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Archive Edition for   Wednesday, May 4, 2005Go to Current Page
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Quoted in this edition:

Ace of Spades HQ
  Ace
ACLU
Agence France Presse
Althouse
  Ann Althouse
American Enterprise Institute
  Norman J. Ornstein
Angry Bear
  PGL
Arizona Republic
Associated Press
  Paul Haven
  Mark Sherman
  Katherine Shrader
  Todd Dvorak
Balkinization
  Jack Balkin
Balloon Juice
  John Cole
BBC
  Irene Mona Klotz
THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH
  Joseph Britt
Belmont Club
  Wretchard
Betsy's Page
  Betsy Newmark
Boston Herald
  Andrew Miga
Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal
  Brad DeLong
BrothersJudd Blog
  Orrin Judd
Burnt Orange Report
  Byron LaMasters
Business Week
  Stephen Baker
BuzzMachine
  Jeff Jarvis
Captain's Quarters
  Captain Ed
CBS News
Chicago Tribune
  James Janega
Chrenkoff
  Arthur Chrenkoff
Chronicle of the Conspiracy
  Donald Luskin
The Claremont Institute
  Ken Masugi
Clayton Cramer's BLOG
  Clayton Cramer
CNN
The Corner
  Ramesh Ponnuru
  Jonah Goldberg
  K. J. Lopez
  Tim Graham
  Stanley Kurtz
corrente
  Lambert @Corrente
  Riggsveda @Corrente
Crescat Sententia
  Will Baude
  Raffi Melkonian
Crooked Timber
  Ted @CrookedTimber
  Chris @CrookedTimber
Daily Kos
  Mcjoan @DailyKos
  DavidNYC @DailyKos
  Kos @DailyKos
  Plutonium Page
  Armando @DailyKos
danieldrezner.com
  Daniel Drezner
The Decembrist
  Mark Schmitt
Democratic Veteran
  Jo Fish
Dr. Frank's What's-it
  Dr. Frank
EconoPundit
  Steve Antler
Ed Driscoll.com
  Ed Driscoll
The Edge of England's Sword
  Iain Murray
Editor and Publisher
  Joe Strupp
Eschaton
  Atrios
etc.
  Reihan Salam
Ezra Klein
  Ezra Klein
Fraters Libertas
  Chad The Elder
Front Page Magazine
  Robert Spencer
Grammar.police
  Kriston @GrammarPolice
Guardian
  Max Hastings
Gut Rumbles
  Acidman
Happy Furry Puppy Story Time with Norbizness
  Norbizness
The Hill
  Alexander Bolton
Hit and Run
  Nick Gillespie
  Matt Welch
  Jacob Sullum
HughHewitt.com
  Hugh Hewitt
Hullabaloo
  Digby
The Indepundit
  Smash
Informed Comment
  Juan Cole
Instapundit.com
  Glenn Reynolds
Ipse Dixit
  C. D. Harris
Jewish World Review
  Michelle Malkin
Kudlow's Money Politic$
  Larry Kudlow
LAW.com
  William H. Mellor
The Left Coaster
  Steve Soto
Left in the West
  Matt Singer
The Liquid List
  Tarek @LiquidList
  Shawn @LiquidList
Little Green Footballs
  Charles Johnson
Los Angeles Times
  Warren Vieth
  David Greenberg
  Orson Scott Card
The Mahablog
  Barbara O'Brien
Majikthise
  Lindsay Beyerstein
Marginal Revolution
  Tyler Cowen
Mark A. R. Kleiman
  Mark Kleiman
Matthew Yglesias
  Matthew Yglesias
MaxSpeak, You Listen!
  Max B. Sawicky
The Media Drop
  Tom Biro
mediabistro
  Brian Stelter
  Garrett M. Graff
Michelle Malkin
  Michelle Malkin
The Moderate Voice
  Joe Gandelman
National Review
New York Sun
  Claudia Rosett
  Roderick Boyd
New York Times
  Michael Winerip
  Thomas L. Friedman
  Steven Greenhouse
  Salman Masood
  Nat Ives
  Jacques Steinberg
  Jeremy W. Peters
  John Tierney
  Abby Goodnough
  Matthew L. Wald
  Damien Cave
  Thom Shanker
  Hassan M. Fattah
Newsday
  Verne Gay
NewsHog
  Cernig
No More Mister Nice Blog
  Steve M.
Obsidian Wings
  Edward _
Off the Kuff
  Charles Kuffner
One Hand Clapping
  Donald Sensing
Opinion Journal
  Robert C. Pozen
Outside The Beltway
  James Joyner
  Steve Verdon
pandagon.net
  Jesse Taylor
  Amanda Marcotte
Pejmanesque
  Pejman Yousefzadeh
The People's Republic of Seabrook
  Jack Cluth
PoliBlog
  Dr. Steven Taylor
PoliPundit.com
  Jayson @PoliPundit
The Poor Man
  The Poorman
Power Line
  John @PowerLine
PressThink
  Jay Rosen
PRNewsWire
ProfessorBainbridge.com
  Steve Bainbridge
protein wisdom
  Jeff Goldstein
Publius Pundit
  A.M. Mora y Leon
The QandO Blog
  McQ
Rantingprofs
  Cori Dauber
Reuters
  Amir Zia
  Jim Loney
rexblog.com
  Rex Hammock
Right Wing News
  John Hawkins
Roger Ailes
  Roger Ailes
Roger L. Simon
  Roger L. Simon
Romenesko
  Jim Romenesko
Samizdata.net
  Dale Amon
Scotland Sunday Herald
Secular Blasphemy
  Jan Haugland
The Sideshow
  Avedon Carol
skippy the bush kangaroo
  Skippy
  Cookie Jill
  Hello not so rosy a picture for those societies that depend
  Pudentilla
  Hello however
Slant Point
  Scott Sala
Slate
  Jack Shafer
  Brad DeLong
The Spoons Experience
  Spoons
Steve Clemons
  Steve Clemons
Suburban Guerrilla
  Susan Madrak
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire
  Taegan Goddard
the talking dog
  Talking Dog
Talking Points Memo
  Matthew Yglesias
TalkLeft
  Jeralyn Merritt
TAPPED
  Jeffrey Dubner
  Sam Rosenfeld
  Matthew Yglesias
»«TBogg»«
  Tbogg
Tech Central Station
This Modern World
  Tom Tomorrow
Time
Times of London
Townhall.com
  Michelle Malkin
Unfogged
  Ogged @Unfogged
USA Today
USS Neverdock
  Marc @USSNeverdock
Voice of America
  Al Pessin
The Volokh Conspiracy
  Eugene Volokh
Wampum
  Dwight Meredith
War and Piece
  Laura Rozen
The Washington Monthly
  Kevin Drum
Washington Post
  John McCandlish Phillips
  Dan Eggen
  Josh White
  Steven Pearlstein
  Alan Cooperman
  E. J. Dionne Jr.
  Richard Cohen
  Richard Leiby
Wizbang
  Jay Tea
  Paul @Wizbang
  Kevin Aylward
World O'Crap
  S.Z.



When Columnists Cry 'Jihad'
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
I have been looking at myself, and millions of my brethren, fellow evangelicals along with traditional Catholics, in a ghastly arcade mirror lately — courtesy of this newspaper and the New York Times.
Avedon Carol: When columnists cry "When Columnists Cry 'Jihad'" (no, that's not a typo), my heart bleeds for those poor right-wing...
Norbizness: The summary, gleaned from Greg at The Talent Show and Ed at Dispatches from the Culture Wars, is as follows: (1) Even though Rudy Guliani is pro-choice, I'll vote for him.
Edward _: God and State by Edward Former NYTimes reporter and self-declared "born again" Christian John McCandlish Phillips offers...
Ed Driscoll: Check out this op-ed by John McCandlish Phillips, a former New York Times columnist, writing today in the Washington...
Chad The Elder: Oh oh. This could be a tough one for a lot of reporters. 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Ezra Klein: Hear No Conflict, See No Conflict, Win the Conflict — Former New York Times reporter John Phillips's column on the...
Also: Hugh Hewitt, Ace, Jesse Taylor, Ed Cone, Betsy Newmark, Glenn Reynolds, Steve Bainbridge, Jim Romenesko, Michelle Malkin, Jonah Goldberg

