meme orandum
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Calling Democrats' Bluff By / NYT — Permalink Don't take people at their word. Don't listen to them when they tell you how to be virtuous. They're faking it. They don't care about virtue, or you or the common good. They're just taking opportunistic potshots under the guise of sermonizing. | |
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Brad DeLong: Someone earning the equivalent of $1 million today would see benefit cuts equal to only 1 percent of pre-retirement... Orrin Judd: ANTI-CHOICE: Calling Democrats' Bluff (DAVID BROOKS, 5/08/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] The irony being that the middle class comes out ahead even after the tough choice. |
Armando @DailyKos: Stop The Presses: Brooks Lies Again — Boy oh boy, David Brooks really is incapable of telling the truth. |
Bush: U.S. Had Hand in European Divisions By / AP — Permalink (05-07) 11:21 PDT RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Second-guessing Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Bush said Saturday the United States played a role in Europe's painful division after World War II — a decision that helped cause "one of the greatest wrongs of history" when the Soviet Union imposed its harsh rule across Central and Eastern Europe. | |
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Brad DeLong: (Bush Blames Winston Churchill Edition) George W. Bush blames Winston Churchill (and Franklin Roosevelt) for not... John @PowerLine: President Bush in Latvia — You can expect to see a lot of headlines like this one, from Yahoo News: "Bush: U.S. Had Hand in European Divisions." |
Steve M.: Bush singled out the 1945 Yalta agreement signed by Roosevelt in a speech opening a four-day trip focused on Monday's... Orrin Judd: LIKE THE PORCELLIAN VOTE ALL OVER AGAIN (via Matt Murphy): Bush: U.S. Had Hand in European Divisions (TERENCE HUNT, May... |
President Discusses Freedom and Democracy in Latvia White House — Permalink PRESIDENT BUSH: Sveiki Draugi. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the warm welcome. Madam President, Laura and I thank you for your kind words of introduction, we thank you for your principled leadership, and I thank you for your friendship, and we thank you for the hospitality that you and Dr. Freibergs have shown us. | |
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Jan Haugland: Bush: We've learned since Yalta — President Bush, annoying Putin by visiting Latvia before Russia and supporting the... John @PowerLine: You can read the entire speech here and draw your own conclusions. |
Ginny @ChicagoBoyz: Update:Wretchard (for whom I have immense respect) notes of Bush's speech: "In one sense, it is always futile to apologize for history. Orrin Judd: MORE: President Discusses Freedom and Democracy in Latvia (The Small Guild Hall, Riga, Latvia, 5/07/05) "As we mark a... |
There's No Plan B to Deter N. Korea By / LAT — Permalink SEOUL — As North Korea accelerates the pace of its nuclear weapons program, the United States and its allies have limited options to prevent one of the world's poorest and most erratic nations from becoming a nuclear power. | |
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Steve Soto: Bush through his inaction and macho bluster has squandered that opportunity into where we are now, with even fewer options than were available then. Matthew Yglesias: North Korea Endgame — It seems that we're about prepared to admit that the administration's pseudo-policy toward North Korea has definitively failed. Laura Rozen: The Bush administration's bankrupt North Korea policy. |
Kevin Drum: NUCLEAR CHICKEN....The LA Times reports that North Korea will probably be testing a nuclear bomb soon and could shortly have nearly a dozen working weapons. Pudentilla: another signal failure from awol's foreign policy team — [snipped quote] note to l.a. times: "blame clinton" is the preferred plan b for any administration plan. |
Schumer Urges Bush to Rein in Judge Fight By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — Sen. Charles Schumer, a leading Democrat in the fight over judicial nominees, urged President Bush to intervene and rein in the strongest conservative critics of Democratic opposition to some candidates. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: A day after Senator Uriah Reid (D-Nev) brands the president a "loser" and then apologizes, a week after Senator Ken... Mcjoan @DailyKos: In the radio address, Schumer "decried 'a whiff of extremism in the air the likes of which we haven't seen in decades,'"... |
Taegan Goddard: For the Democrats, the AP notes Sen. Chuck Schumer took to the radio today. Link | Related News Jayson @PoliPundit: Whining — Chuck Schumer wants President Bush to stop the mean old Senate Republicans from taking away his ability to... |
School Reduces Suspension Over Iraq Call AP — Permalink The angry calls about the boy's suspension got so bad at one point that secretaries had to take their phones off the hook, assistant principal Alfred Parham said. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Suspension Penalty Sliced For Student Penalized For Talking To Military Mom — Following a firestorm of negative... Ace: Iraq-Mom Student's Suspension Reduced — They're nasty and persnickety, but, on the other hand, they're also craven and spineless: [snipped quote] Awwww. |
SK Bubba: So should the superintendent who defended them. |
On the Go, but Not Running, Kerry Looks Like a Shhh! By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 6 - Ask Senator John Kerry if he will run again for president in 2008, and the answer comes back swift and sure: "I don't have any clue." But from a clean, well-lighted carpenters' union hall in St. Paul, where Mr. Kerry talked to 250 enthusiastic supporters about children's health care on Tuesday, a very different picture emerged. | |
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Dr. Steven Taylor: Note to Kerry: You Had Your Shot, Time to Move on — Via the NYT: On the Go, but Not Running, Kerry Looks Like a Shhh!,... Taegan Goddard: Kerry Doesn't Share 2004 Lessons — "Within the Senate," Sen. John Kerry "has irked fellow Democrats by twice canceling... Pejman Yousefzadeh: THANK YOU SIR, MAY WE HAVE ANOTHER? Please let John Kerry run for President again. That is all. |
Captain Ed: The Ghost Of Elections Past — Someone should tell John Kerry that the election is over. Ann Althouse: Well, surely we're at least too tired of John Kerry. But here he is, begging for attention. |
