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SHOCK AFTER CNN CHIEF 'FLOOD THE ZONE' COMMENT Drudge Report — Permalink Industry insiders are aghast at new CNN chief Jonathan Klein's appalling lack of sensitivity to the tsunami disaster in his ongoing media tour today. Klein told USATODAY that CNN was "able to flood the zone immediately." "It's jarring," said one news executive. | |
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Kevin Aylward: [Link] Thieves steal tsunami cash [Link] A hoaxer pretending to be a British government official has emailed relatives... Jan Haugland: CNN chief Jonathan Klein (of "pajamas" fame) made an unfortunate choice of word when he told USAToday that his channel... Joe Gandelman: Not "Yellow Journalism" But Fetid Brown Journalism — To MD: Get a life. (This is the last time in the history of this blog we will ever link to that site. |
James Joyner: CNN Floods the Flood Zone — Drudge: [snipped quote] Well, certainly Klein could have chosen better words. Bill @INDCJournal: Foot-in-Mouth Disease — Drudge is hyping a poor choice of words by CNN head Jonathan Klein: [snipped quote] You may... Glenn Reynolds: GET THIS GUY SOME PAJAMAS! |
| Also: Ace | |
Gonzales Nomination Draws Military Criticism By / WaPo — Permalink A dozen high-ranking retired military officers took the unusual step yesterday of signing a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing "deep concern" over the nomination of White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales as attorney general, marking a rare military foray into the debate over a civilian post. | |
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Avedon Carol: Also in the WaPo, Gonzales Nomination Draws Military Criticism: A dozen high-ranking retired military officers took the... Ken Masugi: Now retired military have interjected themselves into the debate. Faisal @ShrillBlog: The Washington Post reports that the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 11 other high ranking officers... |
Kevin T. Keith: Military Professionals Condemn Torture Advocate — Injecting some welcome sanity, prinicple, and professionalism into... Tim Dunlop: Anyway, such apologists might like to note that a group of former US Army officers have released a public statement criticising Bush's torture-memo boy, Alberto Gonzales. Steve M.: Good to see that some retired military officers, including former Joint Chiefs chairman John Shalikashvili, are calling for tough questioning of Alberto "Torture Memo" Gonzales. |
| Also: Armando @DailyKos, Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Laura Rozen | |
America's first, again By / CANOE — Permalink Thank goodness for the Americans. What would this world would be like without the U.S.? Especially in times of natural disasters like the Boxing Day tsunami that killed so many and shocked the world into unprecedented humanitarian generosity. | |
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John Hawkins: Thank Goodness For The Americans — Now here's a Canuck, Toronto Sun columnist Peter Worthington, who gets it... "Thank goodness for the Americans. Michelle Malkin: Gotta quote the ending, too, because you won't read anything like it on the New York Times op-ed page: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing here. |
Smash: Recognition — Praise From the Great White North PETER WORTHINGTON takes a contrarian position (for a Canadian) by lauding the humanitarian efforts of the United States. |
A Tale of 2 Systems By / NYT — Permalink Over the past 50 years, we've been having a big debate over two rival economic systems. Conservatives have tended to favor the American model, with smaller government and lower taxes, but less social support. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: David "The Cabbage" Brooks, on the other hand, says smugly that America is better prepared to face the economic challenges of the future than, say, Europe. Matthew Yglesias: If David Brooks actually cared about sustaining long-term US economic growth instead of just pretending to as a... |
Tom Maguire: We will have more. Meanwhile, here is the CBO, and thoughts from MaxSpeak. And the line du jour comes from David Brooks. Orrin Judd: A Tale of 2 Systems: An aging population is a challenge in the U.S. but could spell economic paralysis for Europe. |
Tribe shoots arrows at aid flight By / BBC — Permalink An Indian helicopter dropping food and water over the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been attacked by tribesmen using bows and arrows. There were fears that the endangered tribal groups had been wiped out when massive waves struck their islands. | |
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Jeff Goldstein: Thirty-third in a series of real-time empirical observations — In the time it takes you to read this, Andaman and... Charles Johnson: What Would We Do Without "Authorities?" Tribe shoots arrows at aid flight. James Joyner: Tribe Shoots Arrows at Aid Flight — Tribe shoots arrows at aid flight (BBC) [snipped quote] Now that's looking on the bright side! |
Steve Gilliard: Tribe shoots arrows at aid flight By Jonathan Charles BBC News, Andaman Islands [snipped quote] Jen Bows and Arrows? Betsy Newmark: At least, someone there is up to firing arrows at the aid airplanes. |
Al Gore's INdTV: The People's Programmer By / WaPo — Permalink Tuning in to Gore TV: Little is publicly known about the cable news network planned by almost-president Al Gore except that it will be called INdTV (say it like "indie"), aims to wow the youth market, has set up shop in San Francisco and is supposed to launch this year. | |
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Captain Ed: The Best Television Since The Chevy Chase Show — Al Gore's new TV "network", dubbed INdTV for now, recently sent out a... Taegan Goddard: A Sneak Peak at Gore TV — The Reliable Source received "a glimpse of some of the programming envisioned" by executives at Al Gore's television network venture, INdTV. |
The Poor Man: This is going to be such a f**king train wreck: "Tuning in to Gore TV: Little is publicly known about the cable news... |
Will Eisner Dies At 87 Editor and Publisher — Permalink NEW YORK Cartoonist/graphic novelist Will Eisner died last night in Florida following quadruple heart bypass surgery. He was 87. His newspaper connection included creating "The Spirit" insert for Sunday papers from 1940 to 1952. | |
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Brian Doherty: Will Eisner, R.I.P. Just learned, to my dismay and sorrow, that comic book great Will Eisner died Monday night at age 87, after heart surgery. James Joyner: Will Eisner Dies At 87 — Courtesy Will Eisner.com Will Eisner Dies At 87 (Editor and Publisher) [snipped quote] As Brian... |
Michele Catalano: Spirit — RIP, Will Eisner. . [snipped quote] Eisner was a pioneer, as far as sequential art/graphic novels go. |
Frist's Hypocritical and Dishonest Attack on Democracy Center for American Progress — Permalink Documents obtained by American Progress show Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist participated in an effort to block one of Bill Clinton's judicial nominees via filibuster, then lied about it. In recent weeks, Frist has been relentlessly preaching about the evils of judicial filibusters. | |
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Kevin Raybould: What will we tell the children. Link via CAP, editing via Law and Politics. |
Atrios: From CAP: Documents obtained by American Progress show Frist participated in an effort to block one of Bill Clinton's judicial nominees via filibuster, then lied about it. |
