Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed while giving a speech tonight to the Federalist Society in a DC hotel. According to an anonymous FBI official that spoke to the AP “Mukasey got stuck on a word during his speech …repeated it several times and then ‘went down hard’”. Mukasey’s FBI detail attended to him for 10 minutes before an ambulance arrived to transport him to George Washington University Hospital. The 67 year old Mukasey was reportedly conscious for at least part of the ambulance ride. 
More information as it is released.
Update: Mukasey …

In roughly descending order of general imbecility, there’s stupid, there’s Teh Stoopid, and there’s Daniel Henninger:
This year we celebrate the desacralized “holidays” amid what is for many unprecedented economic ruin — fortunes halved, jobs lost, homes foreclosed. People wonder, What happened? One man’s theory: A nation whose people can’t say “Merry Christmas” is a nation capable of ruining its own economy.
Yes, you are reading that right: Henninger’s theory is that the entire financial meltdown is the result of the War on Christmas — you know, the fake phoney-baloney ginned-up outrage …

There could be a reason other than the universal disapproval of his administration that George W. Bush is not shaking (or being asked to shake) the hands of the other world leaders at the G20 summit. But I’m hard pressed to come up with a logical one. As CNN’s Rick Sanchez says, Bush looks like “the most unpopular kid in high school that nobody liked”. 
Video of the walk of shame (not that kind): 

I missed this tidbit about the 2008 elections, but it’s pretty cool:
The presidential election was not the only historic political moment last week: In New Hampshire, voters elected 13 women — out of 24 total members — to the state Senate, making it the country’s first state legislative body with more women than men.
That is pretty awesome, and shows some real movement on the part of the country-or at least for New Hampshire, since nationwide legislative bodies are still only about 25% female.  Building up equal or near-equal racial and …

By a vote of 137 to 122, the House Democratic Conference elected Henry Waxman the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, replacing John Dingell.  This is great news.  Dingell, from Detroit, is a good friend to the automakers.  He’s spent his chairmanship mostly trying to prevent any significant energy or climate change legislation to pass.  Waxman, the author of the Safe Climate Act, on the other hand, is fairly liberal and progressive and wants to move forward on strong climate change legislation.
This is great news.  Anyone who’s been …

“Ultravention” by Mrrranda Tarrow
Slow Wave has a fantastic concept behind it. Readers from around the world submit their dreams (the sort had while sleeping, not aspirations) and artist Jesse Reklaw creates a comic based on that information. The “by” part indicates who the dream submitter was. 

Between her etsy shop and her personal blog, you can get an idea of the breadth of Ms. Havens’ figure drawing. From teaching classes, she has numerous original pieces that run the gamut from inexpensive to indulgent, but she also sells affordable prints. Additionally, from now until November 21st, buy a print as a gift and get a second for yourself.

its not about you, print for $15

And the appointments keep rolling in. Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano (a top pick for many during the veepstakes) has been tapped to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. As Politico mentions, border security and illegal immigration are two aspects of the new position that Napolitano has experience in, having taken on those who promote illegal immigration (rather than the immigrants themselves) in her state. 
Nate Silver frames the appointment in terms of loss. Napolitano was expected to run for Senate in 2010 and would run a strong campaign against …

Word is out that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will be serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services and “health czar” with the Obama Administration. This is very big news not because of Daschle’s own proposed policies on health-care reform but because he is essentially being brought in as an enforcer. In order for any kind of health-care package to succeed, it has to get votes and make it successfully through the Senate. Daschle is fluent in the intricacies of the Senate (and House) and can help steer …