Frist begins to squeeze the trigger
  By / The Hill   —   Permalink 
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) chief of staff has told conservative activist leaders and business-community representatives that Frist will soon trigger the so-called "nuclear option" to end threatened Democratic filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominees this month.
Mcjoan @DailyKos: The first points to an article in The Hill that really shows how rim rocked Frist is on the issue.
Skippy: judd legum at think progress sends us a couple of items, one on awol's taxing social security problem, and one on...
Mark Schmitt: Chekhov's Dictum — This headline "Frist begins to squeeze the trigger" made me think that perhaps someone should...
Jeffrey Dubner: It's an interesting counterpoint to this week's installment of "we swear, it's going down any day now!"
Sam Rosenfeld: The Hill runs a piece today that nicely captures the rapidly escalating pressure Bill Frist is feeling to make good on his foolish promises on the nuclear option front.
Orrin Judd: WE'LL MEET AGAIN: Frist begins to squeeze the trigger (Alexander Bolton, 5/04/05, The Hill) [snipped quote] Will Slim Pickens play Senator Frist in the movie?
Also: Taegan Goddard, Laura Rozen

Al-Qaida's No. 3 Man Arrested in Pakistan
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
"/ Osama bin Laden, has been arrested after a firefight in northwestern Pakistan, officials said Wednesday.
"/ President Bush said the capture of Abu Farraj al-Libbi "represents a critical victory in the war on terror," and he praised the Pakistani government and President Gen. Pervez Musharraf for the arrest.
Arthur Chrenkoff: The disadvantages of pissing off America — Why life as a top Al Qaeda operative is not good for your health and...
John @PowerLine: Al Qaeda Leader Caught — Abu Farraj al-Libbi, said to be al Qaeda's number three leader and a long-time associate of...
Steve Clemons: .Dropping Bolton Would Score a Point for the "Unite our Allies and Divide our Enemies" Bush Abu Farraj al-Libbi's capture is a big deal.
Jayson @PoliPundit: Good News From Pakistan — Another leading al-Qaeda terror-bot has been captured.

SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
IN March, Les Perelman attended a national college writing conference and sat in on a panel on the new SAT writing test. Dr. Perelman is one of the directors of undergraduate writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Betsy Newmark: This sounds like just what one might have predicted once the SATs added an essay section.
Roger L. Simon: Dashiell Hammett would flunk... And so would I, I'm afraid, if we are to believe this analysis of the scoring model for...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Not good at all: "IN March, Les Perelman attended a national college writing conference and sat in on a panel on the new SAT writing test.
Dr. Frank: The Multiple-Choice Makes the Writing Test Valid — I'm sure it will be commented upon ad nauseam by folks with more...
Glenn Reynolds: BREVITY IS THE SOUL OF WIT — but prolixity is the key to a high S.A.T. score: "In the next weeks, Dr. Perelman studied...
Ann Althouse: Taking the new SAT essay test. "SAT graders are told to read an essay just once and spend two to three minutes per essay, and Dr. Perelman is now adept at rapid-fire SAT grading.

Scott McClellan: We'll End 'Background' If You Drop Anonymous Sources
  By / Editor and Publisher   —   Permalink 
NEW YORK Scott McClellan, President Bush's press secretary, said Tuesday evening that he would be glad to end the use of background-only briefings—if White House reporters would stop using anonymous sources in their reporting.
Susan Madrak: BULLS**T — Flounder plays moral equivalence games: [snipped quote] F**king lazy reporters with no backbone... look, the...
Taegan Goddard: McClellan Offers Deal to Reporters — In response to press complaints about background briefings, White House Press...
Jay Rosen: They had sent an e-mail around, and asked Scott McClellan to change his ways... (Post updated thrice with new...
Cookie Jill: slightly hidden attempt to crack down on those saying bad things about awol — [snipped quote] sorry scottyboy...i think...
James Joyner: Scott McClellan: We'll End 'Background' If You Drop Anonymous Sources — The White House has a brilliant counter-proposal for the White House press corps.
Jim Romenesko: Bush rep has a background briefings deal for WH reporters — Editor & Publisher Bush admin press secretary Scott...
Also: Orrin Judd

Kerry's expenses: That's the tickets
  By / Boston Herald   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON - Sen. John F. Kerry tapped campaign funds for Red Sox tickets and to pay nearly $300 in overdue Boston parking tickets in March, records show.
Kerry's Senate campaign committee wrote a $287 check to the City of Boston Parking Clerk on March 31, 2005.
Jay Tea: This morning's Boston Herald reports that the campaign pulled out the checkbook recently and forked over almost $300 for "travel expenses."
Jayson @PoliPundit: Self-Parody — John Kerry Heinz used some of his campaign contributions to pay off parking tickets and to purchase tickets to a Red Sox game.
Roger L. Simon: After reading about John Kerry's use of campaign funds to pay his parking tickets, I think we should consider sending the Senator to the UN.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: INTERESTING — Can someone with a greater degree of knowledge regarding Senate ethics rules comment on this?
James Joyner: Kerry Expenses Red Sox and Parking Tickets to Campaign — Kerry's expenses: That's the tickets (Boston Herald)...

Analyst Charged With Passing Secret Info
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
"/ Iraq to employees of a pro-Israel group.
Larry Franklin, 58, of Kearneysville, W. Va., turned himself in Wednesday morning, FBI spokeswoman Debra Weierman said. He was scheduled to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., later Wednesday, Weierman said.
Jan Haugland: FBI analyst charged with passing classified information to pro-Israel group — An FBI analyst has been charged with...
Joe Gandelman: The AP notes that Israeli officials has denied spying on the United States, pointing out that the two countries share many secrets.
James Joyner: Analyst Charged With Passing Secret Info to Israel — Another American has been arrested for passing important military secrets to Israel.
Laura Rozen: Former Pentagon Iran analyst Larry Franklin charged, the AP reports: "The FBI arrested a Pentagon analyst Wednesday on...
Michelle Malkin: CHARGED: LARRY FRANKLIN — The AP reports this afternoon: [snipped quote] If these charges hold up, I hope fellow...

Reaping What It Sowed
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
In the last few weeks not only has Iraq been destabilized by days with multiple suicide bombers, but Egypt and Saudi Arabia have also witnessed similar attacks by jihadist fanatics. How do you get so many people to commit suicide on demand, day after day?
Donald Sensing: Meanwhile, Thomas Friedman argues that the main reason the violence has risen is because the perpetrators understand their side is losing.
McQ: Reforming Islam and a Free Iraq — Thomas Friedman has an interesting take on the evolving struggle in the Muslim world.
James Joyner: Terrorists Are Losing — Thomas Friedman argues that the recent spate of suicide bombings across the Middle East is proof that the Arab-Muslim world is "Reaping What It Sowed."
Steve Soto: 57% Now Against Iraq War, But Tom Friedman Blames The Muslims — Tom Friedman writes his latest "the insurgents are...
Armando @DailyKos: Update [2005-5-4 10:0:30 by Armando]: I don't know if this kind of blather makes Tom Friedman feel better, but how the hell does he know who is winning?
Steve Antler: It is Thomas Friedman talking about Mideastern opponents of democracy. As if he's suddenly discovered something new.

These Five Senators Know Better Than to Go Nuclear. Don't They?
  By / American Enterprise Institute   —   Permalink 
The fate of the Senate now rests in the hands of a handful of Republicans who have been great figures of the Senate, custodians of its traditions and its essence. They will soon come to a crossroads on the "nuclear" option and the filibuster.
Matt Singer: Norm Ornstein's Nuclear Freeze — Norm Ornstein, the nearly universally-respected AEI Scholar, has written an...
Jeffrey Dubner: Don't miss Norm Ornstein's plea to the GOP's old guard in the latest Roll Call (reprinted here on AEI's Web site).
Brad DeLong: Norman Ornstein speaks: Norman Ornstein: "These Five Senators Know Better Than to Go Nuclear. Don't They?"

Marijuana Becomes Focus of Drug War
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
The focus of the drug war in the United States has shifted significantly over the past decade from hard drugs to marijuana, which now accounts for nearly half of all drug arrests nationwide, according to an analysis of federal crime statistics released yesterday.
Avedon Carol: Marijuana Becomes Focus of Drug War says the WaPo, saying that arrests for what used to be known as "hard drugs" has declined.
Matthew Yglesias: What kind of sense does it make to target drug enforcement efforts at users and sellers of marijuana and away from cocaine and heroin?
Matt Singer: Thankfully, though, The Washington Post reports that this campaign has been almost completely ineffective with little change reported in the number of people who use marijuana.

