "very reluctant to go, but Judy ... insisted."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report