Bracing for the Filibuster Fight and Preparing for Its Fallout By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 7 - With the Senate clock ticking toward a momentous procedural clash over judicial nominees, lawmakers and advocates on each side are readying a final push to win over the few uncommitted lawmakers and frame the fight to their best political advantage. | |
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DavidNYC @DailyKos: So what does a threat like this coming from James Dobson - talking about the fight over the filibuster - mean, then:... Pudentilla: drive for democracy update: [snipped quote] have you pledged to donate five bucks to the dnc the day frist pulls the nuclear trigger? |
Mcjoan @DailyKos: With Frist set to detonate the nuclear option possibly as soon as Tuesday, things are really heating up. |
Houstonians pour money and hearts into Bush-Clinton tsunami relief fund By / Houston Chronicle — Permalink From schoolchildren to corporate giants, churches to sports franchises, Houstonians have contributed $10 million to a fund set up by former Presidents Bush and Clinton to help victims of December's devastating Indian Ocean tsunami. | |
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Steve Soto: Now It's Barbara Bush's Turn To Have Fun At W's Expense — This should make for some fun mealtime conversation in... |
Atrios: Ouch — George isn't going to like this: "Bush and Clinton, in part because they have worked so closely on fund-raising... |
U.S. to Spend Billions More to Alter Security Systems By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 7 - After spending more than $4.5 billion on screening devices to monitor the nation's ports, borders, airports, mail and air, the federal government is moving to replace or alter much of the antiterrorism equipment, concluding that it is ineffective, unreliable or too expensive to operate. | |
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TChris: The NY Times reports on the billions of dollars Homeland Security will need to spend to correct the security problems that weren't solved by the billions of dollars already spent. Pudentilla: homeland security just wasted $4.5 billion of your tax dollars — [snipped quote] ok, so we're not any safer. but some... |
Plutonium Page: Homeland Insecurity: time to spend billions more — In the "your tax dollars at work" category: [snipped quote] (Emphasis... |
Filibuster Fight Nears Showdown By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 7 - With the Senate clock ticking toward a momentous procedural clash over judicial nominees, lawmakers and advocates on each side are readying a final push to win over the few uncommitted lawmakers and frame the fight to their best political advantage. | |
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Taegan Goddard: Filibuster Fight Nears Showdown — Beginning Monday, Senate Republicans and Democrats — and their allies on the outside... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Radical Right Has Takeover Plans — If you had any doubt that evangelical leader James Dobson's grand plan is to for the... |
Mitt Romney for president in '08? By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a recent secret Washington meeting with national political operatives signaled he probably will forgo seeking re-election in 2006 in order to pursue the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. | |
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Alexander K. McClure: 2006 Massachusetts Governor Race — According to Robert Novak, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may opt to decline... |
Taegan Goddard: Romney May Forgo Re-Election Plans — Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "in a recent secret Washington meeting with... |
Democrats Voted Out of Baptist Church AP — Permalink (AP) — Some in Pastor Chan Chandler's flock wish he had a little less zeal for the GOP. Members of the small East Waynesville Baptist Church say Chandler led an effort to kick out congregants who didn't support President Bush. | |
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Chris Andersen: Isn't it just like Democrats to respond to an outrage like the excommunication of party members from a North Carolina church by talking about taxes? |
Eriposte @LeftCoaster: Let's start with this quote of Jerry's, captured in the barebones media coverage on this issue: "The head of the North... |
Place Your Bets By / NYT — Permalink After a recent column comparing Social Security with the Chilean system of private accounts, I was deluged with letters from readers eager to explain why I am a superficial nitwit. In this case, they're at least half right. | |
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Betsy Newmark: John Tierney answers his critics about his column from last week comparing the benefits from our Social Security system... Orrin Judd: Place Your Bets (JOHN TIERNEY, 5/07/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] Wouldn't it be amusing if every time a politician or... |
Brad DeLong: (Yet Another New York Times Edition) Today it's the nearly-always-unreliable John Tierney, claiming that Social security... |
Bush hails Latvia's freedom Reuters — Permalink RIGA (Reuters) - President Bush hailed Latvia's young democracy on Saturday in a visit that has revived tensions over Soviet domination of the Baltics and irked Moscow before celebrations of the 1945 victory over the Nazis. | |
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Ginny @ChicagoBoyz: But I am reassured: my vote last fall was for a sense of proportion that leads to Bush's Latvian & Georgian visits, to... |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: VENTURES — The purpose and value of President Bush's trip to Latvia should not be measured simply in terms of whether... |
Tom DeLay's Empire of Favors By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Politicians are not always the most courageous lot. The first whiff of scandal, the first taint of defeat, usually makes them run - hence the popular saying that if you want a friend in this town, get a dog. Tom DeLay has many chits to use. | |
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Nico @ThinkProgress: That's the strange claim in today's New York Times. |
Pudentilla: bugman as capo di tutti — [snipped quote] it's a great profile - but is it good for american democracy? [snipped quote] don corleone. |
