ThinkFast: February 11, 2009

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he was ordering a review of the ban on media photographs of flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers returning to Dover Air Force base. “[T]he more honor we can accord these fallen heroes, the better,” Gates said yesterday. “I think that looking at it again makes all kinds of sense,” he said, adding that he was “pretty open to whatever the results of this review may be.”

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said yesterday that he is “definitely running for reelection in 2010 and has begun using criticism of the $838 billion federal economic stimulus plan as a platform to raise money.” “The economic challenges currently confronting our nation are immense and unfortunately, the Democrats in Congress propose addressing these challenges through increased spending,” McCain wrote in an e-mail to supporters.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) is facing criticism after disclosing sensitive information on Twitter about his delegation’s recent trip to Iraq. The Pentagon is now “reviewing its communications with lawmakers traveling to war zones following a senior member’s disclosures about a delegation trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.”

U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who prosecuted Scooter Libby and brought charges against Rod Blagojevich, “will be staying in his job in the Obama administration, even though he was appointed to the position by President George W. Bush.” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) recommended that Attorney General Eric Holder keep Fitzgerald.

Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-UT) backs a proposal that would give same-sex couples the right to civil unions in the state. “Huntsman is the most popular governor in state history and is increasingly speaking out on moderate issues such as global warming that make many conservatives in the state cringe. For Huntsman, there is little political risk because he has pledged not to seek a third term.”

Israel’s centrist Kadima Party, led by Tzipi Livni, and the right-wing Likud Party, led by Bibi Netanyahu, are still “locked in a tight battle for leadership on Wednesday,” which leaves “unclear the shape of the next Israeli government.” President Shimon Peres must decide whether to call on Livni or Netanyahu to form a government.

Yesterday in a closed-door meeting with Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced that lawmakers would be forgoing their annual pay raises for the coming year. The decision is expected to extend to senators as well.

“House Democrats voted down an attempt on Tuesday to remove Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee during a continuing ethics investigation.” The House ethics committee also voted to reauthorize a bipartisan subcommittee to investigate Rangel’s failure to pay some of his taxes and his use of four rent-controlled apartments in Harlem, including one for a campaign office.

Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg has resigned, under “intense pressure” in the Troopergate scandal. State legislators were angry at his attempt to “quash legislative subpoenas” in last year’s investigation into whether Gov. Sarah Palin (R) abused her power by pressing for the firing of her former brother-in-law, an Alaska state trooper.

And finally: Yesterday, legendary country music singer Dolly Parton had the “usually sedate crowd” at the National Press Club “cracking up with her self-deprecating humor and one-liners, including a few on politics.” Parton, who was in town for her role as an ambassador for Great Smoky Mountains National Park said, “Somebody said to me, ‘Well, you know what — you’ve got such a big mouth and you know how to talk to people, did you ever think about running for president?’ … I said, ‘I think we’ve had enough boobs in the White House, but hopefully [President] Obama ain’t gonna be one of them.’”