meme orandum
| A newfangled news tangle |
|
|
Two hurt in mock light sabre duel BBC — Permalink Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital after apparently trying to make light sabres by filling fluorescent light tubes with petrol. A man, aged 20, and a girl of 17 are believed to have been filming a mock duel when they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it. | |
|
Red @ScaredMonkeys: In what can only be described as a thinning of the herd, two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital... Smash: Stupid Geek Tricks — THE FORCE was not with these two morons: "Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in... Dale Franks: Above all, do not try to make lightsabers by filling fluorescent tubes with gasoline. Bad things will happen. |
TheAnchoress: Try to wrap your mind around this one: Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital after apparently... Sandy Frank: In another, two geniuses made imitation Star Wars light sabers by filling glass tubes with gasoline and lighting them. Joe Gandelman: Star War Fans' Mock Duel Turns Deadly — We know that Star Wars is a great movie, etc. and etc. and some people say... |
| Also: Rex Hammock, Gary Farber, Jonah Goldberg, Pejman Yousefzadeh | |
What A Social Security Deal Could Look Like Business Week — Permalink For months, the Social Security debate has been stuck in an endless round of recriminations between President George W. Bush and Capitol Hill Democrats. But with House and Senate committees ready to start drafting a Social Security overhaul in June, partisan whining is likely to wind down. | |
|
Josh Marshall: In Business Week , Howard Gleckman reports that behind the scenes Republicans and Democrats are moving toward a compromise on Social Security. Taegan Goddard: Business Week reports "a framework for an agreement is — surprisingly — beginning to take shape... insiders see a quiet consensus developing around Reform Lite." Orrin Judd: JUST THE CAMEL'S NOSE FOR NOW: What A Social Security Deal Could Look Like: Republicans, Democrats, and President Bush... |
Kos @DailyKos: But if those seven Democratic Senators turn around and make a deal on social security, expect all hell to break loose. Matthew Yglesias: Count me as very skeptical of Howard Gleckman's reporting in Business Week to the effect that there's an emerging deal on Social Security in the works. Stanley Kurtz: Meanwhile, Business Week says we're surprisingly close to a compromise on Social Security-and outlines the main features of a possible agreement. |
| Also: PGL | |
The caveat emperor By / Boston Globe — Permalink AT THIS POINT it comes as no surprise. John Kerry is releasing all his military records — but then again, he isn't. During an interview yesterday with Globe editorial writers and columnists, the former Democratic presidential nominee was asked if had signed Form SF 180, authorizing the Department of Defense to grant access to all his military records. | |
|
Tom Maguire: Kerry's Form 180 - Signed, Sealed, Not Delivered oFrom the Boston Globe we learn that John Kerry has signed the Form 180, and is now rummaging about for a postage stamp. Tom @ScaredMonkeys: Good Luck. "From Today's Boston Globe AT THIS POINT it comes as no surprise. John Kerry is releasing all his military records — but then again, he isn't. Michelle Malkin: KERRY SIGNS SF-180 FORM — During an interview yesterday with Boston Globe editorial writers and columnists, John Kerry said he signed Form SF 180. |
Betsy Newmark: Joan Vennochi of the Boston Globe does what it seems no reporter has done before - actually pin John Kerry down on signing the release papers for his military records. Kevin Aylward: Kerry Says He Signed Form SF-180 — In a humorously titled Op-ed piece The caveat emperor, Boston Globe columnist Joan... Captain Ed: Joan Vennochi reports in her Boston Globe column today that John Kerry has signed the SF-180 form that will release his entire military record. |
| Also: Taegan Goddard, Lorie Byrd | |
Congressman Slams Maher Over Army Remark By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) - A congressman says comedian Bill Maher's comment that the U.S. military has already recruited all the ''low-lying fruit'' is possibly treasonous and at least grounds to cancel the show. | |
|
Seth Greenland: Rep. Spencer Bachus (R. Ala.) has accused him of treason for pointing out in a colorful way (I loved the low-lying... Acidman: But I wouldn't call him a traitor. He's just a loud-mouthed jerk. I refuse to watch his television show anymore. Captain Ed: The Vanguard Of The New Comedy Comity — The Senate passed a cloture motion on the debate for Priscilla Owen's confirmation to the appellate court. |
ArchPundit: Alabama's Fine Congressman — "I think it borders on treason," Bachus said. Richard Bradley: Richard Bradley: Proving Yet Again that Alabama Needs Better Schools — So Spencer Bacchus, GOP congressman from Alabama, thinks that Bill Maher has committed treason? Glenn Reynolds: BILL MAHER CAN RELAX, because Rob Smith is defending him against charges of treason. |