Anti-Syrian leader returns to Lebanon By / AP — Permalink BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Defeated in a battle against Syrian control of his country 15 years ago and sent into exile, Gen. Michel Aoun returned Saturday to a rousing welcome from thousands of supporters in a homeland recently freed of Syrian troops. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: LOOK WHO HAS THE LAST LAUGH NOW — Stories like this one must enrage Bashar Assad beyond measure. |
Orrin Judd: "SOVEREIGN, FREE AND INDEPENDENT": Anti-Syrian leader returns to Lebanon (SAM F. GHATTAS, 5/7/2005, The Associated... |
Craigslist.org Founder Eyes Journalism AP — Permalink SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The number of people who use Craigslist.org is expanding at more than 100 percent per year — a growth rate any venture capitalist would covet. | |
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Cookie Jill: how do i love craig? let me list the ways.... mr. newmark knows community. the world wide community. Ed Cone: AP: Craigslist weighs personal journalism "Craig Newmark told Associated Press editors and writers in a bureau visit, his newest fascination is community journalism. |
Jeff Jarvis: Craig's community : Craig Newmark talks to the AP about supporting journalism. |
Ex-C.I.A. Official Says Bolton Interfered By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 6 - John R. Bolton's effort in 2002 to oust a top Central Intelligence Agency analyst from his post in a dispute over Cuba represented a troubling breach of the line between policy makers and intelligence, the agency's former deputy director has told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to a transcript of the exchange. | |
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Suzanne Nossel: Credible evidence of Bolton's interfering with the provision of unbiased intelligence - Former CIA #2 John McLaughlin... |
Pudentilla: bolton's molting — [snipped quote] it's not just that bolton's a horse's arse, it's that he a lousy candidate for the... |
Sex, lies, secret tape at center of trial New Orleans Times-Picayune — Permalink Hotshot political fund-raiser David Rosen didn't hesitate when an old friend, visiting Chicago, called to invite him to a pricey meal at Morton's steakhouse. | |
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John @PowerLine: Louisiana's Times-Picayune has now obtained a partial transcript of Reggie's taped conversation with Rosen over dinner in Chicago. |
Orrin Judd: TIME TO REASSIGN THE DELAY POSSE: Sex, lies, secret tape at center of trial: Reggie recording key as feds launch case... |
What Rough Beasts? By / NYT — Permalink I love chimeras. I've seen just about every werewolf, Dracula and mermaid movie ever made, I have a Medusa magnet on my refrigerator, and the Sphinx of Greek mythology is a role model for her lethal brand of mystery. Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times | |
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Captain Ed: Today's screed manages to be racist, condescending, and just flat-out foolish all at once, with a dash of self-congratulatory classical references thrown in for good measure. |
Ann Althouse: Maureen Dowd riffs on the idea of the chimera — a mythological monster combining parts of different animals. |
Penalty reduced for student who took call from mom in Iraq CNN — Permalink (CNN) — A Columbus, Georgia, student will return to class Monday after spending three days at home for an incident that began when his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, called his cell phone while he was at school. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Now, according to CNN: "Kevin Francois was initially suspended for 10 days for what Spencer High School officials said... |
Michelle Malkin: Update III: CNN reporting that Kevin's penalty has been reduced; he'll be back in school on Monday. |
Antipiracy Rule for Broadcasts Is Struck Down By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 6 - A federal appeals court handed a major setback to Hollywood and the television networks on Friday when it struck down an antipiracy regulation requiring computer and television makers to use new technology that would make it difficult for consumers to copy and distribute digital programs. | |
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Jan Haugland: Court slaps FCC — Some rare good news on the intellectual property front: A federal appeals court handed a major... Atrios: Good News — Link: [snipped quote] When the culture scolds say the Democrats should be standing up to "Hollywood," it's this kind of thing they should be talking about. |
Matthew Yglesias: Excellent — A rare win for good sense on copyright. |
Vatican Is Said to Force Jesuit Off Magazine By / NYT — Permalink An American Jesuit who is a frequent television commentator on Roman Catholic issues resigned yesterday under orders from the Vatican as editor of the Catholic magazine America because he had published articles critical of church positions, several Catholic officials in the United States said. | |
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Stirling Newberry: Pope Ratzinger's War on Liberalism — For those who need to know what Pope Benedict XVI is about this is should tell you what you need to know. |
Orrin Judd: CRACKING THE WHIP: Vatican Is Said to Force Jesuit Off Magazine (LAURIE GOODSTEIN, 5/07/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] It's long past time someone brought the Jesuits to heel. |
Colorado Politician Signs Up for Iraq Duty By / WaPo — Permalink DENVER, May 6 — As the elected treasurer of a state that faces looming budget deficits and a complex effort to revamp its tax laws, Mike Coffman has had a lot to think about right here in Colorado. | |
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Cori Dauber: State Government Goes to Iraq — The Washington Post reports that the State Treasurer of Colorado is headed to Iraq,... |
Laura Rozen: The WaPo's T. R. Reid profiles a Colorado politician to admire. |
No Romney in 2008? By / Townhall.com — Permalink Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a recent secret Washington meeting with national political operatives signaled he probably will forego seeking re-election in 2006 in order to pursue the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. | |
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Lindsay Beyerstein: The multi-millionaire venture capitalist-turned-politic ian has already held secret meetings in Washington this year with national GOP leaders. |
