Quickhits - It's too pretty a day to hang out inside.

(HuffPo) Paul Wolfowitz feathers a nice little nest for his squeeze at the World Bank giving her a "promotion [that] clearly does not conform" to bank procedures and a raise "more than double the amount allowed."

(AFP) US Naval Chief Michael Mullen said in an interview aired on CNN that US soldiers would have fought if the Iranians had tried to capture them. (Clearly a message intended for the Iranians, but how do the British feel about being called wimps?)

(ThinkProgress) Republican Rep. Darrell Issa is in Syria meeting with Assad today, but only Pelosi deserves White House condemnation.

(WashWire) This is an awful story about a career Army lieutenant being forced out because he doesn't meet the new officer educational requirements. They are letting him serve out his time in Iraq though before throwing him out of the Army.

(Reuters) If the Pope writes a book saying that rich countries have "plundered and sacked" the poor nations of the world and the media doesn't cover it, does it make a sound?

(Politico) Generic Presidential ballot Democrat 47%, Republican 29%. (Closer with names, but it encapsulates the Bush stigma on the Republican brand.)

(Politico) In the same vein, someone should notice that the Dems are substantially outraising the Repubs for the first time in forever.

(WaPo) Gonzales madly preparing to testify. (Notice the Republican political consultants, not defense attorneys.)

And, still no McCain sighting since the Baghdad press corps depantsed him. Shouldn't he be making appearances somewhere?