Social Security Formula Weighed WaPo — Permalink The Bush administration has signaled that it will propose changing the formula that sets initial Social Security benefit levels, cutting promised benefits by nearly a third in the coming decades, according to several Republicans close to the White House. | |
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Avedon Carol: Some news and views — In The Washington Post, the Bush Social Security Deform Plan is revealed, and it's every bit as ghastly as you might expect. Thomas Lang: Go to comments — January 04, 2005 Hidden Angle But It Shouldn't Be As Brad DeLong hinted last night, today's... Rickheller @Centerfield: Besides the private accounts, a huge change would be to change the payout indexing from tracking the rise in wages to tracking inflation. |
Steve Soto: Post Demonstrates Shortsighted Reporting Today On Social Security — Well, after my hope yesterday that the main... DeLong: But read articles like this from the Washington Post, and you find it impossible to believe that the Post's reporters... Max B. Sawicky: SUFFER THE CHILDREN Well the cuts are out of the bag. Social Security benefit cuts. Biggun's. |
| Also: Matthew Yglesias, Nathan Nance, Orrin Judd, Rich Lowry, Herb La Tortue, Lambert @Corrente, Susan Madrak, Taegan Goddard, Oliver Willis, Josh Marshall | |
Rossi given fresh hope as 'mystery voters' grow By / Seattle Post-Intelligencer — Permalink Thousands of "mystery voters" in the counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Clark and Kitsap appear to be Republican Dino Rossi's best prospect for challenging the legitimacy of the closest and most contentious gubernatorial election in the state's history. | |
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Captain Ed: Mystery Voters Grow In Washington — The uncertainty surrounding the gubernatorial election in Washington continues to... Orrin Judd: TIE GOES TO THE COUNTER: Rossi given fresh hope as 'mystery voters' grow: GOP calls on counties to explain a discrepancy... |
David Neiwert: The GOP went hunting for more of these discrepancies, and today announced it had found more of them in counties that went for Gregoire. |
Stopping the Bum's Rush By / NYT — Permalink The people who hustled America into a tax cut to eliminate an imaginary budget surplus and a war to eliminate imaginary weapons are now trying another bum's rush. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: On one hand, you have a column by Paul Krugman, which is the first of a series of articles on why Bush's privatization... Avedon Carol: Back into the fray — Paul Krugman is back, and beginning a fresh series on Social Security with Stopping the Bum's... |
Tom Maguire: Krugman - Save Social Security Last — Paul Krugman continues his defense of the Social security status quo with a ringing call to Save Social Security last. Ed Cone: Krugman: [snipped quote] — The Democrats became a majority party by creating a social safety net for all Americans. |
Ickes, Kirk Pull Out of DNC Chair Race AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Former Clinton aide Harold Ickes and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk let top Democrats know Tuesday that they won't be running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee . | |
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Captain Ed: In a move that calls into question Hillary Clinton's expected run for the presidency in 2008, Harold Ickes has pulled... |
Taegan Goddard: Ickes, Kirk Pull Out of DNC Race — Former Clinton aide Harold Ickes and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk [snipped quote] the AP reports. |
FCC launches probe into latest network profanity slip By / AP — Permalink NEW YORK - When Motley Crue's Vince Neil wished bandmate Tommy Lee a happy New Year live on NBC, he couldn't resist inserting a profanity - and now the FCC is involved. The Federal Communications Commission has received complaints about the New Year's Eve "Tonight" show and is beginning a preliminary probe, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. | |
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James Joyner: FCC Investigating Vince Neil F-Bomb — FCC launches probe into latest network profanity slip (AP) [snipped quote] One would think the FCC would have better things to do. |
Jeff Jarvis: FCC follies : The FCC launches a federal investigation of Jay Leno's New Year's Eve show, in which Motley Crue's Vince Neil wished Tommy Lee a "happy f**king New Year." |
Criminals target tsunami victims By / BBC — Permalink They have already survived an experience that most people can scarcely imagine. But the victims of the Asian tsunami now face a new danger - criminals and opportunists trying to cash in on their misfortune. | |
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Steve Gilliard: Orphan hunting — "Children-survivors board a C-130 transport plane at military-controlled airport in Banda Aceh, 1 Jan... |
Tarek @LiquidList: Politics: Delightful — Lest you be distracted by unbelievably revolting stories of people looting homes, stores and... |
More Women Opting Against Birth Control, Study Finds By / WaPo — Permalink At a time when the medical community has been heartened by a decline in risky sexual behavior by teenagers, a different problem has crept up: More adult women are forgoing birth control, a trend that has experts puzzled — and alarmed about a potential rise in unintended pregnancies. | |
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Stuart Buck: More Women Opting Against Birth Control, Study Finds — Check out this Washington Post article. Orrin Judd: More Women Opting Against Birth Control, Study Finds (Ceci Connolly, January 4, 2005, Washington Post) |
Matthew Yglesias: Um...I've got lots of questions about this article which seems ambiguously worded at key moments (are they counting... KJL: THE INCREDIBLE DANGEROUS POWER OF THE RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN BUSH ADMINISTRATION — By permitting abstinence education in... |
Iraqi Premier Calls Bush to Discuss Obstacles to Election By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 3 - Hours after a wave of bombing attacks that left at least 20 people dead on Monday, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi telephoned President Bush and discussed the many impediments still facing the country as it heads toward elections in 27 days, according to senior American officials familiar with the contents of the call. | |
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Steve M.: Even though he knows the administration's official position on the subject is a loud "LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU,"... Lambert @Corrente: iWaq: Hey, I thought sovreignty had been transferred to Iraq by now? What was the word I agreed to use for Iraq instead of the extremely technically accurate "clusterf**k"? |
Larre @LeftCoaster: Buried below news of today's assassination of Baghdad's governor, Richard A. Oppel Jr. and David E. Sanger of the New... |
U.S. choppers find remote survivors By / AP — Permalink KARIM RAJIA, Indonesia — U.S. helicopters yesterday rescued dozens of desperate and weak tsunami survivors — including a young girl clutching a stuffed Snoopy — as the American military relief operation reached out to remote areas of Indonesia with cartons of food and water. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: From the Washington Times: An inspiring story of the United States Navy's rescue of some desperate survivors of the tsunamis. Hindrocket: Tsunami Relief Update — The Associated Press has the latest on the effort to rescue tsunami survivors in Sumatra, now... |
