On a Mission From God?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

The BBC is promoting its new documentary on peace in the Middle East by plugging a Palestinian official who claims President Bush said he invaded Iraq because God told him to. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath (search) tells the filmmakers that in a 2003 meeting, the president said, "God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan.’ And I did, and then God would tell me, ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq...’ And I did.'"

But White House Spokesman Scott McClellan (search) says he's been in meetings with the president and Arab leaders, and that Shaath's claim is absurd. And other officials who were present, and took notes, at the meetings, say the same thing.

Just the Facts

It's been two weeks since two Democratic Senatorial campaign committee staffers resigned for illegally accessing the personal credit report for Maryland lieutenant governor and possible Republican Senate candidate Michael Steele (search). Now, The New York Times has run it's first story on the subject, and this is what it says: "National Republicans, who face an uphill battle in their efforts to capture the open United States Senate seat in heavily Democratic Maryland next year, are trying to exploit potential legal problems that Democrats are now suddenly facing in that race."

As for New York's senior senator and DSCC chairman, Chuck Schumer (search), he's not mentioned until the 16th and final paragraph.

Dishing It Out, But Can He Take It?

Congressman Charlie Rangel (search) is now demanding an apology from Vice President Dick Cheney (search) after the New York Democrat picked a fight and Cheney fought back. Last month, Rangel claimed the vice president isn't "awake enough to know what's going on," saying, "I would like to believe he's sick rather than just mean and evil."

The vice president responded this week, saying, "Charlie is a lot older than I am, and it shows,” adding that Rangel must be "losing it, I guess." But now Rangel says the vice president "ought to be ashamed of himself" for his remarks and says he'll stop badmouthing Cheney "when he apologizes for attacking me as a senior citizen."

Berger's Bad News

More bad news for former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger (search), who was caught last year sneaking documents out of the National Archives building by stuffing them in his pants. The Clinton official was in court again yesterday, this time on reckless driving charges after being picked up doing 88 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Berger had begun his probation for document theft just two days before the reckless driving incident and appeared before the same federal magistrate who sentenced him in that case. Judge Deborah Robinson admonished Berger for the offense, saying further punishment may be necessary.

— FOX News' Aaron Bruns contributed to this report