Potpourri! Smoke! Peppers!

• "The Senate today ... will vote to legalize warrantless spying on the telephone calls and emails of Americans, and will also provide full retroactive amnesty to lawbreaking telecoms, thus forever putting an end to any efforts to investigate and obtain a judicial ruling regarding the Bush administration's years-long illegal spying programs aimed at Americans." [GG]

• "Democrats need to recognize this potential gambit for what it is: a cynical, selfish hijacking of the democratic process. Clinton would not be laying the groundwork for this ploy unless it was potentially decisive. And the damage to Democrats (and democrats) would be profound." [TNR]

• “You have to decide what this election is about...You have to decide what makes the best president. You want someone with the right vision, the right plans and ability to get the job done. If that's the test, I don't think the question is close....all the rest is smoke and mirrors." [SFE]

• Fred Thompson has endorzzzzzzz.... [TPM]

• "“Jalapenos, banana peppers - any kind of hot peppers,” she said. “I eat them raw, I eat them cooked. I don't whether it's for everybody, but it's worked for me." [CBS]