Tragedy defined

Thanks alot BlackBerry! Because you suck and decided to f*** up royally yesterday, I missed out on the booty call/email of a lifetime!

Yesterday's lack of crack(berry) reminded me of a certain day during my time working on the Hill, when then-Minority Leader Harry Reid went Rule XXI on some bitches and called a secret session. During this Secret Senate Sesh, all the senators had to turn over their BlackBerries and lesser cell phones (seriously, you think some old fart like Senator Robert Byrd knows how use a 'berry?) due to the strict confidentiality rule. All the peeps in my office went crazy because they couldn't email the senator to find out what was up. Heaven forbid - they might not be able to tell him how to vote on something!

I seriously wish I could have been a fly on the wall at any given congressional office building yesterday.

Let the circus begin

The "Running for President Show" begins today as 5 presidental hopefuls get a go at grilling General Petraeus on Capitol Hill today. As a Senate intern, ALTR had the chance to view a similar display of senators going way over the time on the clock they were allowed and fits of shameless self-promotion during the confirmation hearings of Chief Justice nominee John Roberts (the hearings at which Senator Chuck Schumer now apparently regrets not being more obnoxious). My favorite for the day will undoubtedly be Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), one of the biggest goons in our Senate today.

Politico suggests that the Petraeus testimonies will be beneficial to Republican candidates, looking for lingo and points of reference in the ongoing struggle to support the war in 2008. In particular, they suggest the testimonies may be especially helpful to Senator John McCain, who will also get a chance to address General Petraeus as the hearings today. Also in news on the Petraeus testimony, WAFB reports that President Bush was pleased with what he heard from the general, including the suggestion that 30,000 troops be brought home before next summer.[WAFB] [Politico] [WAFB]