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Senate Report Blasts Intelligence Agencies' Flaws By / WaPo — Permalink In a hard-hitting report released today, the U.S. Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence said the CIA and other agencies used unfounded "group think" assumptions to assess the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before last year's U.S. invasion... | |
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Steve Bainbridge: As I understand Roberts' report, however, there was a widespread failure by multiple actors spread across multiple agencies (indeed, even multiple countries). Andrew Sullivan: WHY TENET QUIT: Now we know. Matthew Yglesias: . . PART ONE. There look to be no real surprises in the Senate's investigation of pre-war intelligence on Iraq. |
Robin Burk: Well, the Senate's report blasting the CIA is all over today's news. It's pretty apparent that our intel community needs a fundamental overhaul. Kevin Drum: And this from the Washington Post: "Asked if he believed Congress would have authorized the use of force against Iraq... Tim Dunlop: There is going to be a separate investigation into what the White House did or didn't do with the faulty intelligence... |
| Also: David Allan Pell, Steve Soto, Taegan Goddard | |
Pentagon Says Bush Records of Service Were Destroyed By / NYT — Permalink HOUSTON, July 8 - Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service in the Texas Air National Guard more than 30 years ago have been inadvertently destroyed, according to the Pentagon. | |
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Noam Scheiber: Oh, and completely appropos of nothing, I thought this article in today's Times was kind of interesting, too. John Emerson: Pentagon reports that microfilm records of Bush's service were destroyed (July 7, 2004) "Associated Press Assistant... TChris: Bush's Nat'l Guard Payroll Records Destroyed — Efforts to find payroll records that could confirm whether President... |
Jan Haugland: The NYT is attacking the other side. It is a bit convenient that Bush's service records were destroyed, isn't it? Nick Confessore: The New York Times, one of several media organizations that filed for the release of the information, doesn't seem to be... Dan Gillmor: Bush National Guard Records 'Inadvertently' Ruined — NY Times: Pentagon Says Bush Records of Service Were Destroyed. |
| Also: Max B. Sawicky, Michael Froomkin, Joe Gandelman, Jon Henke, Taegan Goddard, Jesse Taylor, Betsy Newmark, Attaturk, Magpie @PacificViews, Kevin Drum, Digby, The Poor Man, Mathew Gross, Josh Marshall, Kos | |
JERKY JOKESTER WHOOPI IN DIRTY DISS AT DUBYA By / New York Post — Permalink Whoopi Goldberg delivered an X-rated rant full of sexual innuendoes against President Bush last night at a Radio City gala that raised $7.5 million for the newly minted Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards. | |
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Robert Cox: Radio City Fundraiser Turns Ugly The New York Post | The New York Daily News Whoopi Goldberg delivered an X-rated rant... McQ: The NY Post reports that a Kerry/Edwards fundraiser in NY last night, attended by both Kerry and Edwards, was the scene... Tim Blair: John Kerry supporter Whoopi Goldberg gets freaky with the photocopying: "I Xeroxed my behind and I folded it up in an... |
Steve M.: The Nixon-Lodge campaign has issued the following statement: [snipped quote] Well, is that any sillier than the Bush-Cheney campaign's reaction to Whoopi? Charles Johnson: But in a time of war, the Democrats are plunging into depths of hatred and derangement that are truly disturbing, and... Captain Ed: It demonstrates that the Democratic nominee does not take this issue seriously, especially when you see where he happened to go after his interview with King ended. |
| Also: The Big Trunk, KJL | |
Veteran gets rude welcome on Bainbridge By / Seattle Post-Intelligencer — Permalink Think about the Seattle area — Bainbridge Island to be exact — and you think scenic views and liberal-minded tolerance. At least the killer views are still there. The bucolic island's deep reputation for civility got a gut check this week during the annual Grand Old Fourth of July celebration. | |
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Stefan Sharkansky: They're not peace activists ... ... they're on the other side. Hat tip: Brian Crouch Smash: IT'S HAPPENING, AGAIN. [snipped quote] FIGHT BACK! Glenn Reynolds: CAN YOU BE AGAINST THE WAR, BUT STILL SUPPORT THE TROOPS? Yeah, but these people sure aren't: [snipped quote] Sigh. |
Blackfive: And I have to say, even Chicago would treat a veteran with a Veterans For Bush sign better than Seattle... Veteran gets... Cori Dauber: Apparently I thought wrong. (Via Instapundit.) I don't know this columnist, but it's a mistake to look to explain away what happened. |
Daschle denies hugging Moore Rapid City Journal — Permalink There was no hug between "Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle at the film's June 23 premiere in Washington, D.C. , Daschle said Thursday. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Hugging for Columbine — Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle denies hugging Michael Moore after the premiere of... Robert Cox: TIVO THIS FRIDAY Dateline: Yeslam bin Laden Hannity and Colmes: Al D'Amato NOW with Bill Moyers: Clea Koff SATURDAY... Hugh Hewitt: Tom Daschle denies hugging Michael Moore in this Rapid City Journal article. |
Tom Maguire: Tom Daschle says so, denying Moore's report that, after the Washington premiere of F911, [snipped quote] And Kerry isn't going to see the movie (or own up to it, anyway). KJL: Another left-wing couple: Tom Daschle denies Michael Moore's account of Daschle hugging Moore at F 9/11 Steve Antler: Am I missing something? Is this story somehow related to this one? |
Report Says Key Assertions Leading to War Were Wrong By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 9 — The Central Intelligence Agency greatly overestimated the danger presented by deadly unconventional weapons in Iraq because of runaway assumptions that were never sufficiently challenged, the Senate Intelligence Committee said today. | |
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Daniel Drezner: However, the report finds that "no evidence that intelligence analysts were subjected to overt political pressure to tailor their findings," according to the New York Times. Robert Garcia Tagorda: Political Question of the Day — Since "John Edwards has far more experience on national security today than Gov. George... Kevin Drum: Here's the New York Times: "The Central Intelligence Agency greatly overestimated the danger presented by deadly... |
Tom Maguire: Today, we offer unequal time for a Democratic rebuttal: Mr. Roberts said the committee had found no evidence that... Jack Balkin: Giving New Meaning to the Words "Intelligence Failure" JB Senator Rockefeller on the consequences of the intelligence... |
KERRY PASSES UP TERROR BRIEFING: 'I JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME' Drudge Report — Permalink Just hours before attending an all-star celebrity fundraising concert in New York, Dem presidential candidate John Kerry revealed how has been too busy for a real-time national security briefing. "I just haven't had time," Kerry explained in an interview. | |
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Jan Haugland: The Drudge Report is in overdrive with anti-Kerry attacks these days, as can be expected, but this "love story" was actually very funny. Oliver Willis: Context — Because I trust the skills of Instapundit & Matt Drudge about as far as I can throw them, here are the exact... Glenn Reynolds: KERRY: Too busy for terror briefings, — but not too busy to listen to Whoopi Goldberg make dirty jokes about Bush. |
Charles Johnson: A Question of Priorities — Via Drudge Report, here's John F. Kerry last night on Larry King's CNN show: KING: News of... Clayton Cramer: Drudge Report quotes: "Just hours before attending an all-star celebrity fundraising concert in New York, Dem... KJL: TERROR? JOHN KERRY DOESN'T HAVE TIME FOR SUCH THINGS |