| Also: Gary Farber | |
McClellan Backs Away from Claims that 'Newsweek' Story Cost Afghan Lives Editor and Publisher — Permalink NEW YORK At a White House press briefing Tuesday, Press Secretary Scott McClellan, pressed by reporters and with Afghan President Karzai in disagreement, retreated on claims that Newsweek's retracted story on Koran abuse cost lives in Afghanistan. | |
|
Steve Soto: And not only was Scott McClellan full of sh*t about his calls for Newsweek to educate the Islamic world about how caring... Faiz @ThinkProgress: McClellan's Double-Talk on Newsweek Catches Up To Him — Editor and Publisher catches Scott McClellan in his web of... |
Brendan Nyhan: McClellan disinformation watch — Via Atrios, here's Editor & Publisher on the latest nonsense from the White House... Atrios: Our Dear Scottie E&P: NEW YORK At a White House press briefing Monday, Press Secretary Scott McClellan, pressed by... |
Iraq Qaeda says Zarqawi wounded, urges prayers-Web Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's group in Iraq said on Tuesday its leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been wounded and urged Muslims to pray for him, according to a Web posting. | |
|
Roger L. Simon: Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda says Zarqawi himself is wounded. (ht: Soccer Dad) UPDATE: Now here's a terrific source from Iraq. (via Gerard) FrancoAlemán: I'D LIKE THIS to be true, of course, but I'm not going to believe it just because the savages themselves are saying it: [snipped quote] What can I say: Heh. Glenn Reynolds: AL QAEDA SAYS ZARQAWI IS WOUNDED, and asks for prayers. Is it unChristian to pray for gas gangrene? |
Ace: Pray For al-Zarqawi — Wounded, an Al Qaeda website says. Michelle Malkin: ZARQAWI RUMORS FLOATING — Lots of readers e-mailing about new reports that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is wounded and possibly dying. |
'NIGHTLINE' KOPPEL TO READ NAMES OF SERVICEMEN KILLED OVER LAST YEAR Drudge Report — Permalink One year since honoring the American service men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ted Koppel and ABC News "Nightline" will again pay tribute to the fallen by devoting an extended broadcast to reading the names and showing the photographs of more than 900 service members who have been killed in those countries over the last year. | |
|
Arthur Chrenkoff: From Drudge: [snipped quote] Make no mistake, tributes and remembrance of the ultimate sacrifice paid by the troops to... Praktike: Parody defied — Chrenkoff wants Nightline to showcase all of the American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who haven't been killed. |
Atrios: Treason Part Deux — Well, we can expect to be treated to another round of "acknowledging and honoring our fallen... |
Report: Al-Zarqawi is injured; group calls for prayers AP — Permalink CAIRO (AP) — Al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq, blamed for numerous terror attacks on U.S. and Iraqi targets, said Tuesday in an Internet posting that its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had been wounded and called on supporters to pray for his recovery. | |
|
Jan Haugland: Web site: Zarqawi injured — Al-ZarqawiAn Islamist website known for publishing al-Qaeda messages says that Abu Musab... Red @ScaredMonkeys: Sky News The terrorists even know how to spin a story. Jeralyn Merritt: Al-Zarqawi Injured? Al-Qaeda is reporting that Al-Zarqawi has been wounded. The U.S. has not been able to confirm. |
Joe Gandelman: The AP reports: "Al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq, blamed for numerous terror attacks on U.S. and Iraqi targets, said Tuesday... Norm Geras: Zarqawi wounded — The report I linked to last week here, that Zarqawi had been seriously wounded, has now been followed... |
'Hardball with Chris Matthews' Special Edition 9 p.m. ET MSNBC — Permalink CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Tonight, high drama as Senator McCain leads a big bipartisan deal to avoid a nuclear clash over the judicial filibuster. Let's play HARDBALL. Good evening, I'm Chris Matthews. I'm here with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the leaders of the dramatic events tonight. | |
|
Matthew Yglesias: Via Josh Marshall I see that Lindsey Graham was on Chris Matthews' show last night speculating that the 14 compromisers... Josh Marshall: And along those lines, see this passage from the Matthews show last night sent to me by TPM Reader DL ... [snipped quote] On this, redoubled effort. |
Taegan Goddard: Meanwhile, last night on Hardball, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) suggested the filibuster deal may foreshadow bipartisan agreement on other issues. PGL: One of them is Senator Lindsey Graham: "[Hardball's Chris] MATTHEWS: Social Security, do you think the president's plans for some kind of personal accounts has a better shot now? |