Why I'm not a 'South Park Conservative'
  By / Jewish World Review   —   Permalink 
I'll get to First Lady Laura Bush's bawdy stand-up routine in a minute. But I want to highlight a related new book out about how young conservatives are shaking up the dominant liberal media culture. It's called "South Park Conservatives."
Eugene Volokh: Dignity, Civility, Adults, and Children: Michelle Malkin complains: [snipped quote] It seems to me that such criticism...
Michelle Malkin: "LEMON-SUCKING CONSERVATIVE" — Yup, that was one reader's reaction to my new column. Take a look.
Jeff Goldstein: She also links to her own Jewish World Review column, "Why I'm not a 'South Park Conservative,'" which further clarifies her position.

Wikipedia: See 'Information,' 'Amazing,' 'Anarchy'
  LAT   —   Permalink 
Encyclopedias — whether paper (Britannica, for example) or software (Encarta) — are intended to be representations of the scope of human knowledge at the moment of their publication. This idea, of course, has a long history.
Ken Masugi: On the LAT op-ed page, anarchist political theorist Crispin Sartwell hails Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia that anyone may contribute to and is constantly revised.
Ace: I Don't Care What the LA Times Says, Wikipedia is Still Weak — A defense of the goofy venture.
James Joyner: Wikipedia: See 'Information,' 'Amazing,' 'Anarchy' [snipped quote] I must admit that I had my doubts about the project.

"Real ID" Tacked Onto Military Funding Measure, Bill Would Enact Broad Changes Without Congressional Review
  ACLU   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON - Congressional conferees have reportedly agreed on an appropriations bill to fund military operations, and attached the controversial Real ID Act to the bill. The Real ID Act will therefore likely be enacted without being scrutinized by any hearings or debate.
Avedon Carol: ACLU says that since it's buried in the military spending bill, it won't get a good look before passage: The Real ID Act...
Jeralyn Merritt: The ACLU issued this press release today. TChris weighed in earlier today. I urge everyone to read their thoughts.

Army Withheld Details About Tillman's Death
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
The first Army investigator who looked into the death of former NFL player Pat Tillman in Afghanistan last year found within days that he was killed by his fellow Rangers in an act of "gross negligence," but Army officials decided not to inform Tillman's family or the public until weeks after a nationally televised memorial service.
Pudentilla: dishonor "army withheld details about tillman's death - investigator quickly learned 'friendly fire' killed athlete -...
Cori Dauber: A Bad Business — The Washington Post finds an investigation revealing that within days the Army knew that Pat Tillman...
K. J. Lopez: But the military is not new to this business and should know better than to cover up such things, as was evidently done in the case of Pat Tillman.
James Joyner: Army Withheld Details About Pat Tillman's Death — Army Withheld Details About Tillman's Death (WaPo, A3) "The first...
Jeralyn Merritt: Then there's this news about Pat Tillman.
Matt Welch: Wouldn't Want to Mess up a Good Funeral — The Washington Post reviewed 2,000 pages of Army investigation into the death...

The Social Security Trust Fund is Irrelevant (Or How Al Gore Was Right)
  TCS   —   Permalink 
One of the least-noted, but most important, statements about Social Security President Bush made in his April 28 press conference is "by 2041 Social Security will be bankrupt." In so saying, President Bush seems to have caved and moved away from the clarity he so ably demonstrated on April 5.
James Joyner: Let's just once and for all dispense with the fiction that there is a "Social Security Trust Fund."
Spoons: Social Security in a Nutshell — TCS: Tech Central Station - The Social Security Trust Fund is Irrelevant (Or How Al Gore Was Right) [snipped quote] Read the whole thing.
Glenn Reynolds: SOCIAL SECURITY: David Henderson and Charles Hooper say that Al Gore was right.
Smash: What Trust Fund? DAVID HENDERSON AND CHARLES HOOPER explain why the Social Security trust fund is irrelevant.
C. D. Harris: Now There's Something You Don't Hear Every Day — Algore was right.

How DailyKos Helped Dems Attack Bolton
  NRO   —   Permalink 
A left-wing website rescues clueless Democrats in the confirmation fight.
When Melody Townsel, the Texas woman who claims that U.N.-ambassador nominee John Bolton chased her through a Moscow hotel, throwing things at her and "behaving like a madman,"...
Avedon Carol: On the record — I hadn't realized that Kos was actually responsible for a major story about John Bolton becoming...
Daniel Drezner: However, I think NRO's Byron York has come up with an exemplar example of the influence of Daily Kos — with regard to...
Skippy: far left out spud1's dkos diary was talking about the national review, which mentioned the daily kos, calling it "far left."

Democrats Wasting Their Opportunities
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Democrats in Washington are feeling pretty smug these days, what with President Bush on the ropes on Social Security, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay embroiled in an ethics scandal and the Senate about to be immobilized by a partisan row over judicial nominations.
Donald Luskin: Here's a Pearlstein column telling the Democrats that they'd better come up with something better to say on Social Security than "no." Social Security is a case in point.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Steven Pearlstein does not hold his fire: [snipped quote] Read the rest, and note that Pearlstein seems to be quite...
Steve Soto: The Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein writes a thoughtful piece this morning on what he concludes are a set of missed...
Tim Graham: PEARLSTEIN'S POUNDING — Wow, fairly liberal Washington Post column Steven Pearlstein (appearing in the Business...

U.S. cities set up their own wireless networks
  Reuters   —   Permalink 
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A number of U.S. cities are becoming giant wireless "hot spots" where Internet users will be able to log on from the beach or a bus stop, a trend that is triggering a fierce backlash from telecom and cable giants.
Kos @DailyKos: Cities battle telcoms over free wi-fi — Here's a battle worth fighting. [snipped quote] F**king telcos, oh so concerned about municipal budgets.
Ed Driscoll: City Governments Begin To Offer Their Own Wi-Fi Networks — Reuters has an interesting look at the efforts of some city...

Abu Ghraib judge declares mistrial
  CNN   —   Permalink 
FORT HOOD, Texas (CNN) — A military judge on Wednesday threw out Army Pfc. Lynndie England's guilty plea in connection with the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, declaring a mistrial after testimony suggested England did not know her actions were wrong.
Talking Dog: Lynndie England, who just caught possibly the break of her life, or at least the next eleven years of it, as Army Col...
Riggsveda @Corrente: They Eat Their Own (Part Nth) Update on this earlier post on Lynndie England's guity plea: the military judge who...

al-Qaida Suspect Arrested in Pakistan
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan May 4, 2005 — Authorities arrested al-Qaida's No. 3 commander, who was a close associate of Osama bin Laden and had a $10 million bounty on his head, and said Wednesday they now were "on the right track" to catch the fugitive terrorist leader.
Acidman: one at a time — These stories just keep coming in the news almost every day. We are winning the War on Terror.
Michelle Malkin: BAGGED: ABU FARRAJ AL-LIBBI — Pakistan arrested al Qaeda's purported "No. 3" guy, Abu Farraj al-Libbi this week.

Polls show landslide for Blair
  Times of London   —   Permalink 
Tony Blair is heading for a record third term with a three-figure majority, but potentially the lowest share of the vote for any governing party in modern times, a Populus poll for The Times and three others suggest tonight.
Jan Haugland: If that were the case, it is interesting to note that the Tory-leaning Times says polls predict a landslide for Tony Blair.
Joseph Britt: So at this writing Blair's Labor Party is expected to win easily, though perhaps not as easily as it did four years ago.

A Vote in the House
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
WHEN THE HOUSE of Representatives votes on federal taxes or decides solemn questions such as when citizens must go off to war, the District's representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has to stand and watch as her Democratic and Republican colleagues decide the fate of her constituents.
Avedon Carol: Items of interest — An editorial in The Washington Post called A Vote in the House, about the fact that DC residents...
James Joyner: Giving D.C. A Vote in the House — The Washington Post editorial page advocates giving the District of Columbia "A Vote in the House."
Kriston @GrammarPolice: Probably moderate heads will prevail among franchise supporters on the hypothesis that it would be asinine for Congress...

