Report Card
The media is abuzz with the news that Ken Starr has decided not to issue an "interim report." It's much ado about nothing. An interim report was never an option.

As Kate O'Beirne explains in our July 6th issue, what Starr was considering would better be described as a "statutory" report. That is, in line with his obligations under the independent counsel law, Starr would send to Congress a comprehensive, finished report on any possible grounds for impeaching President Clinton. Sending this report would not preclude sending additional materials that become available later, after, for instance, Clinton's largely frivolous claims of privilege are rejected.

Starr spokesman Charles Bakaly's talk-show remarks yesterday do not contradict this scenario; they merely popped the media-created balloon of an "interim report." Nor did Bakaly say that no report would be coming soon.

In short, Starr has made no "decision," this isn't news, and the Hill-sorry, guys-could still get a report this month.

Pouting Sex Kitten Update
Remember that ridiculous feline passage from House Speaker Newt Gingrich's ill-fated novel, 1945? Turns out Gingrich didn't write it. Jim Baen, his publisher, penned these words: "Suddenly, the pouting sex kitten gave way to Diana the Huntress. She rolled onto him and somehow was sitting athwart his chest, her knees pinning his shoulders. 'Tell me, or I will make you do terrible things.'" (Like making us read the rest of this awful book?)

In Friday's Washington Post, Baen admits to reporter David Streitfeld that these much-snickered-over words were actually his creation. "Basically, I wrote them to spice the book up," he said. Gingrich, of course, is ultimately responsible for letting them appear under his name.

Incidentally, 100,000 unwanted copies of 1945 remain sitting in Baen's warehouse. "You'd think that there are 100,000 Republicans out there who would want one," complained Baen.

Then again, maybe not.