Text of Senate Compromise on Nominations of Judges NYT — Permalink Following is the text of the memorandum of understanding on judicial nominations: We respect the diligent, conscientious efforts, to date, rendered to the Senate by majority leader Frist and Democratic leader Reid. | |
|
Oliver @LiquidList: My main beef with the compromise - after a day of reading, discussing, and pondering - has less to do with the Three Loons that will now become judges. Judd @ThinkProgress: But that's not what the agreement says. Section IIB provides: "In light of the spirit and continuing commitments made in... Forkum: Extraordinary Circumstances — From The New York Times: Text of Senate Compromise on Nominations of Judges: "A. Future Nominations. |
Ann Althouse: I feel that I can't even really see what the true agreement is: what's going to count as "extraordinary" in the future? Avedon Carol: All it says is that if Democrats find judges so extreme that they filibuster, the Republicans will break the rules to... Joe Gandelman: UPDATE II: You can decide for YOURSELF it this is a solid agreement, weak agreement, favors the Demmies or the GOPers by reading the transcript here. |
| Also: Jeralyn Merritt | |
As Congress Weighs Stem Cell Bills, Bush Urges Restraint By / NYT — Permalink Hours before the House was to vote on federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, President Bush forcefully denounced the practice today, saying that despite the potential for medical breakthroughs, that the use of human embryos in the studies was too high a cost to pay. | |
|
Jeff Jarvis: Next comes an effort to find a middle ground on stem cell research — following the quite moderate opinions of Americans. Shawn @LiquidList: But how could I resist highlighting a gem like this? [snipped quote] Right on brother. |
Gary Farber: I CAN'T RECALL the last time the House of Representatives passed something I applauded, by this point. |
Dean: Blacks Annoyed by Party's Outreach By / AP — Permalink (05-24) 14:33 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) — Black voters are upset with the Democratic Party for coming around just weeks before elections seeking their votes, party chairman Howard Dean said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. | |
|
Betsy Newmark: Howard Dean apparently realizes that he should talk about something other than Tom DeLay's imminent imprisonment. Orrin Judd: NEXT TIME CAN I TAKE THE HELM BEFORE WE HIT THE ICEBERG: Dean: Blacks Annoyed by Party's Outreach (WILL LESTER, 5/24/05,... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Political Cognitive Dissonance — So, with this report, you have the Associated Depressed outlining the latest ravings by Howard ("where did all that money go?") |
Newspaper union leader: U.S. military targets journalists By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink A public statement by Newspaper Guild President Linda Foley is reviving questions about the intentional targeting of journalists in Iraq by the U.S. armed forces. At a May 13 meeting in St. Louis, Foley said: "Journalists, by the way, are not just being targeted verbally or politically. | |
|
Glenn Reynolds: EASONGATE II CONTINUES, with this observation: [snipped quote] Ouch. |
Rick Brookhiser: EASON JORDAN, ROUND II — Newspaper union leader: U.S. military targets journalists |
G.O.P. Senator Sends Letter to Colleagues Opposing Bolton By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 24 - The Ohio Republican whose opposition to John R. Bolton as United Nations ambassador nearly stalled his nomination in committee took a new swipe at him today, circulating a letter urging colleagues to vote against Mr. Bolton when his name reaches the Senate floor, possibly this week. | |
|
Pessimist @LeftCoaster: In doing so, he's put himself on the record - and in the crosshairs: G.O.P. Senator Sends Letter to Colleagues Opposing... |
Steve Clemons: Jehl's article begins: [snipped quote] Senator Frist has "hotlined" the Bolton nomination, calling for a vote with 40 hours of debate — 20 hours for each side. |
Iraq Qaeda says Zarqawi wounded, vows more attacks By / Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's group in Iraq said on Tuesday its leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been wounded but that would only serve as an inspiration to step up its attacks against "the enemy of God." Its authenticity could not be verified. | |
|
Jan Haugland: PS: Reuters adds that this online group has not made such an annoucement before: It was the first such statement by the... Red @ScaredMonkeys: According to an Al Qaeda's group in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been wounded and urged Muslims to pray for him. |
Kevin Aylward: Athena, at Terrorism Unveiled, notes a new message on a terrorist-allied web site urging Muslim's pray for Abu Musab... |
Breakthrough Pact Unlikely To End Battle By / WaPo — Permalink In a dramatic break with the ideological warfare that has defined the politics of Washington for much of the past decade, the center held firm in the Senate last night, as a bipartisan group of senators unexpectedly signed a compromise that yanked the institution back from a historic clash over judicial nominations. | |
