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The Editor's Desk Newsweek — Permalink May 23 issue - Did a report in NEWSWEEK set off a wave of deadly anti-American riots in Afghanistan? That's what numerous news accounts suggested last week as angry Afghans took to the streets to protest reports, linked to us, that U.S. interrogators had desecrated the Qur'an while interrogating Muslim terror suspects. | |
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Jeff Jarvis: Now Newsweek says, oops, nevermind, oh so sorry, it appears we could be wrong: Their source now isn't so sure he saw... Joe Gandelman: Newsweek Retracts Riot-Sparking Koran Story — Newsweek has now basically said "Never mind!" in what is essentially a... Jan Haugland: Newsweek has issued an editorial apologising for the error: Top administration officials have promised to continue looking into the charges, and so will we. |
McQ: Mark Whitaker of Newsweek now says the following: "Our original source later said he couldn't be certain about reading... Cori Dauber: Yet despite the fact that Isikoff wrote the original story, Thomas wrote the story detailing Newsweek's version of... Damian Penny: Now, after several deaths and untold damage to America's reputation in that relatively pro-American country, Newsweek says the story was wrong. |
| Also: Jeralyn Merritt, Tom @ScaredMonkeys, James Joyner, Captain Ed, Michelle Malkin, Marc @USSNeverdock, Scott @PowerLine, Charles Johnson, Pejman Yousefzadeh | |
Newsweek says erred in Koran desecration report By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newsweek magazine on Sunday said it erred in a May 9 report that said U.S. interrogators desecrated the Koran at Guantanamo Bay, and apologized to the victims of deadly Muslim protests sparked by the article. | |
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The Poorman: None Dare Call It Wanking — Glenn Reynolds, Senior Fellow in Torture Excusing at the Institute for Advanced Onanism, is outraged: [snipped quote] Ah-ha. Joe Gandelman: They could have still made the allegation and balanced it with the tidbit that Al Qaeda operatives are supposed to make allegations and perhaps have avoided this. Glenn Reynolds: GEE, THANKS GUYS: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newsweek magazine on Sunday said it may have erred in a May 9 report that said... |
Baldilocks: It turns out, however, that the incident was not verified, and that Newsweek is forced to tender an apology. Jeralyn Merritt: Newsweek now says its report that the officials at Guantanamo flushed a detainee's Koran down the toilet, which was... Acidman: the MSM lied, people died — I finished reading South Park Conservatives today, just in time to see this article. My, my, my. |
| Also: Clayton Cramer, Forkum, Lorie Byrd, Henry @CrookedTimber, Stephen | |
How a Fire Broke Out Newsweek — Permalink Shane T. McCoy / U.S. Navy-AP NEWSWEEK was not the first to report allegations of desecrating the Qur'an. As early as last spring and summer, similar reports from released detainees started surfacing in British and Russian news reports, and in the Arab... | |
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Juan Cole: Newsweek explains that in response to Pentagon queries, "On Saturday, Isikoff spoke to his original source, the senior... McQ: Evan Thomas, of Newsweek online says: [quote] The brief PERISCOPE item ("SouthCom Showdown") had reported on the expected...[end quote] Jan Haugland: Now, Newsweek has found out the whole report was based on a single anonymous source who is no longer sure what he... |
Betsy Newmark: So, far nine people have been killed in these riots. Except, oops. Newsweek is now backtracking on their source. Joe Gandelman: The magazine analyzes it a bit more here. To be sure, ask anyone who has worked in the news media knows the intoxicating feeling of being onto a good story. Tom @ScaredMonkeys: Here is the other whitewash article Newsweek did. |
| Also: James Joyner, Michelle Malkin, Charles Johnson, Roger L. Simon, Scott @PowerLine | |
Newsweek backs off Quran desecration story CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — Newsweek magazine backed away Sunday from a report that U.S. interrogators desecrated copies of the Quran while questioning prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay naval base — an account blamed for sparking violent riots in Afghanistan. | |
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RJ Eskow: so now the big story is that newsweek is retracting — kinda — its story about the desecration of the qu'ran during interrogations in afghanistan. Joe Gandelman: This combination of journalism plus reporters' ego becomes risky when the reporter's job is investigative journalism... |
Eriposte @LeftCoaster: So, Newsweek is backing off the story about the alleged Koran-flushing incident. Forkum: UPDATE: From CNN: Newsweek backs off Quran desecration story. |
Some Surprises in That Galaxy Far, Far Away By / NYT — Permalink CANNES, France, May 15 - With "Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," the "Star Wars" cycle at last comes to an end - or rather to a middle, since the second trilogy, of which this is the final installment, comes before the first in faraway-galaxy history even though it comes later in the history of American popular culture. | |
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John Podhoretz: ABUSING THE PRIVILEGE AT THE TIMES — "This is by far the best film in the more recent trilogy, and also the best of the four episodes Mr. Lucas has directed," Scott writes. Jonah Goldberg: NYT ON REVENGE OF THE SITH — The New York Times loved Revenge of the Sith and says it's the best one of the films Lucas directed (He didn't direct Empire). |
Gary Farber: THE FORCE IS WITH A.O. SCOTT and his review. Roger Ailes: This Is What Has John Pod Van Dumb's Double Wide Y-Fronts In A Knot — "This is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause." (link.) |
Dean rips DeLay at convention Boston Globe — Permalink Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Party, said yesterday that the US House majority leader, Tom DeLay, ''ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence," referring to allegations of unethical conduct against the Republican leader. | |
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Ezra Klein: Update: For the record, I mean something more like this: "Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Party, said... John @PowerLine: He Can't Help Himself — Howard Dean, Vermont's gift to the Republican Party, cut loose again in a speech earlier today... Taegan Goddard: Update: The Boston Globe has Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) condemning Dean's comments. Link | Related News |