James Joyner: Tsunami Survivors Rescued — U.S. choppers find remote survivors (AP-Washington Times) "U.S. helicopters yesterday... |
Kerry's skills on display in Mideast trip By / Boston Globe — Permalink Senator John F. Kerry is reemerging on the public stage this week with a 13-day fact-finding trip through the Middle East, which supporters say shows that the Massachusetts Democrat is determined to maintain a high profile after his losing presidential campaign. | |
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Taegan Goddard: Kerry Seeks High Profile — Sen. John Kerry "is reemerging on the public stage this week with a 13-day fact-finding trip... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Who? The left-wing Boston Globe says that "Kerry's skills [were] on display in Mideast trip." I literally have no idea about whom they're speaking. |
The victims of the tsunami pay the price of war on Iraq By / Guardian — Permalink There has never been a moment like it on British television. The Vicar of Dibley, one of our gentler sitcoms, was bouncing along with its usual bonhomie on New Year's Day when it suddenly hit us with a scene from another world. | |
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Kevin Aylward: The UK Guardian scores a Bus**t of 1 with this headline - The victims of the tsunami pay the price of war on Iraq. |
Tim Blair: TSUNAMI-IRAQI LINK REVEALED — It's only January 5, yet Rob Hinkley may have already identified the headline of the... |
Zarqawi group claims assassination NEWS.com.au — Permalink THE al-Qaeda linked group of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility today for the assassination of Baghdad's governor, according to a statement and a video posted on the internet. | |
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Joe Gandelman: New Governor of Baghdad Is Assassinated — You can tell the Iraqi elections are getting close because the "insurgents"... KJL: SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL — Zarqawi's people take credit for the assassination this morning. |
Digger: Australian [snipped quote] Originally Posted at Diggers Realm |
Bells dig in to dominate high-speed Internet realm By / USA Today — Permalink To hear BellSouth talk, high-speed fiber lines are the way of the future. So why is it so determined to stop Lafayette, La., a rural community in the heart of Cajun country, from installing its own fiber? Vinnie Sinatra lays fiber optic cable in Buffalo Grove, Ill., in October. | |
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Steve Clemons: This article in USA Today captures one dimension of the battle between the Bells and local communities who are trying to... |
Matthew Yglesias: High-Fiber Monopoly Diet — Via Steve Clemons, an admirable USA Today inquiry into how Baby Bells are trying (and succeeding) to crush competition in broadband internet access. |
Guantanamo suspects face a life in captivity By / Telegraph — Permalink The Bush administration is drawing up a long-term plan for al-Qa'eda suspects at Guantanamo Bay, including building a prison where they could be held for the rest of their lives without ever appearing in a court of law. | |
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Chris Lawrence: Mo' Gitmo — Radley Balko points to a Telegraph article that indicates that the Bush administration is settling in for a... |
Radley Balko: But I am sure that this is going way, way too far: [snipped quote] Pretty sure things like "detaining for life without due process" are incompatible with the idea of "free society." |
Bush Adapts, but Won't Call It That By / LAT — Permalink CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush's initial, halting response to the Indian Ocean tsunami catastrophe, followed within days by strong expressions of concern and decisive action, spotlighted a governing style that sometimes finds its stride only after stumbling at the gate. | |
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Hindrocket: As Kurtz notes, the Los Angeles Times, one of the country's most left-wing newspapers, made the subtext explicit:... Mitch Berg: Missed Opportunity — Via Powerline, we see this AP story on the the relief effort, with emphasis added |
Howard Kurtz: The Los Angeles Times sees a pattern in Bush's immediate reaction: "President Bush's initial, halting response to the... |
5 U.S. Troops Are Killed, and Baghdad Governor Is Slain By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 4 - Four American soldiers and a marine were killed today and three other soldiers were wounded on a day that also saw the assassination of the governor of Baghdad, one of the highest-profile killings of an Iraqi official in months. | |
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TChris: Iraq's interim president, Ghazi al-Yawar, questions whether elections should be held on January 30, given the lack of security. |
Frederick Maryland: The New York Times reports that al-Haidari is "the most senior official assassinated in the city since the head of the Governing Council was killed last May." |
WHAT'S NEXT FOR CALIFORNIA By / San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink President Bush's broad re-election victory and Republican gains across the country reflect the fact that through a structural realignment, the GOP has now become the majority party in the country. | |
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Jayson @PoliPundit: Yeah, my beloved Golden State has been left out of the raging GOP keg party, as of late, but, as outlined in this piece,... |
Orrin Judd: MODERATES ALWAYS AGREE WITH THE 60%: Sustaining a national GOP majority (Jim Hartman, January 3, 2005, SF Chronicle)... |
Hertford, home of the Holy Grail Guardian — Permalink One of the problems with secret societies - especially the kind whose members exert a shadowy influence on the course of world events - is that they can be a bit difficult to track down. | |
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Orrin Judd: Hertford, home of the Holy Grail: An ancient secret society; a demand for a papal apology; and a network of hidden tunnels. |
Jesse Walker: It sounds like a James P. Blaylock novel, but actually it's a funny dispatch in The Guardian. |
Unconfirmed report of Zarqawi capture Washington Times — Permalink Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 4 (UPI) — A semi-official daily reported Tuesday Iraqi police captured an "important terrorist," believed to be Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a raid east of Baghdad. There was no official confirmation of the report. | |
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Orrin Judd: The developments came six months after the killing of Nabil Sahraoui, leader of the larger and more active Salafist... |
Bill @INDCJournal: UPDATE: UPI: [quote] Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 4 (UPI) — A semi-official daily reported Tuesday Iraqi police captured an "important...[end quote] |
Virginia to consider amendment on marriage By / Washington Times — Permalink Lawmakers in Virginia are aiming to place the commonwealth at the forefront of the nation's battle against same-sex unions when the General Assembly reconvenes next week. | |
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Eugene Oregon: When a Constitutional Amendment is Not Enough — From the Washington Times [snipped quote] So, despite the fact that... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: The Commonwealth of Virginia appears to be headed towards banning gay marriages. |