|
Sam Rosenfeld: (Dan Balz probably takes the cake for penning the most insufferable of such hortatory pieces, reaching self-parodic levels of exaltation in his analysis for The Washington Post.) Michael Signer: It must have been scary for them, actually — each is worried about bucking the fundamentalist wings of their respective... Captain Ed: Even the one major daily whose editorial board lavished praise on the centrists reports in its front-page analysis that... |
Barbara O'Brien: So to speak. Dan Balz writes in the Washington Post: "The deal brings mixed results for President Bush. McQ: Non-nuclear fallout — Dan Balz of the Washington Post provides a succinct summary of the result of last night's Senate... Taegan Goddard: A Washington Post analysis makes the same point: "No one can say with certainty whether the deal will stick,... |
| Also: Steve Soto, Orrin Judd, Cernig, Jeralyn Merritt, K. J. Lopez | |
Arabs in Foreign Lands Foreign Policy — Permalink What the success of Arab Americans tells us about Europe, the Middle East, and the power of culture. People of Arab descent living in the United States are doing far better than the average American. | |
|
Daniel Drezner: Arabs at home and abroad — In Foreign Policy, Moises Naim makes an interesting point about Arab Americans: "People of... Glenn Reynolds: ARABS ARE DOING MUCH BETTER IN AMERICA than anywhere else. |
Judith Weiss: UPDATE: An email to Andy McCarthy: [snipped quote] RELATED: Several of the speakers at this rally pointed out that the US... |
The No-Nuke Deal The Nation — Permalink The Senate will not be nuked. As the doomsday clock ticked down, seven so-called moderates from each party concocted a deal that was more of a win for the Republicans than the Democrats. | |
|
David Corn: He starts by noting that I had written that social con James Dobson decried the no-nuke compromise in the Senate as a... |
Chris Meserole: Chris Meserole: From David Corn's Nation editorial: Social conservative leader James Dobson decried the compromise as a loss for the Republicans. |
Efforts of 2 Respected Elders Bring Senate Back From Brink By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 23 - In the end, it was the language of the Constitution itself and two old bulls of the Senate - Robert C. Byrd and John W. Warner - that averted a grim showdown over federal judicial nominees that had threatened to wreak lasting damage on Capitol Hill. | |
|
Jeffrey Dubner: And barring a surprise decision by the moderates to start proposing nominees to the White House (thus getting the... |
Orrin Judd: Efforts of 2 Respected Elders Bring Senate Back From Brink (SHERYL GAY STOLBERG, 5/24/05, NY Times) "In the end, it... |
Militant leader Zarqawi wounded in Iraq - Web By / Reuters — Permalink BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq and one of Washington's most wanted men, has been wounded, a web posting said on Tuesday in an announcement that could mark a breakthrough against the two-year insurgency. | |
|
Dr. Steven Taylor: May it Be So — Militant leader Zarqawi wounded in Iraq |
Commissar: Terrorist Website: al-Zarqawi Wounded — [snipped quote] I'll pray for him. ... Of course, I needn't say what I'd pray for him. |
Study: Journos, Public Hold Divergent Views on Media By / Editor and Publisher — Permalink NEW YORK A major survey released Tuesday by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that the public and working journalists have sharply different views about press freedom, bias in news, and journalists' rights. | |
|
Brendan Nyhan: Polling on non-"objective" journalism — Steve Lovelady at CJR Daily reports on an Annenberg Public Policy Center poll... |
Jim Romenesko: Journos, public have different views on press freedom, bias — Editor & Publisher | Annenberg Public Policy Center... |
Setback for China, Japan relations CNN — Permalink BEIJING, China — Relations between China and Japan appear to have suffered another setback following the surprise cancellation of a top-level meeting between political leaders. | |
|
Smash: More on the Japanese reaction, from CNN: [quote] Some Japanese officials are now calling for a "fuller explanation" of the...[end quote] |
Robert Tagorda: It's touching on cultural sensibilities: Setback for China, Japan Relations (CNN) "This message was reinforced later by China's Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang. |
RUDY & THE RIGHT New York Post — Permalink SOMETHING very interesting happened on Friday in Baltimore: Rudy Giuliani showed up and got a standing ovation. Now that doesn't sound surprising, given the wild popularity of the former New York mayor across the country. | |
|
Jeff Jarvis: The majority of Americans, according to this poll, favor choice in abortions but compromise is rising there as the... Orrin Judd: COME TO JESUS TIME (via Daniel Merriman): RUDY & THE RIGHT (JOHN PODHORTEZ, 5/24/05, NY Post) [snipped quote] No one has... |