Scott Elliott: Then, Howard Dean opens his mouth. Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: Hilzoy Hearts Barney Frank by hilzoy Barney Frank reminds me (yet again) why he's my favorite liberal of the... Jayson @PoliPundit: Napoleonic Complex — Is Howard Dean merely projecting some kind of mood disorder, or is the man literally insane? Sheesh. |
| Also: Josh Marshall, Michelle Malkin | |
As military realigns bases, the South wins Christian Science Monitor — Permalink RALEIGH, N.C. - During the past four base-closure rounds, success was a simple equation for military towns: Don't lose the base. With the release of the Pentagon's new list last Friday, however, it has become obvious that this year, for the first time, there... | |
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James Joyner: As military realigns bases, the South wins (CSM) "During the past four base-closure rounds, success was a simple equation for military towns: Don't lose the base. Orrin Judd: RISING AGAIN: As military realigns bases, the South wins (Mark Sappenfield and Patrik Jonsson, 5/16/05, CS Monitor)... |
Steve M.: (Based on U.S. government statistics available here (PDF); inspired by this article in The Christian Science Monitor.) |
Newsweek says Koran desecration report is wrong Reuters — Permalink Newsweek magazine said on Sunday it erred in a May 9 report that U.S. interrogators desecrated the Koran at Guantanamo Bay, and apologized to the victims of deadly Muslim protests sparked by the article. | |
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Wretchard: Not Good Enough — Newsweek says Koran desecration report is wrong Incendiary Koran claim may be false, editor admits... Echidne: We Are Sorry, So Sorry... The Newsweek magazine today said that maybe they erred in their reporting of the Koran desecrecation at Guantanamo Bay: [snipped quote] Um, ok? |
Bill @INDCJournal: Pithy, Honest — God, I hate Newsweek. It only grows and grows, my hatred, flourishing like an aggressive mycotoxic mold in the dark, damp crannies of my psyche. |
Blogging, as in Slogging By / NYT — Permalink "YOU should have a blog." Apparently I push my opinions on my friends rather aggressively, because I often hear this remark. Last week, I had my chance. | |
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McQ: You should have a blog .... David Greenberg writes a great piece for the NYT about blogging ...or in his case guest blogging. Dr. Frank: On Not Being able to Stand the Heat and Getting Out of the Kitchen — David Greenberg "subbed" for Daniel Drezner... Dr. Steven Taylor: Bloggers on Greenberg on Blogging — David Greenberg opines on his stint as guest-blogger at Drezner's place. |
Daniel Drezner: Furthermore, I see that David made the most of his experience by writing about his guest-blogging stint in the New York Times. Tom Maguire: Finally, historian David Greenberg recaps his apparently grueling week as a guest blogger for the vacationing (and tenure bound?!?) Jan Haugland: David Greenberg retells his ordeal being thrown to the blogosphere wolves. He now has quite a bit of respect for bloggers. |
| Also: Ann Althouse, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Glenn Reynolds, James Joyner, Marc @USSNeverdock, Orin Kerr | |
Dems' donkey no longer asset: Pros By / NY Daily News — Permalink Is the donkey out on its rump? In a bid to breathe life back into the Democratic Party, Esquire magazine commissioned three leading advertising agencies to come up with a new look for the so-called party of the common man. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: THANK GOD FOR INADVERTENT COMEDY — Read and laugh: [snipped quote] Best comment goes to Jonah Goldberg: "KARL ROVE CAN SLEEP LATE." Tom @ScaredMonkeys: I will take my fee in cash. Dems' donkey no longer asset: Pros Is the donkey out on its rump? |
Betsy Newmark: Some ad agencies are thinking of new slogans and pictures for the Democrats. The results are hilarious. Jonah Goldberg: KARL ROVE CAN SLEEP LATE — Ad agencies come up with some new slogans and logos for the Dems. |
Afghan clerics threaten Muslim holy war over Koran Reuters — Permalink FAIZABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A group of Afghan Muslim clerics threatened on Sunday to call for a holy war against the United States in three days unless it hands over military interrogators reported to have desecrated the Koran. | |
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McQ: UPDATE: It even gets better: "A group of Afghan Muslim clerics threatened on Sunday to call for a holy war against the... Forkum: Meanwhile, Reuters also reports (via YahooNews): Afghan clerics threaten Muslim holy war over Koran (Hat tip Little... |
Charles Johnson: The Jihad Newsweek Inspired — Afghan clerics threaten Muslim holy war over Koran. |
'They will burn in hell for what they have done to me' By / Telegraph — Permalink 'I'm self-sufficient now. I earn enough to support my family and I'm not dependent on benefits. "The pride in Sandy Mitchell's voice is unmistakable. Given what he has been through, it is also justified. | |
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Andrew Stuttaford: OUR SAUDI FRIENDS — Here, via the Sunday Telegraph is a little reminder of the true nature of the Saudi regime. Stephen Pollard: Our allies |
Roger L. Simon: This blog congratulates Sandy Mitchell... ... on the forthcoming birth of his second child. (hat tip: Peter UK) |
Priest Denies Gays' Supporters Communion By / AP — Permalink ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Roman Catholic priest denied communion to more than 100 people Sunday, saying they could not receive the sacrament because they wore rainbow-colored sashes to church to show support for gay Catholics. | |
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Echidne: And on this Sunday — Supporters of gays, lesbians and transgendered individuals did not receive Holy Communion at the... |
Richard TPD: Gays and their supporters denied communion — This is a sad story, but also one of inspiration, even heroism, on the... |
On the Beach With Dave Chappelle Time — Permalink In this week's TIME, Christopher John Farley reveals why Dave Chappelle decided to leave his hit show and what he's been up to since he disappeared to South Africa two weeks ago. Last Friday night, TIME Johannesburg bureau chief Simon Robinson met with the comic at uShaka Marine World on the beach in the South African port of Durban. | |
