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See tape as boost for Prez By / NY Daily News — Permalink With his typical flair for drama, Osama Bin Laden inserted himself directly into the presidential election yesterday, and both parties believed it would boost President Bush's reelection hopes. But it also refocused the nation on terrorism, which polls show helps Bush. | |
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Steve M.: Meanwhile, in contrast to the Bushies' glee at living proof of their failure ("A senior GOP strategist added, "anything... Tim Dunlop: Fascists — Republican Senator John McCain is happy that bin Laden, the man who murdered thousands of Americans, is... Lambert @Corrente: "Gift" — The wingers think the OBL tape is a gift. Yeah, right. |
Joe Gandelman: Bordering On Gloating 101 — From the New York Daily News on GOP reaction to the Osma bin Laden tape — reaction that... Andrew Sullivan: "A LITTLE GIFT": I'd be leery of thanking Osama if I were a GOP "senior strategist," wouldn't you? DeLong: ": No surprise, but the Bush people are giddy as can be that they've failed to capture or kill Osama." |
| Also: Mathew Gross, Matthew Yglesias, Zoechow, James Joyner, Josh Marshall, Atrios, Oliver Willis, Kos, The Poor Man | |
Breaking to Bush? By / Newsweek — Permalink Oct. 30 - After months of the tightest presidential election contest in recent memory, a new NEWSWEEK poll suggests momentum may be moving toward President George W. Bush. | |
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Josh Marshall: One third of the Newsweek poll was done last night. And in their poll Bush was up over Kerry by 50% to 44%. Alexander K. McClure: At the time TIPP and Newsweek have the President leading. I would not make too much of these polls since Kerry's support remains static. Pejman Yousefzadeh: Because I really, really want to: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing, and take it for what it's worth. |
James Joyner: Race Breaking to Bush? MSNBC - Breaking to Bush? Jerome Armstrong: GMAB Newsweek — The just-released Newsweek poll, Breaking for Bush?, contains the usual pro-Republican makeup (poll... Ace: Newsweek: Breaking for Bush — A six point lead, 50-44. But that's not the fun part. |
| Also: KJL, Hindrocket, PoliPundit, DemFromCT | |
Bush, Kerry Seek Edge From bin Laden Tape AP — Permalink APPLETON, Wis. - Wrapping up a campaign shadowed by war and terrorism, President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry unabashedly sought political advantage Saturday from Osama bin Laden 's re-emergence. | |
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Joe Gandelman: But in a race this close BOTH sides are trying to (cautiously) turn the tape into political advantage which shows (and... Atrios: Bin Laden's alive! [snipped quote] Weird people, Republicans. ..and, Josh Marshall has the poll results. |
Oliver Willis: Why Are Republicans Happy That Bin Laden Is Alive? Via Atrios, comes this garbage. Matthew Yglesias: UPDATE: Senator McCain says the video was "very helpful to the president." |
FOX Poll: Bush Up By Two Points Over Kerry By / Fox News — Permalink NEW YORK — With less than a week remaining in the race for the White House, incumbent George W. Bush (search) leads Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry (search) by 47 percent to 45 percent among likely voters, according to a FOX News poll released Saturday. | |
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Mathew Gross: And even Fox News shows Bush's lead slipping to two. Josh Marshall: The first Fox poll had Bush up 5% (50% to 45%) and the second had him up 2% (47% to 45%). |
Taegan Goddard: New Polls — A new Fox News poll shows President Bush's lead slipping to just two points over Sen. John Kerry. Kos: (Poll here. Info that the post-OBL numbers for Bush were down came from the broadcast.) |
Poll results MSNBC — Permalink Here are presidential race results from battleground states polled by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research for MSNBC, Knight-Ridder and in New Mexico, the Santa Fe New Mexican and KOB-TV. | |
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Captain Ed: Final Mason-Dixon Battleground Polls Hint At Bush Win — In what should be the final iteration of the Mason-Dixon polls... Alexander K. McClure: MASON-DIXON POLLING — Florida: Bush 49%, Kerry 45% Arkansas: Bush 51%, Kerry 43% Colorado: Bush 50%, Kerry 43% Ohio:... |
PoliPundit: Mason-Dixon — According to the latest Mason-Dixon polling, President Bush is leading in most battleground states:... |
Holy Zarqawi By / Slate — Permalink Why didn't the Bush administration kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi when it had the chance? That it had opportunities to take out the Jordanian-born jihadist has been clear since Secretary of State Colin Powell devoted a long section of his February 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council. | |
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Laura Rozen: Via Kevin Drum, former NSC terrorism expert Daniel Benjamin on why Bush let Zarqawi get away: [snipped quote] Again, you can't argue with failure, can you? Digby: Many people have been writing recently, and some of us quite some time ago, about the fact that the Bush administration,... Matthew Yglesias: Precisely So — Justin Logan reads yet another article about how George "Not Concerned About Osama Bin Laden" Bush was... |
Kevin Drum: We may never know for sure, but Daniel Benjamin, author of The Age of Sacred Terror, suggests that it's yet another... DeLong: He should be removed from office immediately: "Holy Zarqawi - Why Bush let Iraq's top terrorist walk. |
Bin Laden Releases New Videotape CNN — Permalink THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, four days before America votes in the first election since 9/11, a new Osama bin Laden tape addressing the American people and naming both President Bush and John Kerry. | |
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Baldilocks: So, liberals, leftists and Kerry Democrats: have we caught OBL or haven't we? UPDATE: Transcript. Pejman Yousefzadeh: Go read. UPDATE: More from William Kristol and Stephen Hayes. ANOTHER UPDATE: Has Walter Cronkite completely lost it? KJL: ACTUALLY — Walter Cronkite believes Rove was behind the tape; this from Larry King last night: [quote] Cronkite: "I'm a...[end quote] |