Attacks Kill 4 G.I.'s, Baghdad Governor and 8 Iraqi Soldiers NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 4 - Four American soldiers and a marine were killed today and three other soldiers were wounded on a day that also saw the assassination of the governor of Baghdad, one of the highest-profile killings of an Iraqi official in months. | |
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Steve Soto: Five US Soldiers, Baghdad Governor Killed Today — [snipped quote] —Unnamed State Department official today Gunmen... |
Tarek @LiquidList: Or maybe not: [snipped quote] So the Civil War is starting off swimingly over there. |
We Are the World By / Opinion Journal — Permalink Colin Powell and Jeb Bush are now on a diplomatic mission to the nations hit by the tsunami. But as residents from Thailand in Southeast Asia to Somalia on the horn of Africa pick through the debris, it will not be lost on them that not only are food, fresh... | |
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James Joyner: Brendan Miniter observes, "Colin Powell and Jeb Bush are now on a diplomatic mission to the nations hit by the tsunami. Betsy Newmark: Brendan Miniter ponders the message that our military is bringing the world by our actions to help those in Asia devastated by the tsunami. |
Steven Taylor: Indeed, but… Via the WSJ: We Are the World [snipped quote] There is no doubt that the abilities of the US military... |
House G.O.P. Voids Rule It Adopted Shielding Leader By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 - Stung by criticism that they were lowering ethical standards, House Republicans on Monday night reversed a rule change that would have allowed a party leader to retain his position even if indicted. | |
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Talking Dog: The House Republicans themselves took action to reverse themselves on a revision to an ethics rule that would have... Joe Gandelman: And — was it a face-saving ploy because there were fears this would be a ticking political time bomb? Chris Lawrence: Belated sense on DeLay — Since I expressed my annoyance with the GOP for foolishly changing House caucus rules to... |
Howard Kurtz: If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a horde of House GOPers beating a hasty retreat: "Stung by criticism... Steven Taylor: Smart Move — Via the NYT: House G.O.P. Voids Rule It Adopted Shielding Leader [snipped quote] Quite frankly I can't believe that they ever let this whole thing come up. McQ: Well, apparently cooler heads prevailed, and not only is the House GOP shelving that idea, they're also voiding the rule... |
| Also: Taegan Goddard, Charles Kuffner, Josh Marshall | |
U.S. May Add Advisers to Aid Iraq's Military By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 - Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top commander in Iraq, is reviewing a proposal to add hundreds of American military advisers to work directly with Iraqi units, whose disappointing performance could jeopardize the long-term American exit strategy from Iraq, senior military officials said Monday. | |
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Tarek @LiquidList: Undermine the election and ensure the winner has no mandate, so the U.S. is forced to prop up the victor and essentially take over the nascent military with a bunch of 'advisers'. |
Steve Gilliard: And an American will lead the hajis now the infidels will lead us U.S. May Add Advisers to Aid Iraq's Military January... |
GOP Abandons Ethics Changes By / WaPo — Permalink House Republican leaders last night abandoned proposals to loosen rules governing members' ethical conduct, as they yielded to pressure from rank-and-file lawmakers concerned that the party was sending the wrong message. | |
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Avedon Carol: And the Republicans have changed their minds about their embarrassing relaxation of ethics standards - but I think they... Frederick Maryland: Blessed With the Right Leaders — In this article, The Washington Post today reported that House Republican leaders had decided to abandon plans to weaken ethics rules. Taegan Goddard: The Washington Post notes Republican leaders "yielded to pressure from rank-and-file lawmakers concerned that the party was sending the wrong message." |
Sam Rosenfeld: So the Republicans have backed off the most egregious of their proposed ethics changes (the one that would eliminate the... Andrew Sullivan: THEY'RE NOT STUPID: Here's a sign that the Republican leadership on the Hill know that hubris is a real danger. KJL: DELAY AND RULE CHANGE — The wasteful witchhunt against tom delay has had me sympathetic to the rules change plan in the... |
| Also: Charles Kuffner, Josh Marshall | |
Founder of New Democrat Network decides to run for national Democratic chairman AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — Simon Rosenberg, founder of the centrist New Democrat Network, has decided to run for chairman of the Democratic National Committee, according to an aide. | |
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Jerome Armstrong: On Thursday, Rosenberg is to formally announce his candidacy at a luncheon with the National Press Club. |
Taegan Goddard: Rosenberg Will Run for DNC Chair — [snipped quote] the AP reports. Donnie Fowler is the only other officially announced candidate. |
New Babes in Toyland: Trollz By / NYT — Permalink BURBANK, Calif. - In a nondescript office building near the Ventura Freeway here, and in far-flung studios in Luxembourg and China, as many as a thousand animators, editors, sound engineers and the like are hard at work on what they intend to be the next obsession of 4-to-8-year-old girls. | |
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Michelle Malkin: They've "Bratz"-ified those little Trolls dolls. From the New York Times: [snipped quote] Aggh! What's next? |
KJL: SEXING UP — Trollz. |
Exhale, Stage Left By / WaPo — Permalink Keith Stroup's mouth is dry. His brain is foggy. America's most famous marijuana lobbyist admits that a powerful drug has messed up his mind. The drug isn't marijuana, although he smokes that nearly every night. It's Tylenol cold medicine. | |
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Nick Gillespie: Needless to say, a s**t storm ensued that really derailed efforts toward drug policy reform. Whole story here. |
Belle Waring: The Dude Abides — NORML founder and longtime head Keith Stroup is stepping down in favor of younger leadership. |
IN HORROR'S WAKE By / New York Post — Permalink CATASTROPHES unleash great human energies. For now, the world's attention is fixed on the stunning destruction wrought in South Asia, on global mourning. But the long-term effects of nature's terrorism may surprise us all. In the short-term, the misery is incalculable. | |
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James Joyner: Ralph Peters notes a stark contrast with Saudi aid to their brother Muslims: "One great advantage the forces of... |
Cori Dauber: He specifically mentions (and discusses at length) Indonesia. Here's his extension of that argument to current events. |
The Academic Left and the Christian Right, Part II By / TCS — Permalink Five weeks ago, I wrote a column ("Faculty Clubs and Church Pews") that suggested an odd political coalition: intellectuals and evangelicals. A lot of people have e-mailed me about that column, and a number of blogs have commented on it. | |
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Ramesh Ponnuru: IF WILLIAM STUNTZ wanted to make his idea for a coalition of academics and evangelicals sound less "nuts," he has not succeeded. |