Pakistan catches al Qaeda number three
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces, with help from U.S. intelligence, have arrested al Qaeda's third most senior leader after Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahri, Western intelligence sources said on Wednesday.
Cernig: Reuters reports that: Pakistan says Abu Faraj Farj al Liby was the ringleader behind at least two assassination attempts against President Pervez Musharraf in December 2003.
Paul @Wizbang: Pakistan Gets Another Assist in the GWOT — Well this is good news... Pakistan catches al Qaeda number three ISLAMABAD...

Air Force to Probe Religious Climate at Colorado Academy
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
The Air Force said yesterday it is creating a task force to address the religious climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy, following allegations that its faculty and staff have pressured cadets to convert to evangelical Christianity.
James Joyner: Air Force to Probe Religious Climate at Colorado Academy — A couple weeks ago, the Air Force Academy came under scrutiny for its religious climate.
K. J. Lopez: Those evangelicals sound like a vicious lot. Color me skeptical that the Air Force Academy is under an evangelical tyranny.
Pudentilla: hostage crisis at air force academy — [snipped quote] lt. gen. roger a. brady, who will lead the task/mask force led the...

Can't Wal-Mart, a Retail Behemoth, Pay More?
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
BENTONVILLE, Ark. - With most of Wal-Mart's workers earning less than $19,000 a year, a number of community groups and lawmakers have recently teamed up with labor unions in mounting an intensive campaign aimed at prodding Wal-Mart into paying its 1.3 million employees higher wages.
Clayton Cramer: To my surprise and pleasure, this New York Times article is prepared to admit that the labor unions have their own...
Jesse Taylor: If You Pay Me Less And Charge Them More, I'd Buy It — Via Jo Fish, the continual struggle over whether or not Wal*Mart can pay more.
John Hawkins: "Our union critics were right," said H. Lee Scott Jr., Wal-Mart's chief executive, "We have an obligation to behave like General Motors did in the 1960s.
Will Baude: Wal-Mart's profit — The New York Times has an article about the criticisms of Wal-Mart (these are criticisms of the...
McQ: Minding Wal-Mart's business — The love-hate relationship with Wal-Mart continues with activists now trying to force...
Tbogg: You try raising a family on $103,698 a week... Ah Wal-Mart: With most of Wal-Mart's workers earning less than $19,000 a...
Also: Jo Fish

For '08 election, plant Rove seeds now
  Arizona Republic   —   Permalink 
Political consultants, at least a few at the top, have emerged from the backrooms and become public celebrities of sorts.
And certainly at the top of the heap these days is Karl Rove, architect of President Bush's Electoral College victory in 2000, and his victory in both the Electoral College and the popular vote in 2004.
Taegan Goddard: Rove Says Grassroots Politics is the Future — Karl Rove believes that 2008 election will usher in a new era in...
Orrin Judd: TOUGH TO WIN ON YOUR FIRST RUN (via Daniel Merriman): For '08 election, plant Rove seeds now (Robert Robb, May. 4, 2005,...

Pentagon analyst accused of passing secrets
  CNN   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Pentagon analyst Larry Franklin was arrested and charged with providing classified information about potential attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Laura Rozen: Secondly, with the information above about the classified documents Franklin reportedly had at home, why is the criminal...
Joe Gandelman: Meanwhile, according to CNN, the FBI and Justice Department have been looking at him in regards to possible spying involving Israel and the lobbying group.

Second-Class Protections
  By / LAW.com   —   Permalink 
Without realizing it, liberals and conservatives are working from opposite ends of the political spectrum, under opposing rationales, to reach the same end: expanded government power.
Ramesh Ponnuru: ECONOMIC LIBERTY AND THE COURTS — William Mellor writes: "Without realizing it, liberals and conservatives are working...
Nick Gillespie: The above quote by Mellor—who also sports a very effective and inspiring mustache—is taken from an article in The American Lawyer that is online here.

Rumsfeld: Venezuela Will Change Without US Action
  By / Voice of America   —   Permalink 
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that Venezuela's leftist government and its policies will be changed by the Venezuelan people over time, without direct U.S. action.
A.M. Mora y Leon: Americas — Venezuela — VENEZUELA'S REVOLUTION TO BE VENEZUELAN -RUMSFELD Big Gun Rumsfeld lays down the law: There will be no U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
Orrin Judd: WHAT I LEARNED AT THE COLD WAR: Rumsfeld: Venezuela Will Change Without US Action (Al Pessin, 03 May 2005, VOA News) [snipped quote] Can't hurt to give them a nudge now and then...

The Perils of Hands-On Diplomacy
  Time   —   Permalink 
"Are you the jealous type?" Jay Leno asked Laura Bush on the Tonight Show last week, just before he rolled tape of the President walking hand in hand with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The First Lady said she thought it was sweet.
Digby: Useful Idiots — Here's another example of one of those allegedly liberal pundits who have been so tough on George W...
Matthew Yglesias: As if his support for the Bush phase-out wasn't bad enough, he needs to insist that Democratic opposition to Bush's plan...

Suspected Senior Leader of Al Qaeda in Pakistan Is Captured
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, May 4 - Pakistani authorities said today that they had arrested a senior Al Qaeda operative suspected of orchestrating two assassination attempts against the Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.
Charles Johnson: Caught a Big Fish in Pakistan — Suspected Senior Leader of Al Qaeda in Pakistan Is Captured.
Jeff Goldstein: "Suspected Senior Leader of Al Qaeda in Pakistan Is Captured" — From the New York Times [snipped quote] American human...

Bush: Pakistan Arrest 'Critical Victory'
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — President Bush declared Wednesday that the capture of al-Qaida's operational chief in Pakistan "represents a critical victory in the war on terror."
During an appearance to talk about Social Security, Bush praised the government of Pakistan for the arrest earlier this week of Abu Farraj al-Libbi.
Paul @Wizbang: Surprise, Surprise, Bush was happy about it: Bush: Pakistan Arrest 'Critical Victory' Bush Lauds Pakistan for Arrest of...
Michelle Malkin: This morning, President Bush made a point of praising the arrest: "During an appearance to talk about Social Security,...

Congress Probes Routing of Funds To Suspect Firms
  By / New York Sun   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON - Investigators looking into the U.N. oil-for-food program, poring over documents provided to Congress here, are discovering that vast sums intended for humanitarian purposes in Iraq were rerouted through a global web of companies with links to terrorist funding and arms trafficking.
Roger L. Simon: Which Side Are You On - Again and Again — While certain reactionary individuals pretending to themselves that they are...
Larry Kudlow: Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Any Worse — A groundbreaking UN-watchdog reporter, Claudia Rosett has an indispensable piece in today's New York Sun.

White House Is Pressured by Press Corps Over Sourcing
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
The Washington bureau chiefs at seven major news organizations are pressing the White House to curtail the use of background briefings, which administration officials regularly hold on the condition that the officials not be identified in news reports.
Garrett M. Graff: Grand total of articles today in those publications concerning this issue: 1 (NYT)
Jim Romenesko: > McClellan is "looking at ways to move forward on the issues raised" (NYT) > Rosen: Forget a boycott; here's how to deal with briefings (PressThink)

Americans prefer TV content warnings - poll
  Reuters   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans believe that television networks should warn them about potentially unsavory content on their shows but disagree about whether to ban them from the air, according to a poll released on Wednesday.
Jeff Jarvis: "It's part of a larger culture - a democratic culture - with a robust public sphere of inquiry, learning, art, and political debate."
Jack Balkin: This story from Reuters explains why the coalition was formed: "Most Americans believe that television networks should...

Pakistan Arrests Qaeda Suspect Tied to Attacks on Musharraf
  AP   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Abu Farraj al-Libbi, a senior al-Qaida suspect wanted in two attempts to assassinate President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has been arrested in Pakistan, the government said Wednesday.
Hugh Hewitt: Another senior Al Qaeda leader is captured.
Ted @CrookedTimber: Got one Need some good news?

Senior al-Qaeda suspect arrested, Pakistan says
  AP   —   Permalink 
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Authorities arrested al-Qaeda's No. 3 commander, who was a close associate of Osama bin Laden and had a $10 million bounty on his head, and said Wednesday they now were "on the right track" to catch the fugitive terrorist leader.
Joe Gandelman: Everything depends on what information officials get out of Abu Farraj al-Libbi , who one counter terrorism official...
Glenn Reynolds: Meanwhile, there's another big capture in Pakistan. I don't usually bother to mention those "senior Al Qaeda aide captured" stories, because individually they're not news.

