Today Politico published an unverified memo of talking points for "Democratic health and communications staff" that made it seem like Democratic leadership was hoping to avoid talking about the specifics of the recent CBO score of the health-care bill. "We cannot emphasize this enough: do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative," the memo read. "Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and number of Americans covered." Immediately, Matt Drudge gleefully linked to the Politico post, and staff for House Republicans like Minority Leader John Boehner began forwarding the memo around. Unfortunately for all the fun-making, the memo was deemed fake by Democratic leadership, and eventually taken down from Politico's website. A little disappointing, but at this rate, we'll definitely be throwing toupees and ripping the shoulder pads from unflattering pantsuits by the end of the weekend.

Dems: Memo On Medicare Changes Isn't Ours -- It's A GOP 'Hoax' [TPM]

Joe Dioguardi, a Republican candidate vying for Kirsten Gillibrand's Senate seat, is the father of Kara DioGuardi, the American Idol judge. But you knew that. In fact, it's probably the only thing you know about Joe DioGuardi at this point, because it's mentioned in every single interview or newspaper article about him (including this one!). We chatted with DioGuardi today about being overshadowed by his celebrity daughter, as well as, believe it or not, other things — like why he kind of appreciated what Jim Bunning did, and why George Pataki shouldn't be proud of how he left New York.

Steve Levy, Suffolk County's executive, announced this morning that he'll change parties and battle Rick Lazio for the Republican nomination for governor. And though he's quickly picking up the support of GOP leaders, and is a stronger candidate against Andrew Cuomo in many ways — a healthy $4 million war chest, for one — he doesn't come without baggage. Most obvious is the credibility of someone who was a Democrat his whole life up until he decided to run for governor and realized that he had a much better shot in the Republican primary than in the Democratic primary. The Lazio campaign has already begun to take shots at Levy's political opportunism. "The people of New York are looking for somebody that they can depend on,” Lazio said yesterday. “Not somebody that’s going to put their finger up to the wind and decide which way things are going." The Democrats look like they're ready to help Lazio — their preferred opponent — hammer home this line of attack.

Despite initial worries from some Obama advisers that Hillary Clinton would secretly try to undermine President Obama as secretary of State, she's actually been as much of a team player as one could possibly hope. She's so devoted to Obama, in fact, that she'll do just about anything to avoid missing their weekly meetings. Even after her plane broke down in Saudi Arabia last month, she managed to hitch a ride with General Petraeus "so that she would not miss her session with the president the next day."

Jesse James's mistress Michelle "Bombshell" McGee happens to be on the cover of this month's Tattoo Review magazine, so the issue is now in "great demand" even though there's no mention of James in the story. McGee was reportedly paid $30,000 to sell word of the affair to In Touch. Though James told People he is "very sorry" and hopes his family "can find it in their hearts to forgive [him]," texts he sent to McGee as recently as last week read, "Just think'n bout u this morning." George Clooney, an Academy Award nominee for Best Actor this year and an Academy voter, punched his ballot for Crazy Heart's Jeff Bridges rather than for himself, telling Bridges, "It was an amazing performance. If you don't win, you can't blame me." Lady Gaga asked Boy George to autograph her body, but he opted for her hat. Madonna brought Jesus Luz and Jessica Seinfeld to Morimoto, where a spy in the bathroom said, "Jesus couldn’t figure out how to use the sink."

On Halloween night last year, after allegedly choking his girlfriend Sherr-una Booker and shoving her into a dresser, Governor Paterson's aide, David Johnson, left Booker's apartment and made some calls. One of them was to the head of Paterson's security detail, Major Charles Day of the State Police. After Johnson told him about the incident, Day called Booker so quickly that the NYDN NYPD had not yet arrived to her apartment in response to her 911 call. But Day wasn't trying to intimidate her, if that's what you're thinking.

A bi-partisan group of senators is nearing a compromise with the White House that will allow the administration to move forward with closing the prison at Guantánamo Bay and prosecuting the terrorists that are holed up there. While this would mean that one early goal of Obama's would be met — the closing of Gitmo, at last — the deal also looks like it will be a severe compromise on another: that of giving the terrorists civilian trials. From the White House side, this effort is being spearheaded by legal counsel Robert Bauer and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. On the congressional side, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is leading the charge. That leaves Attorney General Eric Holder, a continuing vocal supporter of civilian trials — the most prominent ones being here in New York — on the sidelines.