Glenn Reynolds: BILL STUNTZ FOLLOWS UP AN EARLIER COLUMN, which David Brooks listed among the top ten essays of 2004, with more on the Christian right and the academic left. |
On tsunami's shore By / Washington Times — Permalink In the heyday of musical comedy, they had "catalog songs" — great long laundry lists of examples that all go to prove the same point — that "You're The Top" or "These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You." That's the way it is with the world's opinion formers these days. | |
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James Joyner: Mark Steyn adds: [quote] Aside from its "moral authority," the justification for doing everything through the United Nations...[end quote] |
Tim Blair: MINDS LOST — Mark Steyn on the blame America community's reaction to massive deaths in Asia: "You would think an... |
Baghdad Governor Assassinated WaPo — Permalink BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 — Gunmen killed the governor of the Baghdad province, Ali al-Haidari, and six of his bodyguards on Tuesday, officials said. Al-Haidari's three-vehicle convoy was passing through Baghdad's northern neighborhood of Hurriyah when gunmen opened fire, said the chief of his security detail, who asked only to be identified as Maj. Mazen. | |
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Robert Tagorda: Baghdad Governor Assassinated — Baghdad Governor Assassinated (Reuters) "Gunmen have killed Baghdad's governor in... |
Joe Drymala: Baghdad Governor Assassinated — From the Washington Post: "With 26 days remaining before Iraq's election, gunmen assassinated the governor of Baghdad Tuesday. |
Could the tsunami disaster be a turning point for the world? Independent — Permalink I am hopeful, but we must see a real commitment to changing the economic relationships between the West and the poorer countries. As well as charitable giving, we need to tackle these fundamental issues. | |
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Scott Burgess: The Indy Shames its Competitors — Today's Independent devotes its cover to a survey of 15 of the nation's great and... Steve @BeggingToDiffer: TURNING POINT — Drudge links to this Independent feature asking, "Could the tsunami disaster be a turning point for the world?" |
Steve Antler: UPDATE II: And of all the opportunism surfacing in the past few days, perhaps this is the silliest of all. |
GOP reverses course over ethics rules CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — Majority Leader Tom DeLay asked House Republicans Monday to reverse a December rule change that allows indicted leaders to continue to hold leadership posts in the chamber. | |
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Natasha @PacificViews: Republicans were worried enough about taking heat that they repealed their watered down ethics ruling of last month. |
Rickheller @Centerfield: Pressure Works — The House has reversed itself [snipped quote] It's nice to know that overwhelming public opinion does make a difference. |
Gulf Arabs Wonder: Are They Being Stingy With Aid? By / NYT — Permalink CAIRO, Jan. 3 - The newspaper Al Qabas in Kuwait set off a debate spreading throughout the country and beyond on Monday by suggesting that Kuwait deserves its reputation for being cheap and oblivious to people who go there to work as servants, given the... | |
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Steve Antler: UPDATE: Here's another angle on why everything is now different. Michael J. Totten: Kuwait and Qatar have now matched Saudi Arabia's10 million dollars, according to the New York Times. (Hat tip: Katherine in the comments.) |
Damian Penny: Update: Kuwait, perhaps in response to criticism from its own citizens, has increased its pledge to $10M. |
Ex-presidents to lead aid effort By / Boston Globe — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush, seeking to highlight America's concern over the Asian disaster, named his father and his predecessor yesterday to spearhead a private fund-raising campaign to help victims of last month's tsunamis, calling on Americans to ''contribute as they are able to do so." | |
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Howard Kurtz: "The unusual pairing of two former presidents — George H.W. Bush, a Republican, and Bill Clinton, a Democrat —... |
Natasha @PacificViews: As The Year Turns — Congratulations to the White House for stepping up with some very muscular aid to the tsunami... |
Aid effort shows limits of China's rising power By / NYT — Permalink BEIJING China's new and growing influence in Asia, which some analysts say has come at the expense of the United States, is showing its limits as the aspiring superpower plays an active but secondary role in responding to the tsunami disaster. | |
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Glenn Reynolds: TSUNAMI UPDATE: China's limited role in the relief effort shows that it's not ready for prime time when it comes to superpower status: [snipped quote] On the other hand, that's now. |
KJL: RED LIMITS — China plays a secondary role in tsunami-relief effort. |
House GOP Reverses Course on Ethics Rules By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans suddenly reversed course Monday, deciding to retain a tough standard for lawmaker discipline and reinstate a rule that would force Majority Leader Tom DeLay to step aside if indicted by a Texas grand jury. | |
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Josh Marshall: And now this comes across the AP Wire ... [snipped quote] So the DeLay Rule is no more? Michael Froomkin: GOP caves on two ethics changes: no watering down of the House ethics rule, and a reversal of the "DeLay Rule" that... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Republicans Abandon Effort to Revise Ethics Rules — In a surprise move, Republican leaders met tonight and decided to abandon their attempt to revise the ethics rules. Randy Paul: House Republicans to ethics: drop dead. Morals? We don't need no stinkin' morals! UPDATE: They've flip-flopped. |
House GOP Reverses Course on Ethics Rules ABCNEWS — Permalink WASHINGTON Jan 3, 2005 — House Republicans suddenly reversed course Monday, deciding to retain a tough standard for lawmaker discipline and reinstating a rule that would force Majority Leader Tom DeLay to step aside if indicted by a Texas grand jury. | |
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Nathan Nance: Not surprisingly, after tons of groups have publicly chided them on this very stupid ethics repeal idea, ABC News is... Kos @DailyKos: GOP, DeLay cave — The GOP will drop efforts to change the ethics rules, and will also go back to the old rule that indicted leadership have to surrender their posts. |
Charles Kuffner: DeLay rule rescinded — Well, well, well. Sometimes outrage gets results. |
Promised cash may never arrive: UN Reuters — Permalink SOME of the more than $US2 billion ($2.56bn) pledged in international aid for tsunami victims might never materialise, the United Nations warned today. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and emergency relief co-ordinator Jan Egeland expressed their gratitude for the promises of help from 45 nations. | |
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McQ: The Relief Check's in the mail — Not that this should come as a surprise: [snipped quote] It does point to one reason I was so frustrated with the complainers out there. Arthur Chrenkoff: Meanwhile, the UN is worried there won't be enough money: "UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and emergency relief... |