Pat O'Brien Gets Dr. Phil's Help
  CBS News   —   Permalink 
(CBS) Celebrity interviewer Pat O'Brien, recently released from a rehab facility for treatment of alcohol abuse, is back on the air this week as host of "The Insider."
Ace: Shut up, really? Tells Dr. Phil all sorts of nonsense: [snipped quote] I'll have to use that one.
Kevin Aylward: First, fresh out of rehab Pat O'Brien sits down for a prime-time mea culpa with Dr. Phil.

Papers Show Lobbyist Paid for Congressional Travel
  NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, May 3 - Newly disclosed documents from an American territory in the Pacific show that the powerful Washington lobbyist at the center of federal corruption investigations here paid directly for travel to the islands by several members of Congress,...
Pudentilla: shortening the plank delay will walk "papers show lobbyist paid for congressional travel - washington, may 3 - newly...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: This report, however, points out that he has arranged trips for members from both parties.
Taegan Goddard: Lobbyist Paid for Congressional Travel — Recently discovered documents show that "the powerful Washington lobbyist"...
Hugh Hewitt: Oh, you mean Jack Abramoff may have funded some Democrats' travel as well as Tom DeLay's?
Dr. Steven Taylor: Via the NYT: Papers Show Lobbyist Paid for Congressional Travel [snipped quote] Not only will digging on Delay result in...
Jeralyn Merritt: Documents: Abramoff Paid for DeLay's Aides' Travel — The New York Times reports: [snipped quote] The total exceeded $350,000.

Blair: don't risk a Tory government
  Guardian   —   Permalink 
Tony Blair today urged people not to risk a Tory government by casting a protest vote against Labour, as he embarked on a whistle-stop tour of marginal constituencies on the final day of campaigning.
Hugh Hewitt: "Blair: Don't risk a Tory government," is the header in The Guardian. Election eve and there's a lot of uncertainty in Great Britain though polls favor Blair's New Labour.
Pudentilla: ripples cross the pond — [snipped quote] that would be like congress insisting that president's not start wars without...

GIs launch new tactic against enemy fighters
  By / Chicago Tribune   —   Permalink 
HAQLANIYAH, Iraq — After an hour of shooting, rocket-propelled grenades were still crisscrossing in front of Sgt. Aaron Hanselman, and he was looking at the horizon for backup as bullets snapped through the air around his men.
"It was whizzing by.
Wretchard: The Chicago Tribune's James Janega talks about the effort of 9 Marine battalions to control the vast swath of territory along this river road.
James Joyner: New Tactic Against Iraqi Insurgency — GIs launch new tactic against enemy fighters (Chicago Tribune) [snipped quote] Interesting.

PBS Unplugged
  By / Slate   —   Permalink 
It was only a couple of decades ago that the federal government, which can barely balance a budget, required broadcasters to present balanced and fair coverage of controversial issues.
Matt Welch: End it, Don't Mend it — Jack Shafer tells liberals why they should learn to love de-funding public broadcasting.
Jim Romenesko: It's time to wean NPR, PBS from federal government's teat — Slate | New York Observer | Philadelphia Weekly That's what Jack Shafer says.

Bush Says Retirement Plan Would Make FDR Proud
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
CANTON, Miss. — President Bush traveled to one of the country's poorest regions Tuesday to assure Americans that the Social Security restructuring plan he had in mind would improve on the system's 70-year-old promise to provide a safety net for those in need.
Pudentilla: problem: no one believes awol on social security - solution: lie about f.d.r. "bush says retirement plan would make...
Plutonium Page: Bush takes Bamboozlepalooza to Mississippi, says FDR would be proud — Desperate, inconsistent, and full of it:...

Show banks on 'Idol' exposé
  By / Newsday   —   Permalink 
The dirty little secret with network TV news magazines these days is that no one seems to be watching them. "Seems" is the operative word, but in the business of TV, where maintenance of image, illusion, smoke and mirrors are paramount, that may be the only word that counts.
Brian Stelter: "Watershed Moment" For Newsmags — Verne Gay says "tonight's edition of Primetime Live...is one of those watershed moments for the news magazine world, and not just for PTL."
Jim Romenesko: Additional items for May 4, 2005 > RWB: Journalism is an increasingly dangerous profession (OneWorld) > Reality genre is...

Why I'm not a 'South Park Conservative'
  By / Townhall.com   —   Permalink 
I'll get to First Lady Laura Bush's bawdy stand-up routine in a minute. But I want to highlight a related new book out about how young conservatives are shaking up the dominant liberal media culture. It's called "South Park Conservatives."
K. J. Lopez: THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT LAURA — It is really rare that I disagree with Michelle Malkin, but Michelle writes today: "The...
S.Z.: Why I'm not a 'South Park Conservative' by Michelle Malkin She's not one because of all the potty language on the program.

US export rules frustrate Virgin
  By / BBC   —   Permalink 
Sir Richard Branson's plans to offer a commercial sub-orbital spaceflight service have run into some difficulty.
His Virgin Galactic company wants to license the technology in the record-breaking SpaceShipOne vehicle created by US designer Burt Rutan.
Dale Amon: It seems the State is being even more annoying than I had imagined possible. I should have known better.
Glenn Reynolds: BUREAUCRATS AND BAD LAW are frustrating space tourism efforts: [snipped quote] The good news is that Congress seems to be paying attention.

Greenpeace charged with violating environmental law
  AP   —   Permalink 
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Lawyers selected a jury Monday that will decide whether Greenpeace and its contract ship were criminally negligent by failing to have the proper oil spill response paperwork during an anti-logging campaign.
C. D. Harris: Your Daily Dose of Schadenfreude — Greenpeace charged with violating environmental law [snipped quote] <Via Polipundit>
Jayson @PoliPundit: Irony — Sometimes the jokes about the political far left actually tell themselves. Hat tip: CJ.

Perhaps the neocons got it right in the Middle East
  By / Guardian   —   Permalink 
Those of us who work on the gloomy side of the prediction industry about Iraq, the prospects for Middle East peace, and the sanity of the Bush administration, have been given plenty to think about lately.
Charles Johnson: Guardian Bites the Bullet, Pigs Take Wing — I hope you're sitting down, because today the Guardian's Max Hastings dares...
Marc @USSNeverdock: Britain - Bush Is Right — Max Hastings, of all people, writing in the Guardian, of all papers! Max nails it with just one quote.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: HOW PAINFUL IT MUST HAVE BEEN . . . For the Guardian to publish this: [snipped quote] Read the rest.
Captain Ed: Guardian: The Neocons May Have Been Right After All — It isn't often that one reads an endorsement of George Bush's...
Ace: Guardian UK: Maybe Bush Was Right — Hell just got a little nippier.
Arthur Chrenkoff: Meanwhile, Max Hastings, eminent British military historian and member of the anti-war right, writes: "Perhaps the...

Out to shock the world over Saudi reserves
  Scotland Sunday Herald   —   Permalink 
AS President George W Bush strolled around his Prairie Chapel ranch in Texas last week with Saudi ruler Crown Prince Abdullah, oil prices were high on the agenda during talks between the leaders of the world's biggest energy consumer and largest oil exporter.
Steve Verdon: According to the Sunday Harold of Glasgow, "At the same time, Matt Simmons, one of Bush's energy advisers, was at a...
Hello not so rosy a picture for those societies that depend: oil dereliction of duty — [snipped quote] ohhh...surprise. this information found in an international paper not an american one. our papers gotta sell those suv's on sale ya know.
Kevin Drum: TWILIGHT IN THE DESERT...Via Land of Black Gold, a story in the Sunday Herald of Glasgow about oil analyst Matt...

'Daily Show' Personality Gets His Own Platform
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
Stephen Colbert, who plays a phony correspondent on the fake-news program "The Daily Show," is getting a real promotion.
Comedy Central said yesterday that it was giving Mr. Colbert his own show: a half-hour that is expected to follow "The Daily Show" on...
Atrios: This Should Be Fun — The Stephen Colbert Show: Comedy Central said yesterday that it was giving Mr. Colbert his own...
Lindsay Beyerstein: Steven Colbert, the Anti-Hannity — Hooray! Steven Colbert's getting his own show.
Brian Stelter: Think, he said, of Bill O'Reilly and Chris Matthews and Sean Hannity," Jacques Steinberg reports.