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James Joyner: On the Beach With Dave Chappelle — Dave Chappelle is in South Africa but is not on drugs or checked into a psychiatric ward, according to an interview with Time magazine. Evan Smith: Evan Smith: The Runaway Non-Bride — One of the great mysteries of the ages has been solved by our newsgathering sleuths: Doug Herzog = That Poor Schlub in Georgia. |
Ogged @Unfogged: We Are A Funny People — Dave Chappelle is a Muslim? I did not know that. Next, we convert The Editors. |
Bolton's sin is telling truth about system By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink Remember the tsunami? Big story, 300,000 dead; America and other rich countries too "stingy" in their response; government ministers from every capital on earth announcing on CNN every 10 minutes more and more millions and gazillions. | |
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Paul @PowerLine: The bull in the china shop or the cop in the brothel — Mark Steyn on the Bolton nomination. Robert Clayton Dean: Mark Steyn confirms that I was right not to waste my money (or rather, to give my money to the tranzis to waste). |
Jan Haugland: Then I go and read an article by Mark Steyn, and I just want to find his muse, kidnap her and keep her locked up in my... Betsy Newmark: Mark Steyn hits the nail on the head on why we need someone plain speaking at the United Nations. |
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan White House — Permalink The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everybody. I have nothing to begin with today, I will be glad to go to your questions. | |
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Plutonium Page: You'll find more information there. Finally, click here for the transcript of McClellan's May 13, 2005 press briefing. |
Arnold P. California: For those keeping score at home, your press corpse once again failed to ask Scott McClellan about the smoking memo at Friday's press briefing. |
Anger as US backs brutal regime Observer — Permalink Heated criticism was growing last night over 'double standards' by Washington over human rights, democracy and 'freedom' as fresh evidence emerged of just how brutally Uzbekistan, a US ally in the 'war on terror', put down Friday's unrest in the east of the country. | |
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Plutonium Page: Today's Guardian describes the reaction of human rights groups to the U.S. backing of the Uzbek regime: [snipped quote] Hypocrisy by the Bush administration? |
Arnold P. California: But when it comes to Karimov, even the State Department admits we're dealing with brutality and dictatorship of the... |
Race Is His Magic Shield By / LAT — Permalink In the absence of major policy differences between the candidates in this year's mayoral race, character has moved to center stage. The campaigns of Mayor James K. Hahn and his rival, Antonio Villaraigosa, are both out to prove who is more corrupt. | |
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Kevin Roderick: Also in the LAT, Steve Lopez goes cynical, Gregory Rodriguez says Villaraigosa's "ethnicity has shielded him from tough... |
Patterico: Also worth highlighting is a piece by Times contributing editor Gregory Rodriguez, titled Race Is His Magic Shield. |
Newsweek says may have erred in Koran report Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newsweek magazine on Sunday said it may have erred in a May 9 report that said U.S. interrogators desecrated the Koran at Guantanamo Bay, and apologized to victims of deadly violence sparked by the article. | |
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Ace: Newsweek Retracts Story Re: Defiling of Koran at Guantanamo — The story sparked a deadly riot. |
Jonah Goldberg: OOPS — Newsweek apologizes for getting the Koran in the toilet story wrong, sort of. |
Local group leads march against terror By / Washington Times — Permalink A local Islamic group led a rally in the District yesterday afternoon against terrorism, which organizers said was just the beginning of their crusade against extremists. | |
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Judith Weiss: Here's a report from the Washington Times. The Atonomist has lots of photos and a link to an interview with the founder of the group, Kamal Nawash. |
Norm Geras: (Via LFIQ.) Add-on 1: Zarqawi wounded. Add-on 2: A small rally in Washington DC of 'Muslims Against Terrorism'. |
Egypt facing judicial rebellion By / BBC — Permalink Judges in Egypt have refused to oversee September's presidential election unless new legislation is passed guaranteeing their independence. They also want assurances they will be allowed to oversee all stages of the electoral process. | |
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Charles Paul Freund: Egypt: Judicial Revolt — Here's an unexpected wrinkle in the continuing saga of Egyptian electoral reform: The BBC is reporting a "judicial rebellion" on the Nile. |
Glenn Reynolds: A "JUDICIAL REBELLION" in Egypt. |
Clark Criticizes Planned Base Closings By / AP — Permalink "/ Pentagon's plan to close military bases around the country and reorganize troops will isolate the military from the American people and the rest of the world. Clark said the plan to pull U.S. forces back home from abroad and centralize bases takes jobs away from smaller towns. | |
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Red @ScaredMonkeys: Al Gore? John Kerry? Jimmy Carter? No, its Wesley Clark criticizing Donald Rumsfeld's base closure list. |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Hollow Tree Falling in a Vacant Forest — I thought this guy's political 15 minutes already had expired. |
'Martyrs' In Iraq Mostly Saudis By / WaPo — Permalink Before Hadi bin Mubarak Qahtani exploded himself into an anonymous fireball, he was young and interested only in "fooling around." Like many Saudis, he was said to have experienced a religious awakening after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United... | |
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Charles Johnson: Saudi Arabia: Center of the Death Cult — Ladies and lizards (and lizards who are ladies) I give you ... our allies, the House of Saud: 'Martyrs' In Iraq Mostly Saudis. Damian Penny: America's "partner against terrorism" strikes again — Perhaps the least surprising story you'll read all day: most of... Dr. Steven Taylor: Iraqi Suicide Bombers Aren't Iraqis — Via WaPo: 'Martyrs' In Iraq Mostly Saudis "Who are the suicide bombers of Iraq? |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: JUAN COLE PROTESTETH TOO MUCH — In responding to this story, which notes the heavy Saudi presence among the jihadists in Iraq, Juan Cole makes the following statement: ". Jan Haugland: Our friends the Saudis — WaPo's Susan B. Glasser writes that most of the suicide bombers in Iraq are Saudi nationals. Cori Dauber: Guess Who's Coming to Visit — Try not to be shocked, but a Post article reports that most foreign jihadists blowing themselves up in Iraq are still Saudis. |
