So Weblog was just finishing up its collection of links Tuesday when the online VatiCam started showing white smoke. Weblog got distracted and forgot to post those Tuesday links. Since then, it's been a bit difficult finding religion stories that aren't about the new pope, but we're still digging them out for you. With a bit of grace, we'll be caught up next week (though the Evangelical Press Association is coming to town … ). Thanks for your patience.

Religion & politics:

• Focus faction attacks Salazar | Springs group pushes for Bush court picks (Rocky Mountain News)
• Psst … Justice Scalia … you know, you're an activist judge, too | When it comes to judicial activism, conservative judges are no better—and no worse—than liberal ones (Adam Cohen, The New York Times)
• Evangelicals cool to Bush's focus on Social Security accounts | Some evangelical leaders, though not all, now express dismay with both Bush's priorities and his Social Security proposal, which they say could hurt their predominantly working class constituency (Bloomberg)
• Faith-based pandering | Frist's mad pursuit of the presidency requires him to prove to the Christian right, the core of the Republican Party, that its cause comes before his principles (Richard Cohen, The Washington Post)
• Christians in lion's clothing | These days, being a card-carrying member of the so-called "anti-Christian left" may be the better part of valor, democratically speaking. Too many Christians, indeed (Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Henry Hyde to retire from Congress:

• Hyde will retire from Congress | The Hyde amendment worked (The New York Times)
• U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde to retire in 2006 | Stalwart against abortion cites health issues (Associated Press)

Marriage ...