Slate's Bizbox
the zeitgeist checklist: What Washington is talking about.

Zeitgeist ChecklistWhat Washington is talking about this week.

By Dana Milbank
Posted Saturday, July 29, 2006, at 1:23 AM ET

1. Last Week: 1 Weeks on List: 3 UP arrow

War in Lebanon
Middle East. Hundreds are dead in Lebanon and Israel as fighting enters third week. Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki proves he's no puppet by backing Hezbollah. Already alone in the world, the United States and Israel increase their isolation when Israeli airstrike kills four U.N. observers and Annan calls it deliberate.

2. Last Week: 3 Weeks on List: 5 UP arrow

War in Iraq
Iraq. A somber Bush, calling the situation "terrible," proposes more troops for Baghdad after request from Maliki while on a Washington visit; the PM is overshadowed by release of book on Iraq, Fiasco, by the Washington Post's Tom Ricks. Schumer boycott fails to halt Maliki speech to joint session of Congress. Dog days for Bush? Cindy Sheehan group buys land in Crawford, Texas.

3. Weeks on List: New UP arrow

War in Gaza
Middle East II.  Hamas, already fighting Israel in the south when Hezbollah attacked in the north, pushes its way back into the Zeitgeist. Dozens dead. Al-Qaida's Zawahiri, whose cave must have a recording studio, weighs in with a new video about the "Zionist-Crusader war."

4. Last Week: 3 Weeks on List: 2 Flat arrow

War in Rome
Diplomacy. Rice flies to Kuala Lumpur and plays Brahms on piano for Southeast Asian leaders. But the secretary of state bombs in Rome, where U.S. resistance kills international effort to negotiate a cease-fire. The ivory tickler says it wouldn't be "sustainable."

5. Last Week: 9 Weeks on List: 2 UP arrow

War in Charlie Palmer's
Republicans. Maryland Republican Senate candidate Michael Steele sets off a political whodunnit when he has lunch with reporters and, speaking anonymously, disses Bush and GOP over Iraq and Hurricane Katrina. Under pressure for calling Republican "R" a "scarlet letter," he later outs himself.

6. New this week UP arrow

War in Geneva
Trade. The five-year-old "Doha Round" of free-trade talks collapses in Geneva because of a hopeless divide over agricultural subsidies. The United States wants the EU, Japan, and India to cut tariffs; they want the United States to cut subsidies. The big loser, as always: poor nations.

7. New this week UP arrow

War(rior) From Pennsylvania
Homeland Security. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., introduces legislation giving Congress power to sue Bush for "signing statements" that reinterpret laws. But administration doesn't find Specter haunting: Civil libertarians say his proposed deal with White House over warrantless surveillance makes privacy safeguards worse, not better.

8. New this week UP arrow

War on Drugs
Sports. Floyd Landis wins the Tour de France, but his visit to the White House may be in jeopardy after a drug test finds he has too much testosterone. Bush, meantime, opens the executive mansion to American idol Taylor Hicks and nine runners up, who are suspected of dopiness but not doping.

9. New this week UP arrow

War on Wal-Mart
Labor. Chicago's City Council votes to hike minimum wage for big retailers to $10/hour—seen as a bid to block the first Wal-Mart set to open in the city, in September. The federal minimum wage remains at $5.15, but pre-election votes to raise it are coming despite GOP leadership opposition in Congress.

10. New this week UP arrow

War on Mustaches
Bolton. The temporary permanent representative to the United Nations returns to the Senate seeking a contract extension. A shower pipe bursts, pouring water on the proceedings. Bolton's diplomacy fails to make him more attractive to Democrats; maybe they want him to get a haircut and trim his mustache.

Print This ArticlePRINTDiscuss this in The FrayDISCUSSEmail to a FriendE-MAIL
Share on FacebookPost to MySpace!Share with MixxDigg ThisShare with RedditShare with del.icio.usShare with FurlShare with Ma.gnolia.comShare with SphereShare with Stumble Upon
Dana Milbank writes the Washington Post's Washington Sketch column.
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?
POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES
Washington Post
The Washington Post
OPINIONS
Topic A: Obama's Speech
| Pundits and diplomats respond.
Robinson: Sunshine in BerlinToles: Obama the UniterTelnaes: Meanwhile, McCain
PLUS » Stumped: Bring Back Bill Clinton