| Also: Juan Cole, Jeralyn Merritt, Orrin Judd | |
Iraq rebels 'flushed out by US' BBC — Permalink The US has said its forces have cleared an area in north-west Iraq of insurgents following a week-long operation codenamed Matador. The Americans said they had killed more than 125 rebels for the loss of nine of their own men, with 40 wounded. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: BBC destroying a town in order to save its spin — In western Iraq, Operation Matador has ended with 125 members of Al... James Joyner: (0825) More from BBC: Iraq rebels 'flushed out by US' "The US has said its forces have cleared an area in north-west... |
Marc @USSNeverdock: Iraq - BBC Blind From Baghdad — That's one reason their reporting in Iraq is so biased and full of errors. |
A Defection on the GOP Side By / WaPo — Permalink Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee heard yesterday that President Bush's choice to be ambassador to the United Nations was "arrogant" and "bullying." They heard that he "would have been fired had he worked for a major corporation." | |
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Brad DeLong: Dana Milbank on the Bolton Nomination — He writes: A Defection on the GOP Side: Lugar, as shepherd of Bolton's... |
Steve Clemons: Dana Milbank wrote about Senator Chafee during the most recent Foreign Relations Committee meeting on Bolton: "Sen... |
Uzbekistan on the brink as clashes spread Observer — Permalink The violence that has reportedly killed hundreds of protesters in eastern Uzbekistan appeared to be spreading to neighbouring towns last night, raising fears that the volatile Central Asian state could erupt into a full-scale revolution. | |
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Red @ScaredMonkeys: Violence in Uzbekistan (Part III) The violence continues in Uzbekistan as it spreads throughout neighboring towns. Arnold P. California: Freedom on the March — I don't know if the events in Uzbekistan are getting onto U.S. television. |
Plutonium Page: On Friday, troops opened fire on the protesters, killing hundreds; it is estimated that the death toll could be as high as 500 people. Cookie Jill: you are judged by the company you keep hmmmm...i just hope that awol doesn't think this might be a good idea to get rid of democrats. |
Major US Iraq offensive over: military Hindustan Times — Permalink The US military announced on Saturday the end of a vast operation targeting militants loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in western Iraq after a week of fierce fighting. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: "The city of Qaim lies destroyed," intones BBC's Fergal Parkinson over the close-up footage of a bombed-out house, an... |
Marc @USSNeverdock: UPDATE Chrenkoff has more including this: "The city of Qaim lies destroyed," intones BBC's Fergal Parkinson over the... |
History: Rethinking Washington By / Newsweek — Permalink May 23 issue - In the cold first weeks of the year, the commander in chief of the Continental Army was close to despair. George Washington is usually depicted as the most unflappable of the founders—tall, cool, courageous. | |
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John J. Miller: NEWSWEAK — It appears as though Newsweek has put George Washington on the cover of its new issue — you know, the guy who never told a lie. |
Taegan Goddard: An accompanying article by Jon Meacham notes that with this book — and Joseph Ellis's best-selling His Excellency of... |
Governor's ratings tank; grand jury probes hirings By / Chicago Tribune — Permalink Winds of change may have put Rod Blagojevich in the governor's office, but a steady buffeting of allegations over mismanagement and "pay to play" politics have soured a growing number of Illinois voters on the first-term Democrat, a new Tribune/WGN-TV poll shows. | |
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Alexander K. McClure: In a new poll for the Chicago Tribune, the Governor, Rod Blagojevich has a 35% job approval rating. |
Taegan Goddard: Blagojevich Ratings Tank — A "steady buffeting of allegations over mismanagement and 'pay to play' politics have soured... |
Trigger-happy US troops 'will keep us in Iraq for years' By / Telegraph — Permalink British defence chiefs have warned United States military commanders in Iraq to change their rules for opening fire or face becoming bogged down in a terrorist war for a decade or more. | |
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Steve Soto: And according to Sunday's Telegraph newspaper in Great Britain today, the British senior command tried to warn their... |
Juan Cole: The British officer corps is continuing in its efforts to convince the US military that its current rules of engagement... |
The Day After Peace: Designing Palestine By / NYT — Permalink HIS sense for Palestinians' nostalgia, for their attachment to the land, even for what their cities actually looked like - that would all come much later. On a Saturday in January last year, in his design studio in Santa Monica, Calif., all Doug Suisman had to... | |
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Charles Johnson: From the New York Times: The Day After Peace: Designing Palestine. (Hat tip: ted.) |
Orrin Judd: ARC OF THE COVENANT: The Day After Peace: Designing Palestine (JAMES BENNET, 5/15/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] It's a... |
Just How Gay Is the Right? By / NYT — Permalink THE screen's first official gay bar," as it was labeled by the film historian Vito Russo, appeared in the 1962 political potboiler "Advise and Consent. "Its most prominent visitor was a conservative United States senator. | |
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John @PowerLine: Today's is a classic: "Just How Gay is the Right?" . Avedon: Hottest link on the subject, of course, is Frank Rich's Just How Gay Is the Right? - a further exploration of the homophobic closet-queen phenomenon. Lambert @Corrente: [The 1950s] were the dark ages, but it isn't entirely progress that we now have a wider war on gay people, thinly... |
