Support for Lott is firm
Key section:

"Sen. Lott's remarks were out of line,'' said Rep. Rob Portman, the Terrace Park Republican. "Nearly everyone acknowledges this, including Sen. Lott. -- While what he said was inappropriate, the senator has apologized and Congress should now move on and focus on its important work, including getting the economy on track and combating terrorism.''

I wonder what Rob is saying now?

Judge throws out Jorg defamation suit
Police are public figures? I assume then Postal workers and City garbage collectors are open for public ridicule as well? One might argue that Jorg himself is a public figure because of the media attention of his case, but his position as a police officer is not one that is open to slander and libel statements.

Read this article, then read this article. I guess a good and free press is not something Ohio excels in.

Supporting Cops???
What is Peter Bronson smoking? His column today: Don't shoot takes on the treat of police by the city. He thinks that council's rejection of the contract for supervisors is a lack of support for police? Peter, wake up and smell the Union! Peter, you and your right wing brethren hate unions. They make you vomit up your dividends. How could any GOPher possibly support a contract that ties the hands of management? Peter's own beloved George Bush held up the Homeland Security Bill because he did not want his hands tied by unions. Mr. Bronson let me reintroduce you to your old friend: HYPOCRISY.

Wells' A Grinch for the Republicans has a providential aura around it.

Whitehouse Claims to Have Helped "Heal" City's Racial Tensions
In today's White House press briefing, Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer touted George Bush's actions in the aftermath of the riots in Cincinnati. He claimed that the Bush administration played a role in helping the city heal the racial problems after the April 2001 riots. How exactly did they do this? Bush considers investigating the Police department as healing? Bush has done little to help the City of Cincinnati. If he thinks that giving a speech here in front of a partisan crowd is a way of "healing", then he has had one too many pretzels. Bush, or more likely Fleishcher, should not boast about doing nothing for a city he couldn't care less about. He has this region's votes locked up solid no matter what he does. He will just let those in power here rule as the despotic tyrants they like to be.

FOP isn't calling for cop slowdown
Is calling for a slowdown against the law? I would say it is at least a dereliction of duty. The FOP is playing a game, and specifically Fangman and Webster. They are using the rank and file officers as bait to get the city to violate issue 5 and give over a few senior positions to current internal police officers, when those jobs by city charter are open to a nationwide search. I find it odd they are willing to play chicken with the lives of Cincinnati residents. If police begin a slowdown criminal investigation should be considered, if nothing more than a RICO violation. If not a criminal case, a civil case from the citizens against the police union would be something I would support on this issue.