John Derbyshire: (2) John Pod says Rudy can square the social-conservative circle if he wants to run: "Such a shift in position needs to... |
A Last-Minute Deal on Judicial Nominees WaPo — Permalink Fourteen Republican and Democratic senators broke with their party leaders last night to avert a showdown vote over judicial nominees, agreeing to votes on some of President Bush's nominees while preserving the right to filibuster others in "extraordinary circumstances." | |
|
Patrick Ruffini: An Unprincipled, Backroom Deal — The Deal is one of those Washington occurences that's almost impossible to spin in left-right terms. Betsy Newmark: This deal in the Senate to avoid a showdown on filibusters demonstrates the real weakness of both party leaders. Steve Soto: So with that as a backdrop and with many of your reasoned comments notwithstanding, let me offer a contrary position to many of you on the "deal" tonight. |
Judd @ThinkProgress: BREAKING: Ignoring Deal, Frist to File for Cloture on Myers — In the deal struck yesterday evening, negotiators agreed... John Podhoretz: And that's basically what Mike DeWine of Ohio, one of the GOP signatories, said last night to the Washington Post:... Pessimist @LeftCoaster: I Hate To Say I Told You So, ... BREAKING: Ignoring Deal, Frist to File for Cloture on Myers "In the deal struck... |
| Also: David Allan Pell | |
President Discusses Embryo Adoption and Ethical Stem Cell Research White House — Permalink THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Good afternoon, and welcome to the White House. I have just met with 21 remarkable families. Each of them has answered the call to ensure that our society's most vulnerable members are protected and defended at every stage of life. | |
|
Ronald Bailey: In moral grandstanding earlier today, President Bush threatened to exercise his first veto over this legislation. |
K. J. Lopez: "THESE LIVES ARE NOT RAW MATERIAL TO BE EXPLOITED" — The president met with 21 families in the Rose Garden a few... |
Confessions of a Former Islamist By / Front Page Magazine — Permalink I grew up in Giza, Egypt. My father was a building contractor and was involved in Islamic activities. He was the chairman of one of the local Islamic associations and was responsible for making the call for prayer. He also gave Islamic lessons and at times spoke at the mosque on Friday. | |
|
Vox Day: Seducing for the faith — From FrontPage magazine: [snipped quote] My initial thought is that if Muslims are able to so... |
La Shawn Barber: Confessions of a Former Islamist — Unlike stories of "Christians" who murder child killers "in the name of Jesus," this... |
Syria Stops Cooperating With U.S. Forces and C.I.A. NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 23 - Syria has halted military and intelligence cooperation with the United States, its ambassador to Washington said in an interview, in a sign of growing strains between the two nations over the insurgency in Iraq. | |
|
Charles Johnson: Syria Stops Cooperating With U.S. Forces and CIA. Praktike: This is hardly the first time that the regime has come after Al Bunni, although they let him out of jail last year... |
Charles Paul Freund: Syria has also cut whatever ties remain with the U.S. military and with U.S. intelligence. |
Death by a Thousand Blogs By / NYT — Permalink The Chinese Communist Party survived a brutal civil war with the Nationalists, battles with American forces in Korea and massive pro-democracy demonstrations at Tiananmen Square. But now it may finally have met its match - the Internet. Forum: Nicholas D. Kristof's Columns | |
|
Jan Haugland: Kristof: Blogs are great, in China — Nicholas Kristof is optimistic that the Internet will succeed in overturning the Communist Party in China. Ed Cone: China syndrome — Kristof says there are four million blogs in China: "Some 100 million Chinese now surf the Web, and e-mail and Web chat rooms are ubiquitous." Richard TPD: Kristof on blogs in China — A must-read. |
Jesse Taylor: Kristof's article deserves a read, but only if you can keep your blog penis in your pants long enough to understand that... Matthew Yglesias: Blogs and China — Nick Kristof writes about how improving information technology — email, blogs, etc. — are helping... K. J. Lopez: DEATH BY BLOGS — Kristof: "The Chinese Communist Party survived a brutal civil war with the Nationalists, battles with... |
| Also: Ann Althouse, Glenn Reynolds, Orin Kerr | |
Business Groups Tire of GOP Focus On Social Issues WaPo — Permalink John M. Engler, the former Republican governor of Michigan who now heads the National Association of Manufacturers, vowed before the November elections to use his trade association's might to back President Bush's judicial nominees. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: The GOP May Be Facing Business Backlash — The GOP may have a new worry: signs business groups may be feeling ignored as... Helena Montana: Not only will the American public find you unappealing, but we're likely to see more stories like this one: Business Groups Tire of GOP Focus On Social Issues. Shawn @LiquidList: If Bush vetoes it, as the Post notes today, perhaps big business will start to realize their friends are a little crazy. |