Health Versus Wealth By / NYT — Permalink Will actual policy issues play any role in this election? Not if the White House can help it. But if some policy substance does manage to be heard over the clanging of conveniently timed terror alerts, voters will realize that they face some stark choices. | |
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Jeanne D'Arc: The morality of capitalism — Donald Johnson, in an e-mail this morning, brought up an interesting objection to Paul... Captain Ed: In today's entry, Krugman accuses Bush of issuing updates on the war to distract people from what's really important ... Holden: Krugman on Health Care — The last sentence says it all: "If we ever get a clear national debate about health care and taxes, I don't see how President Bush will win it." |
Matthew Yglesias: Paul Krugman seems to agree, writing about the virtues of Kerry's plan to reduce insurance premiums across the board by... Kash: Kerry's Health Care Proposals — Krugman does a nice job of summarizing Kerry's health care proposals in today's column. |
Civilization vs. Trivia NRO — Permalink Sometimes life's choices are simple. Last week, the carnivore Saddam Hussein faced the world in the docket. There was none of the usual Middle East barbarity. The mass murderer was not hooded and then beheaded on tape, in the manner of al Qaeda. | |
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Cori Dauber: CHOICE IS TRAGIC — It's Friday, and Victor Davis Hanson really is on a rant n' roll. Clayton Cramer: This Isn't Funny At All — Victor Davis Hanson has a sobering piece over at National Review Online about how the left... Mike Hendrix: No contradiction — If it's Friday, it must be Hanson: [snipped quote] Answer: yes. |
Dale Franks: VDH on Friday — Victor Davis Hanson ponders the increasing moonbattery of the Left. Michael DeBow: There's an incredibly powerful Hanson piece on NRO today. Go read it! Glenn Reynolds: THE INCREASINGLY-BIZARRE BASE: Victor Davis Hanson writes that the Michael Moore vote won't do it: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing. |
7/9/04 - BUSH ON IRANIAN YOUTH Voice of America — Permalink The following is an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government: The U.S. supports the democratic aspirations of Iranians, especially Iran's young people. In Istanbul recently, President George W. Bush said that democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq would be powerful examples to other nations, including Iran: | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND IRAN — The Administration has put out its own statement commemorating the July 9th uprising. Judith Weiss: A roundup of news links from Michele. UPDATE: The Bush administration acknowledges the anniversary. |
Robert Garcia Tagorda: The Commander-in-Chief speaks to the spirit of democracy: [snipped quote] Meanwhile, Roger Simon praises SOS Iran. |
Interview With John Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry CNN — Permalink KING: Tonight — exclusive: Senator John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry, their first interview event since he named John Edwards his vice presidential pick. Why do you think they'll win and should win the White House? And their reaction to this morning's terror warning, and more. | |
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C. D. Harris: Coming Soon To A Bush Campaign Ad Near You — John "Weeble" Kerry continues to be the Bush campaign's single best source... Captain Ed: On literally the first substantial question of the interview, Kerry demonstrated why he is unfit for the presidency... |
Daniel Drezner: On my first question, this Kerry answer on Larry King Live is not comforting: "KING: Let's get to, first thing's first, news of the day. |
Nothing says lovin' like a little huggin' By / Washington Times — Permalink Watching the intimate moments of courtship of others embarrasses most of us, or at least some of us. But the public displays of affection that shocked our grandparents are regarded in our time as fit for Sunday school. Holding hands is no longer enough. | |
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Digby: And it is. But if anyone thinks it's just some sort of one-off joke, think again. Tbogg: Fortunately Scott Reid didn't look like Ned Beatty and an unpleasant incident was averted... Wes Pruden is getting all... Jesse Taylor: As Wes Pruden points out, that kind of s**t could make sure you end up dead - or worse. |
Steve Bainbridge: Truth is Stranger than Fiction — One of the following quotations is from a major newspaper, while the other is from humor site The Borowitz Report. Brian Montopoli: Today, The Times brings us a hateful screed penned by none other than its editor-in-chief, Wesley Pruden. |
Blixful Amnesia By / WaPo — Permalink Thank God for Hans Blix. Whenever we become lax and forgetful about how the world changed on Sept. 11, former chief inspector Blix is there to make the case for mindless complacency. | |
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Henry Farrell: There should be a word too for the kind of self-deconstructing display of bad faith that Charles Krauthammer treats us... Tom Smith: Easy to forget — Krauthammer is right as usual: Hunger is a scourge that has always been with us and that has not been a threat to humanity's existence for at least 1,000 years. Betsy Newmark: Charles Krauthammer looks at how so many people wish to return to September 10. [snipped quote] Perhaps Hans Blix should check out these threats. |
Michael DeBow: Charles Krauthammer reminds us that "There is no gradualness and there are no countermeasures to a dozen nuclear warheads detonating simultaneously in U.S. cities. Jesse Taylor: How To Argue Without Really Trying — Without quoting him, addressing his concerns, or really doing anything of merit in... Cori Dauber: Because however we got here, we're here, and the attitude I'm talking about is frightening, and it's dangerous. |
| Also: Greg Ransom | |
Bin Laden Is Said to Be Organizing for a U.S. Attack NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 8 - Osama bin Laden and his chief lieutenants, operating from hideouts suspected to be along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, are directing a Qaeda effort to launch an attack in the United States sometime this year, senior Bush administration officials said on Thursday. | |
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Noam Scheiber: TOM RIDGE, COP ON THE BEAT: Well, now, this makes me feel a whole lot better: [snipped quote] If we could just get John... Hugh Hewitt: First read the New York Times' account of Al Qaeda's intention to "carry out a significant terror attack on American soil this year." Cori Dauber: (The Times reports this incorrectly, by the way. |
Max B. Sawicky: Now if you are spying on these people to find out and thwart their plans, why would you make announcements that hint at... Captain Ed: Still At War — The Bush Admninistration warned yesterday that intelligence services have received a stream of... |
Edwards Sets Self Apart on Foreign Policy WaPo — Permalink In his Senate years and primary campaign, vice presidential candidate John Edwards has emerged as a politician willing to push beyond conventional foreign policy ideas and introduce imaginative proposals that often do not meet with swift approval. | |
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Robert Garcia Tagorda: UPDATE: Writes the Washington Post in its glowing review of Edwards's foreign policy: "In one of his more controversial... |
Daniel Drezner: On the other hand, this Washington Post story on Edwards' foreign policy background makes me believe that he does get... |
Defectors' Reports on Iraq Arms Were Embellished, Exile Asserts By / NYT — Permalink Shortly after President Bush declared war on terrorism in the fall of 2001, the Iraqi National Congress, the exile group led by Ahmad Chalabi, sent out a simple, urgent message to its network of intelligence agents: find evidence of outlawed weapons that would make Saddam Hussein a prime target for the United States. | |
