Turns out John Kerry was misquoted regarding the alleged support he say he has from foreign leaders. But it wasn’t substantive. Unfortunately, it points up Kerry’s tendency to overplay his hand. If he would concentrate on being more presidential, he’d come off looking good next to Deceitful Dubya.

Former Ladies Home Journal Editor tries to pressure women’s magazines. Myrna Blyth is author of “Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America.” Stick to gardening, Myrna.

“[T]he line between news and spin is vanishing.”

Now that Spain will probably desert the Iraqi “coalition,” President Bush is calling on the few partners left there to stand firm. Although the Netherlands is officially part of that coalition, a Dutch reporter reminded the President of the level of opposition among Dutch citizens.

“I would remind the Dutch citizens that al-Qaida has an interest in Iraq for a reason,” Bush said, “and that interest is they realize this is a front in the war on terror and they fear the spread of freedom and democracy in places like the greater Middle East.”

Yes, Dubya, and you gave them that reason. Iraq wasn’t “a front” before you attacked, so if anyone can be blamed for opening new fronts to terrorists, it’s you.

I’ve criticized The Post for often playing suicide bombings in the Middle East on the front page, while the murder of Palestinians by Israeli forces is relegated to the inside pages. To be fair, yesterday The Post did not put the latest Palestinian bombings on A1, but it did have a picture there to refer readers to the story inside.

Let’s see how The Post plays the Israeli cabinet’s decision today to increase targeted killings in retaliation. Already, there are reports that Israeli helicopters destroyed an apartment building in the Gaza City.

Impact on Property Taxes
The Senate has analyzed the impacts the House and Senate budget plans could have on local property taxes. The analysis is here.

Budget Blah, Blah, Blahs
We’ll know soon whether we have a budget or a deadlock. There’s a $3.5 billion gap between the House and Senate versions. But the Senate complains about the House budget, “What we can’t identify … is where the money has come from,” said Sen. John Chichester (R-Stafford) and lead Senate negotiator, who said the House budget is out of balance. For public education, compromises were tiny: The House offered an additional $33 million. The Senate reduced its offer by about $84 million.

Meanwhile, they play games. Del. Vince Callahan whined about the Senate conferees’ punctuality. “They never show up on time. They’re always late, or don’t show up at all. It’s classic.”

But here’s the rub:

“We are back without pay,” noted Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, who cancelled a scheduled vacation this week to drive back to Richmond only to sit and wait for budget conferees to act. The legislators are not receiving their $115 per diem pay during the three-day extended session that ends tonight at midnight.
The Lynchburg Republican said it might be time for the General Assembly to adjourn tonight, then call itself back into special session and allow most legislators to go home “to get called back when there is white smoke” of the type used to signify either election of a new pope or agreement on a state budget.

The Hampton Roads Daily Press thinks we’re smarter: “But even with all this, there’s room for joy. Virginians are more informed as a result of the current mess. Bit by bit, they are beginning to understand the tradeoffs, the consequences, the outcomes of actions and inactions.”

Do you think that’s true?

Another Daily Press editorial outlines school benefits of the Senate budget.

A fair criticism coming from the conservative press is that most politicians, especially progressives, avoid serious discussions about taxes and priorities during their election campaigns.

An observation: Newspapers around the state – the Daily Press, Virginian Pilot, Roanoke Times, Richmond Times-Dispatch, among them – do a much better job of editorializing on state budget priorities than does The Washington Post. The Northern Virginia Journal is better at it, but it’s hard to get a copy delivered to your home.

Here, Here…
… to the Winchester Star for pointing out hypocrisy on this side and that side of the tax debate.

Is This Anyway to Run a Railroad?
Michael Hardy And Jeff E. Schapiro again have an insightful piece on the budget debate, suggesting as we did earlier, that Del. Bill Howell’s job as Speaker may be in jeopardy. The reporters postulate that the Dems will gain business support as a result of the GOP’s failure of leadership. I’m not convinced but stranger things are happening in Richmond.

The Dept. of Homeland Security (has kind of a Ruskie ring to it, doesn’t it?) is Johnny on the spot. It issued a terrorist alert today, in light of the bombing in Spain yesterday. Wonder how many of those exempt-from-union-rules geniuses it took to figure we needed that warning?