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Archive Edition for   Friday, July 30, 2004Go to Current Page
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Quoted in this edition:

Al Bawaba
American Digest
  Vanderleun
the american street
  Kevin Hayden
  Jo Brooks
  Chuck Currie
Amygdala
  Gary Farber
www.AndrewSullivan.com
  Andrew Sullivan
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
  Sir George
Associated Press
  Ted Bridis
  Burt Herman
  Jay Reeves
Asymmetrical Information
  Jane Galt
The Atlantic Online
  Eric Alterman
Balloon Juice
  John Cole
BBC
Begging to Differ
  Steve @BeggingToDiffer
  Nick @BeggingToDiffer
THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH
  Gregory Djerejian
Betsy's Page
  Betsy Newmark
Billmon
  Billmon
BLACKFIVE
  Blackfive
Boston Globe
  Thomas Oliphant
Boston Herald
  David R. Guarino
The Buck Stops Here
  Stuart Buck
BuzzMachine
  Jeff Jarvis
Captain's Quarters
  Captain Ed
Centerfield
  Rickheller @Centerfield
  William Swann
  Tully @Centerfield
Chicago Tribune
  Liam Ford
Citizen Smash
  Smash
The Claremont Institute
  Richard Reeb
Clayton Cramer's BLOG
  Clayton Cramer
CNET.com
  Charles Cooper
CNN
The Corner
  KJL
corrente
  Xan @Corrente
Crescat Sententia
  Will Baude
cut on the bias
  Susanna Cornett
Daily Kos
  DemFromCT
  Kos
Dallas Morning News
Dan Gillmor's eJournal
  Dan Gillmor
danieldrezner.com
  Daniel Drezner
Dean's World
  Dean Esmay
Demagogue
  Eugene Oregon
  Helena Montana
DonkeyRising
  Ruy Teixeira
Drudge Report
Dynamist Blog
  Virginia Postrel
Ed Driscoll.com
  Ed Driscoll
Eschaton
  Atrios
  Holden
  Pie
Fox News
Front Page Magazine
  Ben Johnson
Gallup
  Frank Newport
Harry's Place
  Harry @HarrysPlace
Hit & Run
  Michael Young
  Jacob Sullum
  Charles Paul Freund
  Nick Gillespie
  Jeff A. Taylor
HobbsOnline
  Bill Hobbs
HughHewitt.com
  Hugh Hewitt
Hullabaloo
  Digby
INDC Journal
  Bill @INDCJournal
Informed Comment
  Juan Cole
Instapundit.com
  Glenn Reynolds
INTEL DUMP
  Phillip Carter
JustOneMinute
  Tom Maguire
Kerry for President Press Room
Kim du Toit
  Kim du Toit
LAW.com
  Jonathan Ringel
The Liquid List
  Aaron @LiquidList
Little Green Footballs
  Charles Johnson
Los Angeles Times
  T. Christian Miller
  Nick Anderson
  Ronald Brownstein
Mark A. R. Kleiman
  Mark Kleiman
matthew
  Matthew Yglesias
Media Notes Extra
  Howard Kurtz
Michelle Malkin
  Michelle Malkin
The Moderate Voice
  Joe Gandelman
The National Debate
  Robert Cox
The New Republic
  Lawrence F. Kaplan
  Daniel W. Drezner
New York Post
  John Podhoretz
  Deborah Orin
New York Times
  Paul Krugman
  Adam Nagourney
  Jodi Wilgoren
NewsMax.com
No More Mister Nice Blog
  Steve M.
Not Geniuses
  Matt Singer
Obsidian Wings
  Von @ObsidianWings
Off the Kuff
  Charles Kuffner
Oh, That Liberal Media
  John Rosenberg
One Hand Clapping
  Donald Sensing
Online Journalism Review
  Mark Glaser
Opinion Journal
  Kimberley A. Strassel
  Diana West
Outside The Beltway
  James Joyner
pandagon.net
  Jesse Taylor
Pejmanesque
  Pejman Yousefzadeh
The Peking Duck
  Richard TPD
PoliBlog
  Steven Taylor
The Poor Man
  The Poor Man
Power Line
  Deacon
  The Big Trunk
Priorities & Frivolities
  Robert Garcia Tagorda
ProfessorBainbridge.com
  Steve Bainbridge
QandO
  McQ
  Dale Franks
  Jon Henke
Rantingprofs
  Cori Dauber
Reason
Reuters
  Carol Giacomo
  Evelyn Leopold
  Zeeshan Haider
The Right Coast
  Tom Smith
Right Wing News
  John Hawkins
Roger Ailes
  Roger Ailes
Roger L. Simon
  Roger L. Simon
San Francisco Chronicle
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
  Wyatt Buchanan
Seeing The Forest
  Thomas Leavitt
  Dave Johnson
Shark Blog
  Stefan Sharkansky
Silent Running
  Wind Rider
skippy the bush kangaroo
  Skippy
Slate
  William Saletan
A Small Victory
  Michele Catalano
Southern Appeal
  Michael DeBow
The Spoons Experience
  Christopher Kanis
Suburban Guerrilla
  Susan Madrak
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire
  Taegan Goddard
the talking dog
  Talking Dog
Talking Points Memo
  Josh Marshall
TAPPED
  Nick Confessore
Tech Central Station
  Steven L. Taylor
  Bryan Preston
This Modern World
  Bob Harris
Unfogged
  Fontana Labs
USA Today
  Jonah Goldberg
Vodkapundit
  Stephen Green
  Will Collier
War and Piece
  Laura Rozen
The Washington Monthly
  Kevin Drum
Washington Post
  Dan Balz
  David S. Broder
  Peter Slevin
  Jim VandeHei
Washington Times
  Stephen Dinan
Zogby



Apocalypse Kerry
  By / TNR   —   Permalink 
A few weeks back, a colleague of mine at TNR joked that the Kerry campaign should create a miniature river in the FleetCenter, in which the candidate and his "band of brothers" could wend their way toward the podium in a swift boat.
Andrew Sullivan: KAPLAN ON KERRY: My good friend Lawrence rightly decries the assertion by the Kerry campaign that somehow having been in...
Donald Sensing: Also, Lawrence Kaplan, senior editor of The New Republic rips the speech pretty harshly for its illiberal militarism and bland generalities.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Lawrence Kaplan: "A few weeks back, a colleague of mine at TNR joked that the Kerry campaign should create a miniature...
Talking Dog: Which takes us to last night's theatrics.
Glenn Reynolds: LAWRENCE KAPLAN ON KERRY, at TNR — I agree with Tom Maguire that his analysis is "brutal." Maguire's own analysis seems kinder only by comparison.
Tom Maguire: Point (1) would have brought down the house. UPDATE: Lawrence Kaplan at TNR - also brutal.
Also: Dale Franks, Steven Taylor, Betsy Newmark, The Big Trunk