Ed Driscoll: And Walter Cronkite (who wrote in 2003, "I believe that most of us reporters are liberal") entered into... Tim Blair: ROVE/OSAMA LINK REVEALED — Walter Cronkite identifies the evil genius responsible for the latest Osama bin Laden video:... Ann Althouse: It's about Walter Cronkite on "Larry King Live" last night: [snipped quote] Yes, we'll need some more calm talk from the... |
| Also: Paul Jaminet, Lorie Byrd, Joe Gandelman | |
Election 2004 Reuters/Zogby Daily Tracking Poll: Kerry Moves in Front Zogby — Permalink President Bush lost one point and his Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry, held steady at 47%, according to a new Reuters/Zogby daily tracking poll. The poll data this evening has leaners factored into the overall results. | |
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Mathew Gross: As Josh points out, since the OBL tape, both Zogby and Rasmussen have Kerry up one, while ABC News/WaPo have Kerry up two. |
Josh Marshall: First, the four tracking polls released today and thus including roughly one-third of calls after the release of the OBL tape ... In Zogby's, Kerry moved up one point. |
Ending the Fantasy By / Newsweek — Permalink Oct. 29 - Bush pollster Matthew Dowd, unshaven and looking weary, met with print journalists Thursday for one last spin session. For the record, he thinks the president will win, but he sounded so unconvincing that halfway through the hourlong lunch, a reporter said, "OK, so the race is very close and one or the other will win." | |
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Laura Rozen: G-d bless Eleanor Clift. Matthew Yglesias: Eleanor Clift Is Shrill — Another member of the milquetoast brigade has had enough: [snipped quote] Via Laura Rozen. |
Faisal @ShrillBlog: Eleanor Clift Is Shrill — From Matthew Yglesias comes a report that Eleanor Clift has joined the Reality-Based... |
Will Osama Help W.? By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Some people thought the October surprise would be the president producing Osama. Instead, it was Osama producing yet another video taunting the president and lecturing America. | |
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Steve Gilliard: One day closer — Only in his mind Will Osama Help W.? By MAUREEN DOWD [snipped quote] The problem for Bush is simple: He knows he's lost. |
Laura Rozen: Maureen Dowd: [snipped quote] Why hasn't President Bush made it a priority to get bin Laden? |
Outlook 2004 Crystal Ball WaPo — Permalink Halloween seems an appropriate time to ask 13 political wizards to dust off their Crystal Balls, apply a bit of Windex to their orbs and offer prognostications for the denouement of campaign 2004. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Of cours, if you think reading pyschic predictions on the elections is a crap shoot, then you'll love reading these... DemFromCT: In this WaPo Sunday Outlook piece, Tucker Carlson suggests the following (on the record): "Popular Vote Bush 48 Kerry... |
PoliPundit: Predictions — The Washington Post asked for predictions and got a slew of pro-Kerry, pro-Democrat answers. |
In Exulting Bush Throngs, Just a Little Bit of Anxiety By / NYT — Permalink Of course, Mr. Bush has weathered a lot before this election. A disputed vote in 2000. Terror attacks. Wars. People who know him well describe a steely resolve. He suggested the same himself on the campaign trail on Friday in Manchester, N.H., promising "to never cut and run." | |
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Lambert @Corrente: Republican iconography seems strangely familiar... There's this: And then there's this: And of course there's this: But I hear the torchlight parades are beautiful! |
Arthur Chrenkoff: Why, indeed. But this is just so patronising. |
Conflicting reports on Arafat's health CNN — Permalink PARIS, France (CNN) — There were conflicting reports Saturday about the medical condition of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is being treated for illness in Paris. Palestinian officials close to Arafat told CNN they have reached the conclusion that the era of Arafat as Palestinian leader is over. | |
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Ed Driscoll: Goodbye To All That — CNN reports, [snipped quote]. There's a question, however, as to when it actually ended. Nathan Hallford: Not Looking Good (Although Some Might Disagree): CNN has reported that the era of Yasser Arafat, as the Palestinian leader, is over. |
Orrin Judd: THE CODA IS OVER: Conflicting reports on Arafat's health (CNN, 10/30/04) [snipped quote] Actually, George Bush ended it in June 2002. Roger L. Simon: Arafat Watch — According to CNN, more moderate PLO officials are moving swiftly to arrange an order of succession now... |
Codependent No More By / Slate — Permalink Oct. 30, 3:00 p.m. ET: Well, it took him long enough, but Osama Bin Laden has finally repaid his debt. Maybe just in time. The debt is to President Bush, who has spent the three years since the Afghan war doing everything he could, inadvertently, to help Bin Laden. | |
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Dan Gillmor: How Kerry Would Govern, and How Bush Does Govern — Osama bin Laden, one of the truly evil people on the planet, may... |
Brad @ShrillBlog: And to Think That Two Years Ago William Saletan Was a Bush Booster — Today, however, his shrillness can only be... |
Radical Bush vs. reactionary Kerry By / Boston Globe — Permalink BILL CLINTON was back on the campaign trail this week, a fine embodiment of the stakes in the 2004 election. Still recovering from his open-heart surgery, the last Democratic president seemed a bit gaunt and not as boisterous as the shameless old rogue we got to know so well during the 1990s. | |
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Glenn Reynolds: RADICAL BUSH VS. REACTIONARY KERRY: Not the first article to make this point, but it's made well here. (Via Roger Simon). |
Roger L. Simon: Here's Jeff Jacoby in the Boston Globe: Radical Bush vs. Reactionary Kerry.This is a taste. |
The Osama Litmus Test By / NYT — Permalink The nuisance is back! Remember when John Kerry told Matt Bai of The Times Magazine that he wanted to reduce the terrorists to a nuisance? Kerry vowed to mitigate the problem of terrorism until it became another regrettable and tolerable fact of life, like gambling, organized crime and prostitution. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: Having said that, David Brooks's latest is right on the money. Go read. UPDATE: More from William Kristol and Stephen Hayes. David Allan Pell: The Guts to Abandon Reason — David Brooks continues to, well, completely spaz out. Jesse Taylor: Shorter David Brooks — Fighting terrorism is not about how you'd actually fight terrorism. You know, I agree with Brooks. |
