Good Riddance to 'Difficult Democrats'

Mr. Brightside

California Democrat Henry Waxman is looking at a glass half full when it comes to November. He tells The Hill anticipated loses in the midterm elections will likely get rid of some of what he calls the "most difficult Democrats" that the leadership has dealt with this Congress.

Even though Waxman believes his party will retain the House, the Democrats who are ousted won't necessarily be missed. "I think a lot of the House seats we're going to lose are those who have been to ughest for the Democrats to pull into line -- the Democrats that have been most difficult," Waxman says.

State of Affairs

A State Department warning for African-Americans traveling to Spain has been pulled from its website just as first lady Michelle Obama settled in during her visit there. The warning read, "Racial prejudice may have contributed to the arrest or detention of some African-Americans traveling in Spain."

The State Department called the information "dated" and said the media attention on the trip prompted officials to review the posting.

Mrs. Obama, youngest daughter Sasha and a group thought to be 40 of the first lady's closest friends, are staying at a five-star hotel along the coast where rooms range from around $400 to around $6,000.

The White House says the first family's travel expenses will be divided between personal and official costs since Mrs. Obama will meet with the king and queen of Spain.

It's unclear whether the estimated $147,000 expense to fly the military jet there and back is listed as an "official cost," but friends are said to be paying their own accommodation and travel expenses.

Hot and Bothered

A congressional race in Tennessee is getting racy after a Club for Growth mailer attacking a candidate for wasteful spending directed callers to a different type of phone line.

The fliers encouraged people to "call today" at 1-800-GET-SOME-PORK, but instead of hearing about earmarks, callers instead heard a phone sex line, asking for credit card payments.

Club for Growth says it didn't realize where the fake number led, joking, "1-800-WE'RE-SORRY."