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Kevin Drum: LITTLE INFORMATION, BIG STORIES...In other intelligence news, Muhammad al-Zubaidi, an Iraqi exile who worked with Iraqi... Matthew Yglesias: Today's New York Times has a long report on how the Iraqi National Congress coached defectors into providing faulty... Laura Rozen: Ahmad's defectors, coached in how to fool lie detector tests and what to say about Saddam and al Qaeda and WMD. |
TChris: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Helped Chalabi — A former associate of Ahmad Chalabi, Muhammad al-Zubaidi, confirms a fact... Jesse Taylor: They also screwed over legitimate Iraqis fighting against Saddam. Mark Kleiman: Today's New York Times has details of Chalabi's successful disinformation campaign, as supplied by one of Chalabi's operatives. |
News Conference on Senate Intelligence Committee Report NYT — Permalink Text of a news conference by Senators Pat Roberts and John Rockefeller about a Senate Intelligence Committee report on pre-war intelligence on Iraq as recorded by FDCH e-Media, Inc. ROBERTS: Good morning, and thank you for coming. | |
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Tom Maguire: Vice Chairman Rockefeller had extended thoughts, which we excerpt in the extended section. Steve M.: Jay Rockefeller, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, at a news conference with Chairman Pat Roverts to... |
Josh Marshall: So if you get a chance, definitely try to catch a bit of the Roberts-Rockefeller press Advertisement conference this... |
Murdoch Is Said to Be Source of Post's Gephardt 'Exclusive' NYT — Permalink When The New York Post tore up its front page on Monday night to trumpet an apparent exclusive that Representative Richard A. Gephardt would be Senator John Kerry's running mate, the newspaper based its decision on a very high-ranking source: Rupert Murdoch, the man who controls the company that owns The Post, an employee said yesterday. | |
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Robert Cox: Murdoch Was "Source" for Gephardt Veep Story The New York Times When The New York Post tore up its front page on... Kos: NY Post Gephardt source: Murdoch — Ha ha. Remember that NY Post front page trumpeting the Gephardt veep selection? |
Roger Ailes: But the New York Times reports that the Post was misled by a lying sack much closer to the paper, namely, satellite t.v... Taegan Goddard: Murdoch Was Source For "Exclusive" — "When The New York Post tore up its front page on Monday night to trumpet an... |
Trump slams Bush on Iraq NY Daily News — Permalink President Bush, you should be fired. The Donald has turned thumbs down on the President's war in Iraq, calling it a "mess." "What was the purpose of the whole thing?" Donald Trump asks in an Esquire interview. "Hundreds of young people killed. | |
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Joel Foreman: There's just something about Hollywood that turns people against Bush. Is it the circles these folks run in? Holden: The Donald on The Chimp — [snipped quote] Link. And if you have not seen it yet, watch Trump fire Bush here. |
Damian Penny: Declaring that he would have definitely caught Osama bin Laden by now, on the other hand, is simple arrogance: "The... |
Values Become Key Campaign Issue By / WaPo — Permalink FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 8 — Sen. John F. Kerry and President Bush escalated a fight Thursday over values that is increasingly coloring the election-year debate heading into the national conventions. | |
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Betsy Newmark: So Kerry and Edwards immediately go into the swamp of conspiracy theories, Bush-hatred, and crudity in order to raise some cash. Hugh Hewitt: Read Jim VandeHei's Washington Post story and Matea Gold's Los Angeles Times story on last night's New York fundraiser for John Kerry. |
Noam Scheiber: For example, today's Washington Post reports that Kerry recently said he believes life begins at conception even though he supports a woman's right to an abortion. |
Defining Marriage Down By / NRO — Permalink As the United States Senate debates the wisdom of a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman and protects against judicially-mandated same-sex unions, it is important to keep in mind the costs that we face as a society if we fail to protect traditional marriage. | |
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Andrew Sullivan: BROWNBACK'S GAFFE: Here's an interesting sentence in Senator Sam Brownback's piece in favor of the Federal Marriage... Matt Welch: A novel twist today in the increasingly desperate National Review/Republican crusade to protect hetero marriage from the... |
Jacob T. Levy: Fertility: Senator Sam Brownback goes even farther than Stanley Kurtz, offering as a reason for supporting the Federal... |
Mike Ditka emerges as possible Senate candidate The Hill — Permalink In the wake of Steve Rauschenberger's withdrawal from the Illinois Senate race, former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka has surfaced as a favorite of many Hill and state Republicans, according to interviews with GOP members and staff in Illinois and Washington. | |
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Glenn Reynolds: DITKAMANIA! Taegan Goddard: Meanwhile, The Hill says Illinois Republicans are hoping Mike Ditka, the Super Bowl-winning coach and Hall-of-Fame player, will step in. |
Will Collier: Okay, Just Don't Let Him Do Another Rap Video — Ditkamania is gaining steam. |
Report Says Key Assertions Leading to War Were Wrong AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — The key U.S. assertions leading to the 2003 invasion of Iraq — that Saddam Hussein had chemical and biological weapons and was working to make nuclear weapons — were wrong and based on false or overstated CIA analyses, a scathing Senate Intelligence Committee report asserted Friday. | |
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TChris: A Senate Intelligence Committee report released today is asking the same questions. Taegan Goddard: Senate Report Blasts Intelligence on Iraq — A "scathing Senate Intelligence Committee report" says the Bush... |
Dan Gillmor: CIA's Regrettable Lapses — UPDATEDAP: Report Says Key Assertions Leading to War Were Wrong. |
Pentagon Reportedly Aimed to Hold Detainees in Secret LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Despite pledging yearly reviews for all prisoners held by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Pentagon officials tentatively agreed during a high-level meeting last month to deny that process to some detainees and to keep their existence secret "for intelligence reasons," senior defense officials said Thursday. | |
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Michael Froomkin: Guantanamo Flap about Ghost Detainees May Be Misplaced — The LA Times runs a story entitled Pentagon Reportedly Aimed... |
Holden: From the LA Times. UPDATE: Balta is on it, too. |
Electing to deal with terror threat By / Newsday — Permalink He couldn't say where. He couldn't say when. He couldn't say who. | |
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Oliver Willis: But what would the Senator have learned in this non-existent briefing? He couldn't say where. He couldn't say when. DeDurkheim: If a terror attack were as certain and as imminent as Ridge is making out, wouldn't he raise the color-coded terror threat immediately? |
Pessimist: So far, force against the majority of American citizens hasn't been used, but I say that elements two and three are... |
AP Poll: Kerry Gains Support in South By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry has solidified his base, gained some ground in the South and among lower income voters and seen independent Ralph Nader 's support drop, according to an Associated Press poll. | |
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John Rosenberg: Kerry "Gains Support" While Going Down In A Poll — Dodd Harris said this so well all I have to do is quote his post: [snipped quote] No, they don't. |
C. D. Harris: So, how did the AP choose to headline this story? Kerry Gains Support In The South. They don't even try to hide it any more, do they? |
