Does Obama have higher negatives among Democrats than Hillary? That’s what a new poll seems to say.

Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) says that the tactics the FBI are using against fellow Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) are “a bit Gestapo-like”.

Here’s the not completely coherent statement The Politico got from the senator …

“I think some people say, ‘Ah, but for the grace of God go I.’ Especially when you have the allegatiatons, you have the judicial segment of our government, the executive branch, out raiding the homes of senators, that is a very frightening propostion. It is a bit Gestapo-like in its style and tactics … When the FBI was offered a key and invited into the home, they chose publicize it to make sure the media was there first, and they broke in. That is gamesmanship. That makes senators very, very angry when they attempt to cooperate when for reason they are caught in these webs and yet they are denied that for the sake of the jduciary’s publicity. That is wrong.’’

Ahhh, there but for the grace of God goes my house renovated by fatcat CEOs who’ve now pled guilty to bribing my son and other pols …

Just back from his chat with President Bush, Neal Boortz explains how Democrats are “praying” for America’s defeat.

Just out from Roll Call (sub.req.) …

Capitol Police officials have stepped up the department’s security presence on Capitol Hill in response to intelligence indicating the increased possibility of an al-Qaida terrorist attack on Congress sometime between now and Sept. 11.

The August-to-Sept. 11 time frame was confirmed by a Capitol Police source who said Congressional security officials were recently made aware of the potential threat by federal anti-terrorism authorities. The Capitol Police department has a liaison from the Homeland Security Department working in its Capitol Hill command center.

On Thursday afternoon, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer, who currently serves as chairman of the Capitol Police Board, acknowledged the noticeable increase in Capitol Police presence on the Hill but declined to discuss any specific threat or dates.

Dem Minnesota Senate candidates Al Franken and Mike Ciresi suspend campaign activity in wake of bridge collapse — while the RNC continues on with its Minneapolis summer meeting. That and other political news of the day in today’s Election Central Happy Hour Roundup.

Our intrepid TPMtv video crew lands in Chicago to greet the Orange Satan and talks with McJoan (aka Joan McCarter) of Daily Kos …

So, if the new regulations Mayor Bloomberg wants go through, we’ll have to get a permit to take our little TPMtv video camera out in front of our office to shoot the intro to one of our shows. I guess we’ll have to be in-door only from now on. It sounds silly and like it’s a joke but it’s not. We’d have to get one just like Spielberg if he showed up filming Godzilla 9.

Here’s a site where you can find out more and sign a petition to help to stop this silliness.

According to the Post, the reason for the administration’s feverish effort to get legislation to expand its surveillance powers under FISA is that earlier this year a FISA Court judge declared a key portion of the administration’s program illegal. The ruling of course was secret. And it seems that until now the White House had kept this information hidden from Congress.

So why are we finding this out now? Well, that’s another interesting story. Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) went on Fox News Tuesday night and discussed the whole thing. But the very existence of the ruling is highly classified. So it seems he publicly revealed highly classified information.

Needless to say, his flack disagrees: claims that Boehner leaked classified secrets on Fox News are “just plain wrong and distracts from the critical task at hand — fixing FISA to close the serious intelligence gaps that are jeopardizing our national security.”

The director of national intelligence makes a counter offer to the Democrats for legislation on the wiretapping program.

A new poll finds that the race for Iowa is a three-way dead heat among the top Dem contenders. That and other political news of the day in today’s Election Central Morning Roundup.