Wretchard: The Memory Hole — UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his relief coordinator Jan Egeland delivered an advance blast... |
PM's $500m aid package The Australian — Permalink AUSTRALIA is preparing to take the leading international role in the long-term reconstruction of tsunami-ravaged Indonesia with an aid package worth more than $500million to help rebuild hospitals and schools and restore water supplies in Sumatra. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Show me the money: The latest from Down Under: "Australia is preparing to take the leading international role in the... |
Lorie Byrd: Australia's Generous Contribution — Wes Roth sent me this link to a story about Australia's generous contributions pledged to the tsunami relief effort. |
Paul Stenhouse: Tsunamis are not the wrath of God The Australian — Permalink THE world is still reeling from the tsunami in the Indian Ocean that caused such loss of life and devastation on Boxing Day. Numbness, disbelief and outrage at our powerlessness, our inability to warn the victims, or to save them, is a common reaction. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: For a "Tsunamis are not the wrath of God" view, read today's op-ed piece by Paul Stenhouse, a Catholic priest and journalist. |
Peter Burnet: THE ULTIMATE PARADOX — Tsunamis are not the wrath of God (Paul Stenhouse, The Australian, January 4th, 2005) |
Bullock Donates $1M for Tsunami Relief AP — Permalink NEW YORK - Actress Sandra Bullock (news) has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross to help relief efforts in countries affected by the deadly earthquake and tsunamis in southern Asia and eastern Africa. | |
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Cookie Jill: AP/Yahoo News Posted by Hello to me, ms. bullock has always seemed down to earth and grounded. (probably why i like... |
Kevin Roderick: Sandra Bullock steps up — Reuters photo from Krueng Raya, IndonesiaThe actress donated $1 million to the American Red Cross for tsunami relief efforts in Asia and Africa. |
NBC ZUCKER PLANS QUAKE RELIEF TELETHON Drudge Report — Permalink Burbank - January 5, 2005 - In response to aid victims of the tsunami tragedy, NBC Universal Television Group will air a live benefit special across its broadcast and cable platforms on Saturday, January 15, 2005 at 8:00pm, it was announced today by Jeff Zucker, President, NBC Universal Television Group. | |
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Michele Catalano: Plenty of Iranian entertainers came through, but I don't recall the head honcho of NBC planning a telethon to help out. McQ: NBC Plans Tsunami Telethon — Per Drudge: [snipped quote] I wonder if Zucker will catch flack for holding it so long after the event and only doing it for an hour. |
Damian Penny: Update: NBC and its cable networks will air a three-hour telethon for disaster relief on Jan. 15. |
Rigging the Rules WaPo — Permalink Code of Official Conduct, Rule XXIII, Clause 1. OF ALL THE ethical rules governing the conduct of House members, this is perhaps the most critical. It has been used to discipline members for taking bribes, fixing parking tickets and having sex with House pages. | |
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Atrios: The WaPo explains: It has been used to discipline members for taking bribes, fixing parking tickets and having sex with House pages. Josh Marshall: As the Washington Post noted last Friday, House Republicans are planning to begin the new session of Congress tomorrow... Kos @DailyKos: [quote]The WaPo explains: "It has been used to discipline members for taking bribes, fixing parking tickets and having sex with House pages."[end quote] |
Sam Rosenfeld: For those who aren't up to speed on the GOP's plans, which surfaced last week, this Washington Post piece offers a nice... Kevin Raybould: The Party of Corruption — The House GOP is about to make it official: they are the party of corruption Charles Kuffner: [quote]"All of this is designed to make one man truly above the law," said Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.[end quote] |
| Also: Susan Madrak, Randy Paul | |
How the Left Betrayed My Country - Iraq By / Front Page Magazine — Permalink Before the last war, we Iraqis spent decades cut off from the outside world. Not only did the Baathist regime prevent us from traveling during the Iran-Iraq conflict and the period of the sanctions, but they punished anyone possessing satellite television. | |
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FrancoAlemán: A SOBERING READ by an Iraqi who righfully claims that the left, in Western countries, betrayed his country; should be... Betsy Newmark: One Iraqi is quite disillusioned with Leftists. McQ: The Left's Betrayal of Iraq — An interesting condemnation of the left by an Iraqi who is obviously troubled by the... |
Jan Haugland: "The left betrayed Iraq" — Naseer Flayih Hasan writes about How the Left Betrayed My Country - Iraq. Mitch Berg: Grand Disillusion — Naseer Flayih Hasan is an Iraqi, with a fascinating piece in Frontpage magazine. Deacon: The Klannish left — Earlier today, Rocket Man linked to a piece from FrontPage Magazine in which Naseer Flayih Hasan... |
| Also: Cori Dauber, Hindrocket, Paul Jaminet | |
Hefley stands up to The Hammer Denver Post — Permalink Congressional leaders are rumored to be considering replacing Rep. Joel Hefley as House ethics committee chair, in order to protect Tom DeLay. Colorado Congressman Joel Hefley is sometimes a lone voice against Rep. Tom DeLay, the prickly Texas Republican who wields immense influence over Congress. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The next big test: are reports true that Congressional leaders want to replace Colorado Rep. Joel Heffley as House... Sam Rosenfeld: The current head of the ethics committee, the very conservative but very independent Colorado congressman Joel Hefley,... |
Josh Marshall: Reportedly he's about to be canned by Speaker Hastert and replaced by ... who? ... you guessed it, Lamar Smith. Charles Kuffner: The Republicans had taken a lot of well-deserved criticism for their arrogant attempt to separate consequences from... |
Aid agency: stop donating NEWS.com.au — Permalink THE Australian branch of aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, Doctors without Borders) has become possibly the first in the world to ask donors to stop pledging money to its tsunami appeal. | |
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Jim Henley: Quick disaster-blogging reactions: Joyner spots the first "No mas" from an aid agency, Medecins Sans Frontieres. Arthur Chrenkoff: One Australian charity, however, is pulling the plug: "The Australian branch of aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres... James Joyner: Aid Agency: Stop Donating — Aid agency: stop donating (News.com) [snipped quote] Interesting. |
Wretchard: An interesting contrast is provided by two private charity organizations, the Australian branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Australian branch of World Vision. Tim Blair: The Australian branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres has asked donors to stop sending money after reaching its $1 million target in just three days. |
Journalists shouldn't be cheerleaders By / St. Petersburg Times — Permalink It's hardly a shocker that Norman Mailer could show up at a place like Cambridge, Mass., and win big applause with a speech attacking President Bush. After all, employees of Harvard University gave more money to John Kerry's presidential campaign than people who work anywhere else (except the University of California). | |