Bush Aide Resigns for Possible Senate Run AP — Permalink SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The deputy director of President Bush's drug-control office resigned Friday to explore a run for the Senate in place of Jack Ryan, the Republican nominee who dropped out over sex-club allegations, The Associated Press has learned. | |
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ArchPundit: Barthwell Resigns Administration Post — To talk with Illinois Republican Officials. |
Holden: Link. So, what do we know about Dr. Andrea Grubb Barthwell, other than the fact that she is a drugwarrior? |
Christian Teens? Not Very. By / Opinion Journal — Permalink When I'm teaching Sunday school, I'm encouraged by what I hear from the teenagers at my evangelical Christian church in suburban Detroit. They seem to understand—and, more important, to believe—the bedrock tenets that will help them hew to orthodoxy throughout their lives and make them salt and light in the world. | |
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Moe Lane: (Real Christians) There must have been a real dearth of religion pieces in OpinionJournal's slushpile, because today's (Christian Teens? SLZoll: From a piece in the WSJ's Opinion Journal which reports on a survey that showed that evangelical teens don't actually... |
Stefan Beck: They do not hold the beliefs that are prerequisites of Christianity—and here is the proof. "... slightly more than... |
Economy Producing Mostly Bad Jobs? Not so fast. FactCheck.org — Permalink Now that the economy is growing and creating new jobs, John Kerry has been saying that the quality of those jobs is "much lower" than the quality of jobs that have been lost. A recent ad by some Kerry allies even shows a middle-aged man reporting for his new job wearing a paper hat at a seedy-looking burger joint. | |
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C. D. Harris: More Bad News For KerryGood News For America — Good news for the American economy is the worst possible news for the... |
McQ: FactCheck.org Doesn't agree that only low paying jobs are being created — FactCheck.org, while checking into the latest... |
Kerry's Celebrity Fund-Raiser Is a Huge Bash By / NYT — Permalink A star-studded salute to Senators John Kerry and John Edwards Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall slid into an unsparing skewering of the Bush administration, with actors and comedians denouncing the president as a liar, making off-color jokes about his name, and accusing him of risking soldiers' lives for political gain. | |
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Tom Maguire: The headline writer at the Times has fun with a pun and Jodi Wilgoren is unexpectedly critical of John Kerry in "Kerry's Celebrity Fund-Raiser Is a Huge Bash". KJL: From the NYT: [quote] The comedian John Leguizamo, who is half Puerto Rican, said the notion of Hispanics supporting Republicans was "like roaches for Raid."[end quote] |
The Big Trunk: Though it lacks the details of Orin's story, it has more on the Kerry campaign's public relations after the event: "Kerry celebrity fundraiser is a huge bash." |
Senate Braces Itself for Fight on Gay Marriage NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 8 - Admitting upfront that they do not expect to win, conservatives are preparing to plunge the Senate into an election-year fight over a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. | |
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Andrew Sullivan: Listen to the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins in the New York Times today: "Social conservatives are looking at... |
Tom Maguire: Gay Marriage Maneuverings — The NY Times covers the Senate shenanigans on the Federal Marriage Amendment, and skewers Paul Weyrich by quoting him extensively. |
California education secretary urged to step down over remarks to child By / AP — Permalink LOS ANGELES - State Education Secretary Richard Riordan jokingly told a child her name, Isis, meant "stupid dirty girl," prompting widespread criticism and posing a quandary for the man who appointed him, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. | |
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Dale Franks: As the San Diego Union-Tribune reports, "The conversation, videotaped by KEYT-TV, took place July 1. |
Jonah Goldberg: HIGHLARIOUS — California State Education Secretary Richard Riordan stupidly teased a young girl named Isis. |
Report slams CIA for Iraq intelligence failures CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — In a highly critical report issued Friday, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee found that the CIA's prewar estimates of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were overstated and unsupported by intelligence. | |
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Angry Bear: "WASHINGTON (CNN) — In a highly critical report issued Friday, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee found that the... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Senate Report Blasts Iraq Intelligence Misinformation — In a 511-page report released today, the U.S. Senate... |
Lost Chances in Iran By / WaPo — Permalink Whoever wins this November's presidential election, the United States faces an urgent question that the Bush administration has not resolved: What is America's strategy for coping with the rising power of Iran? | |
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Eric @Wampum: Return of the ... One True King (part 8) David Ignatus writes in today's WaPo Lost Chances in Iran a piece that... Cori Dauber: First of all, these are the same "prisoners" that as he notes are under such tight control by the Iranians that they may have organized a bombing in Riydadh from Iran. |
Laura Rozen: Meanwhile, the Washington Post's David Ignatius provides more details about a previously reported... |
Allow Me To Introduce Myself Slate — Permalink My wife and I are expecting our first child in October. She plans to continue working after we have our baby, and she is being bombarded by people who make her feel as if she's an unfit mother for wanting to work outside the home. | |
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Will Baude: Efficiency v. Etiquette [UPDATED BELOW] In a rare moment of insight, Slate's Prudie correctly nailed the answer to an... |
Tyler Cowen: But alas, here is Prudie's response, and no she doesn't cite the Coase Theorem or the notion of who is the least cost avoider. |
Favored Ryan stand-in steps aside instead By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink The Illinois Republican Party took another body blow Thursday, as the candidate considered the favorite by a number of GOP leaders dropped out of the running to replace U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan. | |
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Taegan Goddard: Rauschenberger felt [snipped quote] the Chicago Sun-Times reports. |
Athenae: Must not be discouraged by the fact that anybody with any street smarts at all is running away from this job as fast as he can. |
My Job By / Opinion Journal — Permalink The last American president of the 20th century has now told in elaborate detail his remarkable story. At its best, his book, "My Life," not only demonstrates the great natural gifts and steely determination of its subject, but points more broadly to the greatness of the country itself. | |
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H.D. Miller: Sacred Honor — Ken Starr (whom I saw walking across the Pepperdine campus the other day)reminds us why investigating... Deacon: Meanwhile, Kenneth Starr in the Opinion Journal presents some material that Clinton left out of his epic. (Title from Mel Brooks) Michael DeBow: Ken Starr responds in the Wall Street Journal today: "His epic-length reflections sweep aside not only the flinty facts,... |
Mike Rappaport: Starr writes a dignified, but powerful piece. It is seldom mentioned how much Starr gave up by becoming the Independent Counsel. Jonathan H. Adler: STARR ON CLINTON — Kenneth Starr comments on Bill Clinton's memoir in today's WSJ. Greg Ransom: Anyway, the former special prosecutor has given the Kenny Starr version of "Fvvk yuu" to Bill Clinton in today's WSJ. |