Andrew Sullivan: Nah. BROOKS ON OSAMA: It's more elegantly put than Bill O'Reilly, but it's the same message. This, according to David, is a symbolic election. Tom Maguire: Cue The Laugh Track At The Times — David Brooks has an excellent "last attack" column, deriding John Kerry's instinct to play politics with the release of the Bin Laden tape. Laura Rozen: David Brooks at his hackiest. The point is not who is the most passionate about talking about the war on terrorism. |
| Also: Michael DeBow, Bird Dog, Captain Ed, PoliPundit, Hugh Hewitt, Orrin Judd, Betsy Newmark, Gregory Djerejian | |
Part of 9/11 Report Remains Unreleased; An Inquiry Is Begun By / NYT — Permalink One last chapter of the investigation by the Sept. 11 commission, a supplement completed more than two months ago, has not yet been made public by the Justice Department, and officials say it is unlikely to be released before the presidential election, even though that had been a major goal of deadlines set for the panel. | |
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James Martin Capozzola: The New York Times reports (Part of 9/11 Report Remains Unreleased; An Inquiry Is Begun," by Jim Dwyer): "One last... |
Lambert @Corrente: Bush suppresses secret Supplement to the 9/11 Report until after the election — And speaking of information that wants... |
Transcript of bin Ladin's speech Aljazeera — Permalink Following is the English transcript of Usama bin Ladin's speech in a videotape aired by Aljazeera on Friday 29 October. In the interests of authenticity the transcript, which appeared as subtitles at the foot of the screen, has been left unedited. | |
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Gary Farber: BIN LADEN'S STATEMENT is here. As are all his statements, it's extraordinary. PoliPundit: Excerpts — Excerpts from Bin Laden's speech: [quote] "Even though we are in the fourth year after the events of September 11,...[end quote] |
Jim Robbins: This morning Al Jazeera posted what it claimed was a complete transcript of the video which apart from looking too short... Magpie @PacificViews: Aljazeera promises to have a subtitled version of the tape up here very shortly. More: Aljazeera's complete transcript of bin Laden's remarks is here. |
Suicide Attack Kills 8 Marines Near Baghdad By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 30 - Eight marines were killed and nine others wounded west of the capital when a suicide car bomb rammed into their convoy on Saturday, military officials said, making it the deadliest day here for the American forces in half a year. | |
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Steve Soto: Today, in several car bombings no doubt using the high explosives that Bush allowed the insurgents to get their hands... |
DemFromCT: There have been diaries on this since this morning, including recommended ones; there's more data in the Ny Times. |
Along With Prayers, Families Send Armor NYT — Permalink When the 1544th Transportation Company of the Illinois National Guard was preparing to leave for Iraq in February, relatives of the soldiers offered to pay to weld steel plates on the unit's trucks to protect against roadside bombs. | |
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Gary Farber: SUPPORTING THE TROOPS. Who has been sending them into battle insufficiently equipped and armored? |
Lambert @Corrente: "This problem is very extensive," said Paul Rieckhoff, a former infantry platoon leader with the Florida National Guard... |
Camille for Kerry! By / Salon — Permalink Salon readers — and the world! — have been deprived the political opinions of our favorite cultural channeler/critic, Camille Paglia, for a year, since she last spoke to Salon. | |
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Andrew Sullivan: QUOTE OF THE DAY: [snipped quote] - Camille Paglia, Salon. By the way, she's strongly pro-Kerry in this election. |
Ann Althouse: Camille Paglia — in a Salon interview — declares her support for Kerry ... and also says any number of mean things about him. |
Bush Voters in Baghdad By / Opinion Journal — Permalink We know what John Kerry thinks of Iraq. But what does Iraq think of him? Since he may soon be presiding over a war there, the question merits an answer. Yet, while the press has devoted page after page to the electoral preferences of the French, the opinions of those who count most overseas have received nary a mention. | |
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Michael Totten: UPSIDE DOWN: Immediately after the attacks on September 11 irony was declared one of the casualties. That didn't pan out. PoliPundit: Now Iraqis are worried he'll do the same thing to them: "We know what John Kerry thinks of Iraq. But what does Iraq think of him? |
Orrin Judd: THE dEMOCRAT OR THE DEMOCRAT? : Bush Voters in Baghdad: Liberal Iraqis almost all hope for the president's re-election. |
8 Marines Dead in Iraq; Car Bomb Kills 7 By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Eight American Marines were killed in fighting west of Baghdad on Saturday, the military's bloodiest day in nearly six months. A car bomb killed at least seven people in attack on an Arab television network in the capital, and Iraqi troops fired wildly on civilian vehicles, killing at least 14 people, witnesses and hospital officials said. | |
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Richard TPD: For thinking people, the re-appearance of Satan only underscores the total waste of American lives in Iraq. |
Jeralyn Merritt: It's not going to happen. Not when news like this comes up...8 U.S. Marines were killed in Iraq Saturday. How many more? |
Eight U.S. Marines Killed, Nine Wounded in Iraq By / Reuters — Permalink FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Eight U.S. marines were killed and nine wounded west of Baghdad on Saturday in the bloodiest attack on U.S. forces in Iraq for months. The U.S. military gave no details of the circumstances of the deaths, which it said occurred in the western province of Anbar, which includes the rebel cities of Falluja and Ramadi. | |
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Skippy: meanwhile, back in iraq reuters reports 8 marines were killed and 9 wounded near fallujah today: [snipped quote] thanks to atrios for the link! |
Atrios: OFU — How many Marines have to die before CNN decides it's worth a mention? |
