First, some fluff.

• Via Michael Silence at KnoxNews, it’s the top 10 timewasters. Not that we do that…
• What do you get when you cross Regis Philbin and Chucky? Answer: evil Elmo.
• Evan Coyne Maloney gives props to “Lazy Sunday,” the first actually funny SNL skit in recent memory. Newsweek does the same.
• As the Van Wagon notes, Judge Alito’s confirmation hearing is next week. If you order your cup of Judge Alito’s Bold Justice Blend, it might be delivered in time for the Senate showdown.
• Slate reviews a series of weird Nike commercials.

US & World news.

• CNN: Clinton impeachment is history.
• Fox is asking about the unreleased Barrett report.
• The Chicago Tribune takes a swipe at faith-based funding.

On the Internets.

• Byron York reminds Andrew Sullivan that “Bush Country” is a bit more spread out than otherwise imagined.
• There are changes at Redstate.
• Powerline finds Bush brushing aside a media myth.
• Tigerhawk proposes some ethics reforms for journalists.

2006 & 2008.

• Jeff Ward looks at the Senate fundraising race in Tennessee and hints that the Ed Bryant camp is falling behind both Van Hillary and Bob Corker, though that doesn’t seem to be slowing the pace at which Bryant is picking up endorsements.
• USA Today: Kerry keeps 2008 options open.
• The New York Times says Democrats have “high hopes” this election year.
• Fox News: Republicans Face Numbers Challenge in 2006 Governors Races.

Tennessee & Memphis.

• Tennessee’s new drunk driving punishment gets national attention.
• Bill Hobbs looks at Nashville’s KIPP school. There’s one in Memphis, too. And one in Arkansas, which the gubenatorial candidates on both sides have praised. It sounds like these programs are successful, but it’s my impression this is due mostly to the freedom these schools have to operate, combined with more time spent in the classroom. Whatever it is, if these methods are working, we should be looking at them more closely — our inner city schools desperately need help.
• Glen Dean is celebrating his blogiversary and shares his new year’s resolutions.
• Fore Left is remembering the anthrax letters. Whatever happened with that?
• Adam Groves gives Phil Bredesen a passing grade.
• Mike Hollihan is taking another one of his famous time-outs.
• Mark A. Rose has a detailed post about global warming.

One Final Note.
Conservatives for Corker is knocking the Main Street Journal and its scheduled debate:

The other candidates “un-official” blogs churned out some interesting fodder over the holiday season. It is no surprise to anyone that some have falsely deemed Mr. Corker a debate dodger by attempting to paint the upcoming debates in Memphis as a fair and balanced forum for conservative candidates to debate. Who is hosting the debate, you ask? None other than Jonathan Lindberg, publisher of The Main Street Journal which in the past has served as political voice box for both Hilleary and Bryant. I admit that it will be interesting to see what Ed “in the water” and Van Rodham will have to talk about without Mr. Corker being in attendance (please note that we do not condone any name calling within this blog). It seems that the majority of their time is spent dogging Mr. Corker. Whatever will they do when faced with the possibility of actually being forced to speak on the issues, engaging in a futile attempt to differentiate themselves from one another? I predict an abundance of awkward silence. Someone may want to spring for a karaoke machine to break the ice.

Four things:

1. From what I understand, the magazine was planning to run a feature column by each of the Senate candidates, just as it has invited each of them to the primary debate. To find out for sure, all “Mr. Evans” needed to do was call Jonathan Lindberg. His contact info is listed on our About page.

2. I wonder how C4C will react when it finds out we’ve got an article by Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. in the January issue.

3. Could C4C explain why it feels the MSJ is more biased against a Republican Senate candidate than the Associated Press?

4. By his own admission, doesn’t Corker owe it to Memphians and voters in West Tennessee to show up along with all the other candidates to the year’s first primary debate? I quote the Corker press release posted to C4C’s blog:

Debates will give voters the opportunity to hear directly from us on where we both agree and disagree. That’s something the voters deserve…

I don’t pretend to speak for Mr. Lindberg, but I think Corker’s missing a big opportunity if he turns this one down, as are West Tennessee voters.