Furor grows over Riordan's remark to girl Sacramento Bee — Permalink Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office continued to back embattled Education Secretary Richard Riordan on Thursday amid growing outrage and demands for Riordan's resignation over his bizarre comment to a 6-year-old girl. | |
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Tom Maguire: It gets better... Now, folks who follow the California media will want to puzzle over the slacker coverage in the LA Times compared to the Sacramento Bee. |
Holden: California NAACP president Alice A. Huffman says it best: [quote] "It is abusive to use such language toward a child,...[end quote] |
Military vote vital for a Bush victory By / Washington Times — Permalink President Bush could not have won the Electoral College in 2000 without the military vote, and that vote is shaping up to go his way again on Nov. 2, military analysts and pollsters from both sides say. | |
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JoelL @SouthernAppeal: Link to below article: If you are having trouble trying to pull up the article mentioned below try this. |
Betsy Newmark: The Washington Times looks at the impact that the military vote will have this year. |
Is Edwards Moving Too Fast? By / MSNBC — Permalink July 7 - I've written a fair amount about John Edwards for MSNBC.com and NEWSWEEK—how he was a man to watch, how he hit the ground running in the capital at a furious pace, how he campaigned for a job you aren't supposed to seek, the vice presidency. | |
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Kos: Fineman is a tool, with this bizarre, idiotic, and asinine column betraying his obvious fantasy that Rove find dirt — any dirt — to marr Edwards' squeaky clean facade. Josh Marshall: My synopsis of the new Howard Fineman article on John Edwards ... "John Edwards is a man in a hurry. Maybe too much of a hurry. |
Taegan Goddard: Meanwhile, Howard Fineman notes that except for Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, "I can't think of anyone in modern times that... |
Michael Moore, Hezbollah Heartthrob Townhall.com — Permalink "Fahrenheit 9/11" is making mega-bucks in American theaters and — with some help from terrorists who also are Michael Moore fans — it could prove a blockbuster in the Middle East too. | |
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Clayton Cramer: Clifford D. May has an article about Hezbollah support for Fahrenheit 9/11: [snipped quote] And no, I'm not going to tell you who said what. Hindrocket: Moore and Hezbollah, Soul-Mates — Clifford May does a great job of highlighting the ideological affinities and business... |
Steve Antler: More info here and here. UPDATE: When will financial interconnections between Moore and his film's promoter, Hezbollah, start to surface? Ken Masugi: Update: From our friends at Powerline, noting Cliff May's exposure of the ideological and business ties between Moore and allies of the terrorist organization Hezbollah. |
Official's 'Dirty Girl' Quip Draws Fire AP — Permalink Calif. Education Secretary Urged to Step Down After Saying Child's Name Means 'Stupid Dirty Girl' LOS ANGELES July 8, 2004 — State Education Secretary Richard Riordan jokingly told a child her name, Isis, meant "stupid dirty girl," prompting the head of the California NAACP on Thursday to call for his resignation. | |
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Tom Maguire: Dim And Dimmer — Captain Ed regales us with a "Dumb and Dumber" story from California - Former Los Angeles mayor and... Captain Ed: Former Los Angeles mayor and current California Education Secretary Richard Riordan scored some collateral damage last... |
Gail Heriot: Several days ago, former L.A. mayor, now California Education Secretary Richard Riordan was promoting summer reading with children at a Santa Barbara public library. |
Iraq insurgency 'far larger' By / Herald Sun — Permalink THE Iraq insurgency is far larger than the 5000 guerillas previously thought to be at its core, US military officials say. And it is being led by well-armed Iraqi Sunnis angry at being pushed from power alongside Saddam Hussein. | |
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Attaturk: After claim after claim from the Bushies and their little PNAC loving tarts, despite claims of finding whoa, two whole... |
Juan Cole: Guerrillas number over 20,000 — Some honest US officials in Iraq are finally admitting that US forces are not meeting a... |
AP Poll: Bush Gains Slight Lead Over Kerry By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush has opened a slight lead over John Kerry while regaining the confidence of some voters on the economy and other domestic issues, according to an Associated Press poll with a silver lining for Democrats. | |
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Clayton Cramer: This Washington Post news story says that: "The AP-Ipsos poll found Bush leading Kerry just outside the margin of... Steven Taylor: The Edwards Bounce — Not so much: AP Poll: Bush Gains Slight Lead Over Kerry. Captain Ed: AP: Polls Bumped Upwards — For Bush — A new poll of registered voters conducted earlier this week shows new movement... |
Jesse Taylor: Quite a few conservative bloggers are trumpeting this poll as proof of a "dead cat bounce" for the Kerry/Edwards ticket,... Hugh Hewitt: Kerry's Dead-Cat Bounce: The AP-Ipsos poll —conducted over three days beginning Monday, and including the day of the... Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATE: As if to complicate matters, we now have this: "President Bush has opened a slight lead over John Kerry while... |
Bush Wins; House Leaves Patriot Act As Is By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - House Republicans used an extra-long vote to derail a drive to weaken the USA Patriot Act, handing a campaign-season victory to President Bush and angering Democrats and GOP conservatives who led the unsuccessful effort. | |
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Andrew D: Republicans Strong Arm Congress Into Keeping the Patriot Act Intact — From the Associated Press: [snipped quote] So... Jeralyn Merritt: Bush Strongarms Congress: Patriot Act Upheld — Congress has bowed to Bush. His threat of withholding funding worked. |
Jerome Armstrong: Shame on Republicans, Help Cegalis beat Hyde — What the House Democratics did yesterday is something we'd all like to... |
Ridge warns of higher terror risk before election MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - There is an increased risk of a large-scale terrorist attack against the United States by al-Qaida prior to the Nov. 2 election "in an effort to disrupt our democratic process," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday, citing "credible" but non-specific intelligence. | |
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Laura Rozen: If there's another attack, no amount of photo opportunities of Dick Cheney touring the Department of Homeland Security... |
Harley: Symmetry — So, we've got some 'non-specific' intel — no time, no place, no nothing — suggesting AQ strongly wants to disrupt the American presidential election. |
Court: fence violates int'l law, must be dismantled By / Haaretz — Permalink The International Court of Justice will rule on Friday that the separation fence contravenes international law, that it must be dismantled, and that compensation must be paid to the Palestinian owners of property confiscated for its construction, according to documents obtained by Haaretz. | |
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Christopher Kanis: No, it was just the International Court of Justice venturing their meaningless opinion. Move along, nothing to see here. Gene @HarrysPlace: Haaretz is reporting that the International Court of Justice will rule Friday that the West Bank separation fence contravenes international law and must be dismantled. |
Ted Belman: ICJ: fence violates int'l law, must be dismantled — By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent The International Court of... |
POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Michigan Republicans gather names for Nader. By / San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink (07-08) 16:51 PDT LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Republicans are helping gather signatures to place independent Ralph Nader on the presidential ballot in the battleground state, irritating Democrats who accuse the GOP of trying to pull votes away from candidate John Kerry. | |
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Taegan Goddard: Michigan GOP Helps Nader — [snipped quote] the AP reports. |
Josh Marshall: Michigan GOP collecting signatures to put Ralph Nader on the presidential ballot. Imagine that ... |
Choice of Edwards Weakens Senate Democrats By / Human Events — Permalink Sen. John Kerry's (D. -Mass.) selection of Sen. John Edwards (D. -N.C.) as his running mate has one possible consequence that few have noticed: it gives Republicans a slightly greater edge in the U.S. Senate. | |
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Edward Driscoll: Betsy Newmark says that having two senators running for national office could end up hurting the Democrats—if Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is really willing to play hardball. |
Betsy Newmark: Human Events points out that having two senators running for national office could end up hurting the Democrats. |
AP: Iraq insurgency larger than thought By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraq insurgency is far larger than the 5,000 guerrillas previously thought to be at its core, U.S. military officials say, and it's being led by well-armed Iraqi Sunnis angry at being pushed from power alongside Saddam Hussein. | |
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Hindrocket: Take this story: "Iraq Insurgency Larger Than Thought." |
Oliver Willis: "pockets of dead-enders" — AP: Iraq insurgency larger than thought The Iraq insurgency is far larger than the 5,000... |
CAN'T KEEP HANDS OFF EACH OTHER Drudge Report — Permalink Hugs, kisses to the cheek, affectionate touching of the face, caressing of the back, grabbing of the arm, fingers to the neck, rubbing of the knees... John Kerry and John Edwards can't keep their hands off each other! | |
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Bill @INDCJournal: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote] e-mailed one wire photographer. Heh. Nothing wrong with a few man-hugs on the campaign trail ... Betsy Newmark: If you haven't checked it out yet, Drudge has up a funny collection of pictures of the two Johns who can't seem to keep their hands off of each other. Doug Allen: Funny stuff from Matt Drudge. Well, I guess it beats White House interns… Dean's World has more with Hmmmmmmmmmm....(Joe Gandelman) |
Joe Gandelman: Hmmmmmmmmmm....(Joe Gandelman) We did chuckle at this. Jesse Taylor: It's Come To This — Kerry and Edwards touch each other too much. Digby: Hot Man On Man Action — Drudge had to put down his little mouse and take a long drag off of Lucianne's Virginia Slim Menthol 100 after putting that steamy montage together. |
| Also: Edward Driscoll, Attaturk, Charles Johnson, Clayton Cramer | |
Afghans Arrest Americans in Abuse Case By / AP — Permalink KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan forces arrested three Americans, including a purported former Green Beret, after raiding a jail they were allegedly running in the Afghan capital and finding prisoners hanging from their feet, officials said Thursday. | |
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Norbizness: Don't hate the player, hate the game of quasi-Monopoly that's played in semi-autonomous war zones wherein the players... |
Steve M.: According to this AP story, the U.S. and Afghan governments are distancing themselves from the men — for good reason:... |
Ridge says al Qaeda planning attack CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — Al Qaeda plans a large-scale attack on the United States "in an effort to disrupt the democratic process" before November's elections, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday. Ridge cited "recent interdictions" for the new warning. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Perhaps Hans Blix should check out these threats. Oliver Willis: Another thought about this threat being possibly directed by Bin Laden himself: Wouldn't it have been nice if we had... Wretchard: Tom Ridge just announced that the Al Qaeda were planning a major terrorist attack on American soil before the November elections. |
Tbogg: If we're supposed to take this story seriously, TNR is going to have to do better than that.(my emphasis) Speaking of... Fafnir: NOOZ FLASH! al Qaeda to disrupt our democratic process! Oh no! Michael Froomkin: Nation Faces Danger of Media Attention to Kerry — Yet another piece of scaremongering about terrorism from the... |
| Also: Jesse Taylor, Jeff Jarvis, Taegan Goddard | |
Transcript: McCain on Kerry Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — This is a partial transcript of The Tony Snow Show, FOX News Radio, July 7, 2004, that has been edited for clarity. TONY SNOW, HOST: Welcome back, friends. I'm joined now on the line by Senator John McCain of Arizona. Senator McCain, thanks for joining us. | |
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McQ: As McCain said earlier on Tony Snow's show in answer to this question: "SNOW: Senator, Dick Cheney has become the focus of a lot of controversy now. Chris Bowers: McCain: Kerry Never Offered Me VP Slot, but Bush Did — As kos has already demonstrated, on the March 18th CBS Early... |
Oliver Willis: McCain: Kerry Never Offered — From an interview yesterday with Tony Snow: SNOW: Well, you're absolutely right though, it's going to be fun to see. |
Cutting Edge in the Arts Now Is Joining a PAC By / NYT — Permalink IN a bygone era — say, 18 months ago — Laura Owens, a painter, might have seemed to be pioneering a new form of performance art. On Tuesday night, Ms. Owens, one of the most critically embraced young artists in America, whose dreamlike work hung at this... | |
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Matt Welch: The first breaks the shocking news that New York writers and artists don't like the Republican president; the second... |
Virginia Postrel: The first is about fashion: [quote] "There's always been a lot of liberal rhetoric that you associate with any arts community,...[end quote] |
Dowdy Expectations By / NRO — Permalink In that memo — no doubt crafted to lower expectations — Dowd matter of factly predicts, based on his analysis of past Gallup surveys, that Bush may well be 15 points behind John Kerry at the beginning of August. No, I didn't make this up. | |
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Ruy Teixeira: Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio has helpfully provided the relevant data in a piece on the National Review website,... Dale Franks: Political pollster Tony Fabrizio, notes that President Bush's chief campaign strategist, Matt Dowd, appears to be predicting a Bush loss in November. |
MB Williams: GOP doubting Thomas-pollsters go public — I generally don't read National Review Online, but my curiousity was piqued... |
Kerry Fails to Get Lift From Edwards' Pick, Zogby Poll Shows Bloomberg — Permalink July 8 (Bloomberg) — Democratic candidate John Kerry's standing against President George W. Bush didn't improve following his pick of North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate July 6, according to a Zogby International poll. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: But then again, maybe no: "Democratic candidate John Kerry's standing against President George W. Bush didn't improve... Steve Soto: Thursday Quick Hits — Some notes this morning that are of interest: Zogby's initial snapshot poll after the Edwards pick shows no bounce for Kerry. |
Glenn Reynolds: Surprisingly, the Edwards pick hasn't boosted Kerry much in the polls, despite the overwhelmingly positive reaction from the press and punditry. |
