Boy. If Hillary becomes SecState, the conflicts between Bill and Barack are going to be AWESOME.

(Note: no Forecast next week. I’m sure you’re all crushed, obviously. But: I’ll be in London, on my first honest-to-God vacation in a year-and-a-half.)

Bill Richardson is being tapped for Commerce Secretary.  Seriously.

You got a guy with loads of foreign policy experience and who — by the by — can speak the main languages of everybody on this side of the planet, outside of Brazil and Quebec.  And you slot him at Commerce, instead of the State Department? Does that make any damn sense to any of you?

Yo, Obamaplex: Hillary is good, but she ain’t that good.

So: a judge (a) told the feds to release from Gitmo five people who did nothing wrong and — in a move I have never seen before — (b) told the government not to appeal because seven years without trial is enough. WaPo on same:

Leon said the government did not provide enough credible and reliable evidence during a series of closed hearings to justify the detentions of the five Algerians… He said the allegations were provided by a single source in an intelligence document. The government did not provide enough information about the source to determine whether he or she was credible or reliable, Leon ruled.

Which of course means that they are terrorists who must be stopped, according to (yeah) the National Review:

The government is considering its appellate options. Meanwhile, one can only hope that either Algeria or some other country is willing to take these guys. Otherwise, we are in the same fix presented by the Uighur case (which will be argued on appeal next week): facing the prospect of jihadists being released into the United States.

Jesus H. Christ: the guy with the robe said that there was no evidence of these guys being “jihadists.” Listen. You might learn something.

Odds on the Big Three submitting plan on or about December 2 that is accepted by 110th Congress and passed into law: 15-1.

Odds that the Detroit Lions finish the season with 16 losses (ties are stupid): 2-1.

Odds that the Detroit Red Wings lose the Winter Classic at Wrigley: 6-5.

Combined: 36-1. Good value!

How could the cynical bastards among us miss this big, hanging curveball: Thomas Kinkade’s The Christmas Cottage. Apparently, this was actually due for release last year, but went (of course) direct to video — released a couple of weeks ago.

From Fandango: “Inspired by the early life and art of renowned painter Thomas Kinkade, the story of how a small community and an aging mentor come to the aid of a family to save the only home they have ever known and along the way teach….” [interrputed due to jarring pain developing behind both eyes]

(BTW: Kinkade has some cinematography tips for his crew. Listen well, if your ears have stopped bleeding.)

As of ten minutes ago, Mark Begich is now 3,724 votes to the good over Tubes, with the vote counting to be virtually finished tonight.  That’s a lead of about 1.2%. 

That’ll be Sen. Begich to you clowns. This thing is OVAH.

[UPDATE: AP calls it, per not-Keef on MSNBC. Again: OVAH!]

Newsweek has Eric Holder as your new Attorney General.

Know very little about the guy besides the basic blurb: Columbia BA/JD, former judge, and (under Clinton) U.S. Attorney and Deputy A.G.  Connections to the Marc Rich pardon.  Connections to Bill/Hill.  On Barry’s veep-search committee, which came up with Biden.

(Of course, John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer would have been more likely picks, if not for their, um, shortcomings.  Also notable: Patrick Fitzgerald ain’t going nowhere — which is very good, because he is a good guy to have in Chicago.)