Changing horses in mid-stream? This is from the press release for an interview with Bob Woodward on 60 Minutes …

Veteran Washington reporter Bob Woodward tells Mike Wallace that the Bush administration has not told the truth regarding the level of violence, especially against U.S. troops, in Iraq. He also reveals key intelligence that predicts the insurgency will grow worse next year. Wallace’s interview with Woodward will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Oct. 1 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

According to Woodward, insurgent attacks against coalition troops occur, on average, every 15 minutes, a shocking fact the administration has kept secret. “It’s getting to the point now where there are eight, 900 attacks a week. That’s more than a hundred a day. That is four an hour attacking our forces,” says Woodward.

The situation is getting much worse, says Woodward, despite what the White House and the Pentagon are saying in public. “The truth is that the assessment by intelligence experts is that next year, 2007, is going to get worse and, in public, you have the president and you have the Pentagon [saying], ‘Oh, no, things are going to get better,’” he tells Wallace. “Now there’s public, and then there’s private. But what did they do with the private? They stamp it secret. No one is supposed to know,” says Woodward.

Just speaking for myself, I think it’s a little late in the day for Woodward to hop off the Bush bandwagon. But on the merits of what he’s saying it’s not a surprise. This is why it’s important to keep pressing for that NIE. The president and his advisors are lying through their teeth about what’s happening in Iraq and they’re covering up key information that voters should know. They’re preventing it from coming out before the November election.

Nancy Johnson (R-CT) calls 911?

The American Medical Association PAC just dropped a whopping $300,000 into Nancy Johnson embattled reelection campaign in Connecticut’s 5th District.

Habeas corpus amendment goes down to defeat in the senate. McCain, Graham and Warner each voted against.

First class justice? Or fly coach?

I’m not sure that’s the best metaphor, but it cuts to the heart of what strikes me as the most significant part of the bill that Republicans are jamming through the Senate today. As others have noted in more detail, this law allows the president to detain any US citizen in the United States and hold him or her without trial forever.

All the president needs to do is find that you are an ‘enemy combatant’. And it’s entirely his call.

There’s so much in this legislation that I know it’s hard to say what’s ‘most significant’. And I’m not trying to devalue the torture provision. But this point seems to cross the biggest divide. In essence, it means that the entire criminal justice system in this country becomes discretionary in the hands of the president.

You have the protection of the courts and due process. Until that gets too sticky, in which case the president can pull you out of the court system and detain you forever with no recourse to anything but the president’s mercy.

Basically, getting arrested, prosecuted and thrown in the slammer the old-fashioned way becomes a privilege that can simply be revoked. Like I said, first class justice, up in the comfy seats.

How did your member of the House vote yesterday on the torture bill?

Well, we have our answer.

At today’s press briefing, no reporter from the White House press corps asked Tony Snow why he lied yesterday about the length of time it takes for the Intelligence Community to prepare an NIE.

There was this exchange, however, on why there’s no particular rush.

Hotline poll press release …

Despite a slight increase in President Bush’s approval rating 42% among both registered and likely voters this month, likely voters are showing significantly more support for Democrats in September than they did in August. Last month among likely voters, Democrats and Republicans were tied at 40% in a generic Congressional ballot, while this month, Democrats hold a 13-point advantage over Republicans (46% – 33%). Among registered voters, Democrats’ advantage in the generic congressional ballot increased three points since August, at 43% – 33%, compared to 40% – 33% last month.

Now that’s a crusading DA!

Westchester DA and GOP candidate for AG, Jeanine Pirro, is demanding that Alberto Gonzales investigate the US Attorney who is investigating her plan to get Bernard Kerik to help her plant a bug on her husband’s boat to catch him in one of his alleged trysts.

“I am calling on U.S. attorney, Alberto Gonzalez, to begin an immediate investigation and appoint a special prosecutor to get Elliot Jacobson off his witch hunt. There needs to be a federal investigation of the felony of leaking sealed court documents.”

Santorum: Torture bill “purely politics.” At least that’s what he said in June.

US Chamber of Commerce field director for the Simmons (R-CT) campaign runs videos bashing universal health care with images of holocaust corpses.