Orrin Judd: PUTTING SELF BEFORE PARTY: No Romney in 2008? |
Bush, Celebrating Allies' Victory, Chafes Old Wounds By / NYT — Permalink RIGA, Latvia, May 6 - President Bush stepped into the middle of an escalating feud between Russia and the Baltic nations on Friday night as he arrived here in the capital of Latvia at the start of a five-day trip to Europe. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATE: Evidently, decrying the Soviet occupation of the Baltics and refusing to cooperate as the current Russian... Armando @DailyKos: In a clear and deliberate act, the Bush Administration has decided to step into a neighborhood quarrel between Russia... |
Suzanne Nossel: Here's what you get combing through just the NYT front section on a slow news day (virtually the entire front page is... |
The Nuclear Mullahs By / Slate — Permalink How apt that, during the week when the U.N. General Assembly is conducting a formal review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran and North Korea are making their own nuclear ambitions so clear. The North Koreans, true to form, are stepping out in particularly cheeky fashion. | |
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Juan Cole: Fred Kaplan at Slate quotes a "nighmare scenario" from a rightwing magazine: "In short, if Iran goes through with its plans, all hell could break loose. |
Laura Rozen: The LA Times' Barbara Demick, [snipped quote] And David Ignatius on Pyongyang's Bomb: [snipped quote] More from Slate's... |
Dems Booted From N.C. Church Over Politics By / AP — Permalink A pastor of a small Baptist church led an effort to kick out church members because they didn't support President Bush, members said. The nine members were voted out at a Monday meeting of the East Waynesville Baptist Church in this mountain town about 120 miles west of Charlotte. | |
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Amanda Marcotte: Nonpolitically Vote For George Bush, If Possible — From Waynesville, NC: [snipped quote] Well, if he ws Catholic, he... Frederick Maryland: North Carolina's Ratzinger? The Associated Press reports: "WAYNESVILLE, N.C. |
Dwight Meredith: Just Wondering — By now you may have heard about the pastor of the western North Carolina Baptist church who kicked out... |
A Neophyte in the China Shop NRO — Permalink "You're kidding me," the cashier says, dropping her jaw in theatrical amazement. "Never?" "Never!" I reply giddily, slipping my credit card oh-so-easily into the metal mouth of a little machine. "Until now! But I'll be back!" | |
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S.Z.: "Accepting enchanted Turkish Delight from the White Witch" This week TBogg does a particularly brilliant job with... |
Tbogg: The Adventures of Mummy in LileksLand — Big happenings amongst the Gurdons as America's Worst Mother™ shuns... |
Gaza lull shaky as Palestinians fire rocket at settlers' school bus AP — Permalink Palestinians on Friday morning fired an anti-tank rocket on Friday morning at school bus carrying children outside the southern Gaza Strip settlement of Kfar Darom, shaking the fragile lull in violence. The rocket failed to hit the bus. | |
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Captain Ed: This morning, Palestinians shot an anti-tank missile at a school bus full of children in a Gaza settlement: Palestinians... Joseph Alexander Norland: From al-Ha'aretz: "Gaza lull shaky as Palestinians fire rocket at settlers' school bus Palestinians on Friday morning... Marc @USSNeverdock: Israel - Palestinians fire rocket at children — The BBC are strangely silent on this AP report. |
Jan Haugland: Gaza terrorists fire rocket at school bus — Terrorist attack in Gaza. Charles Johnson: Palestinians Try to Murder Children — Palestinians tried to commit mass murder yesterday, firing an anti-tank rocket at a school bus full of children. |
In a Reverse, Microsoft Says It Supports Gay Rights Bill By / NYT — Permalink Microsoft, faced with unrelenting criticism from employees and gay rights groups over its decision to abandon support of a gay rights bill in Washington state, reversed course again yesterday and announced that it was now in support of the bill. | |
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John Cole: I just don't get it. *** Update *** MSM is now on the story. |
Ed Cone: Microsoft changes course on gays — NYT: [snipped quote] Atrios credits John Aravosis, as does Scoble, who mentions The... |
Security Costs Could Shut Some A-Bomb Labs, Experts Warn By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 6 - The cost to protect materials for nuclear bombs from terrorists is rising so high that the Energy Department will need to close some weapons laboratories, or at least consolidate the weapons fuel that they hold, government officials and outside experts are warning. | |
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Suzanne Nossel: Nowhere on nuclear plant security - Almost four years after 9/11 and President Bush having made the fight against... |
Lindsay Beyerstein: What a shame: "WASHINGTON, May 6 - The cost to protect materials for nuclear bombs from terrorists is rising so high... |
Reid Calls Bush 'A Loser,' Then Apologizes By / AP — Permalink May. 6, 2005 - Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid called President Bush "a loser" during a civics discussion with a group of teenagers at a high school on Friday. "The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid, D-Nev., told students at Del Sol High School when asked about the president's policies. | |
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Scott Sala: Harry Reid called President Bush a "loser" yesterday, then quickly called Karl Rove to apologize. Jayson @PoliPundit: Conundrum of Self-Parodies — From the Associated Depressed: [snipped quote] Ah, yeah, could you have scriped that one for an SNL-style political satire??? |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Being a "loser" or being the group of people who keep losing to the loser in political contest after political contest? McQ: Reid: Bush a "loser" — What a wonderful man Harry Reid must be: [snipped quote] Yeah, wonderful Harry ... get in front... |