Candidates Give Tough Response to a Qaeda Tape By / NYT — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 29 - The broadcast of a new videotape from Osama bin Laden jolted the presidential campaign on Friday, bringing quick reactions from both President Bush, who vowed that Americans "will not be intimidated or influenced," and Senator John... | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: This, from a newspaper, where the only coverage of John Kerry's "Wake Up, America!" is this sanitised line: "The... |
Tom Maguire: The Stevenson/Wilgoren front page coverage sees a glass half full: "Candidates Give Tough Response to a Qaeda Tape ... |
Bogus letter calls out 'deadbeat' voters By / AP — Permalink A bogus letter circulating in South Carolina, purporting to be from the NAACP, threatens the arrest of voters who have outstanding parking tickets or failed to pay child support. The NAACP said Friday the letter is a scare tactic and called for an investigation. | |
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Harley: Update [2004-10-30 16:32:49 by Harley]: A rancid letter has been sent out in South Carolina. |
Jesse Taylor: This Reeks Of Operation Dumbo Drop — Since we're apparently not allowed to insinuate that flyers which are obviously... |
In Okla., Bush's Popularity Boosts GOP Senate Hopeful By / WaPo — Permalink TULSA, Oct. 29 — President Bush may be fighting nationally to keep his own job, but here in Oklahoma, his coattails are giving quite a lift to the Republican candidate in a tight and contentious Senate race. | |
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Orrin Judd: SOONER OR LATER THE RED RISES: In Okla., Bush's Popularity Boosts GOP Senate Hopeful (Lois Romano, October 30, 2004,... |
Betsy Newmark: The Washington Post looks at how Bush's support is helping Tom Coburn in Oklahoma. May it be so. |
4 Years Later, Some Voters Switch Sides By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 - For all the talk about a politically polarized nation, there are defectors out there among the electorate, a relatively small but distinct subset who voted for the presidential nominee of one party four years ago and now are prepared to vote for that of the other on Tuesday. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: Kerry is ahead in the "switcher" poll, 11 percent to 7 percent. |
Betsy Newmark: The New York Times find people who voted for Gore and are now going for Bush and those who voted for Bush in 2000 who are now going for Kerry. |
Green MSP walks out after organic farming is savaged Scotsman — Permalink GREEN MSP Mark Ballard walked out of a rural affairs conference yesterday after savage criticism of organic farming by "Cartesian rationalist" Jock Stewart. | |
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Andrew Stuttaford: GREAT SCOT — In the years since the establishment of a Scottish parliament, developments in that country have filled me... |
Marcus @HarrysPlace: Peasants Revolt — The Scotsman reminds us that the Greens may have seven Members of the Edinburgh Parliament but their ideas don't always go down well with farming folk. |
Bush, Kerry Spar Over Bin Laden Video AP — Permalink WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - John Kerry criticized President Bush on Friday for failing to capture Osama bin Laden as a new videotape of the terrorist leader surfaced just before the election. Bush accused the Democrat of "shameful" second-guessing in the face of threats by America's deadly foe. | |
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Orrin Judd: MORE: Bush, Kerry Spar Over Bin Laden Video (MARY DALRYMPLE and TERENCE HUNT, 10/29/04, AP) [quote] "As Americans, we are...[end quote] |
John Cole: Still, I found a ray of hope in their statements regarding the new Osama video: [quote] "Let me make this very clear," Bush said in Toledo, Ohio, standing next to Air Force One.[end quote] |
Currying Favor By / TNR — Permalink On Wednesday night, aboard the Kerry plane en route from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Toledo, Ohio, things felt good in the Kerry campaign. Outside, the full moon was in eclipse. In St. Louis the Boston Red Sox were up 3-0 in the final game of the World Series. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Ryan Lizza says that Mike McCurry is such a better spokesman for Kerry than Bush's guys are because McCurry knows what a ridiculous dance the reporters and political guys are in. |
David Adesnik: SPEAKING THEIR LANGUAGE: Mike McCurry is a master of spin because — [snipped quote] In other words, mimic their neuroses and they'll think you're a genius. |
Reporter saw insurgents loot Qaqaa arms depot IHT — Permalink PARIS A French journalist who visited the Qaqaa munitions depot south of Baghdad in November last year said she witnessed Islamic insurgents looting vast supplies of explosives more than six months after the demise of Saddam Hussein's regime. | |
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Steve Soto: It makes matters worse when you realize that the insurgents were still doing a "stop and shop" routine at Al Qaqaa to... |
Josh Marshall: she says. |
100,000 Dead--or 8,000 By / Slate — Permalink The authors of a peer-reviewed study, conducted by a survey team from Johns Hopkins University, claim that about 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the war. Yet a close look at the actual study, published online today by the British medical journal the Lancet, reveals that this number is so loose as to be meaningless. | |
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Gary Farber: WHY MOST FIGURES FOR IRAQI CIVILIAN DEAD are widely wrong. Something to keep in mind when someone brings forth some numbers. Jan Haugland: Lies, damn lies... (you know the rest) Fred Kaplan takes aim at the heavily politicised but widely publicised Lancet... FrancoAlemán: But there's many, many more issues with the study, and for that let me refer you to several authoritative voices: Fred... |
Shannon Love: Commentator JohnChris and Fred Kaplan over at Slate (via Instapundit) both pointed out that the confidence interval on... Michael Totten: While most in the media uncritically repeat the results of Lancet study that asserts 100,000 Iraqi civilians were killed... Bird Dog: Even staunch Kerry supporter Fred Kaplan at Slate can't abide by it, writing that "this number is so loose as to be meaningless." |
| Also: Captain Ed, Cori Dauber, Matthew Yglesias, Michael Froomkin, Ed Cone | |