Pessimist @LeftCoaster: Business Groups Tire of GOP Focus On Social Issues [snipped quote] And they are getting tired of waiting for their needs to be met. Gary Farber: The big tent frays: "John M. Engler, the former Republican governor of Michigan who now heads the National Association... David Sirota: It also may split open a divide between the economic fat cats and the religious right that make up the GOP base. |
| Also: Think Progress Team, Steve Clemons | |
What Women Want By / NYT — Permalink Suppose you could eliminate the factors often blamed for the shortage of women in high-paying jobs. Suppose that promotions and raises did not depend on pleasing sexist male bosses or putting in long nights and weekends away from home. Would women make as much as men? | |
|
Liesa @LeftInTheWest: Logical "Phallacy" in the NY Times — This bizarre attempt to argue that it's due to BIOLOGY that women earn an average... Ann Althouse: A typical example. |
Jesse Taylor: I Don't Want To Add Your Damn Numbers — You know, I'd be a lot more receptive to this John Tierney article if I didn't... |
Democrats' United Front on Social Security Shows Some Cracks Bloomberg — Permalink May 23 (Bloomberg) — The Democratic Party is unified in its opposition to President George W. Bush's plan to create private Social Security accounts from payroll taxes. It's not so united over what, if anything, it wants instead. | |
|
Taegan Goddard: "The Democratic Party is unified in its opposition to President Bush's plan to create private Social Security accounts from payroll taxes," Bloomberg notes. |
Stanley Kurtz: Have a look at this excellent report from Bloomberg on the Democrats' political dilemma on Social Security. |
The Center Holds WaPo — Permalink THERE IS NO guarantee that the cease-fire in the judicial nominating wars negotiated by 14 U.S. senators and announced last night will stick. How could there be? But the agreement by seven Republicans and seven Democrats, with Virginia's John W. Warner (R) playing a leading role, nonetheless is a great achievement. | |
|
Yuval Rubinstein: Beware the Senate Democratic Moderates — One of the more predictable tropes reverberating through the MSM is that last... Captain Ed: The Washington Post treats the centrist minority as conquering heroes: "It is a demonstration, in an era of increasingly... |
Dale Franks: That paragon of DC establishment thought, the Washington Post, on the other hand, thinks it's just peachy. |
Senate expected to vote on judicial nominee CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — With a bipartisan agreement reached on filibusters, the Senate is expected to vote on the long-delayed nomination of Judge Priscilla Owen as early as Tuesday. | |
|
Daniel Drezner: However, now that it's apparently been settled, I am amused to see the gnashing of teeth on both sides of the aisle. |
Michael Signer: Senator John Warner — my Senator — was instrumental in the victory, and his words contain everything: "What would happen to the Senate if the nuclear option was done?" |
Cowboys and Indians By / NYT — Permalink I think that this could still fail. "Those words - uttered by a senior American officer in Baghdad last week - probably gave opponents of the war in Iraq, particularly those clamoring for a hasty exit, a bit of a kick. They should be careful what they wish for. | |
|
Tim Dunlop: In today's paper we find him coming over all Ted Kennedy: [snipped quote] This latest piece presents two running themes... Tacitus: His latest on Iraq is worth reading, both as a cautionary piece, and for the questions it raises but does not address:... |
Andrew Sullivan: This is the key point: [snipped quote] We are fighting a global war with the manpower for a minor spat. Technology can only do so much. |
Alas, a Nuclear Freeze LAT — Permalink Even more so than usual, the halls of the Capitol were filled with self-congratulation Monday. With their compromise preserving the filibuster, Republicans and Democrats alike were able to stand before the microphones and declare victory for the republic, the Constitution, the Senate and, indeed, democracy itself. | |
|
Dale Franks: Notes on the Filibuster Deal — Reaction is mixed. The editors of the Los Angeles Times don't like it. Captain Ed: Another of the triumvirate, the Los Angeles Times, scorns the deal and scolds the fourteen for not only blocking the... |
Patterico: UPDATE: It should be noted that the paper's editorial page has, for the most part, been on the correct side of this controversy — and today is no exception. |
7 Republicans abandon GOP on filibuster By / Washington Times — Permalink Seven Senate Republicans bolted from their leaders last night and dropped their support for the "nuclear option" in exchange for seven Democrats' abandoning filibusters against three of President Bush's judicial nominees. | |
