360 Degrees of Anderson Cooper: What will he feel next? by me, at Slate.

Pic: Anderson Cooper Home Page

People In The News

Vice-President Dick Cheney was hospitalized in Washington early Monday after suffering shortness of breath, the White House said. Doctors released him after his lungs responded to routine torture.

12 Days Of A.H.O.Y.

The Polls Are Closed.
All That Remains Is To Count Down The 40 Biggest Assholes.
It Begins With An Indicted Politician.
It Will End With
YOUR 2005 ASSHOLE OF THE YEAR
"This is going to be the best A.H.O.Y. ever!"

12 DAYS • 1 BIGGEST ASSHOLE
THE NEW A.H.O.Y. ERA BEGINS
JANUARY 16

Miers Withdrawn As A.H.O.Y. Nominee

The Bush administration withdrew the Asshole Of the Year (A.H.O.Y.) nomination of White House Counsel Harriet Miers yesterday, bowing to intensifying attacks from right-leaning activists challenging the depth of her asshole credentials and the strength of her asshole qualifications.

The decision was sealed in a phone call between Miers and President Bush on Thursday night, and it abruptly reopened the search for a successor to the pivotal seat held by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Bush said he will name a new candidate in a "timely manner," but observers question whether the White House can accomplish that before tomorrow's's voting deadline.

Cast your ballot before the polls close Sunday night.

Asshole of the Year voting ends Sunday! Drop everything and vote! Right this minute!

THE NEWS EXPLAINED WITH COMIC BOOK COVERS

Media Forced To Explain Inaccurate Reports On Tragedy

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Bush, GOP Politicians Dump Donations From Abramoff

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Bush Says He Does Not Live In A Bubble

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US Defense Lobby Blocks Ban On Human Trafficking

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Nick Lachey New Year's Eve Minus Jessica Simpson

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Most of these covers are from the essential Grand Comic Book Database. I explain the news with comic book covers just about every week, here and at The Pulse.

Creep Throat

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention was arrested on a lewdness charge for propositioning a plainclothes policeman outside a hotel, police said.

Lonnie Latham, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church, was booked into Oklahoma County Jail Tuesday night on a misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness, police Capt. Jeffrey Becker said. Latham was released on $500 bail Wednesday afternoon.

Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex. Latham was arrested and his 2005 Mercedes automobile was impounded, Becker said.

Calls to Latham at his church were not immediately returned Wednesday.

Tulsa Pastor Arrested In OKC On Lewdness Charge
ChannelOklahoma.com

[Via AMERICAblog]

'Unbelievable!'

I happened to be recording Fox News last night--don't ask--and accidentally caught this rock of pure, uncut Geraldo. I know, every news outlet got the mining disaster wrong, but it's fun to read along as a pioneer of modern journo-porn decides to believe with all his heart something unproven. The CAPS are because he's SHOUTING.

Donna Fiducia: This is a Fox News Alert. I'm Donna Fiducia in New York. We're gonna go right to the Sago Mine in West Virgina, where Geraldo Rivera is joining us live on the phone with the latest. Geraldo, what do you have?

Geraldo: OH! THERE IS INCREDIBLE JOY THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY! THEY'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING! THAT EVERYONE (unintelligible) HAVE BEEN FOUND ALIVE! THE MINERS ARE ALIVE! THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING! WE GOT HERE AND ALL WE SAW WERE JOYOUS FACES! EVERYONE IS SAYING THAT THEY HAVE FOUND THE MINERS ALIVE! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE!

Fiducia: Geraldo, who told you this? Did you hear this from family members --

Geraldo: EVERYONE! EVERYONE! ALL OF THE MINERS' FAMILIES! EVERYONE! THERE IS JOY SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE PLACE! THERE'S (unintelligible) HEAR IT IN THE BACKGROUND, DONNA! THIS IS REAL! THEY ARE TELLING THE FAMILIES THAT ALL 12 OF THE OTHER MINERS HAVE BEEN FOUND ALIVE! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE!

Fiducia: Truly a New Year's miracle, definitely, Geraldo. This is something we didn't even expect--

Geraldo: IT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE MIRACLE! THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE! I MEAN, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE!

I love it when Fiducia asks Geraldo for his source, and he says "EVERYONE!"

This Sucks

People In The News

(REUTERS) Former U.S. President Gerald Ford (2nd R) hugs his wife Betty (L) after pleading innocent to charges that he robbed two people with a gun in an alley behind a bar in Columbus Sunday. Ford was released on $50,000 bond.