France opposes UN Sudan sanctions BBC — Permalink France says it does not support US plans for international sanctions on Sudan if violence continues in Darfur. The UN Security Council is due to discuss a US draft resolution imposing sanctions on militias accused of "ethnic cleansing" against non-Arabs. | |
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Bird Dog: As usual, when the U.S. says oui, the French say non. Betsy Newmark: They oppose sanctions against Sudan, but you know they would be unwilling to send troops. They just want to help the Sudanese get over this crisis. Cori Dauber: Tell me again how it's all about failed American diplomacy with the French Now they won't stand up against gencoide. |
McQ: France says "no" ... again — If there's any residual doubt as to France's intentions as they pertain to its desire for... Damian Penny: It's all about oil - for France — The French government opposes any sanctions against Sudan, where Arab militias are... Ace: France: Non to Sudan Sanctions — I have this bizarre dream in which one day the mainstream media actually dares to ask... |
| Also: Captain Ed, Charles Johnson, Smash, Blackfive, Glenn Reynolds | |
July Surprise? By / TNR — Permalink Late last month, President Bush lost his greatest advantage in his bid for reelection. A poll conducted by ABC News and The Washington Post discovered that challenger John Kerry was running even with the president on the critical question of whom voters trust to handle the war on terrorism. | |
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Stefan Sharkansky: Today's TNR is waxing indignant and accusing the Bush administration of cooking up a "July surprise " "This spring, the... Julian Sanchez: It's nice to learn, via The New Republic, that capturing top al-Qaeda operatives is once again as high a priority as our... Edward Driscoll: THE JULY SURPRISE: I don't know if this New Republic piece amounts to much, but it's fun to see the left fear election year surprises from the right for a change. |
Corey Pein: TNR's story charges that the Bush squad has pushed Pakistan hard to capture Osama bin Laden and potentially announce it... Howard Kurtz: A more interesting debate has been set off by John Judis in the New Republic, who reports that the chatter about a... Jonathan H. Adler: RE: JULY SURPRISE — I was surprised by TNR's embrace of this tired conspiratorial tale. |
| Also: Andrew D, Steve M., Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Raybould, Tom Maguire, Nick Confessore, Gregory Djerejian, Holden, Jesse Taylor, Ezra Klein, Laura Rozen, SK Bubba, Bob Harris, Bo Cowgill, Kevin Drum, Steve Soto, Joe Gandelman, Hugh Hewitt, Taegan Goddard, Oliver Willis, Attaturk, The Poor Man, Matthew Yglesias, Josh Marshall | |
Inquiry will back intelligence that Iraq sought uranium By / Financial Times — Permalink A UK government inquiry into the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq is expected to conclude that Britain's spies were correct to say that Saddam Hussein's regime sought to buy uranium from Niger. | |
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Ted Barlow: Tim Dunlop at The Road to Surfdom argues that right-wingers probably shouldn't crow about this story. Tom Smith: Oh those WMDs update — Looks like Iraq was trying to get uranium from Niger. But don't expect to hear about it on NPR, NBC, etc., etc. Tim Dunlop: Yellowcake of darkness — If you go to the blog-monitoring site called Memeorandum, you'll find a lot of pro-war types... |
Dean Esmay: Chimpy McSmirk Told Truth? Is it even possible? If so it must have been on accident, right? Mitch Berg: Uranium from Niger - a Brit Government report will soon show Iraq was in the market.. [snipped quote] All right, Dems - who's going to be the first to admit they were wrong? C. D. Harris: Actually, No I Don't Oh, now this is really going to send the anti-warBush crowd into a tizzy (in the unlikely event... |
| Also: Clayton Cramer, Stefan Sharkansky, Jesse Taylor, Jonah Goldberg, Ace, Steve M., The Big Trunk, James Joyner, Hugh Hewitt, Captain Ed, Tom Maguire, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Glenn Reynolds, Jon Henke, Holden | |
Breck Girl Takes On Dr. No By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON — I'm happy for John Kerry. Long-faced guy, as some Bushies refer to him, finally found somebody to stand at the podium and give him an adoring look. Heaven knows Teresa was never going to do it. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Maureen Dowd can be funny sometimes, but even when she's turning her daggers to the Democrats, she can't resist turning... Tom Smith: It's impossible to take Maureen seriously. But to be fair, this is the sort of thing she does well. Steve Soto: Check out Maureen Dowd's take on the Kerry/Edwards match up to Bush/Cheney: Ordinarily, the John-John ticket might seem... |
Jan Haugland: First lady material — Maureen Dowd about Teresa Heinz Kerry: She siphons attention from a husband who has a hard enough time getting it. DeLong: "It looks like we can add Mark Schmitt and Maureen Dowd to the list. UPDATE: We can add John Kerry now too...I sense some spine!" CJR: Meantime, Maureen Dowd, the New York Times' maven of the arch one-liner, has a different view of the whole thing. |
Senate Iraq Report Said to Skirt White House Use of Intelligence By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 7 - A bipartisan Senate report to be issued Friday that is highly critical of prewar intelligence on Iraq will sidestep the question of how the Bush administration used that information to make the case for war, Congressional officials said Wednesday. | |
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Cori Dauber: JUST SO LONG AS WE'RE ALL CLEAR — The New York Times, July 8, 2004, on the question of whether the Senate Intelligence... Glenn Reynolds: That's what the New York Times is reporting, and Tom Maguire has an observation: "More than 200 witnesses, any of whom... DeDurkheim: Duck and Cover — It is always nice to have friends in high places who can protect you when your ass is in a sling. |
Gregory Djerejian: Buried Lede Watch — [snipped quote] This, er, little piece of news is buried in Graf 5 of this Douglas Jehl NYT piece. Tom Maguire: Although the headline and the first few paragraphs are spent deploring the non-coverage of the White House use of the... Attaturk: Majority Rules — Need a reason to vote against your Republican Incumbent? OK...another one? |
President Declines NAACP Invite to Speak AP — Permalink PHILADELPHIA - President Bush declined an invitation to speak at the NAACP's annual convention, the group said. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People expects more than 8,000 people to attend the convention opening Saturday. | |
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Jesse Taylor: I Can't Hug You All! George W. Bush again declined to appear at the NAACP Convention. Attaturk: President Declines NAACP Invite to Speak [snipped quote] Like yesterday in North Carolina when he said "I'm going to... Captain Ed: Gee, Thanks, But I Have To Wash My Hair That Night — The AP reports that George Bush has turned down an NAACP... |
Bird Dog: Update: While we're on the subject, George Bush turned down an invitation to speak at the NAACP convention. Jon Henke: "We won't vote for you, now...still" — The NAACP is getting the Presidential brush-off... "President Bush declined an... |
Bush declines NAACP invitation AP — Permalink PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) — President Bush declined an invitation to speak at the NAACP's annual convention, the group said. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People expects more than 8,000 people to attend the convention, which opens on Saturday. | |
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John Hawkins: Bush Was Right Not To Speak To The NAACP Annual Convention — I was pleased to hear that George Bush has once again... Kevin Drum: Guess what else he has in common with Hoover? [snipped quote] But at least Hoover had a distinguished pre-presidential career, including yeoman work feeding starving Belgians. |