Rushed speech, lost opportunity
  By / Boston Globe   —   Permalink 
FOR REASONS he might like to explain, John Kerry last night raced through an acceptance speech that was way too long for a time slot he knew about for weeks.
Betsy Newmark: Liberal columnist Thomas Oliphant thinks that Kerry muffed his opportunity last night because he didn't have the sense of discipline to shorten his speech.
Glenn Reynolds: Maguire's own analysis seems kinder only by comparison. UPDATE: Tom Oliphant didn't like it, either.
Steven Taylor: Howard Kurtz: Kerry Wows the Media. Thomas Oliphant, writing in BoGlo: Rushed speech, lost opportunity.
Andrew Sullivan: OLIPHANT CONCURS: It was indeed a missed opportunity.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Tom Oliphant: "FOR REASONS he might like to explain, John Kerry last night raced through an acceptance speech that was way too long for a time slot he knew about for weeks.
Donald Sensing: Thomas Oliphant of the Boston Globe panned the delivery, though: [snipped quote] As for content, I guess if you were already for Kerry, you loved the speech.
Also: James Joyner

Missed Opportunity
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
AL GORE AND George W. Bush accepted their parties' 2000 nominations for the presidency with an optimism fueled by seeming prosperity at home and apparent security in a post-Cold War world.
Hugh Hewitt: And don't miss the Washington Post's editorial on Kerry's speech.
Matt Singer: The lambaste Kerry's acceptance speech in their editorial today, holding him to a standard they've never held the President to.
Tom Maguire: The editorials of the NY Times and the Washington Post illustrate Mr. Kerry's dilemma, each criticizing his speech in...
Donald Sensing: Did anyone like Kerry's speech? The Washington Post was underwhelmed by John Kerry's speech at the DNC last night.
John Cole: Read the whole thing, but my favorite part was this: [snipped quote] Holy loads of euphemisms....
Aaron @LiquidList: Politics/Media: Annoyed — An editorial in today's Washington Post really annoyed me.
Also: Glenn Reynolds, Andrew Sullivan, Dale Franks, Steven Taylor, Betsy Newmark

Triumph of the Trivial
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
Under the headline "Voters Want Specifics From Kerry," The Washington Post recently quoted a voter demanding that John Kerry and John Edwards talk about "what they plan on doing about health care for middle-income or lower-income people.
Dan Gillmor: An Election is Also About Issues — Paul Krugman (NY Times): Triumph of the Trivial.
Steve M.: Paul Krugman is on target as usual in "Triumph of the Trivial," his column about TV news coverage of politics.
The Poor Man: So there it is. Paul Krugman is right, as usual. The Times should replace him with Jonah Goldberg before it's too late.
Donald Sensing: At least that's what Paul Krugman thinks.
Kevin Drum: POLICY...Paul Krugman complains today that TV news flatly refuses to cover the actual policy proposals of the...
Nick Confessore: THE MEDIA'S FAILURE. Paul Krugman's column is particularly good today.
Also: Tom Maguire, DeLong, Dave Johnson, Barbara O'Brien, Mary InLosGatos, Richard TPD

Raw Data: Bush Speech in Springfield
  Fox News   —   Permalink 
The following is a transcript of remarks made by President Bush during a campaign stop Friday in Springfield, Mo.:
BUSH: Thanks for coming.
It's great to be in the heartland of our country. And I want to thank you all for being here this morning to help kick off our "Heart and Soul of America" tour.
Vanderleun: Edgar Lee Masters, :The Hill", Spoon River Anthology Today, in Springfield, Missouri, President George W. Bush...
Richard Reeb: Principles of Bush's Domestic Agenda — Some conservatives have expressed little enthusiasm, if not outright contempt,...
Steven Taylor: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote]. —President George W. Bush today in a campaign speech in Springfield, MO.
Deacon: For those wondering what the Republican message will be, check out President Bush's speech at a rally in Springfield, Missouri.
Glenn Reynolds: BUSH'S SPEECH IN SPRINGFIELD TODAY addresses the war issue: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing. (Via Blogged and Dangerous).

Text of John Kerry's Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
Sen. John Kerry's speech accepting the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party at the Democratic National Convention at the FleetCenter in Boston, Mass.
KERRY: I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty.
We are here tonight because we love our country.
Tom Maguire: This Election Is Over — Was it something Kerry said, or something he didn't say, that ended his hopes last night?
The Big Trunk: Kerry versus Kerry — Kate O'Beirne's midnight take on John Kerry's speech seems to me to capture the essence of it:...
Stuart Buck: Kerry on WMDs — John Kerry, speaking at tonight's convention: "Saying there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq doesn't make it so."
Phillip Carter: Here, I think the swift boat captain may have run aground, according to this transcript from the Washington Post: [quote] "Let...[end quote]
Taegan Goddard: (See the transcript.)
Joe Gandelman: Did John Kerry's Speech Advance His Campaign?
Also: Robert Garcia Tagorda, Daniel Drezner, Laura Rozen

KERRY'S BIG SPEECH: GOING NEGATIVE
  By / New York Post   —   Permalink 
Sure. Just as, in 2000, George W. Bush met and exceeded the task of demonstrating that he could string two sentences together and read them with some fluency, last night John Kerry met and exceeded the task of demonstrating that he was flesh and blood and...
Betsy Newmark: John Podhoretz notes the disingenous rhetoric of Kerry's speech. [snipped quote] Ouch.
Michele Catalano: John Podhoretz in today's New York Post: So, in the end, it appears Kerry has decided to run as Howard Dean with some medals.
KJL: JOHN POD ON DA SPEECH "it appears Kerry has decided to run as Howard Dean with some medals. "
Michael DeBow: Richard Dreyfuss!) Whoa! Jeff Jacoby really didn't like the speech. Kerry's one big idea is discerned by John Podhoretz.
James Joyner: John Podhoretz: "John Kerry met and exceeded the task of demonstrating that he was flesh and blood and sinew and not...

Kerry: Undecided to the end
  By / USA Today   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — In 1970, President Nixon nominated Judge G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court. Responding to the criticism that Carswell was a mediocre nominee, Nebraska Sen. Roman Hruska defended the judge, saying there are lots of mediocre people, and "they are entitled to a little representation, aren't they?"
Ed Driscoll: Jonah Goldberg writes: "For most, a yes/no vote is like a light switch — only two possible positions.
Betsy Newmark: Jonah Goldberg wonders where the real commitment to fighting terrorism is in the Kerry campaign. "But Kerry's tactical gamble is bolder.
KJL: UNDECIDED KERRY — Jonah's USAToday piece today.
James Joyner: Jonah Goldberg: "This theme plays out over and over again in his biography, most famously in his record as both a decorated veteran and demagogic anti-war activist.