Senior Al Qaeda Leader's Notebook Seized ABCNEWS — Permalink Al-Libbi — believed to be third in command of al Qaeda leader after Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri — was arrested by Pakistani authorities on Monday. He is suspected of leading two failed assassination attempts on the life of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: It's not just al-Libbi who is apparently singing, but his magic notebook might soon provide a wealth of information:... Betsy Newmark: I don't know why news like this is being made public. I sure hope it's some devious attempt at disinformation and not what it looks like: a serious leak of important information. Libertarian Jackass: THE MOST DANGEROUS ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD has a guy carrying around the super-duper-top-secret information in a notebook? |
James Joyner: Senior Al Qaeda Leader's Notebook Reveals Secrets — Senior Al Qaeda Leader's Notebook Seized — Al-Libbi's Notebook... Joe Gandelman: Finders Keepers Losers Weepers — Even In Terrorism War by Joe Gandelman Al Qaeda now has a teenie-weenie problem: it's... Orrin Judd: Senior Al Qaeda Leader's Notebook Seized: Al-Libbi's Notebook Believed to Contain Valuable Contact Information, Source... |
Pentagon: 1,700 Sex Assaults Reported By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — Military criminal investigators received 1,700 reports of sexual assault in 2004 involving at least one member of the military, the Pentagon said Friday. This includes cases in which a service member was either an alleged assailant or a victim. | |
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Jason Van Steenwyk: Sexual assault — Whether the numbers represent an increase in assaults or simply an increase in awareness, 1700 sexual... |
James Joyner: Pentagon: 1,700 Sex Assaults Reported — Pentagon: 1,700 Sex Assaults Reported (AP) [snipped quote] I know he's innocent... |
LESSON IN POLITICS: Reid calls president 'loser' By / Las Vegas Review-Journal — Permalink In the course of a discussion on filibusters and Senate rules, Washington's top Democrat gave the 60 juniors a lesson in partisan politics, particularly about the commander in chief. "The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid said in response to a question about President Bush's policies. | |
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Avedon Carol: Or be amused to know that Harry Reid has scandalized the right wingers by pointing out that Bush is a loser. Joe Gandelman: Harry Reid's BIIIIIIIIIIIG Mouth — You truly wonder sometimes: when will these politicians of both parties and public... Betsy Newmark: Harry Reid should start thinking before he speaks. He is having to apologize for calling Bush a loser. |
Jeff Goldstein: From the Review-Journal: [snipped quote] Reached for comment, Mr. Rove downplayed the phonecall. "Harry is just being Harry," Rove said. TheAnchoress: Ms. Newmark shakes her head in disgust at Harry Reid's unfathomable stupidity and his nasty, quite wrong, undiplomatic,... Captain Ed: Open Mouth, Insert Foot, Repeat As Desired — As if the Democrats couldn't look more foolish than they already have this... |
| Also: Hugh Hewitt, Mitch Townsend, John Cole, Kevin Aylward, Lambert @Corrente, Orrin Judd, Taegan Goddard | |
Mother's call gets son in hot water By / Ledger-Enquirer — Permalink Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year. Francois, a junior at Spencer High School in Columbus, was suspended for disorderly conduct Wednesday after he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch while talking to his mother who is deployed in Iraq, he said. | |
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SK Bubba: His Mom was calling from Iraq. Personally, I think the teacher and the two assistant principals involved in this should... Steve Verdon: Stupid Public School Officials — Kevin Francois got a call from his mother during his lunch break at school. Joanne Jacobs: Zero tolerance for sergeant's son — A 17-year-old boy was suspended from his Georgia high school for 10 days because he... |
Avedon Carol: This is so dumb that even Michelle Malkin noticed - student on lunchbreak gets a phone call from his mother who is deployed in Iraq. Michelle Malkin: More school follies: "Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year. |
Student Suspended for Call to Mom in Iraq AP — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ga. — A high school student was suspended for 10 days for refusing to end a mobile phone call with his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, school officials said. | |
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Acidman: both sides are guilty — A lot of compassionate people are up in arms about this story, but I am not nearly as sympathetic to the "17 year-old junior" as most people seem to be. Joe Gandelman: Student Suspended For Talking To Military Mother In Iraq — Here's a story that pits common sense against unfeeling... Pudentilla: red state values — [snipped quote] mighty christian of you mr. parham. republican jesus must be proud, and we're sure... |
Betsy Newmark: That is what runs through my mind when I read of stupid stories like this. Smash: Outrageous — "Student Suspended For Talking To Military Mother In Iraq" (Hat tip: Joe Gandelman) STEVE VERDON proposes "suspend the teacher for 10 days, too." |
NC News Wire AP — Permalink WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — The minister of a Haywood County Baptist church is telling members of his congregation that if they're Democrats, they either need to find another place of worship or support President Bush. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The Ultimate In Partisan Silliness/Outrageousness by Joe Gandelman If you want to know how silly partisanship has gotten... Steve M.: UPDATE: Via Sisyphus Shrugged, here's a somewhat expanded version of the WLOS story, from AP and the Raleigh News & Observer. |
James Joyner: Minister ex-communicates members for not backing Bush (AP - Charlotte News & Observer) [snipped quote] Little... Richard TPD: What would Jesus say? Update: Media coverage is starting to come in. |
Evolution Isn't a Natural Selection Here By / LAT — Permalink CLAY CENTER, Kan. — In this rural swath of northern Kansas, where the grass rolls thick and green to the horizon, a white cross dominates the landscape. Kathy Martin, a member of the state board of education, and her family built it on their farm this spring, gathering weathered chunks of limestone from the horse pasture and laying them on a hillside. | |
