• “Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s blogger/daughter, Meghan McCain, had lunch with ‘The Hills’ star Heidi Montag yesterday.” Also, God will someday punish me for making it possible for Montag to think McCain is a fan of the show. [LAT] • “The city’s decision to deny protesters the ability to ‘encircle the arena, [...]

Nine-year-old Jacob Schroeder, a Scholastic Kids reporter, asked McCain today, “What qualities are you looking for in a vice presidential running mate?” McCain responded: “Someone exactly like you. Young, vigorous, talented.” Fun fact: If the average age of the ticket was the determining factor for eligibility, and not each individuals’, McCain-Schroeder would totally work. In [...]

A tipster reports that “Larry Craig just complained that other countries ‘have us by the gas nozzle.’” Said tipster notes it might not actually be a complaint.

1. The CIA may have started treating Al Qaeda detainees with torture techniques months before receiving (highly questionable and since retracted) legal approval from the Justice Department. Salon’s Mark Benjamin has this dispatch from today’s hearing on the House Judiciary Committee. “Did you offer legal approval of interrogation methods used at that time … prior [...]

I have a story in the new print edition of Time on the rich history of John McCain’s relationship with George W. Bush.

The wrap party for the upcoming Oliver Stone flick got kinda Abu Ghraib-y: Josh Brolin and Jeffrey Wright, who were arrested this past weekend at a Shreveport, La. bar, were pepper sprayed and tased by cops. And, we’re told, police went on a vulgar rant — and portions were caught on cell phone video. The [...]