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Charles Johnson: Journalists Shouldn't Be Cheerleaders — A virulent Bush-hating speech from Norman Mailer got him a standing... Jason Van Steenwyk: We're making a dent... Andrew Sullivan links to this account of the mindless media dweebs giving a standing O to... |
Cori Dauber: Still not getting it — How does media bias come out when journalism professionals are on their own, say at professional conferences? via Andrew Sullivan. Andrew Sullivan: MEDIA BIAS WATCH: A journalists' standing ovation for an anti-Bush tirade by Norman Mailer. |
Mainstream Meltdown By / TCS — Permalink Despite the fact that Big Media in general appears to be reconciling itself to the Blogosphere, there remain Big Media denizens who are having more than a little trouble adjusting to blogs. | |
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Susanna Cornett: His most recent effort is a pile of potshots, which has resulted in a volley of much more effective shots heading back... Hindrocket: This Story Has a Punch Line, But I Can't Repeat It — Pejman has a Tech Central Station column on a weird attack on us... |
Glenn Reynolds: IS IT A MAINSTREAM MEDIA MELTDOWN? Certainly some people are losing it. Pejman Yousefzadeh: MY TECH CENTRAL STATION COLUMN IS UP — Nick Coleman won't like it. Or me. |
Video Blogs Break Out With Tsunami Scenes WSJ — Permalink When twenty-one-year-old Jordan Golson launched his Web diary, or blog, in early December, his conservative views on news and politics weren't exactly in demand, attracting about 10 surfers a day. | |
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Joe Gandelman: ON BLOGGING: The Tsunami Marks Another Milestone Via Videos Of The Tragedy — Blogers_3 When the brutal tsunami crashed... Roger L. Simon: Soon there will be so many competing video outlets when someone is unmasked as a liar, he or she will simply be switched off. Jeff Jarvis: Until and unless they put this up as a free link, Punditguy has the text. : Free link up now here. |
Kevin Aylward: Thanks to Antonio Regalado of the Wall Street Journal for staying on the case and getting a correction published in... Ed Driscoll: Video Blogging Breaks Out With Tsunami Scenes — The Wall Street Journal looks at what could possibly be the Next Big Thing for the Blogosphere: video blogging. Glenn Reynolds: Judging by this Wall St. Journal story, (free link) the time has come. (Via Pundit Guy, who's mentioned.) |
| Also: Bill Hobbs | |
The Social Security Fear Factor NYT — Permalink If you've lent even one ear to the administration's recent comments on Social Security, you have no doubt heard President Bush and his aides asserting that a $10 trillion shortfall threatens the retirement system - and the economy itself. | |
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Nathan Nance: The Times gets down and dirty on Social Security — Guest post by Nate Nance Today's NY Times had a great editorial on... PGL: The Social Security Fear Factor — This is the title of a very good oped from Gail Collins. Josh Marshall: Bless their hearts. The Times states the facts correctly: [snipped quote] The whole editorial is well worth your reading. |
Steve Soto: The New York Times nailed Bush today on his deceptive campaign to sell privatization while he ignores other problems of his own creation in Medicare. Kevin Drum: In the meantime, the New York Times has a good editorial on Social Security today. |
Elder Bush, Clinton to Lead Relief Effort By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday tapped two former presidents — his father, President George H.W. Bush, and his predecessor, President Clinton — to lead a nationwide, private fund-raising campaign to help victims of the Asian tsunamis. | |
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Steve M.: Bush asks Bill Clinton to help lead a tsunami relief effort? A rare classy move for Bush — maybe; more likely, an attempt to avoid being shown up. Jeralyn Merritt: Bush Picks His Dad and Clinton to Lead Tsunami Relief Drive — This is the smartest move yet by Bush in trying to... Jeff Jarvis: Coming together : Bush has appointed his father and Bill Clinton to lead a private fundraising effort for tsunami relief. |
Steve Antler: See how often mainstream (usually government-sponsored) Mideast press passes along wild conspiracy theories regarding... James Martin Capozzola: I'm pleased to see President Tequila Worm turning to those much wiser, including President Bill Clinton, to coordinate... Atrios: It's an actual surprising move by Bush: "WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) has tapped former Presidents... |
5000 Americans unaccounted for NEWS.com.au — Permalink AS MANY as 5000 Americans are still unaccounted for a week after the world's deadliest tsunami pounded a dozen countries across the Indian Ocean, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said today. | |
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Tim Blair: Meanwhile, some 5,000 US citizens known to have been in the region are still unaccounted for, according to Colin Powell. James Joyner: 5000 Americans Unaccounted For 5000 Americans unaccounted for (AFP) [snipped quote] Sadly, those who are still... |
Camille Roy: Well, Powell, one of the few grown-ups in the Administration, has touched this political hot potato. Digby: WTF — Via See The Forest I found this story. [snipped quote] Is this for real? |
A Way Out of Iraq By / WaPo — Permalink Is it time for America to leave Iraq? It's not a rhetorical question, but one that goes deeply into our notions of who we are and how we wish to be seen — militarily, diplomatically, politically and morally. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Blowing Raspberries — Columnist William Raspberry in the "Washington Post" (hat tip Deacon at Powerline): "We can argue... Ed Driscoll: Update: William Raspberry of The Washington Post gets the jump on next year's list by invoking the Copperhead... |
Deacon: Just today, Washington Post columnist William Raspberry wrote: "We can argue all day that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant whose defeat and humiliation should evoke no sympathy from us. |
Myths Run Wild in Blog Tsunami Debate By / NYT — Permalink As the horror of the South Asian tsunami spread and people gathered online to discuss the disaster on sites known as Web logs, or blogs, those of a political bent naturally turned the discussion to their favorite topics. | |
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Charles Johnson: NYT Reads Democratic Underground — To illustrate blogs' coverage of the Asian tsunami, the New York Times goes to none... Brian Montopoli: The New York Times starts things off today by attacking "the blogosphere's tendency towards crackpot theorizing" in a story about blogs reacting to tsunami news. Kevin Aylward: The Times Rides To The Rescue Of DU — Wizbang is featured in this New York Times article today, Myths Run Wild in Blog Tsunami Debate. |
James Joyner: Update (1009): NYT also has a story on blogs today: Myths Run Wild in Blog Tsunami Debate. The blog in question? Steve Gilliard: Wackjobs are us...not — Bush didn't do this Myths Run Wild in Blog Tsunami Debate By JOHN SCHWARTZ Published: January... Tarek @LiquidList: What an abominable piece of drek this New York Times item on the blog response to the tsunami. |
| Also: Paul @Wizbang, Jeff Jarvis, Ann Althouse, Glenn Reynolds, Ed Cone, Jeralyn Merritt, McQ | |