Iraqi Cabinet Is Sworn In, but 6 Positions Still Remain Unfilled
  NYT   —   Permalink 
BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 3 - In a striking display of the divisions that have plagued Iraq's fledgling government, the new cabinet was sworn into office on Tuesday with at least six positions still undecided after days of polarizing negotiations.
Juan Cole: Sunni VP Boycotts Swearing-In Ceremony 8 US Troops Wounded at Qaim and Ramadi, Dozens of Iraqis Killed Iraq's government was sworn in on Tuesday.
K. J. Lopez: That's—not to point out the obvious—huge. The New York Times, however, focuses on empty chairs.

Ford and G.M. Suffer as Buyers Shun S.U.V.'s
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
DETROIT, May 3 - The latest automobile sales figures show that Americans are increasingly wary of gas-thirsty sport utility vehicles. That was particularly bad news for General Motors and the Ford Motor Company, which both saw their sales slip last month as consumers continued their steady march into Asian car companies' dealerships.
Shawn @LiquidList: Politics: High Gas Prices Are Bad? Please tell me why, because this is a good thing.
John Cole: Be careful what you wish for: "The latest automobile sales figures show that Americans are increasingly wary of gas-thirsty sport utility vehicles.

Loews Cineplex to Publicize the Start Times of Feature Presentations
  PRNewsWire   —   Permalink 
NEW YORK, May 3 /PRNewswire/ — Loews Cineplex today announced that it will begin publicizing the start times of feature presentations. Beginning with the Company's locations in Connecticut on May 13, Loews movie listings will note that the feature presentation will start 10 to 15 minutes after the published showtime.
John Cole: A Novel Idea — From Loews (via Drudge): [snipped quote] I like watching the trailers and previews because I love movies,...
James Joyner: Loews Cineplex to Publicize the Start Times of Feature Presentations — Loews Cineplex to Publicize the Start Times of Feature Presentations (PRNewswire) [snipped quote] Great.

US spy ordered to bring home bin Laden's head on dry ice
  AFP   —   Permalink 
"/ Osama bin Laden's severed head in a box of dry ice and hoist heads of other Al-Qaeda leaders on pikes, a retired field officer has disclosed.
"/ Afghanistan to help the opposition Northern Alliance to topple bin Laden's hosts the Taliban.
Joe Gandelman: "I'll Have Bin Laden On The Rocks, Please..." And you thought finding a FINGER in your chile or custard was bad: "US spy...
Jayson @PoliPundit: But, putting that aside, I truly hope this retired CIA operative accurately is recounting the post-9/11 orders that were given to him.
James Joyner: CIA Agent Ordered to Bring Home bin Laden's Head on Dry Ice — US spy ordered to bring home bin Laden's head on dry ice...

D.C. Bureau Chiefs Launch Push to End On-Background Briefings
  By / Editor and Publisher   —   Permalink 
NEW YORK Washington bureau chiefs have launched a new effort to stop off-the-record and background-only White House press briefings with a campaign aimed at getting fellow D.C. journalists to demand that more briefings be on the record.
Tarek @LiquidList: It would appear that, however lamely, the tide is starting to turn.
Garrett M. Graff: Bureau Chiefs Take Stand Against Anonymice — Editor & Publisher has a good scoop on a new effort by the chiefs of...
James Joyner: D.C. Bureau Chiefs Launch Push to End On-Background Briefings (Editor & Publisher) [snipped quote] I'm all for it but this is a non-starter.
Jay Rosen: Joe Strupp's account in Editor and Publisher tells of it: "In an e-mail to several dozen bureau chiefs Monday, a group...
Atrios: Wankers — It's rather silly that we should be thankful that DC bureau chiefs are begging and pleading for the WH to stop anonymous background briefings.
Taegan Goddard: Journalists Seek End to Background Briefings — "Washington bureau chiefs have launched a new effort to stop...
Also: Jim Romenesko, Kos @DailyKos

The Republicans' Filibuster Lie
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
They seem to have forgotten the Fortas case.
To justify banning Senate filibusters in judicial nomination debates, Republicans are claiming support from history. Until now, say Republicans such as Sen. John Kyl and former Sen. Bob Dole, no one has used filibusters to block nominees to the federal courts.
Dwight Meredith: Trying to Have It Both Ways — David Greenberg, writing in the Los Angeles Times, notes that the claim that the use of...
Steve Bainbridge: Fortas — An LA Times op-ed by David Greenberg claims: [snipped quote] Greenberg goes on to point out that Abe Fortas's...
Tarek @LiquidList: We all know they're lying, but it's nice to read it in an op-ed every once in a while.
Avedon Carol: David Greenberg has a piece in the LAT on The Republicans' Filibuster Lie.
Barbara O'Brien: In today's Los Angeles Times, Rutgers history professor David Greenberg writes, "To justify banning Senate filibusters...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: He informs us in this column that Justice Abe Fortas's nomination to succeed Chief Justice Earl Warren was filibustered for ideological reasons.
Also: Joe Gandelman, Taegan Goddard, Jonathan H. Adler, Orrin Judd

Three Political Web Logs Make a Run for the Mainstream
  By / New York Sun   —   Permalink 
In a dramatic sign that Web logs are going mainstream, three of the largest political blogs are banding together to form what is believed to be a first-of-its kind ad-supported network.
Ed Driscoll: According to the New York Sun, in an ideal world, they wouldn't be the sole source of reporting either
Jan Haugland: The vast blogging conspiracy — Pajamas Media gets mainstream media coverage.
A.M. Mora y Leon: Now, there is a new project to rationalize what we look for in from blogs, utilizing their inherent competitive advantage, when a global news event happens.
Joe Gandelman: The more details that come out about Pajama Media's proposed blogger network, the more interesting (and enticing) it is:...
Scott Sala: Technorati Tags: Giuliani Rudy+Giuliani Hitler Middlebury Andrea+Gissing — Blog Collaboration: Pajamas Media...
James Joyner: Three Political Web Logs Make a Run for the Mainstream (New York Sun) [snipped quote] It's an exciting project that I'm eager to see get off the ground. via Michelle Malkin
Also: Clayton Cramer, Roger L. Simon, Venkat @BeggingToDiffer, Judith Weiss, Ace, Michelle Malkin, Scott @PowerLine, Pejman Yousefzadeh, K. J. Lopez

Pozen Pill
  By / Slate   —   Permalink 
George W. Bush has come out in favor of a proposal for cutting Social Security benefits called "progressive price indexing."
Or has he? On May 1, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card appeared on Meet the Press.
James Joyner: Pozen Pill - How Bush's version of "progressive indexing" would kill Social Security (Slate) [snipped quote] I agree with...
Brad DeLong: Progressive Price Indexing — Ogged watches the skies and informs me that my article for Slate is up: Unfogged: Hey, it's Brad DeLong writing for Slate!
Tyler Cowen: Indexing social security benefits — Here is Brad DeLong, on Slate.com, on the new Bush proposal.
Stanley Kurtz: "PROBLEM" — The thing I like about this piece in Slate is what Brad DeLong says at the start: "As everyone knows, Social Security has a problem..." Really?
Ogged @Unfogged: Tell Mickey We Love Him! Hey, it's Brad DeLong writing for Slate! Is this considered slumming for Brad?

Time to Leave the Table
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
There is a name for those who continue to sit at a gambling table even after they learn that the game is fixed. They are called fools.
Now that President Bush has proposed Social Security benefit cuts through "progressive indexing," his critics are said to have an obligation to negotiate in good faith to achieve a solution.
Digby: Charlie Brown Pundits — Kevin Drum endorses EJ Dionne's column today in which it is finally clearly set forth by...
Kevin Drum: STACKING THE DECK....E.J. Dionne today: [snipped quote] That's exactly right.
Skippy: via armando at dkos, ej dionne agrees with us: bush has refused to put his own tax cuts on the table as part of a social security fix.
Avedon Carol: Kudos to E.J. Dionne for saying it's Time to Leave the Table: There is a name for those who continue to sit at a gambling table even after they learn that the game is fixed.
Steve Soto: E. J. Dionne says what many of us have been thinking since seeing Bush's "plan" last Thursday night, and then seeing Tom...
Stanley Kurtz: DEMS & SOCIAL SECURITY — E. J. Dionne's explanation for the Democrats' refusal to offer a Social Security plan is completely unconvincing.
Also: Matthew Yglesias, Barbara O'Brien, Armando @DailyKos, Lambert @Corrente

Poll: Most in U.S. say Iraq war not worthwhile
  CNN   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A majority of Americans do not believe it was worth going to war in Iraq, a national poll reported Tuesday.
Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they did not believe it was worth going to war, versus 41 percent who said it was, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 1,006 adults.
Juan Cole: Iraqi police in Mahawil discovered 4 corpses too decomposed to identify. 57 percent of Americans polled late last week say that the Iraq War was not worth it.
The Poorman: MSM polls were presented showing public support for the war at an all-time low, with many expressing dissappointment about the way things were headed.
Atrios: Internalize This — Now, oh media, may be the time to start wondering why: Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they...
Jack Cluth: Poll: Most in U.S. say Iraq war not worthwhile Iraq, Afghan wars reportedly strain U.S. fighting ability Wow, I almost missed the anniversary.
Taegan Goddard: Most Say Iraq War Not Worth It — A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds that 57% of Americans do not believe it was worth going to war in Iraq.

