· I despise Washington, DC politics, and have as long as I can remember. This bit of goofiness does nothing to make me change my mind. The amount of national dust that can be kicked up over something as trivial as a career politician’s bruised ego is beyond me. Message to all DC types: Get over yourselves.

· John Cox has apparently decided that he hasn’t withdrawn from enough campaigns.

· Was this ever in doubt?

· The feds force SIU to drop paid fellowships for the poor, minorities and females because they discriminated against non-poor white males.

· Republican congressional candidates list their reform plans.

· Charlie Johnston calls the McCulloch prosecution into question.

· Two state employees claim there was nothing untoward about a controversial IBM contract approved during George Ryan’s administration. Prosecutors had an earlier witness who claimed the deal was rigged.

· There’s massage and then there’s massage, but the person in this story appears to be the “clean” sort, not the dirty kind. Conclusion: That piece is a totally unfair hit.

· Congrats to Deputy Dog Bradley Tusk, whose wife is pregnant.

· Ald. Solis says he’s not interested in being appointed City Clerk to replace Jim Laski. Word is that’s because the mayor told him he wouldn’t get the job anyway.