The Washington Times' Bill Gertz reports this morning that the Pentagon's proposed shoot-down of a deteriorating spy satellite will serve more than one purpose:

The Pentagon's plan to shoot down a failed satellite with a missile defense interceptor in the coming days is aimed at preventing toxic fuel from reaching earth. But U.S. officials and experts said yesterday it would also signal that U.S. missile defenses can be used to counter China's strategic anti-satellite weapons.

China conducted its first successful test of an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon on Jan. 11, 2007, in what defense and military officials called a new strategic threat to the United States.

If intended as a message to the Chinese, the Pentagon must be confident the shoot-down is going to work.

We'll be back with more details after this afternoon's briefing.

-- David Eldridge, managing editor, WashingtonTimes.com

The Washington Times' Patrice Hill writes on the Times Web site today that American consumers are more worried about rising fuel and energy costs than the subprime mortgage crisis.

What economic issue has hit your household the hardest?

Reporting and preparing this story for publication sparked quite a few conversations in the newsroom about how families and households are dealing with rising prices. It seems like everyone is lowering the thermostat and easing off the gas pedal. Any tips for fellow consumers?

-- David Eldridge, managing editor, WashingtonTimes.com

The elaborate twin stories in The Washington Post and New York Times which suggested Sen. John McCain is guilty of favoring — and romancing — Vicki Iseman, an attractive female lobbyist, way back in the year 2000 have rankled dozens of analysts. Some support the Arizona Republican, some don't. Collectively, they were annoyed by the tag team timing of the stories, their use of unnamed sources and because they were based on an event which happened eight years ago.

The critics smelled a rat, and were particularly irked by the New York Times' accusations that lawmaker was sweet on lobbyist.

"The story is not the story. The story is the drive-by media turning on its favorite maverick and trying to take him out. The media picked the GOP's candidate, the New York TImes endorsed him while they sat on this story, and is now, with utter predictability, trying to destroy him," said talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Media Research Center president Brent Bozell Rush Limbaugh called the Times story a "patently politically motivated, hit job. A 10-year old piece of gossip." Human Events editor Jed Babbin said, "The New York Times is not in the news business. They're political activists posing as news people."

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, meanwhile, said the unfolding McCain situation was "eerily similar" to the Monica Lewinsky matter of a decade ago. In January, 1998, rumor-fueled news coverage revealed that former President Bill Clinton had dallied with a White House intern — sparking stringent White House defense work, a story within itself.

-- Jennifer Harper, reporter, The Washington Times