They should have picked Dean
  San Francisco Chronicle   —   Permalink 
Boston — AT THE DEMOCRATIC National Convention, the gulf between rhetoric and reality is breathtaking.
John Kerry and his surrogates have spent the week telling America that if Kerry and John Edwards are elected, America will not go to war, as the script reads, "because we want to, we only go to war because we have to."
Dale Franks: They Should Have Picked Dean — Debra Saunders, after attending the Democratic National Convention, concludes that the Dems picked the wrong nominee.
James Joyner: Debra Saunders: "They should have picked Dean." Clearly, the assembled delegates would have preferred Dean.
Betsy Newmark: The most important issue of our time and they basically shrug it off. Debra Saunders captures that in her column today.
John Hawkins: Update #2***: More on this topic from Debra J. Saunders... "Bottom line: The Democratic Party did not have to...

Bush back to campaigning in battleground states
  CNN   —   Permalink 
(CNN) — After keeping a low profile during the Democratic National Convention, President Bush returns to the campaign trail Friday morning to unveil broad themes of his agenda for the next four years at stops in three crucial battleground states.
Pie: The Bush campaign today: "Nicolle Devenish, the Bush campaign's communications director, said the president will...
Jon Henke: [quote]George W. Bush, 2004: "We've turned a corner, and we're not turning back." [end quote]
Talking Dog: "We've turned the corner, and we're not going back".
Kevin Drum: SLOGANEERING...That was then, this is now: [snipped quote] I know that Democrats have been trying to pin the Hoover tag...

Iraq Funds Are Focus of 27 Criminal Inquiries
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — A comprehensive examination of the U.S.-led agency that oversaw the rebuilding of Iraq has triggered at least 27 criminal investigations and produced evidence of millions of dollars' worth of fraud, waste and abuse, according to a report by the Coalition Provisional Authority's inspector general.
Laura Rozen: And it's busy, with 100 employees conducting investigations into more than twenty-seven criminal cases, according to the LA Times: [snipped quote] Just like Texas, we guess.
Steve M.: Millions of dollars' worth of equipment could not be located, the report said.... —Los Angeles Times
Susan Madrak: UPDATE: And if that's not enough, there's this: "WASHINGTON — A comprehensive examination of the U.S.-led agency that...
Cori Dauber: Normal procedures weren't followed, equipment can't be located, bribes may have been spent. Fair enough, I say.
Kevin Hayden: You'll wonder where the dollars went — From the Los Angeles Times: "WASHINGTON — A comprehensive examination of the...
DemFromCT: Iraq Funds Are Focus of 27 Criminal Inquiries "A comprehensive examination of the U.S.-led agency that oversaw the...

AP: Kerry Favors Bin Laden Trial in U.S.
  AP   —   Permalink 
NEWBURGH, N.Y. - John Kerry said Friday he would put Osama bin Laden on trial in U.S. courts rather than an international tribunal to ensure the "fastest, surest route" to a murder conviction if the terrorist mastermind is captured while he is president.
Captain Ed: Rather than calculating the value of interrogating Osama bin Laden or the security requirements that would necessitate a...
Deacon: HINDROCKET adds: Further to Deacon's point, John Kerry said today that if he captured Osama bin Laden, he would try him...
Blackfive: And then there is this news: AP: Kerry Favors Bin Laden Trial in U.S. Now, if OBL were captured, the choices are few - military tribunal (it is war, after all) or trial by jury.

Rove's Blunder
  By / Slate   —   Permalink 
I don't know how much of John Kerry's acceptance speech the candidate penned himself. I don't know who suggested which lines, how many drafts there were, or who edited them. But I can tell you who wrote the speech: George W. Bush.
Skippy: top story tonight: president ronald reagan is still dead — Friday george w. bush, ghost writer william saletan,...
Howard Kurtz: Slate's William Saletan tries to parse the emotion of the speech: "I don't know how much of John Kerry's acceptance speech the candidate penned himself.
Laura Rozen: Just as he needed to, Kerry has reclaimed the center, from Bush, who's yielded it for his conservative base, according to Slate's Will Saletan, in this superb analysis.
Daniel Drezner: LAST UPDATE: Will Saletan seems to be channeling me this week — or vice versa, as he makes a similar point about...

The Race Is On: An Analysis of the Post-Convention Zogby Poll By John Zogby and Christopher Conroy
  Zogby   —   Permalink 
The most recent Zogby poll shows deeper trouble for President George W. Bush beyond just the horserace. Mr. Bush has fallen in key areas while Senator John Kerry has shored up numerous constituencies in his base.
Richard TPD: Zogby Poll shows deep trouble for GWB — Here's what Zogby says: "The most recent Zogby poll shows deeper trouble for President George W. Bush beyond just the horserace.
Holden: Shorter John Zogby: Give It Up, George — The results from the latest Zogby Poll are in, and Dubya is in a heap o'...

AP: Kerry in Favor of U.S. Bin Laden Trial
  AP   —   Permalink 
NEWBURGH, N.Y. (AP) - John Kerry said Friday he would put Osama bin Laden on trial in U.S. courts rather than an international tribunal to ensure the "fastest, surest route" to a murder conviction if the terrorist mastermind is captured while he is president.
Michelle Malkin: JOHN KERRY WANTS TO MAKE OSAMA THE NEXT O.J. Via Drudge and the Associated Press, we learn: "Kerry in favor of U.S. bin...
KJL: KERRY WANTS OSAMA TRIED IN U.S. COURT (Here's what Andy McCarthy said when Howard Dean said, Hand him to a jury.)
Charles Johnson: They Call Him "Flipper" — John Kerry wants to put Osama bin Laden on trial. NEWBURGH, N.Y.

Kuwaiti newspaper: Zarqawi captured on Syrian - Iraq border
  Al Bawaba   —   Permalink 
Reports in Kuwait on Friday said a man assumed to be Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab Zarqawi has been captured near the Syrian border.
Zarqawi, whose Tawhid and Jihad group has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Iraq, was captured during a...
Captain Ed: The Arabian Rumor Mill: US Got Zarqawi — We've been down this road before, but what the hell — Arab newsline Al-Bawaba...
Jane Galt: Shameless rumourmongering — If this is true, it's absolutely fantastic news: Zarqawi reported captured on Syrian border.
Tom Maguire: Zarqawi Captured? We (eagerly) await confirmation of this story from Al-Bawaba.

Campaign Finance Deform
  By / TCS   —   Permalink 
Back in the 1970s Congress had an idea, and like many ideas from the 1970s, it wasn't a particularly good one. Sure it sounded nice, but it was fraught with complications and unintended consequences.
Stephen Green: How to Get the Money Out of Politics — Or not.
Steven Taylor: PoliColumn at TCS — TCS: Campaign Finance Deform.
James Joyner: Steven Taylor has a new piece in TCS, "Campaign Finance Deform," expanding on this theme: "However, the failure of such...

Kerry's Acceptance: 'We Have It in Our Power to Change the World Again'
  NYT   —   Permalink 
Following is Senator John Kerry's speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination last night in Boston, as recorded by The New York Times:
I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for duty.
We are here tonight because we love our country.
John Cole: Kerry Speech — I did not watch the Kerry speech- I figured it would just piss me off.
Gregory Djerejian: The Kerry Speech — A few quick take-aways on the Kerry speech. Note, he couldn't help but mention John McCain.
Phillip Carter: Evaluating Kerry's speech — and his ideas to secure America — Overall, I thought that John Kerry gave an excellent acceptance speech last night.
Roger Ailes: It appears that Senator Kerry ad-libbed the "reporting for duty" line. Can't wait for the equivalent in New York City.