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Ken Masugi: Another Topeka Showdown: Evolution — Fifty-plus years after Brown v. Board of Education (of Topeka) the Kansas State... Kevin Drum: MAYBE THE WORLD REALLY IS FLAT...I've been ignoring the recent outbreak of idiocy over evolution in Kansas because it's... Greg @TheTalentShow: If things aren't going your way, change the rules. (via Kevin) "The hearings in Topeka, scheduled to last several days, are focusing on two proposals. |
Hunter @DailyKos: It's better than the stuff I wrote following this 'Hunter special' — kos) By now everyone's heard of the events in Kansas: [snipped quote] Ok, here we go. Julian Sanchez: The bill is presumably so-named to distinguish it from the fake ID being debated in Kansas. Orrin Judd: IT'S NOT VERY SCIENTIFIC TO IGNORE THE RESULTS: Evolution Isn't a Natural Selection Here: Kansas looks again at whether... |
CEO: Microsoft to Support Gay-Rights Bill By / AP — Permalink (05-06) 12:47 PDT Seattle (AP) — In a turnaround Friday, Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer said the company will support gay rights legislation. | |
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Atrios: John 1: Microsoft Bigots: 0 — Victory. No one knows how to stir up s**t and get stuff to happen better than John Aravosis. Jeralyn Merritt: In an about-face today, it has announced it will support Washington State's gay rights bill. |
Chris Bowers: John Aravosis Takes Down Microsoft — John's one-man crusade against Microsoft seems to have worked |
Reid Says He Doesn't Intend to Filibuster By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has privately told individual Republicans he doesn't intend to block votes on any Supreme Court nominees except in extreme cases, according to officials familiar with the conversations. | |
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Captain Ed: Reid Wavering On Filibuster? Has Harry Reid gotten nervous about the upcoming confrontation on judicial confirmations? Armando @DailyKos: Reid: Filibuster SC Nominees Only in Extreme Cases — This from AP: [snipped quote] Hmmm. |
Jayson @PoliPundit: After reading between the lines of this liberal-media polemic, I think it's pretty safe to say the following: a) Harry... |
USA Today Reporter Resigns By / WaPo — Permalink A USA Today Pentagon correspondent, Tom Squitieri, resigned under pressure yesterday after the paper learned he had lifted quotes from another newspaper for a front-page story and used several other quotes, without attributing them to other publications, that were cut during editing. | |
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Joe Gandelman: USA Today Reporter Resigns For Lifting Other Papers' Quotes — Here's yet another high profile resignation from the... James Joyner: USA Today Reporter Resigns (WaPo, C1) "A USA Today Pentagon correspondent, Tom Squitieri, resigned under pressure... Roger Ailes: No mention of it here, natch. And Squit's gotten himself lawyered up — with one of Paula Jones's old legal hacks, Joseph Cammarata. |
Avedon Carol: Roger Ailes notes that USA Today has given the ax to anti-Clinton hack Tom Squitieri for plagiarism, and reminds us of why this is so gratifying for so many of us. Jim Romenesko: USAT newsman who lifted quotes had been critical of Kelley — Washington Post | USA Today USA Today Pentagon... Cori Dauber: Tight Standards — A USA Today reporter gets the boot, not for using any material that is false, but for taking quotes from other newspaper's stories without attribution. |
| Also: Garrett M. Graff | |
Court yanks down FCC's broadcast flag By / CNET.com — Permalink The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that the Federal Communications Commission did not have the authority to prohibit the manufacture of computer and video hardware that doesn't have copy protection technology known as the "broadcast flag." | |
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Avedon Carol: Declan McCullagh says the U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that the FCC can just butt out of telling people they can't... Jeff Jarvis: That will be a lot easier — and more lucrative — than playing legal wack-a-mole. : Wikipedia background here. |
Dan Gillmor: A Win for Fair Use, Consumer Rights — [snipped quote] Now the entertainment cartel will have to get its wishes the old-fashioned way. James Joyner: Court Overturns FCC's Broadcast Flag Rule — Court yanks down FCC's broadcast flag (CNET News) "In a stunning victory... |
Democratic Suicide NRO — Permalink When will the Dems start winning again? When they start living and speaking like normal folks. We are in unsure times amid a controversial war. Yet the American people are not swayed by the universities, the major networks, the New York Times, Hollywood, the major foundations, and NPR. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Victor Davis Hanson puts into words what is wrong with the Democratic Party today and why someone like myself, who was... Hugh Hewitt: Victor Davis Hanson writes this morning that the Democrats seem intent on continuing their electoral suicide, which... Lorie Byrd: Democrats Need To Start Acting Like Normal Folks — Victor Davis Hanson has hit the nail on the head when it comes to identifying why the Democrats have lost so many elections. |
TheAnchoress: And pathetic. UPDATE: Victor Davis Hanson talks here about the inability of the Democrats to evolve and grow up. Ed Driscoll: Another Update: Some most definitely related thoughts from Victor Davis Hanson. |
Fight over finger found in custard AP — Permalink RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) — To a dessert shop customer, the severed fingertip found in a pint of frozen custard could be worth big dollars in a potential lawsuit. To the shop worker who lost it, the value is far more than monetary. | |
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Mark Kleiman: Kevin Drum is right: the man who found a fingertip in his frozen custard and refused to give it back to have it... Kevin Drum: GIVING HIM THE FINGER....This is really unbelievable: [snipped quote] I realize this is a vain hope, but I hope no lawyer is willing to take Stowers as a client. |
Ace: He's being cagey about the actual location of the finger, occasionally revealing it for TV cameras... but won't give it to the injured man's doctor. |
Tuning in to Jon Stewart, and Britney Schmidt By / NYT — Permalink Many authors hate to go on grinding book tours. But I've always found it a useful way to be a foreign correspondent in America and take the pulse of the country. Here are the two most important things I learned from a recent book tour: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times | |