At last, women lash out at hip hop's abuses NY Daily News — Permalink The most successful black women's magazine, Essence, is in the middle of a campaign that could have monumental cultural significance. Essence is taking on the slut images and verbal abuse projected onto black women by hip hop lyrics and videos. | |
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KJL: ESSENCE puts liberal feminists to shame (a topic which they could expend a lot more energy on—the treatment of women in the rap/hip-hop world). Ed Driscoll: Pushing Back Against Pop Culture's Excesses — Stanley Crouch of The New York Daily News writes that "At last, women lash out at hip hop's abuses." |
Mitch Berg: Life Ain't Nothing But Benzos and Hos — Stanley Crouch, in the NY Daily News, on a rebellion in the Afro-American media against hip-hop's images of women. |
Mr. Heyward Goes to Washington Broadcasting & Cable — Permalink Let the fence-mending begin. According to a Broadcasting & Cable source in Washington, D.C. , CBS News president Andrew Heyward, along with Washington bureau chief Janet Leissner, recently met with White House communications director Dan Bartlett, in part to repair chilly relations with the Bush administration. | |
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Deacon: Broadcasting & Cable reports that CBS news head Andrew Heyward and CBS Washington bureau chief Janet Leissner recently... Captain Ed: Good Luck On That Sale — Drudge links to a Broadcasting & Cable item that reports on a meeting between beleaguered CBS News president Andrew Heyward and the White House. Roger L. Simon: Some People Get a Second Chance — A tantalizingly brief article linked by Drudge this morning tells us "CBS News... |
Charles Johnson: Mr. Heyward Goes to Washington — Anticipating the long-awaited report on Memogate, the president of CBS News went to... Atrios: That Liberal Media CBS: Let the fence-mending begin. According to a Broadcasting & Cable source in Washington, D.C. Bill @INDCJournal: Ominous Sign — Via Drudge: [snipped quote] The fact that CBS sent Andrew Heyward to make nice wouldn't seem to... |
| Also: KJL | |
Politics & Policies: Bin Laden's trepidation By / Washington Times — Permalink Washington, DC, Jan. 2 (UPI) — Osama bin Laden, the man who since 9/11 brought fear into the hearts of millions, is now running scared. The master terrorist is afraid; he is very afraid. | |
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Captain Ed: Osama's Nightmare — Claude Salhani at the Washington Times presents an analysis of Osama bin Laden's reaction to the... Orrin Judd: YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE, AN ARAB WITH A VOTE: Bin Laden's trepidation (Claude Salhani, 1/02/05, UPI) [snipped quote] Bin... |
Smash: Claude Salhani takes a closer look at the Bin Laden's latest diatribe. |
Sandra Bullock chips in $1M for tsunami relief bizjournals — Permalink On-again, off-again Austin resident Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross for tsunami disaster relief in southern Asian and eastern Africa. | |
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McQ: Consistent charity — A hat tip and salute to Sandra Bullock: "Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to the American Red... Michelle Malkin: SANDRA BULLOCK: NOT STINGY — The Austin (Tx.) Business Journal reports: [snipped quote] Kudos to her! |
James Joyner: Sandra Bullock Donates $1 Million to Tsunami Relief — Sandra Bullock chips in $1M for tsunami relief (Austin Business... |
Rome's Next Choice? By / Time — Permalink Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the chief architect of Pope John Paul II's traditionalist moral policy, has long been a bugaboo for liberal Catholics. But they had stopped worrying that the German might one day ascend to St. Peter's throne. | |
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Joe Gandelman: And The Next Pope Will Be... There's speculation on who'll replace Pope John II but I can't understand one thing: why do they always pick a Catholic to be Pope? Orrin Judd: RATZINGER SOLUTION: Rome's Next Choice? |
Steve Dillard: First, Quin teases me with speculation that President Bush may give Judge Pryor a recess appointment to the Supreme... |
U.S. pledges $350 million relief By / Washington Times — Permalink President Bush yesterday announced that the United States will commit $350 million to help tsunami victims in the Indian Ocean region, more than the combined contributions of Europe's richest nations. | |
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Tim Dunlop: According to this Washington Times story, however, that amount was the second sum offered. The President began the bidding at a paltry $4 million. DeLong: Don't we owe the dead, dying and injured the minimal grace not to convert their suffering into a chat-show segment —... |
The Poor Man: Twenty-four hours and a few hundred million dollars in promises later, the front page of the Washington Times, top... |
An Iranian Student Makes His Escape In Face of Charges By / New York Sun — Permalink WASHINGTON - A key student leader of the Iranian referendum movement has fled the Islamic republic amid a court investigation into his organizing activities. | |
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Roger L. Simon: A Camel Miscreant Escapes — Akbar Atri, an Iranian student opposition leader (in other words a real militant, as... Pejman Yousefzadeh: As such, I imagine that we are going to come across a lot more stories like this one: [snipped quote] Of course, a... |
Laura Rozen: Here's an article based on an recent interview with him. KJL: A STUDENT LEADER flees Iran. |
Militants' Campaign Twists Logistics of Iraq Election By / LAT — Permalink BAGHDAD — The parties have registered, the alliances have formed and the calls for a delay have mostly died down. With the first frantic stage of Iraq's landmark electoral saga past, planners face the nuts and bolts of holding a credible vote in four weeks' time. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: A few quick pointers before heading off to court: The sub-head on the Los Angeles Times' front page story on the... |
Greyhawk: New Year's Weekend at War — Welcome new readers, to the Mudville Gazette, the weblog of a GI in Iraq. Hope you enjoy your visit. |
Demonstrators Mobilize Under a Slew of Causes WaPo — Permalink Fueling those demonstrations were what many believed was a stolen election in 2000. This time, protesters said their dissent has been inflamed by what they called an unjustified war in Iraq. But the antiwar cause is one banner among many. | |
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Richard Reeb: A.N.S.W.E.R. Spearheads Planned Demonstration for Bush Inaugural — WaPo sanitizes the work of International A.N.S.W.E.R. |
Jayson @PoliPundit: The Public Face of the "Democratic Party" — The barking moonbats apparently are being drawn to President Bush's... |
Liberté, Egalité, Absurdité By / NYT — Permalink LA plus ça change. In 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson sent marines to the Dominican Republic to protect American citizens during a violent civil war, President Charles de Gaulle of France condemned the intervention. | |
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Betsy Newmark: John J. Miller recommends the most dire punishment of all for the French. Just ignore them. Stirling Newberry: New York Times promotes racism. again. It seems the New York Times once again finds room in its pages for racism. |
Richard Reeb: In a great piece with the delightful headline of "Liberté, Egalité, Absurdité," Miller traces... KJL: JOHN MILLER KNOWS HOW TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR — A little French love (uh, yeah, you know better) in the NYTimes. |