Party Celebrating New Embassy in Washington Turns Into Anti-American protest

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Bush Bashing

A party celebrating the new Swedish embassy in Washington turned into an anti-American protest Sunday. The lead singer of one of Sweden's most popular bands — Ola Salo of "The Ark" — sang a song ridiculing President Bush. He also said of a plane flying overhead — that in the U.S. you never know where the plane is headed — and that it should crash into the White House.

When Swedish Ambassador Gunnar Lund was asked about the remarks he refused to renounce them. A spokeswoman for the Swedish embassy today denied the reference to the White House was actually said, but told FOX News that it apologizes for the other comments by the singer. The ambassador told The Washington Post that the singer may have been misunderstood, but if not, it was irresponsible and unacceptable. And Ola Salo told The Post he is "very, very sorry."

Friends in Need

A friend in need may not be a friend indeed to some Republican Senate candidates. The Washington Times reports GOP senators such as Kay, Bailey, Hutchison, and Richard Shelby who are either way ahead in the polls or not running this year have so far contributed little or nothing from their overflowing campaign war chests to the National Republican Senatorial Committee — which would spread the money among candidates in tight races.

Both Republican senators say they have contributed funds from their political action committees instead, and Shelby has raised money for other candidates. On the other hand, Democrats Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy and many others have given at least a million apiece to their party's effort.

Global Cooling

It has been more than 30 years since Newsweek magazine warned readers of what it called "ominous signs that the earth's weather patterns have begun to change dramatically" and a "drastic decline in food production." The culprit in that 1975 story — global cooling.
Now Newsweek's Web site is offering an explanation for what it calls a "spectacularly wrong" prediction — along with the one in 1992 that said a new Ice Age could be triggered by the greenhouse effect. It says the stories weren't journalistically inaccurate — they were just premature.

And it cites a British scientist who says fears of global cooling never approached the widespread scientific consensus that supports the greenhouse effect today. Still, Newsweek says it's just as well that one of the possible solutions from the 1975 story was not followed — that we pour soot over the arctic ice cap to help it melt.

Asset Management

And in Alabama, the Libertarian party's write-in candidate for governor is taking full advantage of her assets to gain attention — by campaigning on her cleavage.

Loretta Nall is selling t-shirts and marijuana stash boxes featuring her opponents — and her plunging neckline — with the words — "more of these boobs — and less of these boobs." Nall didn't qualify for a spot on the ballot and hasn't been able to raise much money. But the emphasis on her other endowment has been somewhat successful. Says Nall — "it started out as a joke — but it blew up into something huge."

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.