Hey, Media Personalities! What Did You Think of the Speech?
  Reason   —   Permalink 
The Kerry lockout forced me to watch Our Next President's cringe-inducing acceptance speech in the loserville Media Pavilion, along with a dozen or so journalists and the odd activist. Post-speech reactions from various media (and occasionally political) personalities can be paraphrased as follows:
Jeff Jarvis: Nose against the window : Convention bloggers Jay Rosen, Matt Welch, and Tim Blair couldn't get into the...
James Joyner: Matt Welch has a roundup of the assembled glitterati. Sean Hackbarth is reminded of the Superfriends.

John Kerry Speaks
  NYT   —   Permalink 
Speakers at the Democratic convention were told to stay positive, but when John Kerry delivered his acceptance speech last night, his best moments came on the attack. His depiction of a Bush administration that misled the public into war did a fine job of rousing the faithful.
Donald Sensing: The New York Times hardly did handsprings, either; it's editorial today is certainly no hearty "well done" piece.
Steven Taylor: The NYT editorial was more positive than WaPo's: "As an introduction to the candidates, the Democratic convention, on the whole, did its job."

Cybertourists in Boston
  By / CNET.com   —   Permalink 
Professional politicians aren't famous for being early to embrace new technology. So when the Democrats extended credentials to bloggers to cover the party's national convention in Boston, I was left pleasantly stunned.
Robert Cox: Bloggers Fall Flat in Boston CNET With all the pageantry and the circus-like atmospherics that make up an American...
Dave Johnson: Info For the Hayseeds — Through Dave Winer I found Cybertourists in Boston.
Jeff Jarvis: But Charles Cooper at CNET didn't need any time to decide what he thought: "most of the credentialed bloggers came off like cyberhayseeds in the big city."
Rickheller @Centerfield: Proudly A Cyberhayseed — Charles Cooper of CNET slams convention bloggers, and particuarly a remark I made in one of my...

Kerry Speaks
  Reason   —   Permalink 
We're only a few minutes from Speech Time. Let's hear what the big guy has to say for himself - and keep a running tally of applause points. Updates to follow ...
Applause point 1: "I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty."
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Tim Blair collected all of the applause lines, and then had the following to say: "That's an applause-point ratio of...
Michele Catalano: Well, it had 52 applause points (and sweat broke out at point 32). Now, I know that speeches are made for maximum applause.
Stephen Green: Required Applause — Teem Bleah collected all of Kery's big applause lines. And for that thankless job, "Timmy Baby," I owe you a bottle of very good red wine.
Wind Rider: Follow along Tim's tally of applause points, and you see lines that are virtual cut-n-pastes from the speeches delivered over the first three days.
Harry @HarrysPlace: Kerry Speech — Tim Blair has a novel approach to covering John Kerry's speech at the Democratic Convention - he notes the applause points.

Iran Said Insisting on Enriching Uranium
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran, intensifying a standoff over its nuclear programs, has told European officials it will not back down on its right to proceed with uranium enrichment, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
Charles Johnson: Iran Monkeys with Europe — I get the feeling sometimes that the mullahs are really enjoying themselves, jerking around the Europeans: Iran Said Insisting on Enriching Uranium.
Roger L. Simon: And well we should be according to this late-breaking report from Reuters: Iran, intensifying a standoff over its...

Kerry's Moment: Strong speech launches Democratic ticket
  Dallas Morning News   —   Permalink 
It all came down to the speech.
John Kerry's mission: Convince the more than 4,300 Democratic delegates gathered in the FleetCenter and millions watching on television that he is ready to be president. And, just as important, to be as appealing as possible so people want him to be president.
McQ: Under the headline "Kerry's Moment: Strong speech launches Democratic ticket" the Dallas Morning News opens with: "John...
Charles Kuffner: The Morning News called it a "strong speech" that "serve Mr. Kerry well in his quest for the White House".
Steven Taylor: The Dallas Morning News: "All in all, it was an impressive performance and one that should serve Mr. Kerry well in his quest for the White House."

Bush Back on the Trail With a New Message: 'Results Matter'
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — In a new campaign speech that presages an August advertising blitz, President Bush asserts that America has "turned the corner" and depicts himself — in contrast to Democratic nominee John F. Kerry — as a leader who delivers.
Von @ObsidianWings: The Apocalypse is coming. Bush just taped an appearance on Dr. Phil. (Via K-Lo of the Corner.)
KJL: W. TO APPEAR ON DR. PHIL

UN sets deadline for Sudan action
  BBC   —   Permalink 
The UN Security Council has warned the Sudan government that it must halt atrocities by Arab militias in the western Darfur region within 30 days.
A US-drafted resolution demanding that Khartoum disarm the fighters was passed with two abstentions.
Betsy Newmark: Ooh, the UN is getting really tough now on Sudan. They can't threaten sanctions because China, Russia, and Pakistan think that is premature.
KJL: U.N. GIVES SUDAN A DEADLINE

Planting a Flag on Bush's Turf
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — Sen. John F. Kerry capped a Democratic convention centered on his Vietnam experiences with an acceptance speech that seemed the political equivalent of a surprise attack on an enemy's strongest point.
Steven Taylor: The LAT's Ron Brownstein: "Sen. John F. Kerry capped a Democratic convention centered on his Vietnam experiences with an...
Howard Kurtz: The Los Angeles Times sees a strong Kerry: "Sen. John F. Kerry capped a Democratic convention centered on his Vietnam...
Taegan Goddard: The Los Angeles Times notes Kerry "directly appropriated Vice President Dick Cheney's convention chant from 2000 that...

July Surprise?
  TNR   —   Permalink 
[Editor's Note: This afternoon, Pakistan's interior minister, Faisal Saleh Hayyat, announced that Pakistani forces had captured Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian Al Qaeda operative wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Fontana Labs: Sadly, no. And this isn't remotely disturbing: But The New Republic has learned that Pakistani security officials have been told they must produce HVTs by the election.
Howard Kurtz: Washington Post Staff Writer — Earlier this month, the New Republic reported that the Bush administration was putting...
Tom Maguire: And we see some tacky, premature gloating at TNR - we want Osama! And the night is young. Pretty Suspenseful!
Robert Garcia Tagorda: A few weeks ago, The New Republic wrote that the Bush administration was pressuring Pakistani officials to apprehend...
Gregory Djerejian: UPDATE: From the old TNR article: "The last ten days of July deadline has been given repeatedly by visitors to Islamabad and during [ul-Haq's] meetings in Washington.
Kevin Drum: DNC SURPRISE...Four weeks ago, John Judis, Spencer Ackerman, and Massoud Ansari reported in The New Republic that the...
Also: Smash, Andrew Sullivan, Hugh Hewitt, Bob Harris, Nick Confessore, Josh Marshall, Laura Rozen, Will Baude

Archives Denies Report That Berger Is in the Clear
  NewsMax.com   —   Permalink 
A senior spokeswoman for the National Archives denied a report Friday morning that Archives officials have cleared former Kerry-Edwards campaign adviser Sandy Berger on charges that he withheld documents from the 9/11 Commission.
John Cole: Berger Rumors — Atrios and the Atriettes are promoting this WSJ piece stating that Sandy Berger is in the clear:...
Glenn Reynolds: But here's another report saying that the first report is wrong. Which is true? Beats me. Stay tuned.