Tom Maguire: Frank Rich tips us to the news that all the decades-long blather about Roe v. Wade has been a diversionary smokescreen:... Ed Cone: You are — Frank Rich on the odd prevalence of closeted gays among the gay-bashers, along with a useful thumbnail history of anti-gay politics. |
Bomb-maker killed as US exploits ethnic rifts in al-Qa'eda By / Telegraph — Permalink A leading al-Qa'eda bomb-maker has been killed in a US missile strike as America and Pakistan exploit worsening ethnic rifts within the terror network. The death of Haitham al-Yemeni comes shortly after Pakistan captured Osama bin Laden's suspected third-in-command using intelligence from disaffected militants. | |
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McQ: UPDATE: The Telegraph (UK) is reporting that the strike came as a result of an apparent widening ethnic rift among the... |
Orrin Judd: EVER ETHNICITY: Bomb-maker killed as US exploits ethnic rifts in al-Qa'eda (Massoud Ansari in Karachi and Philip... |
Revealed: how an abortion puts the next baby at risk By / Telegraph — Permalink Having an abortion almost doubles a woman's risk of giving birth dangerously early in a later pregnancy, according to research that will provoke fresh debate over the most controversial of all medical procedures. | |
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Orrin Judd: GEE, IT SEEMS SO NATURAL...: Revealed: how an abortion puts the next baby at risk (Michael Day, 15/05/2005, Daily... |
K. J. Lopez: ABORTION & FUTURE PREGNANCIES — From the London Telegraph: "Having an abortion almost doubles a woman's risk of... |
Meet the Poor Republicans By / NYT — Permalink Last week the Pew Research Center came out with a study of the American electorate that crystallized something I've been sensing for a long time: rich people are boring, but poor people are interesting. | |
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Kevin Drum: INCOME MOBILITY...David Brooks writes about income mobility today: [snipped quote] Elsewhere in the New York Times we... Barbara O'Brien: Meet the Poor Schnooks davidbrooks.jpgBobo's latest effort, "Meet the Poor Republicans," looks at a recent Pew Research... Avedon Carol: Amusements — Watertiger reads The Cabbage so you won't have to. (Even shorter Brooks: Republicans easily hoodwinked.) |
Matthew Yglesias: Poor Republicans — David Brooks writes about downscale Republicans and how the GOP could cement its electoral position by being more attentive to the needs of these folks. Tom Maguire: David Brooks has a related column on the subject of America as the Land of Opportunity, as seen by"poor" Republicans, anyway. Armando @DailyKos: A Non-Attack on David Brooks — So Brooksie's new column is out and I could go after it in my usual style but I won't. |
| Also: Bill Hobbs, Orrin Judd | |
Newsweek sparks global riots with one paragraph on Koran By / Times of London — Permalink AT LEAST nine people were killed yesterday as a wave of anti-American demonstrations swept the Islamic world from the Gaza Strip to the Java Sea, sparked by a single paragraph in a magazine alleging that US military interrogators had desecrated the Koran. | |
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Patterico: Riots throughout the Muslim world resulted, and many died. The Newsweek piece was based on a single anonymous government source. Michelle Malkin: PEOPLE DIED. riot.jpg Demonstrators in Islamabad react to Newsweek's report of Koran desecration at Guantanamo Bay... Joe Gandelman: Afghan President Demands Strong U.S. Action On Koran Desecration — The LITERAL power of the press is now on display in... |
TheAnchoress: Sunday, 2:14PM An ANONYMOUSLY SOURCED remark is causing death and mayhem. Scott @PowerLine: Newsweek's nightmares — Yesterday's London Times reports on the rioting and deaths triggered by Michael Isikoff's... Roger L. Simon: What Newsweek Said — Blood continues to flow and riots abound across the Islamic world from an anonymously sourced... |
| Also: Libertarian Jackass | |
Class in America: Shadowy Lines That Still Divide NYT — Permalink There was a time when Americans thought they understood class. The upper crust vacationed in Europe and worshiped an Episcopal God. The middle class drove Ford Fairlanes, settled the San Fernando Valley and enlisted as company men. The working class belonged to the A.F.L. | |
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Ed Cone: Class and money — NYT begins a series on class in America. Matthew Yglesias: I'm glad someone decided to write about class in America — an important subject — but the Times's first take is just... |
Brad DeLong: Class, Status, Prada — Matthew Yglesias is unhappy with the New York Times: ... |
As Many as 200 Killed in Uzbekistan By / WaPo — Permalink MOSCOW, May 14 — Dozens of civilians were killed when Uzbek government troops opened fire on protesters, many but not all of them unarmed, in the eastern city of Andijan Friday evening. | |
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LeanLeft: Bloody Uzbekistan — Filed under: Politics Terrorism — Kevin Uzbekistan -ally of the United States - is gunning down protesters in the street. Red @ScaredMonkeys: Update: The Washington Post is also reporting: "Scores of civilians were killed when Uzbek troops opened fire on... Lindsay Beyerstein: Uzbekistan — Guest post: hilzoy From the CNN: [snipped quote] The demonstrations have reportedly spread to the nearby... |
Joe Gandelman: And, according to the Washington Post, as the U.S. expresses cautious support for the government of this... Gene @HarrysPlace: Monitoring Bush: the Uzbekistan test — It's hard to tell exactly what's going on in Uzbekistan, but so far it appears... Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: Uzbekistan — From CNN: [snipped quote] The demonstrations have reportedly spread to the nearby city of Ilyichevsk, where... |
Old Foes Soften to New Reactors By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 14 - Several of the nation's most prominent environmentalists have gone public with the message that nuclear power, long taboo among environmental advocates, should be reconsidered as a remedy for global warming. | |
