Press Politics

And now the most scintillating two minutes in television, the latest from the political grapevine:

Press Politics

A new poll indicates that while more than half of national journalists claim to be moderate, nearly five times more say they're liberal than say they're conservative. The Pew Poll shows 54 percent describe themselves as moderate, 34 percent say they're liberal, and only 7 percent say they're conservative.

This is in striking contrast to the general public, where more than four times as many say they're conservative, and significantly fewer say they're moderate or liberal. In addition, an earlier pew poll found that 58 percent of the general public say believing in God is necessary to be moral, but this new survey shows that only 6 percent of national journalists say that.

Similarly, more than 40 percent of the general public feel that homosexuality should be discouraged by society, but only 5 percent of national journalists say that.

Time to Graduate... Or Debate?

Noted American novelist E.L. Doctorow used a commencement speech at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, yesterday to launch an attack on President Bush, insisting the president is -- "[doing a] very poor job of combating terrorism." Doctorow specifically condemned President Bush for -- "going off to war ... [based on] an exciting story... designed to send shivers up our spines. But it was not true."

At that, many in the crowd burst into boos so loud that Doctorow had to stop his speech. When the school president intervened and pleaded with them to -- "let him finish," some students and most of the faculty responded with a standing ovation. Parents and many students, however, were described by Newsday as livid, saying a college graduation is no place for a political speech.

Denounced by Dems and Republicans

South Carolina Democratic Sen. Ernest Hollings is now catching it from all sides for saying that President Bush went to war in Iraq to please Jews in the U.S. John Kerry calls the comments -- "absurd," saying they -- "lend credence to unacceptable and baseless anti-Semitic stereotypes that have no place ... anywhere." And Virginia Republican Senator George Allen says he -- "deplores ... the anti-Semitic, political conspiracy statements."

Virginia Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, meanwhile, has sent a letter to Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, urging him to -- "end your silence by loudly and clearly rejecting these bigoted remarks."

New Way To Increase Ticket Revenues?

The District of Columbia -- a city famous for its hard-ball policing of parking violations -- has apparently come across a new way to increase its ticket revenues: aggressive enforcement of pocket trash.

After 28-year-old Andy Chasin found a used FedEx address label in his pocket, he threw it into a corner trash can. But that was too much for the city waste inspector, who has fined Chasin $35 for -- "Improper Use of Public Litter Receptacles," insisting Chasin violated statute 24 DCMR, 1009.1, which states -- "Public wastepaper boxes shall not be used for the disposal of refuse incidental to the conduct of a household."

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report