The Chron reports that if Nick Lampson fends off the Republican hordes in November and remains in Congress, he'll get the chairmanship of the NASA's oversight subcommittee. That is some serious help from way high up in the Democratic House leadership, and very early in the game to be getting it.

This report from the New York Times shows that job terminations were not as high as forecast in April. This combined with the news earlier this week that the economy grew a teensy little bit in the first quarter means... what, exactly? I am convinced the economy is bad from what I see with my own eyes, so are these disparate outliers that act as exceptions to the generally accepted idea that thing are tough all over? What do you think?

We had some technical difficulties today, and it is also extremely possible that we spent all day goofing off and having fun out of the office. Back with you tomorrow.

There was an audible groan throughout Texas on the news that Governor Rick Perry had appointed a toll road pro and former staffers to the Texas transportation Commission, but friend of the show State Senator Kirk Watson is feeling philosophical about the whole thing. His comments on the matter are here at the Austin Chronicle.

From our pals at TPM Election Central comes a potentially useful new website: McCain Source, with an eye turned toward media coverage of John McCain and an effort towards keeping it honest.

I'm just totally speechless. If it isn't Dana Perino refitting history for better PR, it's Bill O'Reilly denying a basic concept like 'just a little while ago.' Both via ThinkProgress.

The never-ending parade of the comically weak Republican presidential candidate field ('08!) continues. Really, if one of them hadn't been so quick to give up we could have a four-way race going on.

...Another One Resigns from an Appointed Position in the Bush Administration Amid Scandal.

John McCain wants to get some free marker into your health care, and he hasn't even bothered to come up with his own plan - he's just going to recycle President Bush's. This is truly an example of maximizing efficiency.

P.S. What did I just say?

So General Motors lost $3.3 billion in the the first three months of 2008. Chrysler lost something like $6.5 billion.