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ThinkFast AM: June 29, 2006

President Bush again smeared opponents of the Iraq war last night, accusing them of “waving the white flag of surrender.” Bush counselor Dan Bartlett was asked last week to name a single person “waving the white flag” — he couldn’t do it.

“The Pentagon is revising a document that calls homosexuality a mental disorder, officials said Wednesday. Lawmakers, medical professionals and others had pressed for the change.”

94: The percentage of Americans who strongly (77%) or somewhat (17%) agree that global warming “is becoming a major threat to our country and the world.”

A class action suit is being filed against a new Medicaid law requiring 53 million recipients to prove their citizenship. “[M]any Americans — — including numerous Southern blacks denied access to hospital maternity wards during segregation days” — — won’t be able to provide the necessary papers.

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Romania will withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of the year. “The announcement regarding Romania’s 890 troops follows a similar move by Italy, while Japan began withdrawing its troops from the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq last week.”

Rep. Richard Pombo’s (R-CA) bill to open natural gas drilling off the coasts — expected to pass the House today — may make it easier to drill in the Rockies and “let oil companies run roughshod over our environment.”

A Veterans Affairs employee is being unfairly scapegoated for the loss of 26.5 million veterans’ personal data that was stolen from his home. The department originally reported that the employee was not authorized to take home the data, but new documents show that he was.

Employers across the country are scaling back health care benefits for retirees by tightening eligibility requirements or canceling coverage completely.

The Big 3 American automakers pledged yesterday to double production of “flex fuel” vehicles that can run on ethanol. Meanwhile, Japan plans to require “that all vehicles on the road” be flex fuel by 2030. Said one official, “Adopting the new technology is not that difficult.”

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“Just months after a new standard took effect to limit levels of arsenic in drinking water, Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-ID) will introduce a measure today to suspend enforcement of the rule for small water systems, including more than 100 in California.”

And finally: Former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) led an auction of a “sheared beaver vest” at a recent Safari Club International Washington Metro Chapter dinner. DeLay reportedly “had folks rolling out of their chairs”¦with a double-entendre-laden montage of … beaver jokes.” “Who wants a beaver?” DeLay riffed. “The best thing about it, it’s a shaved beaver!” “Best 1,400 bucks I ever spent,” said Rob Smith, the beaver vest’s proud new owner.

What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.