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Avedon Carol: And this time Tom Friedman has discovered that people watch The Daily Show and even get their news from it. Matthew Yglesias: Today's Tom Friedman column is unusually weird, and I think the science education kick he's been on recently is a bit misguided. Jim Romenesko: Even grandmas are getting their news from Comedy Central — New York Times Thomas Friedman was surprised to learn on his... |
Terry Heaton: The Daily Show isn't nearly so fake as it seems — On tour around the U.S. while promoting his new book, The World Is... Joanne Jacobs: A flat, smart world — After a rambling start about learning to love learning, Thomas Friedman's New York Times' column... |
USA Today Reporter Quits Over Lifting Quotations By / NYT — Permalink Tom Squitieri, a 16-year veteran of USA Today, resigned from the newspaper yesterday after his editors said he lifted quotations from other newspapers without attribution. | |
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James Joyner: Jim Romanesko cites the NYT report on the incident, which contains this tidbit: [quote] Mr. Cammarata said Mr. Squitieri "had...[end quote] Roger Ailes: Squit While You're A (Talking) Head — USA Today has canned that old Clinton-bashing hand, Tom "Squit" Squitieri, for lifting quotes without attribution in his Pentagon reporting. Garrett M. Graff: More on Squitieri — The Washington Post and New York Times update with more details on the resignation under pressure of USA Today's Pentagon writer Tom Squitieri. |
Jim Romenesko: > Squitieri wanted to leave USAT, had been talking to other papers (NYT) Taegan Goddard: The New York Times has more on the story. Link | Related News |
DeLay Calls for Greater Humility By / WaPo — Permalink House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) delivered an emotional homily yesterday on the need for greater humility in public servants, declaring himself a sinner before a largely Christian audience and warning that pride has brought down leaders throughout history. | |
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Avedon Carol: Roger also says that - oh, I love this! - Tom "I am the federal government" DeLay has called for greater humility. No, really. Joe Gandelman: Tom DeLay Tip Toes Towards Rehabilitation — The remaking of beset House Majority leader Tom DeLay's image has... McQ: Talking the talk — But will he and others actually try to walk the walk: [snipped quote] Or spent less time talking about controlling judges through the "purse strings". |
Roger Ailes: Hate The Sin, Hate The Sinner — Bugchaser Tom DeLay declares himself a sinner; respectfully refuses to identify his... Ezra Klein: And DeLay's Repentance-palooza continues: [snipped quote] Indeed it's true, greatness is quite possible from lowly sinners who trust in God. Taegan Goddard: Though the trip "was billed as an effort to promote an exchange of ideas with British conservatives," the new... |
| Also: Pudentilla, Lambert @Corrente, Oliver @LiquidList | |
McCain wants Kerry to stop looking ahead By / Boston Herald — Permalink WASHINGTON - Straight-talking Sen. John McCain wants his friend Sen. John Kerry to ice his ''obvious'' desire to run for president again and focus on his day job. ''It's pretty obvious, the way he's acting, he'd like to try it again,'' the Arizona Republican said of a 2008 Kerry bid. | |
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Taegan Goddard: McCain Thinks Kerry Will Run Again — Sen. John McCain thinks his friend, Sen. John Kerry, is going to run for president in 2008, the Boston Herald reports. Jeff Quinton: McCain & Kerry — Boston Herald "Straight-talking Sen. John McCain wants his friend Sen. John Kerry to ice his... |
James Joyner: McCain Tells Kerry to Focus on Senate — McCain wants Kerry to stop looking ahead (Boston Herald) [snipped quote] I don't think anyone's underestimating Clinton. |
Tory leader runners and riders BBC — Permalink Tory leader Michael Howard has announced he is to stand down following his party's election defeat in order to allow a younger leader to take over. Speculation about who will take over the Conservative leadership has begun, with bookmakers William Hill already offering 3/1 odds on the shadow home secretary David Davis. | |
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Cernig: With the anounced intention of Michael Howard to step down as leader of the Toties, a new leadership contest also waits in the wings. |
Hugh Hewitt: The particulars of the process are detailed here, and handicapping of the leading contenders is here and here. |
NAMES & FACES WaPo — Permalink Don't know if you caught it last week, but Joe Scarborough , MSNBC's congressman-turned-TV-guy, pitched a hissy fit about Arnold "The Guv" Schwarzenegger on his show: "You know, this guy has been in so much trouble," he blabbered on his April 25 show. | |
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Brian Stelter: Scarborough & A Fake Schwarzenegger — Joe Scarborough got duped, the Washington Post explains in today's Names & Faces column. Radley Balko: Ba-Ba-Booey — Joe Scarborough gets duped. |
Frederick Maryland: Joe Scarborough's "Oops" Rant — From the Washington Post's "Names & Faces" column: "Don't know if you caught it last... |
CNBC Pulls Tina Brown Show Broadcasting & Cable — Permalink The subterranean ratings of Topic A with Tina Brown have finally prompted CNBC to pull the weekly interview show. A memo sent to CNBC employees late Friday said that Brown was leaving the show to work on a book on the legacy of Princess Diana. | |
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TheAnchoress: So, when this news about Tina Brown's show being cancelled broke, another blogger suggested that it was my fault, because of this piece, here. |
Brian Stelter: BCBeat has the full memo. > B&C's John Higgins had the scoop first. |
All the action from Bognor to Ballymena - live(ish) as it happens. Steyn Online — Permalink 9.30am BST Yes, Labour's 60-65 majority was achieved with only 36% of the vote - an all-time low for a winning party in Britain. That reflects an election in which the traditional party labels didn't quite capture the real divisions in the electorate. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: As Mark Steyn comments: "The defeat of Oona King, a black Jewish pro-war Labour MP, will mark an ominous development in British politics. Captain Ed: UPDATE: Mark Steyn live-blogged the elections, and gives us his spot-on analysis: "9.30am BST Yes, Labour's 60-65... Brian Micklethwait: Mark Steyn |
