I dialed into the conference call yesterday held by “senior administration officials” to brief reporters on the “FISA modernization bill.” There were lots of long pauses and repeated phrases, but very little light shed on what the new law actually does and why it was necessary to grant the executive branch sweeping new power to eavesdrop …

Maybe presidential candidates aren’t morning people. Those sharp-eyed folks over at FactCheck.org uncovered some particularly sloppy assertions by the Republican contenders during last Sunday’s “This Week” debate in Des Moines:

The Republican presidential candidates debated – and sounded some more false notes:

* Former Massachusetts

…

The Republican pollster responds to some of the questions and observations our commenters had regarding yesterday’s post, which dealt with his survey of the GOP electorate. His most striking finding was that the party has made a dramatic shift to the right over the past decade, and taken a far stronger interest in social issues over …

Just a quick run through the RSS feed…

• Biden, McCain, Tommy Thompson and Obama all line up to sit with Stewart this month. Pop quiz: Who’s had more of the contenders on more often this cycle, Stewart or Russert? Whose interviews revealed more? [AP/WTOP]

• Among likely Iowa caucus-goers, 53% of Dems are “very satisfied” with …

****WARNING LABEL: To our many commenters who complain whenever we post anything on this blog about a poll, move along, folks, nothing to see here.****

I am stuck in the third circle of weather-related airline hell at O’Hare, which looks like a refugee camp this afternoon. As a result, I had to experience this morning’s GOP debate …

Because turnabout is fair play — the Rs come to Iowa, and Swampland follows. (GMA is actually playing in the filing center, now showing a segment about a swamp. I am taking this as a good omen.) Stay tuned.

8:02 AM George announces that the goal today is to get a “real debate” going. And in that spirit, he plays the controversial …

1:10 PM Introduction. I will summarize: Blogs are good. Bush is bad. (Starting to wonder if people know he’s not running this time.)

1:11 PM Matt Bai. “Not used to so much appreciation from the blogs.” Applause, laughter: “He’s right, we’re totally hysterical, insecure, finicky rage-aholics! Funny! Ha-ha!”

1:12 PM Applause for Gravel, …

Yesterday I was on a panel at the YearlyKos Convention in Chicago entitled “Blogs and the MSM: From Clash to Civilization”. Also on the panel were Glen Greenwald of Unclaimed Territory/Salon.com, Mike Allen of Politico and Jill Filipovic of Feministe. Ari Melber of The Nation and Huffington Post moderated the panel. I thought it was a …

12:11 PM They’ve been checking the mics for thirty minutes. Totally packed room and am personally in desperate need of Diet Coke. If you are here, and have Diet Coke, please find me.

12:12 PM Blog “grand poobah” Peter Daou announces that when HRC “found out about the mix-up” she “immediately told her staff: Rearrange my schedule, …