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Nathan Newman: Nuclear Power as Corporate Welfare — There's a bit of emerging hype around some environmentalists expressing guarded... Orrin Judd: SCARED NUCLEAR: Old Foes Soften to New Reactors (FELICITY BARRINGER, 5/15/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] May as well use their global-warming hysteria against them while we can. Glenn Reynolds: THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS: [snipped quote] If you want to have a technological civilization, and not emit C02, nuclear power is pretty much the only way to go at the moment. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: On the other side, we have environmentalists who actually do think about current needs and have signed on to an... Tom Maguire: Nuclear Is Green, But Not Oily — The Times has a piece on the greening of nuclear power which ties well with their... Jonah Goldberg: THE OTHER NUCLEAR OPTION — Interesting piece in the Times today on the rift among Greens over nuclear power. |
The Mystery of the Insurgency By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON — American forces in Iraq have often been accused of being slow to apply hard lessons from Vietnam and elsewhere about how to fight an insurgency. Yet, it seems from the outside, no one has shrugged off the lessons of history more decisively than the insurgents themselves. | |
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Phillip Carter: James Bennet has an extremely interesting article in Sunday's New York Times Week in Review section on the nature of the... John @PowerLine: Several readers have pointed out James Bennet's article in today's New York Times on "The Mystery of the Insurgency." Orrin Judd: DEAD-END KIDS: The Mystery of the Insurgency (JAMES BENNET, 5/15/05, NY Times) [snipped quote] What strategy could they possibly have? |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: A STUPID INSURGENCY — This article points out that the insurgency in Iraq is behaving in moronic fashion:... Armando @DailyKos: Iraq: The Arrogance of "Experts" — In reading the New York Times today, I found a quote that, to me, exemplifies the... Attaturk: For those not watching Mummies... Let Swopa give you an early headstart on bashing James Bennet's rose-colored look at Chimptopia, aka Iraq. |
7 GOP Senators Key in Filibuster Fight By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Seven Republican senators will determine the outcome of a showdown this week between the president and Congress — and a minority within it — over who is going to shape the federal courts. | |
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DemFromCT @DailyKos: Yesterday, an AP article suggested the seven R non-committeds were: [snipped quote] Meanwhile, Josh Marshall adds a... Joe Gandelman: And now the question becomes: does the GOP have the votes to ban the filibuster for judicial nominees and overcome stiff Democratic resistance? Jeralyn Merritt: Filibuster Scorecard — ABC reports on the current numbers for each side in the filibuster war, and says that 7... |
Dr. Steven Taylor: The GOP 7 and the Looming Judicial Fight — As we approach the fight over procedure in the Senate, the AP reminds us... Chris Bowers: Frist Doesn't Have The Votes — For those not following this story closely, ABC provides a useful summary: ... |
Justice Dept. Enters Court Nominee Fight By / AP — Permalink May. 14, 2005 - The Justice Department is edging into the Senate controversy over judicial nominees, writing key lawmakers after Democratic Leader Harry Reid publicly referred to an FBI file on one of President Bush's controversial appointees. | |
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Jon Henke: The Best and Worst of the Blogosphere — You'll find it all here in this little progression: 1: Republicans catches Evil Lefty Senator Reid doing something Very Bad. Matt Singer: Bush Admin Still Trying to Push Story, Going Into Violate Separation of Powers Mode — Someone in the Bush... Bob Brigham: Bush Justice Department Smears Reid — Your tax dollars pay for an anonymous source in Bush's Justice Department...smearing the Democratic Leader. |
Captain Ed: Reid's Smear Raises Eyebrows At DoJ — The comments made on the Senate floor by Harry Reid about the information in the... Jeralyn Merritt: Desperate to catch another vote to kill the filibuster, hoping that if Reid is discredited, another Senator or two might... |
U.S. Calls Iraq Border Offensive a Success By / AP — Permalink OBEIDI, Iraq May 15, 2005 — The U.S. military wrapped up a major offensive in a remote desert region near the Syrian border Saturday, saying it had cleaned out the insurgent haven and killed more than 125 militants during the weeklong campaign against followers of Iraq's most wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. | |
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Andrew Olmsted: TOP TOPICS Operation Matador kicked off with massive airstrikes in the Qaim area and ended with a reported 125 dead... Jayson @PoliPundit: Border Control of the brass-knuckled, bullets-and-blades variety. |
James Joyner: U.S. Calls Iraq Border Offensive a Success (AP) "The U.S. military wrapped up a major offensive in a remote desert... |
UK film at Cannes says terror fears exaggerated By / Reuters — Permalink CANNES, France (Reuters) - A British documentary arguing U.S. neo-conservatives have exaggerated the terror threat is set to rock the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, the way "Fahrenheit 9/11" stirred emotions here a year ago. | |
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Joe Gandelman: New UK Film: Is It Michael Moore Revisited? by Joe Gandelman A new British film debuting at the Cannes Film Festival... Pessimist @LeftCoaster: Hard on the heels of Moore's wildly successful Fahrenheit 9/11 comes this: UK film at Cannes says terror fears exaggerated [snipped quote] I can't wait to see it! |
Arthur Chrenkoff: Exhibit 1: "A British documentary arguing U.S. neo-conservatives have exaggerated the terror threat is set to rock the... |
Mexico's Fox toughens talk on U.S. immigration law Reuters — Permalink MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Vicente Fox called recent U.S. measures to stem illegal immigration a step back for bilateral relations on Friday and said Mexican migrants do jobs "that not even blacks want to do." | |
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Joe Gandelman: Mexican President Puts Foot In Mouth On Immigration by Joe Gandelman Mexican President Vicente Fox was talking to some... Tom @ScaredMonkeys: Vincente Fox is Going to Really Annoy the NAACP today — I am going to let this one stand on itself. McQ: Paging Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton — This one is tailor made for that duo: "Mexican President Vicente Fox called... |
Mark Krikorian: CAN'T MAKE THIS UP: MORE FOX — Mexico's president Fox, speaking to visiting Texas businessmen Friday, praised illegal... Jan Haugland: Vicente Fox talks immigration — Mexico's Vicente Fox opens mouth, inserts his famous cowboy boots: In comments likely... Dr. Steven Taylor: Said Mexican President Vincente Fox: [snipped quote] Lovely. |
