The Ana Log: Oct. 9, 2006

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

DON'T DIPLOMATIZE AND DIAL

A new Bob Woodward book claims that Dick Cheney, desperate to help find WMD in 2003, had his office call weapons inspector David Kay at 3 a.m. with advice on where to look. I used to make calls at 3 a.m., so I can imagine what Cheney might have said if he'd been on the line himself: "Just this once, Dave. I promise this time it'll be different. I'm a different person ... I have maps."

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN? Florida Congressman Mark Foley resigns after the emergence of inappropriate e-mails and instant messages to teenage House pages. The media engage in rounds of oh-no-we-can't-watch-but-we-must-watch. Most feel bad for his young targets--except journos with new books out, who, pushed from the spotlight, just feel bad for themselves.

BETWEEN SOFT ROCK AND A HARD PLACE A House inquiry turns up dozens of previously unreported contacts between super-disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Bush staff members. It's bad enough they knew the guy, but he got one assistant tickets to see Yanni. Aging rockers Josh Bolten and Tony Snow are extra embarrassed.

O.K., WE'RE JUST GOING TO RENAME IT "THE ALLEN LOG" Senator George Allen continues to sink deeper into the macaca. The Sons of Confederate Veterans claim they're offended by one of his many apologies, in which he said the Confederate flag (once on display in his home) was "an emblem of hate." If you're keeping score (we are), Allen has now alienated South Asians, Jews, blacks and fans of the Confederacy. Talk about whittling away at your base.