Senators Do It All Night Long

It’s coming tonight — grab your Pepsi Max and your PJs, Sen. Reid forces the GOP to carry out their filibuster threat. Plus: Hooker-loving Congressman weeps crocodile tears...New technology lets you cool down your office building with a block of ice and a fan...Wal-Mart wants to sell you to play with Jesus...Joint Chiefs didn’t get the memo, say they might be sending even more troops to Iraq...that’s not a bomb, it’s Uncle Morty’s cremains...and the head of one Rhode Island University can’t understand why he shouldn’t use the N Word in board meetings. It’s Tuesday, July 17th and it’s a hot one. This thing is so on, baby.

Celebration Excuse

Wives galore for Mormons, Congress starts killing trees for money, and the U.S. government says “Sayonara” to John Lennon. It’s July 16, and we still haven’t recovered from the Bastille Day shenanigans.

1831
Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, receives a “vision” in Jackson County, Missouri, telling him that polygamy is A-O.K.

1850
The Observatory at Harvard takes the first photograph of a star, Vega.

1861
Dolla-dolla bills, ya’ll. Congress authorizes paper money.

1879
Aloha! The first railroad opens in Hawaii.

1955
Disneyland televises its grand opening in Anaheim, California.

1974
Harsh, man. John Lennon is ordered to leave the U.S. within 60 days.

1986
Because we just can’t help ourselves; Susan Lucci loses for the 7th time at the 13th Annual Daytime Emmy awards.

1996
The Paris-bound TWA Flight 800 explodes off the coast of Long Island, New York, killing all 230 passengers.

Your birthday? Of course we remembered!

1917: Legendary comedienne Phyllis Diller

1928: American composer of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” fame, Vince Gauralidi

1952: The man, the myth, the legend; David Hasselhoff

1954: Girl Power! German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Daybook

POTUS

President Bush attends a medal-giving ceremony for agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug

POTUS then meets with UN Sec. Gen Ban Ki-Moon in the Oval Office.

PEOPLE

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez talks free trade at the Washington International Trade Association

Sec. of State Condi Rice still in the Middle East, Africa, Europe to do the diplomacy thing

STUMPIN’

Georgia: Special House run-off election for the 10th district (it’s for the replacement for Rep. Charlie Norwood)

Elizabeth Edwards, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton speak to the Planned Parenthood Public Affairs Retreat

ON THE HILL

Senate

10am

Senate Judiciary Committee: Hearing on the prosecution of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, former Border Patrol agents doing time for shooting a drug dealer fleeing across the U.S./Mexican border in 2005

10am

Foreign Relations Subcom: Hearing on democratic developments in Sub Sahara Africa.

2:30pm

Health Committee hearing on what to do about the Alzheimer’s epidemic. Watch For: Director of the CDC Julie Gerberding

House

9:30am

Energy and Commerce Committee: Hearing on whether the FDA can assure the safety of our food supply.

10am

Budget Committee: Hearing on “Budgeting to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.” Watch For: HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt

10:30am

Foreign Affairs Committee: Hearing on “U.S. Policy Options In The Iraq Crisis.”

WATCH MORE TV

During The Day

The Oprah: “Confronting the Attacker”

The View: Kristen Chenoweth

Regis & Kelly: John Travolta

Ellen: (Repeat) Beyonce

Stay Up Late

Stewart: Christopher Walken

Colbert: John Mellencamp

Letterman: Adam Sandler

Leno: Holly Hunter; Phyllis Diller

Conan: Jessica Biel

Kimmel: Brian Williams; model Petra Nemcova

Ferguson: Carl Reiner

 

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Eavesdrop

STEAL THIS AUDIO: Roosevelt Institution 2007 Policy Expo

Who: Zach Marks, sophomore at Yale University, and Education Policy Coordinator for the Roosevelt Institution, the nation’s first student think-tank.

What: Zach spoke with students from around the country at Roosevelt’s 2007 Policy Expo in Washington D.C. about socioeconomic diversity in higher education. Mic Check was there.

Why you should care: As Zach explains, socioeconomic diversity on college and university campuses benefits everyone; the educational experience is more enriching for all students, and the U.S. economy gets a when everyone gets a fair shot at college.

  • Zach offers some alarming stats about the lack of socioeconomic diversity on college and university campuses across the country. [Audio, :28]
  • Zach explains one of the many benefits of socioeconomic diversity; a more enriching educational experience. [Audio, :14]
  • And it doesn’t just benefit the students; socioeconomic diversity in higher education is seriously important for the America’s economic prosperity. [Audio, :17]
  • Our educational system doesn’t adequately prepare all students to apply and succeed, Zach explains. [Audio, :21]
  • These are big-time challenges, Zach admits, but when if students make it their priority they can make a real difference. [Audio, :14]

Popularity Contest

They’re toned and tanned for swimsuit season. And they’re all dating lifeguards.

NYT: The Energy Challenge: Solar Power Wins Enthusiasts but Not Money

WP: How Bush Uses His Generals

USAT: Pentagon balked at pleas from officers in field for safer vehicles

LAT: Clarkson was despondent, friend testifies at Spector trial

CBS: Ecuadorian Twins Reunited After 15 Years

ABC: Eastern Michigan University Stays Quiet About Student’s Rape and Murder for Weeks

MSNBC:Pilot forgets to lower landing gear

CNN: Armed man killed outside Colorado governor’s office

FOX: Woman Dies Doing Handstand on Balcony

Masthead

Questions? Comments? Send us e-mail.

Mic Check is produced every weekday by Christy Harvey, Sara Langhinrichs and Nicole Murphy, and is a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Read more about Mic Check.

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