The Hollywood Campaign
  By / The Atlantic Online   —   Permalink 
I t's like an Academy Awards ceremony for liberals outside the Wadsworth Theater, in Brentwood, California, on a sultry night in early May, as celebrity-show television interviewers and perhaps a hundred paparazzi jostle one another and scream out the names of stars to get a smile or a sound bite.
Tom Smith: Know your enemy — Hollywood money. Beverley Hills is its own city. Why can't they be their own country.
Glenn Reynolds: UPDATE: Much more on Bing and the entertainment-industrial complex's relationship to politics can be found in this...

'WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU GUYS DOING UP THERE'
  Drudge Report   —   Permalink 
DNC CONVENTION DIRECTOR DON MISCHER AIRED ON CNN AS KERRY ENDS SPEECH, HEARD WORLDWIDE:
'Go balloons, go balloons! Go balloons! I don't see anything happening. Go balloons! Go balloons! Go balloons! Standby confetti. Keep coming, balloons. More balloons.
Ed Driscoll: Without an obvious catchphrase from the speech—or the convention—the Kerry camp has been framed by the events that...
Smash: UPDATE: I watched the speech on MSNBC, so unfortunately I missed this bit of family entertainment.
Tom Maguire: Send In The Effing Clowns! Via Drudge, we see that CNN viewers got a special treat. Excerpts below.
Susanna Cornett: Ewwww. UPDATE: Here's Drudge's transcript of the comments, but you really need to listen to it to hear the voice too.

Kerry's Self-Indictment
  By / Front Page Magazine   —   Permalink 
During his acceptance speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention, John Kerry did something unprecedented for any presidential candidate: he indicted himself. In addition to outlining a dangerously weak foreign policy, Kerry at times appeared to be playing straight man for the Republican Party attack machine.
Betsy Newmark: But I do try. Ben Johnson has a great column on Kerry's speech.
The Big Trunk: For a quick first take, see Ben Johnson's "Kerry's self-indictment." On the Vietnam variations, see Lawrence Kaplan's "Apocalypse Kerry."

UN Council Sets Sudan Deadline on Darfur Violence
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council voted on Friday for a U.S.-drafted resolution that threatens to impose sanctions on Sudan in 30 days if it does not disarm and prosecute marauding militia in Darfur.
Eugene Oregon: The UN is a Pathetic Joke — From Reuters [snipped quote] The only way the US could get enough support in the Security...
Charles Johnson: UN Springs Into Action — The UN Security Council once again wields their awesome power, and demands that Sudan...

Security czar Ridge weighs resigning after election
  AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is considering stepping down after the November election, telling colleagues he is worn out from the massive reorganization of government and needs to earn money in the private sector to put his teenage children through college, officials said.
Steven Taylor: Barry Ritholtz notes via e-mail that Security czar Ridge weighs resigning after election To be honest, this doesn't surprise me.
Roger Ailes: The Bush Economy — [snipped quote] Don't worry, Tom, that conflict will work itself out nicely.

Ridge Tells Colleagues He May Retire
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is considering stepping down after the November election, telling colleagues he is worn out from the massive reorganization of government and needs to earn money in the private sector to put his teenage children through college, officials said.
Eugene Oregon: The Republican Working Poor — Tom Ridge is considering retiring as Secretary of Homeland Security so that he can join...
Digby: Family In Need — Ridge tells colleagues he may retire: [snipped quote] Maybe Mrs Ridge could get a job and clip some coupons or perhaps they could go on a budget.

Invoking His Past, Kerry Vows to Command 'a Nation at War'
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 29 - John Forbes Kerry accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, pledging to "restore trust and credibility to the White House" as he accused President Bush of misleading the nation into war and pursuing policies that he described as a threat to the economy, the Constitution and the nation's standing in the world.
Digby: Nit Pickling The Times — In an otherwise good article about Kerry's speech in the NY Times Adam Nagourney edits one quote in a very bizarre fashion: [snipped quote] That's it.
Joe Gandelman: Writes MSNBC's Tim Curry: [snipped quote] Due to some transmission problems via the phone here at our hotel in Jackson, Wyoming what follows are broad-brush thoughts on the speech.
Atrios: ...The Times actually gives some pretty good coverage for once, without Nagourney's snotty incoherency or Wilgoren's venom.

The Cash That Dare Not Speak His Name
  By / Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
BOSTON—If you want to know just how the new campaign finance laws are transforming politics, look no further than a crowded press conference here at the Four Seasons.
James Joyner: Campaign Finance Idiocy — Kimberley Strassel points out in today's Opinion Journal that McCain-Feingold isn't exactly having its desired effect.
Tully @Centerfield: McCain-Feingold, in Sheep's Clothing — [snipped quote] The Cash That Dare Not Speak His Name
Dean Esmay: Campaign Finance "Reforms" — A few years ago, the Congress and the President passed a series of campaign finance reform...

2 Killed in Uzbekistan Embassies Blasts
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan - Suicide bombers hit the U.S. and Israeli embassies Friday, killing at least two Uzbeks, news reports and police said.
A third blast hit the general prosecutor's office and caused "deaths," a Russian news agency reported.
Talking Dog: Suicide bombers attacked the American and Israeli embassies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, killing at least two, both believed to be Uzbeki security agents.
Charles Johnson: RoP Strikes in Uzbekistan 2 Killed in Uzbekistan Embassies Blasts.

A Challenge to the GOP on Values, Security
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 29 — John F. Kerry staked his hopes for the White House Thursday night on a gamble that would have seemed almost unimaginable for a Democrat not so long ago, challenging President Bush to a debate on the twin pillars of Republican success: values and security.
Steven Taylor: Mainstream Analysis/Columnists The analysis piece in WaPo, A Challenge to the GOP on Values, Security, aptly notes the...
Taegan Goddard: Kerry's Speech Takes Fight to Bush — Sen. John Kerry "staked his hopes for the White House Thursday night on a gamble...

Think It, But Don't Say It Out Loud
  By / Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
It is typical of political conventions that they invade big cities, fill up huge halls and exploit the garish pleasures of urban America. (The dateline this week is Boston, not Goshen, Mass.) The establishment media parachute in, report on the event, comment on its script, revel in its diversions and pound home a few truths about America's political culture.
Betsy Newmark: Diana West bemoans that people are embarrassed about saying they have conservative values these days.
Michael DeBow: Diana West has an interesting column on the "oddly defensive uncertainty" of conservative voters on Opinion Journal.