U.S. military: Letter to al-Zarqawi complains of low morale
  CNN   —   Permalink 
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — The U.S. military said Tuesday it has seized a letter from Iraqi insurgents believed to be intended for terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi complaining about low morale among his followers and weakening support for the insurgency.
Charles Johnson: Breaking: CNN Publishes Good News — This isn't good news for the inmates of Democratic Underground or useful idiots...
Joe Gandelman: On a day when Iraq swore in its first democratically elected government, U.S. military officials report seizing what...
Smash: Letter to Zarqawi Captured — "We are tired and we have suffered a lot" CAPTAIN ED analyzes a captured letter which...
Steve M.: Morale is down and there is fatigue among mujahedeen ranks..." —CNN today American officials here have obtained a...
Captain Ed: And The Jihadis Would Like A Better Vision Plan, Too — The American military has seized a letter intended for Abu Musab...
James Joyner: Letter to al-Zarqawi Cites Low Morale — Possible letter to al-Zarqawi cites low morale (CNN) [snipped quote] So we have...
Also: Jonah Goldberg

Laura Bush Talks Naughty
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
When King Agamemnon and his fleet of warships were becalmed in the Aegean Sea, he ordered his wife to fetch their daughter so she could be sacrificed to the gods. It worked, sort of. The winds picked up and blew the Greek ships to triumph at Troy, although Agamemnon's wife did murder him later.
Tom Tomorrow: Real Americans — In yesterday's column, John Tierney moves in on David Brooks' territory—explainin g those salt-of-the-earth red staters to oblivious blue state elitists.
Ezra Klein: Tierney Time — John Tierney, who lives in Manhattan, phones it in this morning with a tired juxtaposition of Laura...
Amanda Marcotte: John Tierney coughs up a whopper today where he pretends that Democrats all were schooled by Laura Bush's stand-up...
Roger Ailes: It's all very depressing, but perhaps John Tierney could wring a wacky column about red state virtues out of it.
Michelle Malkin: John Tierney gives it two thumbs up. Wlady Pleszczynski hated it. The Washington Post rounds up more reaction and there's a spirited debate over at Lucianne.com.
Digby: First we are told that we're a bunch of immoral libertines who are trying to destroy the fabric of our nation with our...
Also: Jeff Jarvis, Matthew Yglesias, Richard Reeb, Matt Singer, Ann Althouse, Ed Cone, Steve M., Orrin Judd, K. J. Lopez, Tbogg

Strange New World: No 'Star Trek'
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
So they've gone and killed "Star Trek." And it's about time.
They tried it before, remember. The network flushed William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy down into the great septic tank of broadcast waste, from which no traveler.... No, wait, let's get this right: from which rotting ideas and aging actors return with depressing regularity.
John Hawkins: Orson Scott Card inexplicably disses Star Trek in the LA Times: "The original "Star Trek," created by Gene Roddenberry,...
James Joyner: Strange New World: No 'Star Trek' [snipped quote] I enjoyed "Eternal Sunshine" and am a big fan of the "Smallville" series.
Betsy Newmark: Orson Scott Card says that there is no need for Star Trek anymore. [snipped quote] I must confess that I am one of those grade school fans of the original Star Trek.
Avedon Carol: Why hasn't Medved enlisted? Why is Orson Scott Card dancing on Star Trek's grave? Take Charlie Rangel's Social Security quiz.
Pudentilla: omens and portents orson scott card has an obituary for the star trek series that will be of interest to sci-fi fans.
Steve Bainbridge: Orson Scott Card Slams Trekdom — OSC offers up some provocative thoughts on the demise (?) of the Star Trek franchise: [snipped quote] Ouch.
Also: K. J. Lopez

Florida Drops Effort to Block Abortion for 13-Year-Old
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
MIAMI, May 2 - After first resisting a judge's order to allow a 13-year-old in state custody to get an abortion, Gov. Jeb Bush's administration changed course today and said it would abandon the legal fight.
DavidNYC @DailyKos: And what did he say? "Look, if the judge has ruled, it's time to move on." What? You mean no umpteen-million reviews in front of ten more judges?
Mark Kleiman: Jeb Bush and rapists' rights — So the Florida courts have decided that Jeb Bush can't force a pregnant thirteen-year-old girl to carry the child to term.
John Hawkins: Girl, 13, Gets Abortion, But No TV For A Week — Satire By Scott Ott — A 13-year-old girl, who ran away from a...

A Win-Win Proposition
  By / Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
Although President Bush's proposal for progressive indexing of Social Security preserves the scheduled benefits of all low-wage workers as well as all workers retiring before 2012, the critics have lambasted its "benefit cuts" for middle- and high-wage earners.
Reihan Salam: Moving right along, Robert Pozen just published a piece in the Wall Street Journal defending his now-infamous "Pozen Plan."
Orrin Judd: FROM THE PONZI SCHEME TO THE POZEN? A Win-Win Proposition: A way out of the impasse on Social Security reform.
Donald Luskin: POZEN DEFENDS "PROGRESSIVE INDEXING" — Robert Pozen — the father of the "progressive price indexing" strategy for...

Congress May Require Closer Scrutiny to Get a Driver's License
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, May 2 - Congress is moving quickly toward setting strict rules on how states issue driver's licenses, requiring them to verify whether each applicant for a new license or a renewal is in this country legally.
Glenn Reynolds: THIS DRIVER'S LICENSE BILL may have constitutional problems: "Congress is moving quickly toward setting strict rules on...
Hugh Hewitt: "Eleven states now grant driver's licenses to noncitizens who do not have visas." How stupid can a state be?
Dr. Steven Taylor: Via the NYT: Congress May Require Closer Scrutiny to Get a Driver's License "Under the rules being considered, before...
Cori Dauber: Payback time. The proposed new rules will require states to determine whether all applicants (including those renewing licenses) are in this country legally.
McQ: The NYT is reporting that Congress is contemplating new strict requirements for states issuing driver's licenses which...
James Joyner: Congress May Require Closer Scrutiny to Get a Driver's License (NYT | RSS) [snipped quote] It's stunning to me that...
Also: Pudentilla

Social Security, Day by Day
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
This column is about Day Two. Day One is the first day of the work year. On that day, the average American worker earns about $142.31 and, of course, has a piece of that withheld for Social Security.
Digby: Here's the reliably wrong Cohen: "It just so happens that I think George Bush is doing something interesting with Social Security.
Raffi Melkonian: Additionally, I observe a little ruefully that a lot of the left's argument against changing social security is grounded...
Jesse Taylor: Splendiferous — Richard Cohen writes one of those delightfully ignorant faux-centrist pieces on Social Security today, even as Bush's support on Social Security divebombs.
Matthew Yglesias: Richard Cohen works up some excellent righteous indignation over the Republican Party's irrational aversion to taxes,...
Barbara O'Brien: On the same WaPo page, Richard Cohen writes, "This column is about Day Two. Day One is the first day of the work year.

Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
It was late September when the 21-year-old man, fresh from a three-week commitment in a psychiatric ward, showed up at an Army recruiting station in southern Ohio.
Skippy: jason, over at countercolumn, disputes pundentilla's interpretation of the nytimes piece about recruiting...first by...
Jacob Sullum: The Army's Leaky Drug Screen — A Colorado high school student reports that a U.S. Army recruiter "helped him buy a...
James Joyner: Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules — Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules (NYT | RSS)...
Pudentilla: no wonder general myers is nervous — [snipped quote] so what do you do when you're stuck waging war with an army no one...