Damian Penny: Mark Steyn, meanwhile, live-blogged the election results: Making a big song and dance about the reduced majority - around 60-65 seats - is ridiculous. Pejman Yousefzadeh: A THIRD UPDATE: Quoth Mark Steyn: ". . . The word is that George Galloway is ahead in Bethnal and Bow Green. |
Terror Suspect Gets Bush Fundraiser Invite By / AP — Permalink HARTFORD, Conn. - A year after federal agents raided his home in a terrorism investigation, Muslim businessman Syed Maswood is lucky to get on an airplane without being detained and searched. But that didn't stop him from getting an invitation to dine with input type="hidden" name="c1" value=" | |
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Greg @TheTalentShow: GOP Woos Terrorist Suspect — They don't care who you are, they just want your money : "A year after federal agents... Cookie Jill: terror suspect receives bush fundraiser invite you just have to love the irony. |
Tarek @LiquidList: Support Islamic charities endorsed by the IRS AND donate cash to the Bush administration! |
Microsoft Reverses, Will Back Gay Rights By / AP — Permalink SEATTLE - After being criticized for quietly dropping support for a state gay rights bill, Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer told employees Friday that management would publicly back such legislation in the future. | |
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Tarek @LiquidList: It's Not Like All the Right Wingers Will Switch to Mac It's good news that Microsoft reversed its earlier decision and... |
Edward _: Among the criticism Microsoft had received for its withdrawal of support of the legislation was to have Lorri L. Jean,... |
FAQ: How Real ID will affect you By / CNET.com — Permalink What's all the fuss with the Real ID Act about? President Bush is expected to sign an $82 billion military spending bill soon that will, in part, create electronically readable, federally approved ID cards for Americans. What does that mean for me? | |
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Julian Sanchez: Real ID and Fake ID — Declan McCullagh has a great roundup over at CNET News on the Real ID Act, which passed in the... |
Glenn Reynolds: CNET HAS AN FAQ on the "Real ID Act." I'm skeptical that this will have significant anti-terrorist benefits. |
Memo disputes Bush Iraq claims Knight Ridder — Permalink WASHINGTON — A highly classified British memo, leaked during Britain's just-concluded election campaign, claims President Bush decided by summer 2002 to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and was determined to ensure that U.S. intelligence data supported his policy. | |
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Christy @ThinkProgress: According to recently leaked notes from a 6/23/02 meeting between Britain and President Bush, the chief of Britain's... Edward _: The Secret Memo and What It Means — The secret memo was first published by The Times in London on Sunday. |
Juan Cole: But people would know they had lied. Other commentary: Ray McGovern. Warren Strobel and John Walcott. |
The Same Old Saw On Social Security By / WaPo — Permalink Having lured the president out onto a far limb on Social Security, the Democrats have begun sawing. Democratic leaders immediately rejected the president's plan and stood up for all that is good and true and saintedly Rooseveltian — without, of course, offering any alternative. | |
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Matthew Yglesias: It's a rule Charles Krauthammer takes advantage of on a fairly regular basis: [snipped quote] For one thing, the Republican Party never did believe in Social Security. TheAnchoress: And Charles Krauthammer is sighing in tiredness as he tries to explain, once more, why the Democrats are playing games with Social Security, rather than serving the nation. |
Betsy Newmark: Charles Krauthammer is his usual precise and devastatingly intelligent self in looking at the dishonest campaign that... |
Voinovich yet to meet Bolton, air concerns By / Washington Times — Permalink Sen. George V. Voinovich, who two weeks ago shocked the Bush administration by suddenly delaying a vote on the nomination of John R. Bolton to United Nations ambassador, has not heeded White House calls to privately question the nominee about his concerns. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Meanwhile, feckless Ohio Sen. George Voinovich has yet to meet with Bolton and is instead gallivanting in Slovenia. |
Laura Rozen: Voinovich still in play? Or perhaps he really meant it about the kitchen test — he doesn't seem too anxious to meet with Bolton. |
More than the war Guardian — Permalink The Liberal Democrats had high hopes coming in to the election. Pre-polling day chatter had them riding strong discontent with both Tony Blair and the Tories to make strong popular vote gains and gain 15-30 new parliamentary seats. | |
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Jerome Armstrong: The Lib Dems electoral gains — Markos and I stayed up till 4 am his time in London chatting on IM as the UK returns... |
Kos @DailyKos: Next is a piece by yours truly trying to measure the Lib Dem's performance in this election. |
'Whore College' Offers Hands-On Training By / AP — Permalink SAN FRANCISCO - The 25 students in jeans and T-shirts could have been in any career that requires hustle. The classes, covering topics such as effective marketing, stress reduction and legal issues, could have been part of any professional development seminar. | |
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Ace: They just have very competitive intramural leagues. * This is a real college for whoring. |
Woundwort: I'm guessing that a person's GPA is not what is important at this school. |
Two Former Aides to DeLay Paved Way for Lobbyist's Deal LAT — Permalink SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands — Two former top aides of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's brokered a political deal here five years ago that helped land island government contracts worth $1.6 million for a Washington lobbyist now the target of a federal corruption probe. | |
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Pudentilla: tom delay - bringing serfdom to america, one bribe at a time — [snipped quote] we await with great anticipation the... |
Rich Lowry: ABRAMOFF, FORMER DELAY AIDES, AND SAIPAN — We'll be hearing more about this long investigative piece in the LA Times today... |