Senator John Kerry's Remarks to the Democratic National Convention
  NYT   —   Permalink 
Senator John Kerry's Remarks to the Democratic National Convention, as prepared for delivery.
We are here tonight because we love our country.
We are proud of what America is and what it can become.
Michael Young: The Vague, the Daft and the Ugly — Reading presidential candidates on foreign policy is like wearing a counterfeit...
Andrew Sullivan: The first and most obvious thing to say about Kerry's speech was that it was far too long.
Mark Kleiman: That is no longer the case. I didn't watch it; I listened to it on the radio. I thought it was astonishingly good.

Tender Stories From Family Position Kerry in a Soft Light
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 29 - He captured the Democratic presidential nomination by convincing primary voters that he was the candidate who could best win back the White House. But on Thursday night Senator John Kerry still had to prove to Democrats that he was a man they could love.
Jacob Sullum: Licorice Gets a Mention, But Not Julia — My favorite part of the convention was the soggy hamster story.
Wind Rider: Here's the lines from the NYT (may require reg) - [quote] "My dad jumped in, grabbed an oar, fished the cage from the water,...[end quote]

U.S. Muslim Activist Makes Plea Deal; Documents Expected to Implicate Libya
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
A prominent American Muslim activist charged with accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Libya in violation of U.S. law and attempting to hide it from the government is scheduled to plead guilty today, court records show.
Michelle Malkin: The Washington Post reports that Abdurahman Alamoudi, once embraced as a "mainstream" and "moderate" Muslim activist who...
Sir George: Alamoudi Pleads Guilty — The Washington Post, that bastion of biased journalism, has an eyebrow raising article today.

Text of John Kerry's speech at Democratic convention
  AP   —   Permalink 
A text of Sen. John Kerry's speech as prepared for delivery Thursday at the Democratic National Convention:
We are here tonight because we love our country.
We are proud of what America is and what it can become.
Juan Cole: The Kerry Plan on Iraq: How it Could Work if the UN were Brought In In his speech to the National Democratic Convention, John Kerry devoted a few passages to Iraq.
John Hawkins: Thoughts About The Convention, The Speech, & The Kerry Campaign — As I turned off Adam Sandler's "50 First Dates" and...

Speech to the 2004 Democratic National Convention
  Kerry for President Press Room   —   Permalink 
Boston, MA - We are here tonight because we love our country.
We are proud of what America is and what it can become.
My fellow Americans: we are here tonight united in one simple purpose: to make America stronger at home and respected in the world.
Chuck Currie: John Kerry And The Role Of Religion In Public Life — John Kerry's speech on Thursday night did more than introduce him to the American public.
Smash: My Impressions — JOHN KERRY delivered a good performance tonight.
Stefan Sharkansky: The Party of the Helpless — John Kerry, in his nomination acceptance speech: [snipped quote] It means that we should...

Pakistan Says Senior Al Qaeda Suspect Arrested
  AP   —   Permalink 
"They had arrived in Gujrat recently but we don't know where they came from or how they got into the country," Cheema said.
The suspects were captured by police and intelligence agents during a raid on a house in the industrial city of Gujrat early Sunday after a 12-hour long shootout.
Dean Esmay: "* Update * According to Jimmie, it's Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, who's implicated in attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania."
Kevin Drum: UPDATE: In fairness, here's the Washington Post's take on the timing of the announcement: "Pakistani officials have...
Richard TPD: According to the WaPo: "Pakistani officials have rejected allegations that they delayed the announcement for four days to obtain maximum publicity.
Laura Rozen: The WaPo's Kamran Khan on Pakistan's arrest of the al Qaeda suspect: [snipped quote] Hmm.
Tom Maguire: Since my morning mockery we have had the Zarqawi head-fake, and the real deal from Pakistan (but he's only Number 22!)
Smash: "Most Wanted Terrorist" Captured — PAKISTANI OFFICIALS announced the capture of suspected terrorist Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani on Sunday, AP reports.

KERRY'S FOREIGN FOLLIES: STANDING BY JOE
  By / New York Post   —   Permalink 
DEMOCRAT John Kerry's campaign yesterday gave a ringing endorsement to Bush-bashing Ambassador Joe Wilson — even though a bipartisan Senate committee just found so many holes in his story that even his own wife won't back it up.
KJL: JOE WILSON'S HERE TO STAY?
Glenn Reynolds: JOE WILSON UPDATE: He's not going away, apparently.

Pakistan captures high-level al Qaeda operative
  CNN   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistani security forces have captured a high-level al Qaeda operative who was on the FBI's most-wanted terrorist list in connection with the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa, Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said Thursday.
Laura Rozen: As CNN notes here, "Ghailani was one of seven alleged terrorists who were highlighted by Attorney General John Ashcroft in a news conference in Washington on May 26.
Kevin Drum: Silly me. The Pakistanis, apparently eager to please, have done their part right on time. Scary, isn't it?
Jesse Taylor: It happened. Ezra's note: You know what I think are amazing? Coincidences. All around us, everyday.
Robert Garcia Tagorda: Today, just hours before John Kerry accepts the nomination, CNN reports the capture of "a high-level al Qaeda operative...
Andrew Sullivan: CONSPIRACY THEORY FODDER: Pakistan gets a major al Qaeda figure the day of Kerry's speech.

Unhappy Workers Should Take Prozac --Bush Campaigner
  Reuters   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A campaign worker for President Bush said on Thursday American workers unhappy with low-quality jobs should find new ones — or pop a Prozac to make themselves feel better.
Thomas Leavitt: Reuters, quoting Susan Sheybani, "an assistant to Bush campaign spokesman Terry Holt." When questioned about this, her response: "Oh, I was just kidding."
Xan @Corrente: Per Yahoo news "(Reuters) - A campaign worker for President Bush (news - web sites) said on Thursday American workers...
Jo Brooks: it's all fun and games until someone loses a job — Unhappy Workers Should Take Prozac —Bush Campaigner
Kos: Take prozac The new Bush jobs plan: [snipped quote] Now we need universal health care so the unemployed can afford that prozac.

Pakistan Says Captures 'Most Wanted' Qaeda Man
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan said on Friday it had arrested a senior al Qaeda figure wanted for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed hundreds of people.
Bob Harris: Turns out, just by sheer damn coincidence I guess, that Pakistan has arrested what they're calling a "top," "senior,"...
Josh Marshall: Reuters is reporting that the guy they've served up may be a Tanzanian involved in the 1998 African embassy bombings.

Democrats' Shaky Convergence
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — The Democrats have convinced most of the journalists covering their convention here that their party has eliminated most of its internal differences. That is true, unless you count the gap between the party's head and its heart.
Charles Paul Freund: David Broder writes that "The Democrats have convinced most of the journalists covering their convention here that their party has eliminated most of its internal differences.
John Rosenberg: Brooding Broder, Posturing Post — David Broder almost had an interesting column in the Washington Post today.