Bin Laden Accuses Bush of Deceiving Americans Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden accused President Bush of deceiving the American people and said the Sept. 11 attacks would not have been so severe if the president had been alert. | |
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Dean Esmay: Because you need to realize that Moore's film is not only a terrorist propaganda film, and an anti-American film, but... Kevin Hayden: While the spin of political commenters left and right will take your last tape and declare this is proof that Bin Laden... Bird Dog: Update [2004-10-29 15:18:35 by Bird Dog]: Bin Laden channels Michael Moore: [quote] "It never occurred to us that the...[end quote] |
Jim Treacher: I do not care, get the camera!" If you haven't seen "Mosh," you can download the Bittorrent in less time than it takes to watch it. Avedon Carol: Friday, 29 October 2004 "Meme meme meme meme meme October surprise: I can't think of any greater proof that bin Laden... Sebastian Holsclaw: I Was Wrong — Apparently I was wrong about Osama being dead. |
| Also: Jon Henke, Clayton Cramer, Steve Soto, Megan McArdle, Hindrocket | |
U.S. Team Took 250 Tons of Iraqi Munitions Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — A U.S. Army officer came forward Friday to say a team from his 3rd Infantry Division took about 250 tons of munitions and other material from the Al-Qaqaa (search) arms-storage facility soon after Saddam Hussein's regime fell in April 2003. | |
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Avedon Carol: "Fox has the fake excuse, and the wingnuts reckon no one can get upset about it now because, well, gosh, lots of stuff was out there." Jesse Taylor: Excuse number 14 has come out about Al Qaqaa, and the exact same people who were swearing yesterday that the explosives... Wretchard: Fox News reports that: "WASHINGTON — A U.S. Army officer came forward Friday to say a team from his 3rd Infantry... |
Cori Dauber: PENTAGON HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE — I only caught quick glimpses of today's Pentagon press conference, at which an Army... Clayton Cramer: There Goes Kerry's October Surprise — What happened to the 377 tons of HMX? Steve Dillard: U.S. Team Took 250 Tons of Iraqi Munitions: How do ya like dem apples, Senator Kerry. |
| Also: Baldilocks, Bill Hobbs, Bird Dog, Michael Totten, Jon Henke, Hindrocket, Jeff Goldstein, Tom Maguire, Ace, PoliPundit, Bill @INDCJournal, Robert Cox | |
Bin Laden: U.S. security depends on policy CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Osama bin Laden delivered a new videotaped message in which he told Americans their security does not depend on the president they elect, but on U.S. policy. The tape was aired on the Arab language network Al-Jazeera Friday, just four days before the U.S. presidential election. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The underlying theme was that his beef with the U.S. is over fundamental policy, not who is in charge: "Although we are... Medium Lobster: On a videotape today, Osama bin Laden spoke - and in doing, he committed an act of terrorism - terrorism of words. Orin Kerr: According to news reports, the new tape of bin Laden includes a section where he admits his responsibility for the 9/11 attacks. |
Gene @HarrysPlace: The bin Laden video — I'll admit I was surprised by the new bin Laden video. I was more than half convinced he was scorpion food in the rubble of Tora Bora. Talking Dog: We got our answer: Al Qaeda kingpin and former world's most dangerous man Osama bin Laden, with a video shown on Al Jazeera television. Jim Treacher: My vitally important Bin Laden theory that you want to know about — I think that tape was shot in the secret underground prison in Montana where they're holding him. |
| Also: Jan Haugland, Jeff Goldstein | |
Bin Laden Takes Responsibility for 9/11 Attacks in New Tape By / NYT — Permalink Osama bin Laden said for the first time that he ordered the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to a videotape made public today, and he accused President Bush of "misleading the American people" about the attacks. | |
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Joe Gandelman: On Osama bin Laden's Newest Tape — Terrorist Osama bin Laden resurfaced in a new video, looking healthier and rested as... Jeff Jarvis: I was about to post this when I saw another Kerry comment: "In an interview with WISM in Milwaukee, Mr. Kerry also took... |
Lambert @Corrente: Iraq clusterf**k: Headline of the year — From the Times, no less! Orrin Judd: IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY, BLOG IT: Bin Laden Takes Responsibility for 9/11 Attacks in New Tape... |
Bin Laden Claims Responsibility for 9/11 Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — Usama bin Laden (search ) made his first televised appearance in more than a year in which he admitted for the first time ordering the Sept. 11 attacks and accused President Bush of "misleading" the American people. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Fox reports on this facet: "Bin Laden suggested Bush was slow to react to the Sept. 11 attacks, giving the hijackers more time than they expected. PoliPundit: Rove — How long before Terry McAuliffe pins the blame for Bin Laden's Michael-Mooreite rant on Karl Rove? Rickheller @Centerfield: New Osama Bin Laden Tape — He looks healthy, unfortunately. It seems to be recent, because he refers to Kerry as well as Bush. |
Cori Dauber: No story on their web site yet, but Fox is reporting that they have sources at Justice nervous that the release of two... Chris Short: Usama bin Laden Alive and On the Air — Lots of things about this tape: 1) bin Laden is alive. 2) bin Laden takes... Baldilocks: According to this FoxNews report, a videotape has surfaced with bin Laden referencing recent events and with a special message to the loves of his "life": Americans. |
| Also: Jeff Goldstein, Charles Johnson | |
Impact Of October Surprise Uncertain By / WaPo — Permalink With two days to spare, the October Surprise arrived yesterday, but it was not the type either campaign had in mind. Instead, it was America's most loathed enemy, injecting himself into Tuesday's election — not with the bombs that preceded the elections... | |
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James Joyner: WaPo's Dana Milbank sees it differently: "Impact Of Tape On Race Is Uncertain." KJL: SPEAKING OF WASHPOST BIAS — We have this, from Dana Milbank this morning: "As Bush and Kerry responded with dignified... |
