I'll take Maya over Herb Kohl or Sam Brownback anyday of the week

So after all this time since Hurricane Katrina transformed the Gulf Coast into the nation's new largest trailer park, Bush apologizes. Sort of. Takes responsibility. Sort of. And we're all supposed to say, "ahhh - I feel much better." While at the same time incidents of previously unimagined fubar tragedies surface. Like that nursing home full of drowned invalids and FEMA still gettin' a good beat down by the good folks in Louisiana a full two weeks after a diaster. The Bushies are scared shitless that this whole BrownieGate landslide will just keep rollin' into the Fall. While the Dems scamper around waiting for scraps of ideology to fight coming from the iron-willed, unattainably-snarky-smartlawyerness of John Roberts' hearings. Nothing will come from that puppy - too well-schooled and programmed since his Freshman year in rapidly ascending Conservative lawyerdom. And out here in Cullyforneeya, Arnold's screwed. Vetoing a gay marriage bill? So now I think he's trying to self-destruct to get out of his contract to make this picture work in 2006. Nobody can be that obviously wrong when you look at your constituencies and expect to come back for another term. He's just waiting for the big fight scene with the Legislature when he can get back to the script and bloody up the joint. Time's like this for this political junkie make me glad I've got a brilliantly adaptive monster in the form of a 6-month-old daughter to make me reach for the mute button.

Maya's kickin' major ass - two teeth in full sight, a not-so-enthusiastic appreciation for peas but a hankering for as much apple goop as she can get thrown her way, a mobility that's quickly headed from sitting to scooting toward any coffeetable or phone cord within the realm of possibility. Every day's a new set of accomplishments, often repeated with vigor to the point of irritation. Maya easily handled the last few weeks of being in Seattle then the broadly-boring hinterlands of Chicagoland. But here she seems to fall much more happily into a schedule. Loves the Park. Talks almost constantly. And she makes this face where she krinkles up her nose and breathes through her two front lower toothy nubs. Hilarious. I'll try to capture a shot of it later in the day.

Biden's questioning Roberts now, trying to talk all folksy with him. And Roberts is not letting the debate veer in any way away from his lawyerly persona. Gonna be a long day there. Hope yours is less staged-managed. Rock on.