Arab Gov'ts Weigh Sending Troops to Iraq
  AP   —   Permalink 
CAIRO, Egypt July 29, 2004 — Arab governments say they want to help restore calm in Iraq and Pakistan is discussing the possibility of sending several hundred troops. But a militant group warned Thursday that they would attack any country that provided troops.
William Swann: Muslim Troops? This is an excellent idea, and a very important time for it.
Tom Maguire: Arab Gov'ts Weigh Sending Troops to Iraq And: RIYADH : Saudi Arabia has restored relations with Iraq after a break of...

Pakistan Says It Captures a 'Most Wanted' Qaeda Man
  Reuters   —   Permalink 
DUBAI (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested a senior al Qaeda figure with a bounty of up to $25 million on his head, Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat told CNN television Thursday.
He said the suspect had been captured during a raid in central Pakistan a few days ago.
KJL: The Dems conspiracy theorists were right! (More here)
Will Baude: This just in — Compare and Contrast: Spencer Ackerman et. al., in TNR: [snipped quote] Reuters: [snipped quote] Expect...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: LET THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES BEGIN — If this is the July Surprise, I can't wait to see what is planned for October:...
Holden: UPDATE: The Pakistanis came through on the July Surprise.

Pakistan says captures a "most wanted" Qaeda man
  CNN   —   Permalink 
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested a senior al Qaeda figure with a bounty of up to $25 million on his head, Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat told CNN television Thursday.
He said the suspect had been captured during a raid in central Pakistan a few days ago.
Tom Maguire: The capture of Number 22 on the FBI Most Wanted list made the front page - sort of.
James Joyner: Report: Zarqawi Captured — Jeff Quinton passes on a Russian report that Iraq's head terrorist has been captured: Sofia...
John Cole: Another One Down — Score one for the good guys: [snipped quote] Now, if we can only keep him away from an International Court.

Edwards promises victory in Iraq
  By / Washington Times   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — Sen. John Edwards vowed last night that if elected, he and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry "will win this war" in Iraq.
Mr. Edwards, the party's vice-presidential pick, also promised to fight terrorism, telling al Qaeda in particular, "You cannot run.
Kim du Toit: The Ambulance Chaser promised that ...he and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry "will win this war" in Iraq.Later on in his speech, Ambulance Boy promised...
Ed Driscoll: Saddam captured? Check. Sovereignty achieved? Check. Free elections on the way? Check. You're a little late, John.

Blogsploitation: Big Media Tries to Steal Bloggers' Thunder at DNC
  By / Online Journalism Review   —   Permalink 
This just in: Anybody can blog the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Despite there being 30-odd "credentialed bloggers" — a first for national political conventions — a lot of the blogging action was taking place outside of Bloggers' Row.
Robert Cox: Big Media Invades The Blogosphere Online Journalism Review The big news was that bloggers got credentials at the Democratic National Convention.
Glenn Reynolds: BIG MEDIA BLOGGING: Mark Glaser writes on the sincerest form of flattery.

Al-Qaida bomber nabbed, Pakistan says
  AP   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan has arrested Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian al-Qaida suspect with a $25 million reward on his head, in connection with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the interior minister said Friday.
Richard TPD: "Imagine that ..." Right on schedule, the Pakistanis have indeed come through for us, only hours before Kerry speaks.
Laura Rozen: This from CNN: [snipped quote] And this, new, from MSNBC: [snipped quote] They arrested him on Sunday and only announced...
Nick Confessore: According to the Associated Press, Pakistan has announced the capture of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, an al Qaeda terrorist...

Ryan officially leaves Senate race
  By / Chicago Tribune   —   Permalink 
More than a month after he abandoned his bid for the U.S. Senate, Republican candidate Jack Ryan made it official today—filing notice to withdraw his name from the November ballot.
His withdrawal papers, notarized Tuesday, were received by the State Board of Elections this morning.
Christopher Kanis: Despite announcing that he was getting out way back on June 25, Ryan dawdled about actually filing the papers to withdraw until today.
Taegan Goddard: Ryan Finally Withdraws From Race — "More than a month after he abandoned his bid" for the U.S. Senate from Illinois,...

Pakistan Arrests Embassies Bomb Suspect
  AP   —   Permalink 
Pakistan Arrests Leading al-Qaida Suspect in Bombings of U.S. Embassies in Kenya, Tanzania
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan July 29, 2004 — Pakistan has arrested Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian al-Qaida suspect with a $5 million reward on his head in connection...
Cori Dauber: What really strikes me here is the wierd blast from the past character of this: Ghailani is under indictment in the...
Steven Taylor: ABC News is reporting: Pakistan Arrests Embassies Bomb Suspect "Pakistan has arrested Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a...

Kerry Kicks Off Campaign's Final Phase
  AP   —   Permalink 
BOSTON July 29, 2004 — Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry launched the final phase of his campaign for the White House on Thursday with a prime-time Democratic National Convention acceptance speech and a biographical video pitched to voters who will pick a president come fall.
Virginia Postrel: JOURNALISM WITH A TIME MACHINE Why am I reading this past-tense story about Kerry's prime time speech at 4:40 p.m. ET (1:40 PT)?
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Here is the recap of how it went is supposed to go. Apparently, the good folks at ABC have invented a time machine for themselves.

Kerry's Big Speech
  By / Gallup   —   Permalink 
PRINCETON, NJ — It is clear that Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention may be one of the defining moments of the presidential campaign this year.
Here is a discussion of several key issues surrounding the speech — from the public's perspective.
Billmon: "It also may not matter - Gallup doesn't seem to think so, anyway:" First, most recent polling shows that terrorism is...
Ruy Teixeira: But if you want a good summary of the things to think about as you listen to Kerry's speech tonight that may affect the...

11th Circuit Nixes Sex Toys, Sex Rights
  By / LAW.com   —   Permalink 
Americans do not have a fundamental right to sexual privacy, a 2-1 decision of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said on Wednesday.
The split panel upheld an Alabama law — nearly identical to one in Georgia — that made the sale of sex toys a crime punishable by up to a year in prison.
Helena Montana: The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals says that your state - OK, well Alabama, Florida and Georgia for practical purposes - can make it a crime to sell sex toys.
Andrew Sullivan: NO DILDOES IN ALABAMA: And no right to sexual privacy either. It simply strikes me as amazing that the government can dictate how you pleasure yourself in your own home.
Gary Farber: That is, according to the 11th Circuit: [snipped quote] Didn't Griswold used to be relevant here? Read The Rest if you want fine detail.
Glenn Reynolds: DUMB ALABAMA SEX TOY LAW UPHELD: [snipped quote] I haven't read the 11th Circuit opinion, but this seems implausible in light of Lawrence.