Fla. Judge OKs Abortion for 13-Year-Old
  AP   —   Permalink 
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A judge has ruled that a 13-year-old girl at the center of an abortion fight with the state may terminate her pregnancy.
Juvenile Judge Ronald Alvarez on Monday ruled that the teen, who has been in state custody for four years, would not be physically or emotionally harmed by the procedure.
Paul @Wizbang: So Much for the "It Takes a Village" Theory — I wonder if the nanny staters of the world are proud of this one:Fla...
James Joyner: Florida Judge OKs Abortion for 13-Year-Old — Florida Judge OKs Abortion for 13-Year-Old (WaPo - AP) [snipped quote] We...
Barbara O'Brien: BTW, a Florida judge has ruled that L.G., the pregnant 13-year-old discussed below, may have an abortion.
K. J. Lopez: CHILD ON CHILD TRAGEDY, STATE SANCTIONED — [snipped quote] Yes, women, nevermind 13-year-old girls are never harmed by abortion.

Pentagon Says Iraq Effort Limits Ability to Fight Other Conflicts
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, May 2 - The concentration of American troops and weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan limits the Pentagon's ability to deal with other potential armed conflicts, the military's highest ranking officer reported to Congress on Monday.
Avedon Carol: They are called fools. Gee, I sure hope the damned Dem leadership is reading this. Is this a joke?
James Joyner: Pentagon Says Iraq Effort Limits Ability to Fight Other Conflicts (NYT | RSS) [snipped quote] Well, no. Myers was stating...
Matthew Yglesias: It turns out that when the president told the nation at last week's press conference that the nation's military capacity...
Cori Dauber: Now, with that in mind, here's a major front page report from today's New York Times: "Pentagon Says Iraq Effort Limits Ability to Fight Other Conflicts."
Cernig: The New York Times, that well known bastion of liberal media bias, reports that "The concentration of American troops...
Susan Madrak: Not enough troops, not enough people signing up for the military and Rummy says it's absurd to think there'll be a draft.
Also: Riggsveda @Corrente

All Eyes On DeLay
  Time   —   Permalink 
At first, it was easy to believe that the storm clouds gathering around House Majority Leader Tom DeLay signaled little more than another Washington tempest. After all, most Republicans reassured themselves, hardly anybody outside the Beltway or DeLay's...
Charles Kuffner: UPDATE: Time Magazine has a poll which claims DeLay's name recognition countrywide is at 77% (via The Stakeholder).
Jo Fish: Justice Delay'd? Everyone's favorite troglodyte, Tom Delay is becoming more visible nationally. Good.
Byron LaMasters: Time Magazine reports: "At first, it was easy to believe that the storm clouds gathering around House Majority Leader...

Crusading Against History
  By / Front Page Magazine   —   Permalink 
"It's not like a stupid Hollywood movie," said French actress Eva Green about the English director Sir Ridley Scott's Crusades flick, Kingdom of Heaven.
That's true. It's, like, a stupid English movie.
The Crusades are hot, and Ridley Scott (director of Alien) is about to make them hotter.
Betsy Newmark: Historians aren't pleased with the movie, Kingdom of Heaven. Every thing seems to have been made politically correct.
Ed Driscoll: Update: Found via Betsy Newmark, Front Page says that historians are none too pleased with Scott's film, either.

Saving Social Security's Dishonesty
  NRO   —   Permalink 
The Democratic strategy.
In the congressional debate over repealing the estate (a.k.a. death) tax, Democrats routinely invoked Paris Hilton as an example of someone who wouldn't be hurt if the government confiscated part of her family's wealth upon her parents' death.
Max B. Sawicky: Rich Lowry goes back and forth, while convincing himself if nobody else of liberal mendacity.
PGL: The latest NRO column from Rich Lowry drew fire from Max Sawicky and Matthew Yglesias. Matthew points out how dishonest Lowry's op-ed was.
Matthew Yglesias: National Review editor — Rich Lowry accuses Social Security's defenders of "dishonesty" on grounds so spurious I can't quite tell what they're supposed to be.

Blogspotting
  By / Business Week   —   Permalink 
The big papers and magazines consider themselves the core source of news—the news that many blogs feed off for their comments and insights. But where do readers look for recent historial news, say day-by-day developments during the invasion of Iraq?
Tom Biro: Archives won't come cheap — Rex Hammock points to Blogspotting's Stephen Baker, who suspects that newspapers and other...
Rex Hammock: I nominate McGraw Hill to go first: BusinessWeek "Blogspotting" Stephen Baker says main-stream media should open up their historical archives to all comers.

Florida ends fight against abortion for 13-yr-old
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida dropped its fight on Tuesday to prevent a 13-year-old girl in state care from having an abortion in a case that marked the state's second recent foray into controversial personal rights issues.
Ed Driscoll: Life—Or At Least Newspaper Headlines—Imitates South Park — Back in 1998 (wow, has it been on that long?) there was a...
Spoons: Sick society — Florida ends fight against abortion for 13-yr-old Appalling. UPDATE: Paul manages to say more.

Pa. Eatery Offers New 15-Pound Burger
  AP   —   Permalink 
CLEARFIELD, Pa. (AP) - The burger war is growing. Literally. Denny's Beer Barrel Pub, which lost its crown as the home of the world's biggest burger earlier this year, is now offering a new burger that weighs a whopping 15 pounds.
Jonah Goldberg: BEHOLD — The caterer of the Atlanta fundraiser. No one can leave without finishing at least one burger. Nod to Drudge.
Ed Driscoll: Not Even In Homer Simpson's Wildest Dreams — Time to switch to the Atkins diet: not even in his wildest,...

Laura Bush: First lady of comedy?
  USA Today   —   Permalink 
The complete transcript of Laura Bush's comments from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, held April 30:
"/ President Bush: Thank you and good evening. I always look forward to these dinners, where I'm supposed to be funny - intentionally.
Jeff Jarvis: Milking the horse: The funny vote : Laura Bush's stand-up routine was a notable political moment: It was about trying to...
Hello however: note to awol...this isn't a cow...do not attempt to milk skip hollandsworth in the texas monthly
Lambert @Corrente: IOKIYAR: Two seconds of Janet Jackson's tit, and America reeled!

Measure to Expand Political Rights for Kuwaiti Women Fails
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 3 - Kuwait's Parliament effectively killed a measure today that would have allowed women to participate in municipal elections for the first time this year, delaying any further discussion of the measure until after the elections are called.
Riggsveda @Corrente: Freedom for them to do this: "Kuwait's Parliament effectively killed a measure today that would have allowed women to...
Jo Fish: His semi-retarded offspring has not succeeded in spreading Democracy to neighboring Kuwait it seems.

Bob Edwards Learns NPR Isn't Done Hitting the Off Button
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Bob Edwards , the longtime "Morning Edition" host who was booted amid much controversy last year from National Public Radio, says he's still getting static from his former employer.
Garrett M. Graff: NPR has banned its "Weekend Morning Edition" host Scott Simon from appearing on the new show by Bob Edwards on XM satellite radio, according to the Reliable Source.
James Joyner: NPR Bans Hosts from Bob Edwards XM Show — Bob Edwards Learns NPR Isn't Done Hitting the Off Button (WaPo, C3) [snipped quote] Quite bizarre.
Jim Romenesko: NPR won't let Simon appear on Edwards' XM radio show — Washington Post | Washington Times edwards Richard Leiby...
Laura Rozen: If NPR wants my continued contributions, they can stop acting so fascist to Bob Edwards. This is ridiculous.

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
  BBC   —   Permalink 
Luis Garcia fired Liverpool past Chelsea and into the European Cup final for the first time in 20 years.
They led inside four minutes when Milan Baros beat Petr Cech to the ball and Luis Garcia tapped in, despite Chelsea claiming it did not cross the line.
Iain Murray: No-hoper underdogs shock the metropolitan favorites as the Reds beat the Blues after the Blues were lauded by the press.
Chris @CrookedTimber: There is a God! Good 1—Evil 0

Teachers Sue Over Arrest at Bush Rally
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
Two teachers arrested at a 2004 campaign rally for President Bush and strip-searched at a county jail have filed a lawsuit alleging law officers conspired to violate their constitutional rights.
Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both in their 50s, were among five protesters arrested at the Sept. 3 rally.
Digby: Business As Usual — I missed this one.
Lambert @Corrente: MBF Watch: Schoolteachers strip searched at Partei Rally — Nothing must pop Inerrant Boy's bubble: [snipped quote] Well,...