|
John @PowerLine: The headline in the Washington Times gets it right: "7 Republicans Abandon GOP on Filibuster". We will revisit this issue, and soon. Nick Gillespie: Whole thing here. |
Yuval Rubinstein: Check out the headline from today's Washington Times in an article by Charles Hurt (the same hatchetman who wrote a... |
Stem-Sold By / American Prospect — Permalink Reacting in part to scientific advances in South Korea, President George W. Bush last week issued the first-ever veto threat of his presidency. If a bipartisan bill aimed at making available federal funding for stem-cell research — and co-sponsored by Representatives Mike Castle (R-DE) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) — passes Congress, Bush will refuse to sign. | |
|
Jesse Taylor: Oh-We-Oh-We-Oh, Veeeeeto — Just a note to Matt: Bush has made veto threats before, it's just that he never ever does... |
Matthew Yglesias: Stem Cells — New column from me on what an incoherent mess the White House position on stem cells is. |
Standing alone against Apple By / Boston Globe — Permalink Where is the outrage? Apple Computer sued 19-year-old journalist Nicholas Ciarelli in January for disclosing trade secrets on his Apple news website Think Secret. | |
|
Virginia Postrel: In the Boston Globe, Alex Beam calls out journalists and First Amendment advocates for their tepid—or... |
Jim Romenesko: Additional items for May 24, 2005 > BP demands its print ads be pulled when negative stories run (AdAge) > Where's the outrage over Apple's suit against teen journo Ciarelli? |
GOP Urges Quick Judicial Confirmations By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — With a crisis over the Senate's future averted, Republican leaders pushed Tuesday for quick confirmation of an embattled Texas judge and others blocked by Democrats because of their conservative leanings. "It's about time," President Bush declared. | |
|
John Cole: The Filibuster Lives — It looks like a some level-headed centrists managed to forge a coalition and end the nonsense... |
Smash: Filibuster Compromise — FOURTEEN SENATORS have drafted a compromise agreement to avoid a showdown over judicial filibusters, AP reports. |
Report urges troops sent to border By / Washington Times — Permalink The deployment of 36,000 National Guard troops or state militia on the U.S. -Mexico border would stop the illegal flow of foreigners into America, says a congressional report that credits the Minuteman Project with proving that additional manpower could "dramatically reduce if not virtually eliminate" illegal immigration. | |
|
Randall Parker: Congressional Group Proposes National Guard Deployment On Mexican Border — According to Jerry Seper a new report... |
La Shawn Barber: 36,000 Troops — From the Washington Times: "The deployment of 36,000 National Guard troops or state militia on the U.S. |
Dobson Blasts Filibuster 'Betrayal' U.S. Newswire — Permalink COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 23 /U.S. Newswire/ — Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James C. Dobson today issued the following statement, upon the announcement by members of the U.S. Senate that a "compromise" had been reached on the filibuster issue: | |
|
Chris Meserole: From Dobson's statement: This Senate agreement represents a complete bailout and betrayal by a cabal of Republicans and... McQ: And as an added bonus for the Dems: "Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James C. Dobson today issued the following... Ezra Klein: Plus, anything that makes James Dobson this angry is bound to leave me pleased: "This Senate agreement represents a... |
Sam Rosenfeld: Judging by James Dobson's post-deal statement, which goes out of its way to commend Frist's efforts, that's not going to happen. Steve Bainbridge: More on The Filibuster Deal — Lots of my fellow conservatives are seriously exercised by the compromise reached by the... Cernig: James Dobson is already proving my point that the extreme wings of both parties will be happy to beat the war drums on the subject until that day. |
| Also: Joe Gandelman, Tbogg, Byron LaMasters, Josh Marshall | |
Eurovision harmony dies a death By / Telegraph — Permalink The Eurovision Song Contest is not always a reliable guide to the broader political currents coursing through the Continent. One recalls the 1990 finals in Zagreb, when the charming hostess, Helga Vlahovic, presented her own fair country as the perfect Eurometaphor: "Yugoslavia is very much like an orchestra," she cooed. | |
|
Peter Burnet: EVERYWHERE WE LOOK WE SEE MADAME DEFARGES — Eurovision harmony dies a death (Mark Steyn, The Telegraph, May 24th, 2005)... |
Arthur Chrenkoff: Eurovision and Euroblindness — Mark Steyn, as always brilliant, on Eurodemocracy, a topic I''ve been touching upon... |
