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You didn’t really think this DC Madam thing would end with Vitter did you? Via Teagan Goddard’s Political Wire:

Flynt Ready to Implicate Another Senator

Larry King interviewed Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt last night on how he linked Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) to an alleged prostitution ring. Flynt now says he’s got information linking another U.S. Senator to a sex scandal.

FLYNT: We’ve got good leads. We’ve got over 300 initially. And they’re down to about 30 now which is solid.

KING: When are you going to print?

FLYNT: Well, the last thing now is we don’t know if we want to let it to drip, drip, drip or we want to go with everything at once.

KING: You mean you might release 30 names at once?

FLYNT: A good possibility.

KING: Will we be — I don’t want to get into names yet. Will we be shocked?

FLYNT: Yes.

KING: Were you shocked?

FLYNT: I was shocked, especially at one senator but…

KING: One senator especially?

FLYNT: Yes.

Last month, Flynt offered a $1 million bounty to anyone who could provide proof of an illicit sexual encounter with a high-ranking government official.

Crooks and Liars has the video.

I’ll leave my guess in the comment section.

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Ed Koch Is Bailing Out

The former mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, has defended Bush’s Iraq war policy for as long as I can remember, but today he delivers this op-ed: I’m Done Defending the Iraq Policy

I’m bailing out.

I put that there just so it was clear that my title for this post wasn’t spin.  Koch rattles off a whole host of reasons why he’s had a change of heart, but I’ll skip to the part that really got my attention:

I believe we can be out of Iraq in a few months if we want to leave, departing by way of Turkey in the north and via Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan in the south and west. We should leave to the Iraqi army the supplies and materials they will need to protect themselves and take all else with us, after first arming the Kurds. Common decency requires that we take with us those Iraqi civilians who helped us and would be in danger when we left.

We should prepare for the battles that will take place on American soil by the Islamic forces of terror who are engaged in a war that will be waged by them against Western civilization for at least the next 30 years. They must be defeated for if, God forbid, they defeat us they will put us, the infidels, to the sword. They refer to Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and other Muslims they disagree with religiously as infidels.

I guess my warblogger pals would call this the “cut, run and pray” strategy.  Oh, and it would be nice if we’d just drop some weapons off on our way out (probably mid-stride) too.  I’m not quite sure what “put us to the sword” means.  It seems to imply that Osama has an army of millions waiting to invade and start forced conversions to Islam.  I’m not sure about that one, although a lot can change in 30 years I suppose.  It certainly doesn’t sound like a positive outcome.

I’m not sure if Mr. Koch has a lot of influence, but as more and more politicians “bail” on the Bush policy, the question on this withdrawal begins to lean towards “when” rather than “if”.  And after watching the Senate debate last night (I managed to make it to about 4AM), I couldn’t help but think that all they’re doing is prolonging the inevitable.  The writing is on the wall.   I have to agree with the warblogger crowd on one thing, and it’s that this scenario would leave us feeling humiliated and defeated, and al Qaeda feeling emboldened.  Whether that feeling is superficial or has tangible consequences is a matter of debate.  Consider the mounting evidence that our presence there is only making matters worse in the big picture, however, and it paints a picture of a bad choice being the best choice.

This is why I still believe that best way out of this is for the Iraqis to ask us to depart, either with a vote within their parliament or, as I stated a few posts down, from the general population.   If we’re going to leave, leaving this way has got to be more desirable, as it would address many of the concerns people would have about the morning after.  It certainly wouldn’t be perfect, but considering the other possibilities it appears to be the preferred way.  On top of that, it might just be the right thing to do. 

Dogs Against Vick

Just last week I highlighted a blog that was inspired by Mitt Romney’s alleged dog abuse, but now it’s probably time to start a new one based on the news regarding NFL star Michael Vick:  Falcons’ Vick indicted by grand jury in dogfighting probe

RICHMOND, Va. — NFL star Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback and three others were charged with competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.

The operation was named “Bad Newz Kennels,” according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va.

Dogfighting?  DOGFIGHTING!  My goodness.  Where are we, Afghanistan?  (the practice was actually banned under the Taliban, oddly enough).  Is this actually fun to watch?  I can’t imagine being able to stomach it, personally.  There are probably hundreds of things people can gamble and bet on that don’t involve killing man’s best friend. 

Disgusting.

EDIT: I removed the pic of the poor dog that was all cut up from fighting. I just didn’t want to look at it anymore.