FRIDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* President Obama shared some words of wisdom with the graduating class at the Naval Academy this afternoon. He also had shared a warm exchange with a graduate by the name of John McCain IV.
* A week from now, the administration is likely to send GM into bankruptcy.
* Good: “A federal appeals court on Friday agreed with the major elements of a 2006 landmark ruling that found the nation’s top tobacco companies guilty of racketeering and fraud for deceiving the public about the dangers of smoking. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington unanimously upheld requirements that manufacturers change the way they market cigarettes.”
* The Feds seized Florida’s BankUnited FSB late yesterday, which appears to represent the largest bank failure since the current crisis began.
* The war supplemental passed the Senate with minimal opposition.
* Roadblock Republicans are already blocking Judge David Hamilton’s appeals court nomination, and the process has barely started.
* Remember that NYT front-page article about one in seven Gitmo detainees “returning” to terrorism? It looked shaky yesterday; it looks worse now.
* Supreme Court interviews continue at the White House, and we may see a nominee next week.
* Speaker Pelosi held her weekly press conference this morning, but would not go beyond her previous comments regarding the CIA and Bush-era torture.
* The State Department intends to end the workplace discrimination against gay employees.
* The U.N. is seeking $543 million for Pakistan refugees.
* The California Supreme Court’s ruling on Prop. 8 will come down on Tuesday.
* Tom Ridge isn’t buying Cheney’s torture argument.
* Every time I see Lawrence O’Donnell on television, I like him more.
* There is something deeply wrong with right-wing talk-show host Mark Levin. Seriously.
* Joe Scarborough is contagious, and some of his oddities are rubbing off on Mika Brzezinski.
* And in San Angelo, Texas, which happens to be a very conservative area on issues like gays and immigration, four-term mayor J.W. Lown had a pretty fascinating revelation this week.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
