Some news from DC, well, Indy

The Indy Star has coverage of what's going down during the inauguration.

At least one of the state's seven GOP House members -- Rep. John Hostettler, of Wadesville -- has other plans Thursday: his oldest daughter turns 16, and he wants to celebrate back home.

Some Democrats plan to throw their own parties:
• A liberal group called ReDefeatBush plans what it bills as "The World's First CounterInaugural Ball" on Thursday.
• Another alternative ball, sponsored by labor unions and hosted by Democratic House members, will try to make liberals laugh away their troubles with satiric comedy by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and comedian Al Franken.
• Those longing for the good old days of 1960s liberalism can hear former Vietnam War protester Tom Hayden speak as part of a three-day seminar sponsored by the Progressive Democrats of America, beginning Friday.

Plenty of prominent liberals plan to attend the inauguration ceremony, among them: Sens. Chuck Schumer, of New York; Patrick Leahy and Jim Jeffords, of Vermont; Harry Reid, of Nevada; and Christopher Dodd and Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut.

Rep. Hostelettler has all rights to stay home with his family.

Condi has passed the test, sadly, by the Foreign Relations Committee.

On Ms. Rice's nomination, all 10 Republicans on the Foreign Relations Committee voted in favor, as had been expected. Six of the panel's eight Democrats also voted in favor, with only Senators Barbara Boxer of California and John Kerry of Massachusetts in opposition.

In an all-day session on Wednesday and in today's wrap-up, senators from both parties expressed worries about the administration's policy on Iraq, even as they made clear that they planned to follow Senate tradition and approve the president's nominee.

Thanks, Barbara and John! The Judiciary Committee did a good thing by delaying the vote on Al Gonzales.

The main point of contention on the nomination has been Mr. Gonzales's role in formulating the administration's approach to prisoners captured in the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. The delay on a committee vote will probably not threaten Mr. Gonzales's confirmation by the full Senate.

Gonzales must be stopped.