Honour and martyrdom By / Guardian — Permalink One of the most chilling aspects of the Iraqi conflict is that suicide bombings have now become a matter of everyday routine. During April there were 67, a new record. On Wednesday there were no less than five separate suicide attacks across Iraq, killing 71 people and injuring scores of people. | |
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Norm Geras: Bring out the Bunting — Madeleine Bunting, whose columns continue to slop across the opinion pages of the Guardian,... Harry @HarrysPlace: 'Western Sensibilities' — Norm responds to a truly awful column in yesterday's Guardian from Madeleine Bunting. |
Tim Dunlop: Dishourable discharge — A quick read of this article by Madeleine Bunting strikes me as an example of the sort of... Orrin Judd: HOMI, NOT SUI: Honour and martyrdom: Suicide bombing isn't as new or alien as westerners imagine (Madeleine Bunting, May... |
At Center of Senate Showdown, a Boxer Takes On a Surgeon NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 14 - In the end, the brutal public battle over judicial confirmations in the Senate comes down to two starkly different men. One is a wealthy surgeon still considered new to the Senate but with an eye on the White House, the other a former... | |
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Hugh Hewitt: From this morning's New York Times: "Mr. Reid has proposed compromises that would trade acceptance of some judges for... Lambert @Corrente: The quote of the day — From Rick "Man on Dog" Santorum: [snipped quote] Um, exactly what desires do you want to stop, Senator? |
Armando @DailyKos: The GOP Wants To Change The Rules? So Do It The Right Way Santorum sez: [snipped quote] Fine, Senator Dog on Man. Orrin Judd: BECAUSE, IF WE'RE HONEST AND IMPARTIAL, WE KNOW HE IS ONE: At Center of Senate Showdown, a Boxer Takes On a Surgeon... |
U.S. Ally Fires On Its People CBS News — Permalink (AP) Thousands of terrified Uzbeks waiting to flee across the border into Kyrgyzstan stormed government buildings, torched police cars and attacked border guards Saturday in a second day of violence spawned by an uprising against the iron-fisted rule of U.S.-allied President Islam Karimov. | |
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Joe Gandelman: And this: "Thousands of terrified Uzbeks waiting to flee across the border into Kyrgyzstan stormed government... Cookie Jill: u.s. ally fires on it's own people massacre in uzbekistan up to 500 protesters feared dead. |
Baldilocks: Or perhaps it's El Salvador; or Estonia. Or Mexico. Or India. Say what? Uzbekistan? Oh, okay. Charles Johnson: You're not going to believe their headline on a story about the Islamist riots in Uzbekistan: U.S. Ally Fires On Its People. |
Jurists Picked for Showdown on Filibuster By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown and a Texas judge were named Friday as the federal judicial nominees who will be considered by the Senate next week, a move expected to trigger a long-awaited showdown with Democrats. | |
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McQ: Forcing the Issue — And meanwhile in the Senate: "California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown and a Texas... Steve M.: I'm just pointing this out because when Bill Frist brings the nominations of Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown to... Pudentilla: drive for democracy update: [snipped quote] have you pledged to give $5 to the dnc the day frist pulls the trigger on the nuclear option? |
Dr. Steven Taylor: And, according to the LAT, the fight is coming this week: Jurists Picked for Showdown on Filibuster "California Supreme... Orrin Judd: FIRST SERVE THE PORK, THEN SERVE UP THE LAMBS: Jurists Picked for Showdown on Filibuster: Frist propels California and Texas justices to the center of the political brawl. |
Why the media is critical of Galloway Guardian — Permalink Roy Greenslade's famous talent for cool analysis deserted him in his apologia for George Galloway (No need for balance, May 13). He claims that Galloway is not being given a fair crack of the whip by the media. What nonsense. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Saddam, I salute your courage — A friend of this blog, eminent journalist and writer William Shawcross doesn't mince... Pejman Yousefzadeh: This is priceless and well-deserved: "Roy Greenslade's famous talent for cool analysis deserted him in his apologia for George Galloway (No need for balance, May 13). |
Oliver Kamm: Propagandists for tyranny — In a letter to The Guardian, the journalist William Shawcross writes aptly of the Galloway... |
Iraqis soldier on without power, water, jobs, sewers Times of London — Permalink THE invasion of Iraq and its aftermath caused the deaths of 24,000 Iraqis, including many children, according to the most detailed survey yet of postwar life in the country. The UN report paints a picture of modern Iraq brought close to collapse despite its oil wealth. | |
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Jim Lindgren: He criticizes the reporting of the Times of London: "Unfortunately, the Times reports the ILCS results like this Marc @USSNeverdock: Now, from The Times (UK) comes more proof. [snipped quote] Still terrible but since this report comes from the UN, I suspect the number is even lower. |
Ginny @ChicagoBoyz: This is from an article on the UN's analysis of Iraq, "Iraqis Soldier on Without Power, Water, Jobs, Sewers." |
The Missing Patriot Debate By / The Nation — Permalink The Patriot Act debate is on—sort of. Congress has until the end of the year to decide whether to reauthorize sixteen "sunsetted" provisions of the act that would otherwise expire on December 31. It is holding hearings, and even inviting civil liberties advocates to some of them. | |
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Norbizness: (3) So the Patriot Act imposes guilt by association, punishes speech, authorizes the use of secret evidence and allows... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Patriot Act Opponents to be Disappointed — Georgetown Law Professor David Cole, whom I consider to be a supreme expert... |
Bill Gates: Cellphone will beat iPod Reuters — Permalink FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Microsoft founder Bill Gates sees mobile phones overtaking MP3s as the top choice of portable music players, and views the raging popularity of Apple's iPod player as unsustainable, he told a German newspaper. | |