Daniel Drezner: It's understandable that most of the media reaction in this country to the bin Laden videotape is to engage in half-assed speculation on its electoral ramifications. Jeff Jarvis: And here's a later report from the Washington Post: "Richard Holbrooke, a foreign policy adviser for Kerry, said on CNN... |
In Video Message, Bin Laden Issues Warning to U.S. NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 - In a new videotape televised Friday, Osama bin Laden made a direct, formal address to the American people, saying that the best way for Americans to avoid a repeat of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, was to stop threatening Muslims' security. | |
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James Joyner: Bin Laden Issues New Video: October Surprise? In Video Message, Bin Laden Issues Warning to U.S. Jesse Walker: (At least he didn't mention Kyoto.) For the record, the CIA has "a high degree of confidence" that the video is real. Dave Winer: Lots to think about in bin Laden's message. When he says we're responsible for what the country does, he's right, and... |
Ken Masugi: Osama's Candidate — It's pretty clear who Osama's candidate is: The theme of the last week of the campaign should be... Tom Maguire: From the Times: "American intelligence officials, who indicated that they had obtained access to the entire videotape,... |
Al-Jazeera broadcasts new bin Laden tape MSNBC — Permalink Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in a videotape broadcast Friday on Al-Jazeera television, claimed full responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and warns Americans that "your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al-Qaida. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The unknown, however, is whether any of those voters still unconvinced will care..." —Jeff Jarvis has an interesting... Daniel Davies: October surprise — About two hours after the Osama video hit the newswires, and the good old Iowa Electronic Markets... Laura Rozen: Bush Failed Us on Bin Laden — Over the past three years, why has the Bush administration not devoted the resources — or worse, decided it's not a priority — to get this monster? |
Donald Sensing: MSNBC reports, "Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Francona, a Middle East specialist and former military official at the... Bird Dog: Osama bin Laden's October Surprise — MSNBC is reporting the release of an authentic videotape: "Al-Qaida leader Osama... Hesiod: No contemporary references, for example. I take that back, there was a reference to the upcoming election. |
| Also: FrancoAlemán | |
One Nation Under Bush By / Slate — Permalink PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.—"I want you to stand, raise your right hands," and recite "the Bush Pledge," said Florida state Sen. Ken Pruitt. The assembled mass of about 2,000 in this Treasure Coast town about an hour north of West Palm Beach dutifully rose, arms aloft, and repeated after Pruitt: "I care about freedom and liberty. | |
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Gary Farber: Chris Suellentrop reports: [quote] PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.—"I want you to stand, raise your right hands," and recite "the Bush Pledge," said Florida state Sen. Ken Pruitt.[end quote] Scott Rosenberg: ## Meanwhile, over in Slate Chris Suellentrop has a report on the "Bush Pledge" that takes these final days of the... Kevin Drum: Here is Slate's Chris Suellentrop to demonstrate for us: [snipped quote] Like a lot of Democrats, Kerry wasn't my first... |
Steve Gilliard: Heil Bush — Loyalty oaths in action One Nation Under Bush At a campaign rally, Republicans recite the "Bush Pledge." DeLong: Other people are creeped out as well: [quote] One Nation Under Bush - At a campaign rally, Republicans recite the "Bush Pledge."[end quote] Richard TPD: Personality cult — Who says it can't happen here? [quote] . —"I want you to stand, raise your right hands," and recite "the Bush Pledge," said Florida state Sen. Ken Pruitt.[end quote] |
| Also: Kevin Raybould, Aaron @LiquidList | |
Excerpts: Osama Bin Laden Tape Airs on Al-Jazeera Reuters — Permalink DUBAI, Oct 30 — Following are excerpts from a speech by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden addressing the American people in a video tape, parts of which were aired by Al Jazeera television on Saturday, as translated by Reuters. | |
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Daniel Drezner: Perusing the text, here's a possible list — based on my half-assed speculations: "1) Osama bin Laden is alive — this... Hindrocket: The Democrats Finally Find Someone Who Buys Their Spin — A partial translation of "Osama bin Laden's" video is here. |
William J. Dyer: Kerry to negotiate a truce [snipped quote] So says Osama bin Laden to the American public. Charles Johnson: Another Michael Moore Fan — Osama Bin Laden has watched Fahrenheit 9/11. |
Transcript of Al Jazeera Tape Reuters — Permalink DUBAI, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Following are excerpts from a speech by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden addressing the American people in a video tape, parts of which were aired by Al Jazeera television on Saturday, as translated by Reuters. | |
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Joe Gandelman: To truly see what was said, read the transcript which illustrates his barely-disguised contempt for Bush and warning... Orrin Judd: Meanwhile, the actual text of the "Osama" message is revealing, Transcript of Al Jazeera Tape (REUTERS, 10/29/04) "God... |
Steve Gilliard: Transcript of Al Jazeera Tape By REUTERS [snipped quote] Not only does he mock Bush for the ineffective Patriot Act, but... |
TONE DEAF By / New York Post — Permalink LIKE any recent Demo cratic presidential can didate, John Kerry's hopes hinge on an overwhelming share of the black vote — about 90 percent. But Kerry's hinge may be rusty. The eye-opening poll came from Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the top Washington think tank on African-American issues. | |
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Steve Dillard: Tone Deaf Kerry: Heh. Betsy Newmark: Robert A. George shows why Kerry is not winning hearts and minds among black voters. "But Kerry's problems with blacks go beyond simple issues. |
Orrin Judd: TONE DEAF (ROBERT A. GEORGE, October 29, 2004, NY Post) [snipped quote] There's a psychology PH. Ed Driscoll: Tone Deaf — Robert A. George explains why Senator Kerry isn't connecting with black voters. (Via Betsy Newmark.) |