Holden: We all know he will be the first president since Hoover to leave the country with fewer jobs than we had at the... Oliver Willis: Bush declines NAACP invitation NAACP spokesman John White said Wednesday that Bush has declined invitations in each year... |
The Good News About Productivity By / TCS — Permalink "This story of positive structural changes in the American economy — the very rapid growth of potential output — is the big story about the economy during the past four years. | |
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The Big Trunk: In that regard, see this piece by Arnold Kling. Virginia Postrel: On TechCentral Station, Arnold Kling suggests that the media bias toward negative news probably hurts coverage of productivity gains. Glenn Reynolds: ARNOLD KLING notes the ongoing productivity boom, and talks about its economic consequences — and why such a dramatic phenomenon is getting so little attention. |
Ace: In Other Positive Economic News: Arnold King explains why the boom in productivity — the best four-year increase in productivity since at least 1960 — is a good thing. Bird Dog: But what Krugman leaves out (intentionally, I believe) is productivity growth which, as Arnold Kling observes, is "probably the single most important economic statistic". |
Turning Success Into Failure NYT — Permalink There are, in theory, three workweeks left for Congress before lawmakers race off to the presidential campaign season. But taxpayers should not hold their breath for anything substantive to happen. | |
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Robert Garcia Tagorda: Stuart Buck has the answers, but here's a hint: The Times no longer finds the effort "punitive," "atrocious," "devastating," "harsh," and "odious." Christopher Kanis: WHAT A DIFFERENCE 8 YEARS CAN MAKE — Stuart Buck does the legwork and looks at what the New York Times said about Welfare reform 8 years ago, versus what they say today. Stuart Buck: The New York Times on Welfare Reform — The New York Times, today: "[N]one of the shortcomings of the G.O.P.-controlled... |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: INTELLECTUAL WHIPLASH — Stuart Buck notes that the New York Times appears to have completely changed its tune regarding welfare reform over the past eight years. Glenn Reynolds: STUART BUCK NOTES historical revisionism at The New York Times where welfare reform is concerned. |
A Little Gob Will Do Ya By / WaPo — Permalink Several disturbing scenes stand out in Michael Moore's agitprop movie "Fahrenheit 9/11," but one that always prompts "ewwws" from the audience involves a comb, some saliva and the stubborn coif of Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz. | |
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Robert Cox: If you have not seen it, I recommend the Frontline episode tonight (see TIVO THIS) TIVO THIS Judy Woodruff's Inside... Taegan Goddard: Blogger Moves To TV — "That foul-mouthed red-haired vixen known as the Wonkette... has leveraged her popular political... |
Michelle Malkin: MTV'S REAL WORLD JOURNALISM — The Washington Post's Richard "Fluff Daddy" Leiby announces that the other half of the... Jeff Jarvis: MTV hired Wonkette Ana Marie Cox to cover the conventions. I've been pushing for AMC to go on TV since I first met her. |
FOR THE RECORD LAT — Permalink Iraqi handover — A news analysis about the new Iraqi government in Sunday's Section A stated that outgoing administrator L. Paul Bremer III did not give a farewell speech to the country. His spokesman has since said that Bremer taped an address that was given to Iraqi broadcast media. | |
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Tim Blair: CORRECTION PUBLICIZED TO WESTERN NEWS MEDIA — Patterico reports that the LA Times has finally corrected its "Paul... Patterico: The Times today issues the following correction: "Iraqi handover — A news analysis about the new Iraqi government in... |
Glenn Reynolds: No apology, however, for the story's snarky language: "L. Paul Bremer III, the civilian administrator for Iraq, left... |
D'Amato Suggests Bush Drop Cheney for Powell or McCain By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 7 - Alfonse M. D'Amato, the once-influential Republican senator from New York, says that President Bush should drop Vice President Dick Cheney. | |
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John Hawkins: Former New York Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato is the latest person to suggest that W. drop Cheney from ticket... "Mr... Tom Maguire: More Greasing Of Skids For Cheney — Al D'Amato and Bruce Bartlett want Dick Cheney out. |
Holden: I Can't Wait to Hear What Cheney Has to Say to Him — [snipped quote] Link. Thanks to Marc Sobel for the alert. CJR: Just when we thought it was safe to go back into the news cycle again, here comes Ray Hernandez raising the Jaws of the 2004 campaign season: Another Veepstakes! |
The New Cosby Kids By / NYT — Permalink It was such a dog-bites-man story that I almost skipped right by: Billionaire Bashes Poor Blacks. The only thing that gave this particular story a little piquancy is that the billionaire doing the bashing is black himself. | |
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Kevin Drum: Barbara Ehrenreich begs to disagree: "If Cosby's worried about poor grammar and so forth, why isn't he ranting about... James Panero: Puerile editorial watch — Barbara Ehrenreich goes juvenile in today's New York Times. [snipped quote] Thomas Friedman, where art thou? |
Holden: Barbara Ehrenreich is subbing for Tom Frieman on the Op-Ed page of the New York Times. Captain Ed: No, Rall won't have to challenge Cos, because equally Euroethnic Barbara Ehrenreich at the New York Times has taken her... |
The news: A nation divided LAT — Permalink If the American news media are lucky, 2004 will be remembered as the year of living dangerously. If not, then this election cycle may be recalled as the point at which journalism's slide back into partisanship became a kind of free fall. | |
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Robert Cox: Fox News - Unfair and Unbalanced The Los Angeles Times Fox News is the most blatantly biased major American news organization since the era of yellow journalism. Jeff Jarvis: The mostest : I enjoyed this counterpoint of superlatives this morning: : In the LA Times, Tim Ruttan wails about the... Cori Dauber: Here's the LA Times media critic today: (And it's worth knowing what the LA Times media critic has to say about Fox... |
Greg Ransom: Glenn quotes Tim Rutten: "If the American news media are lucky, 2004 will be remembered as the year of living dangerously. Glenn Reynolds: UPDATE: You know, I think that Tim Rutten is right: "If the American news media are lucky, 2004 will be remembered as the year of living dangerously. |
Lawmakers Take Aim at Part of Patriot Act By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Lawmakers who say portions of the USA Patriot Act went too far are taking aim at its provision that made it easier for investigators to learn what people are reading — despite a veto threat from the White House. | |
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Brian Crouch: America Wins — Under the headline: Bush Wins; House Leaves Patriot Act As Is, the AP's Alan Fram filters the truth for... Captain Ed: Never mind that "hate-crime" legislation goes far further towards establishing thought crime than the Patriot Act's... |
Jeralyn Merritt: White House Makes New Civil Liberties Threat — Is this blackmail or what? |
D'AMATO TO PARTY BIGS: DUMP DICK By / New York Post — Permalink ALBANY — Former Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato yesterday called on President Bush to dump Dick Cheney from the GOP ticket. D'Amato described Cheney as a "decent, honorable and patriotic American," but urged Bush to "add a bold and farsighted dimension to his ticket." | |
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Steve Gilliard: Seeing them sweat — Could this be Bush's next vice president? CJR: Proving that nobody loves a vacuum, especially journalists, the New York Post's Kenneth Lovett also reported D'Amato's... |
Max B. Sawicky: HE'S TANNED, RESTED, & READY — Al D'Amato for Republican Vice Presidential candidate! Yes! |