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Kos @DailyKos: But after a day, the Microsoft phone OS had eaten those. So I laughed when I read this. [snipped quote] That Windows Mobile smartphone sucks horribly. |
Glenn Reynolds: BILL GATES says that cellphones will kill the iPod. |
Bankroll Disparity Widens Sharply LAT — Permalink Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa has raised $2.3 million more than incumbent James K. Hahn in the mayoral runoff campaign, giving him a huge financial advantage as he makes his closing argument to Los Angeles voters this weekend. | |
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Kevin Roderick: • Villaraigosa's fundraising chest continues to swell, as money players smell a winner and want to get counted on the right side. |
Taegan Goddard: The challenger has raised $2.3 million more than the incumbent, "giving him a huge financial advantage as he makes his... |
Frist to Begin Floor Debate on Judges Next Week WaPo — Permalink Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) served notice yesterday that he will move next week to bring President Bush's judicial nominees to the full Senate for an up-or-down vote as lawmakers closed in on a last-minute compromise to end the conflict over judges. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: This seems to be a variation on the Washington Post's Shailagh Murray and Dana Milbank piece from Saturday which put... Dr. Steven Taylor: WaPo rightly calls all of this "brinksmanship"-it strikes me that since it is unclear that Frist has the votes, that he... Jeralyn Merritt: Reid to Dine at Frist's Home Sunday Night — The Washington Post reports Frist said Friday he will launch the nuclear... |
Lambert @Corrente: UPDATE According to WaPo, Frist and Reid are going to have dinner on Monday. Taegan Goddard: "Despite the brinkmanship," the Washington Post notes Frist and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "are... Cookie Jill: harry....do you have a food taster going with you to frist's? [snipped quote] don't drink the soup, harry, don't drink the soup. and don't even go near any kool-aid. |
Afghan president urges U.S. action over Koran By / Reuters — Permalink KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the United States on Saturday to prosecute and punish anyone found guilt of desecrating the Koran as anti-U.S. protests flared for a fifth day. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Details from Reuters: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the United States on Saturday to prosecute and punish anyone... |
Steve Soto: He is now calling on Bush to find out if the reports are true and to prosecute any offenders. It's too late Hamid. |
Wal-Mart To Apologize For Ad in Newspaper By / WaPo — Permalink Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said yesterday that it made a "terrible" mistake in approving a recent newspaper advertisement that equated a proposed Arizona zoning ordinance with Nazi book-burning. The full-page advertisement included a 1933 photo of people throwing books on a pyre at Berlin's Opernplatz. | |
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Amanda Marcotte: First I read that Wal-Mart ran ads suggesting that protecting your community and your local businesses from their... |
Echidne: To top it all, Wal-Mart recently used nazi imagery in an ad aimed at defeating an Arizona zoning ordinance: "Wal-Mart... |
Uzbek Unrest Spreads to Kyrgyz Border By / AP — Permalink ANDIJAN, Uzbekistan - Protesters overran government buildings Saturday in an Uzbekistan village on the border with Kyrgyzstan, torching police vehicles and beating border guards, a Kyrgyz official said. | |
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Red @ScaredMonkeys: As reported by the AP, thousands of Uzbeks fled for the border Saturday of neighboring Kyrgyzstan, seeking asylum. "but... |
Steve Soto: Phidipides in a comment thread below got the jump on me regarding the brewing problem in Uzbekistan, where George W... |
Marines advised to drop charges By / Washington Times — Permalink An investigating officer has recommended that the Marine Corps drop murder charges against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, who fatally shot two Iraqi insurgents a year ago during a raid on a hideout in the "Triangle of Death." | |
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Phillip Carter: Lt. Pantano The Washington Times reports that the Article 32 hearing officer assigned to the case of USMC 2nd Lt. Ilario... |
John @PowerLine: The charge against Lt. Pantano has now been investigated by Lt. Col. Mark Winn; Winn has filed a report of which Rowan Scarborough of the Washington Times obtained a copy. |
Sources: Key al Qaeda operative killed CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — A key al Qaeda operative was killed earlier this week in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, two knowledgeable sources told CNN Friday. They said a CIA-operated Predator drone aircraft fired a missile, killing Haithem al-Yemeni, whom U.S. intelligence had been tracking for some time. | |
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Red @ScaredMonkeys: See also Fox News Now take a look at how CNN feels the need to NEGATIVELY report on this same story. |
James Joyner: Sources: Key al Qaeda operative killed (CNN) [snipped quote] Like Hamas chief, this job is going to be increasingly hard... |
Election revives debate at Ivy school By / Boston Globe — Permalink The victory of two dark-horse candidates for Dartmouth College's board of trustees this week has revived a struggle over competing visions for the future of the small Ivy League campus. | |
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Scott @PowerLine: Contrast the vibrant tone of Currie's Standard column with the seasick feeling transmitted in Marcella Bombardieri's... |
Orrin Judd: WHAT BECOMES OF THE LEFTIST PROJECT IF ALUMNI HAVE A SAY...: Election revives debate at Ivy school: Competing visions at... |
It Is About Religious Belief By / WaPo — Permalink During his nationally televised press conference April 28, President Bush was asked about the Family Research Council's allegation that some of his judicial nominees have been filibustered because of their faith. | |
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Avedon Carol: A curious "faith" — The appalling Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council was actually given space in the WaPo... |
Steve Dillard: "It Is About Religious Belief": Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has an excellent piece in the Washington Post today. |