Kerry: 'Wake Up America' and Choose Fresh Start By / Reuters — Permalink ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Democratic challenger John Kerry urged Americans on Friday to "wake up" and choose a new start on the economy and Iraq instead of four more years of President Bush's "catastrophic mismanagement." | |
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Michael Totten: He sounded like a flailing irrelevant activist today when he told me and everyone else to wake up. The Big Trunk: (Patricia Wilson, "Kerry: 'Wake Up America' And Choose Fresh Start.") Bob Dole on October 25, 1996: "Where is the outrage in America? |
Captain Ed: Reuters reports that Kerry went "off script" and told America that anyone not voting for him must be unconscious:... Steve Dillard: Senator Kerry to America: "Wake up!" : America to Kerry: "How can we wake up, when you keep putting us to sleep?!" |
Bin Laden Says He Ordered 9/11 Attacks By / AP — Permalink CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Osama bin Laden, injecting himself into the campaign four days ahead of presidential elections, said in a videotape aired Friday that the United States can avoid another Sept. 11 attack if it stops threatening the security of Muslims. | |
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Jack Cluth: HE'S BAAAACK.... America's chief bogeyman makes a pre-election guest appearance Mitch Berg: Endorsement Race: 100% of Terrorist Masterminds Endorse Kerry — Bin Laden speaks: "Osama bin Laden, addressing the... |
Juan Cole: Some of the rest of the statement is given by The Associated Press: "He said he was first inspired to attack the United... |
Bin Laden Condemns Bush, Says New Attacks Possible By / Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden burst into the U.S. election campaign on Saturday, releasing his first video tape in more than a year to deride President Bush and warn of possible new Sept. 11-style attacks. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Update: The first demolition of the Lancet study at Chicago Boyz (via Instapundit). Then there is the new Osama tape. Tim Dunlop: Guess who's coming to dinner — President Bush recently said he doesn't think too much about Osama bin Laden:... |
Steve Dillard: Bin Laden Condemns Bush, Says New Attacks Possible: Your days are numbered UBL. That's the one thing all Americans are united behind—seeing you six feet under. Ezra Klein: Bin Laden's Back — Bin-Laden's newest tape, "Threat to the Oldies", has been released, and just in time for the election. |
Al-Jazeera Airs Bin Laden Tape AP — Permalink CAIRO, Egypt — The Arab television station Al-Jazeera aired a video of Osama bin Laden on Friday directly admitting for the first time that he carried out the Sept. 11 attacks and promising to outline "the best way to avoid another Manhattan." | |
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Ken Layne: Surprise, Surprise — Guess what magically appeared today? It's a new video hit from the beloved entertainer, Osama bin Laden! whoops! Hesiod: UPDATE: Oh my God...did Bin Laden make a reference to My Pet Goat?!? It looks like he got a bootleg copy of Fehrenheit 9/11 and viewed it in his cave. |
Captain Ed: Osama Weighs In — Just in time for the election's final stretch, Al Jazeera aired a new Osama bin Laden videotaped... Josh Marshall: Al Jazeera says it has a new tape from OBL. Will run it at 4 PM. |
Al-Jazeera Airs Video Said to Be of Osama bin Laden AP — Permalink CAIRO, Egypt — Osama bin Laden, addressing the American public ahead of presidential elections, said in a video aired Friday that the United States can avoid another Sept. 11 attack if it stops threatening the security of Muslims. | |
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Ann Althouse: Do you think there's any connection between Osama Bin Laden's releasing a new videotape after all these years and that asinine "Assam the American" tape of a few days ago? Damian Penny: Update: the video mentions John Kerry, which implies it was likely made quite recently. |
Gregory Djerejian: I don't know what to make of this new videotape just yet—it's possible that old video footage has somehow been... |
Imam: Man on Terror Tape Is Gadahn Fox News — Permalink GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — The director of a California mosque told FOX News on Friday he believes the man threatening the United States on a mysterious videotape is that of a young American he converted to Islam. | |
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Charles Johnson: Adam Gadahn Identified in Terror Tape — The imam of the Garden Grove Mosque in Orange County, California, says that the... Tom Maguire: We saw the ABC News tape of the American Terrorist, "Azzam the American". Now, how can I put this in a way that minimizes the adverse Karmic impact? |
Baldilocks: Martin Luther via C.S. Lewis, quoted in The Screwtape Letters UPDATE: Do I know my accents or what? |
Bush Seeks Limit to Suits Over Voting Rights LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Bush administration lawyers argued in three closely contested states last week that only the Justice Department, and not voters themselves, may sue to enforce the voting rights set out in the Help America Vote Act, which was passed in the aftermath of the disputed 2000 election. | |
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Kriston @BeggingToDiffer: ASHCROFT MAKES HIS MOVE — Stick a fork in voting rights—they're done: [snipped quote] I would advise anyone who feels... Kevin Raybould: Bush Argued to Deny Right to Sue If Voting Rights Denied — The Bush Administration's Justice Department argued in three... Mathew Gross: From the LA Times: [snipped quote] Man, what does it tell you when one candidate's only strategy to winning an election is to keep voters away from the polls? |
Avedon Carol: Bush Seeks Limit to Suits Over Voting Rights: Bush administration lawyers argued in three closely contested states last... The Poor Man: You Have Got To Be S**tting Me — These guys are really incredible: [snipped quote] One more time, they blow my mind. |
Bin Ladin: Bush deceived Americans Aljazeera — Permalink Usama bin Ladin appeared on Aljazeera television on Friday accusing US President George W. Bush of deceiving the American people. In an address just days ahead of the US presidential election, bin Ladin also said the US administration resembled "corrupt" Arab governments. | |
