The Ana Log

By Ana Marie Cox

Reporting from her Washington base camp, ANA MARIE COX dishes the dirt on D.C.

STUFF HAPPENS Republicans successfully block Senate Democrats from bringing to a vote a no-confidence resolution on Donald Rumsfeld. We understand. The Administration needs someone who can make Dick Cheney seem popular.

THE TIFFANY NETWORK Katie Couric settles her digitally slenderized posterior into the anchor chair warmed previously by gentle white men. The newscaster promptly strikes a blow for gender equality by conducting her all-grown-up softball mainstream-media interview with the President. You go, girl!

THE ONION PEELS RIGHT The Republican National Committee launches America Weakly, a conservative fake- news venture to compete with scads of liberal fake-news ventures. It appears to have imported a magic joke-writing John Birch robot from 1950 to produce most of the copy. Sample horoscope: "Beware of experiencing too much prosperity and wealth; it may result in more burden and commitment to Uncle Sam." Perhaps it's easier to skewer the Federal Government if you actually believe it should exist?

THONGS FOR THE MEMORIES ABC comes under fire for how much docu vs. drama is in its mini-series The Path to 9/11. The series posits, among other questionable assertions, that leading policy hands in the Clinton Administration did not prepare adequately for terrorist attacks because they were too distracted by Monica Lewinsky. Girl sure gets around ... Thank you! I'll be here all week!