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To cool passions, Bush ordered the seized materials transferred to the office of Solicitor General Paul Clement. "The White House was looking to give Hastert some cover," said one administration official, requesting anonymity. The official said Hastert's position was "out of sync" with a public increasingly fed up with corruption. In talking points distributed to GOP House members last week, Hastert and other House leaders conceded the perils of their position. "Is this a smart battle for Congress to fight?" the talking points asked. "Perhaps not. Defending Constitutional principles—particularly those related to institutional balances of power—is often not politically expedient and often results in bad publicity."

How the Jefferson Search Put Bush in a Bind, emphasis mine

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At James Taranto's request, Media Matters debunks his theory of media bias

(Here's James Taranto's request.)

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Ancient skeleton unearthed in Rome: Woman's remains found in excavations under Caesar's Forum

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Lost world found inside Israeli cave: Previously unknown species lurk in cavern that was sealed off for ages