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Orin Kerr: Al Jazeera quotes bin Laden as saying, "We decided to destroy [the] towers in America." Stefan Sharkansky: Osama bin Laden's new video, which just aired on Al Jazeera, borrows heavily from Michael Moore: "Usama bin Ladin... |
Bird Dog: Al Jazeera will be coming out with an English-subtitled video shortly (Update: The transcript is here): "He accused Bush... |
Al-Jazeera airs videotape by bin Laden AP — Permalink CAIRO (AP) — Osama bin Laden, addressing the American public ahead of presidential elections, said in a video aired Friday that the United States can avoid another Sept. 11 attack if it stops threatening the security of Muslims. | |
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Bird Dog: Good luck staying hidden, bub. More from AP. Steve Soto: Update: Bin Laden appears healthy and serene in the video, and accepts responsibility for 9/11 directly. |
Jon Henke: Does the FEC know about this in-kind contribution? So, he's still alive after all. Who knew? |
Pentagon Seeks to Account for Explosives By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - An Army unit removed 250 tons of ammunition from the Al-Qaqaa weapons depot in April 2003 and later destroyed it, the company's former commander said Friday. A Pentagon spokesman said some was of the same type as the missing explosives that have become a major issue in the presidential campaign. | |
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Jeanne D'Arc: One is the Pentagon claim that Army ordnance-disposal team removed 250 tons of ammunition, including some explosives, from Al Qaqaa and destroyed it. Steve Soto: The Pentagon just trotted out a commander in the 3rd Infantry along with Rummy mouthpiece Larry Di Rita at a press... |
Tom @Corrente: As evidenced by this story, no one is buying the administration's furious spinning about the 380 tons of missing high explosives from al QaQaa. Hindrocket: He doesn't recall any "sealed" areas and can't say exactly what the munitions were, but the Pentagon says they believe some of the destroyed material was RDX. |
Study puts civilian toll in Iraq at over 100,000 IHT — Permalink PARIS More than 100,000 civilians have probably died as direct or indirect consequences of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, according to a study by a research team at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. | |
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Ken Layne: Maybe 100,000? That's swell. Freedom on the march. Peter Burnet: AND NOW, ANOTHER SPECIAL REPORT FROM DAN RATHER — Study puts civilian toll in Iraq at over 100,000 (Elizabeth... |
Laura Rozen: More than 100,000 Iraqi have been killed or died as a direct or indirect result of the US invasion, just a year and a... |
Bin Laden video threatens America BBC — Permalink Arabic TV station al-Jazeera has broadcast a videotape in which Osama Bin Laden threatens fresh attacks on the US. The leader of the al-Qaeda network says the reasons behind the events of 11 September 2001 still exist. | |
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Fafnir: Osama is a swing voter — Osama bin Laden's back - an just in time for Halloween too! "Wooooooooo," says Osama bin Laden twirlin his black velvet cape. Jan Haugland: Bin Laden endorses John Kerry — Al-Jazeera (of course) tonight broadcast a new video tape from Osama Bin Laden, where... |
Bird Dog: Update [2004-10-29 16:23:1 by Bird Dog]: And then there's Fafnir, who is some sort of diabolical genius: "Osama bin Laden's back - an just in time for Halloween too! |
President Bush on Friday: "We Will Not be Intimidated" White House — Permalink THE PRESIDENT: Earlier today I was informed of the tape that is now being analyzed by America's intelligence community. Let me make this very clear: Americans will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our country. I'm sure Senator Kerry agrees with this. | |
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Tom Maguire: Their gratuitous second paragraph editorializing is predictable, yet bizarre. MORE: Bush statement; Kerry statement. |
Bird Dog: "George W. Bush: Earlier today I was informed of the tape that is now being analyzed by America's intelligence community." |
Bob Dole Addresses His Election Struggles By / CNN — Permalink ROBERT DOLE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Little over a week. CROWLEY: ...to make what's an uphill climb. Is there something left for you to say to voters, a kind of a closer, that you think can bring in the undecided? DOLE: Well, we hope so. | |
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The Big Trunk: ("Bob Dole addresses his election struggles," CNN AllPolitics interview with Candy Crowley.) (Courtesy of Kathryn Jean Lopez and The Corner.) |
KJL: What recent loser presidential candidate said "Wake Up, America"? Bob Dole. |
Dog saves woman's life by calling 911 AP — Permalink RICHLAND, Washington (AP) — Leana Beasley has faith that a dog is man's best friend. Faith, a 4-year-old Rottweiler, phoned 911 when Beasley fell out of her wheelchair and barked urgently into the receiver until a dispatcher sent help. | |
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Jan Haugland: Dog calls 911 — Today's hero is Leana Beasley's rottweiler Faith, who called 911 when the woman fell out of her wheelchair. Steve Bainbridge: Unless it decided to barf up a hairball an your writhing form. In contrast, a dog will call 911 for you. |
Tom Maguire: OK, I Was One Day Off — My "talking dogs" prediction materializes one day early. Buckle up now. Jonah Goldberg: DEAL WITH THIS CAT LOVERS — Dog calls for help: "Faith, a 4-year-old Rottweiler, phoned 911 when Beasley fell out of... |
John Kerry's Brain on Drugs By / NRO — Permalink John Kerry's zeal in pursuing insurgents and terrorists was second to none — in 1989, when he chaired the Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations, and the bad guys were in Latin America. | |
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H.D. Miller: Kerry's War on Drugs — Our old friend Clint Taylor is back with a great piece in the National Review Online in which he... Michelle Malkin: Also, Andrew McCarthy on Our Troops vs. Kerry's Global Test and Clint Taylor's excellent piece, which asks: Why won't he fight terrorists as hard as he fights drug traffickers? |
Ace: Libertarians, Take Note: If Only John Kerry Thought Terrorists Were as Dangerous as Drug-Smugglers — The man has no... |