Bloggers: The new media or a fad?
  By / Seattle Post-Intelligencer   —   Permalink 
BOSTON — Just as the Hindenburg disaster ushered in radio as a news medium and the first Iraq war catapulted 24-hour cable news, the 2004 Democratic National Convention welcomes bloggers into the media mainstream.
Bill Hobbs: They're Better Than That From a generally pretty good story on blogs, politics and journalism in the Thursday Seattle...
Hugh Hewitt: A superior bit of writing and reporting on blogging at the DNC by the Seattle Post Intelligencer's Wyatt Buchanan.
Stephen Green: "Fuzzier and fuzzier" — Seattle PI has a fair story on blogs on bloggers: [snipped quote] Read the rest here.

Text: Sen. John Edwards Speech to DNC
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 28 — Following is the complete transcript Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. John Edwards address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention on Wednesday:
EDWARDS: Thank you. Now you know why Elizabeth is so amazing, right?
Steve Bainbridge: His VP John Edwards promises as much: "We're going to roll back — we're going to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
Jeff A. Taylor: Edwards' speech stacked up the gifts a Kerry administration would bestow upon Americans like the final, desperate appeal of an infomercial.
Joe Gandelman: You can read the full text of Edwards' speech by clicking here.
Bill @INDCJournal: I Laughed ... thismuch.bmp "Ah will crush you, Al Qaedah ... and then I laughed some more, after John Edwards...
Nick Gillespie: Edwards' Rap — The text of John Edwards' speech is online here and a summary account of the message is here.
Steve @BeggingToDiffer: EDWARDS SPEAKS — Here's the text. Most of it was vague promises of a brighter tomorrow, but make no mistake about one thing - Kerry and Edwards intend to kick some ass.
Also: Andrew Sullivan, David Adesnik, Robert Garcia Tagorda

Kerrys raced to dump foreign stocks
  By / Boston Herald   —   Permalink 
John Kerry's family dumped millions of dollars of foreign holdings as he launched his White House bid, gobbling up Made in the USA stocks in a huge politically savvy international-to-domestic shift.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: But for Heaven's sake, don't insult our intelligence regarding the issue: [snipped quote] To which I reply by saying that Marla Romash's spin efforts don't pass the laugh test.
Betsy Newmark: The Boston Herald reports that, as Kerry got ready to run for president, he and his wife dumped a whole boatload of stocks in foreign companies and bought in the U.S.A.
KJL: THE STOCK SELL-OFF — The Boston Herald has a piece on the millions in foreign stock the Kerrys sold off as he entered the race.
Jesse Taylor: Today's story is about the Kerrys racing to sell foreign stocks...which reminds me of nothing so much as the early hit...
Will Collier: C'mon, We're Not That Dumb — Sometimes you just have to shake your head: "John Kerry's family dumped millions of...
Michelle Malkin: INVESTING IN THE FUTURE — The Boston Herald reports that the "Kerrys raced to dump foreign stocks:" [snipped quote] Standing up for America's values...

Mr. Multilateral
  By / TCS   —   Permalink 
It is playing a key role in curbing and caging North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il. It played a key role in disarming Libya, discovering and rolling up the Pakistani A.Q. Khan nuclear smuggling network, and has become a framework for international military and police exercises organized by the United States.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: MULTILATERAL AFTER ALL — You won't hear about this in the news media—perhaps due to the fact that now that the common...
Susanna Cornett: Bryan Preston of Junkyardblog has an excellent article up on TechCentralStation, about the Proliferation Security Initiative and Caspian Guard.
Clayton Cramer: This article at Tech Central Station explains an alliance I didn't know about: [snipped quote] UPDATE: A reader points...
Glenn Reynolds: THE MULTILATERAL BUSH ADMINISTRATION: [snipped quote] He's got some interesting maps, too.

Arab Americans Report Abuse
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Fifteen percent of Arab Americans in the Detroit area said they have experienced harassment or intimidation since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and a significant number wish other Americans understood them better, according to a University of Michigan report to be released today.
Christopher Kanis: "SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP" — Captain Ed is less than sympathetic to complaints that Arab Americans feel discriminated against.
Captain Ed: Sticks And Stones Will Break My Bones, But Names Will Be Reported — In a genuinely silly piece on supposed...
Michelle Malkin: From the Washington Post: [quote] Derogatory comments — "Go back where you came from!" or "Ooh, are you a member of al Qaeda?" — were the most common form of abuse.[end quote]

The Right Stuff
  By / TNR   —   Permalink 
After John Kerry sewed up the Democratic presidential nomination, there was much fretting about whether he would need to tack left in order to appease the Deaniacs and Naderites. The Fahrenheit 9/11 phenomenon fueled this concern.
Matthew Yglesias: Right, Left, Wherever — Dan Drezner makes much of the Democratic Party's newfound love for a bigger military and higher...
Daniel Drezner: Outflanking Bush on the right — My latest TNR Online essay is up. It picks up on Andrew Sullivan's point about the Democrats hitting Bush from the right as well as the left.
Andrew Sullivan: PULLING A 1960: Dan Drezner concurs with my assessment of what's going on in Boston: [snipped quote] No wonder Frumpy is so grumpy.

Federal Court OKs Ban on Sale of Sex Toys
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld a 1998 Alabama law banning the sale of sex toys in the state, ruling the Constitution doesn't include a right to sexual privacy.
Gary Farber: STILL NO RIGHT TO BEAR DILDOS, though there's nothing to prevent them from being elected.
Nick @BeggingToDiffer: ALABAMA BANS SEX TOYS — Soon to be heard state-wide: "But Officer that isn't a sex toy, it's, um, a massager."
Nick Gillespie: Alabama's Bad Vibrations — Reader as2941 points us to this vital act of illiberation in the, coff, Deep South: "Federal...

Edwards Gives Strong Tribute as Democrats Nominate Kerry
  NYT   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 28 - Senator John Edwards, summoning all his skills as a trial lawyer and a populist, made an impassioned case for Senator John Kerry on Wednesday, hailing him as a battle-tested veteran ready to be commander in chief and a man who could restore economic hope and opportunity.
Howard Kurtz: Here's the gist of the Edwards performance, from the New York Times: "Senator John Edwards, summoning all his skills as...
Steven Taylor: The NYT: Edwards Gives Strong Tribute as Democrats Nominate Kerry My basic reaction to the Edwards' speech is here.

Kerry Returns to Boston With 'Band of Brothers'
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
BOSTON, July 28 — John F. Kerry returned home Wednesday to a hero's welcome from Democrats, his Vietnam crewmates and the man whose life he saved nearly four decades ago, and, echoing Bruce Springsteen, he pledged "no retreat, no surrender" in his quest for the White House.
Dave Johnson: Remember to See The Forest — In the Washington Post, Kerry Returns to Boston With 'Band of Brothers': "Surrounded by...
Steven Taylor: THE BIG STORIES FROM WEDNESDAY Kerry rides a Swift Boat water taxi into town: Kerry Returns to Boston With 'Band of Brothers'.