A Center Forms to Outflank Left, Right LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Monday's last-ditch compromise on confirming federal judges was a striking reassertion of the power of the political center in a bitterly polarized environment, pulling the Senate back from the brink of a crisis that threatened to paralyze the institution and dramatically change its character. | |
|
Patterico: It's titled A Center Forms to Outflank Left, Right, and it begins: Monday's last-ditch compromise on confirming... Ken Masugi: One possible redeeming element (Hook and Brownstein, LAT): But the compromise — a middle ground between Republicans who... |
Chris Nolan: The LATimes has a good piece on the landscape created by the Senate Filibuster deal pointing out that a new moderate middle could be beginning to swing its weight. Laura Rozen: How does the Senate deal affect the Bolton nomination? Steve Clemons reports on several developments, including the Democratic Caucus discussion on Bolton today. |
Bipartisan Agreement in Senate Averts a Showdown on Judges By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 23 - A bipartisan group of 14 senators struck a last-second agreement on Monday that defused - at least for now - a potentially explosive parliamentary showdown over eliminating Senate filibusters against judicial nominees. | |
|
Joshua Zeitz: In return, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist agrees to preserve the filibuster, though he reserves the right to... Oliver @LiquidList: Politics: Sweetness, You're Our Weakness — What the compromise looks like to me: Three horrible people will now be... |
Gerry @DalyThoughts: And the New York Times is reporting that an unwritten agreement that is part of the deal is that Kavanaugh and Haynes... Matt Singer: Frist Loses 7 Votes, Nuclear Option Dead — In what James Dobson is calling a "betrayal" by Republicans and "a great... |
In Rare Threat, Bush Vows Veto of Stem Cell Bill By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 20 - Setting up a showdown with the Republican-controlled Congress over the thorny issue of embryonic stem cell research, President Bush vowed Friday to veto a measure, now pending in the House, that would expand federal financing for the studies - an extremely rare personal threat from a president who has never exercised his veto power. | |
|
Faiz @ThinkProgress: If Bush vetoes federal funding of embryonic stem cell research as he has pledged, he and other right-wingers should at... Tom Maguire: Castle (R) and DeGette (D), loosens Federal restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research; Bush has said he will veto it. |
Chris Mooney: Wussy Media Coverage of Stem Cell Research — Here are two editorials (link, link) and two news articles (link, link)... |
Senators compromise on filibusters CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — A bipartisan group of senators reached an agreement after days of talks to avert a showdown Tuesday over President Bush's judicial nominees, Sen. John McCain announced Monday evening. | |
|
Gerry @DalyThoughts: CNN: [snipped quote] So who won? At first blush, the deal looks horrible for the Republicans. Max B. Sawicky: THE NEUTRON BOMB OPTION — It's late for me and not all the cylinders are firing, but from what I can see this Senate deal looks like a giant steaming pile of monkey crap. Kevin Drum: A bipartisan group of 14 senators has agreed to a last-minute compromise that will avert Bill Frist's attempt to end... |
Steve Clemons: Bolton Nomination Back in Uncertain Territory Surprisingly, the filibuster showdown over President Bush's judicial nominations has been averted. Captain Ed: Deconstructing The Deal — Based on reaction around the Internet, it appears that everyone except for the Senate and the... Tom @ScaredMonkeys: More from CNN. "McCain is up saying absolutely nothing, they essentially are saying that they have an agreement, but they are giving out no information. |
| Also: Forkum, Jack Cluth | |
At least 8,000 treasures looted from Iraq museum still untraced By / Independent — Permalink Evidence of how quickly and irretrievably a country can be stripped of its cultural heritage came with the Iraq war in 2003. The latest figures, presented to the art crime conference yesterday by John Curtis of the British Museum, suggested that half of the 40 iconic items from the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad still had not been retrieved. | |
|
Cori Dauber: Out of the Blue — Here's an article (via Memeorandum) that counts artefacts stolen from the Iraqi Museum in the thousands. Atrios: And all the right wing bloggers kept telling me this was all a myth! |
Juan Cole: 8,000 Antiquities Still Missing from Iraq — The Independent summarizes a paper given by John Curtis of the British... |
Stakes Still High After Senate Makes Deal By / AP — Permalink (05-23) 18:52 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) — An eleventh-hour deal did little to diminish the political implications of the Senate's up-to-the-brink confrontation over President Bush's judicial nominations. | |
|
Michelle Malkin: Mitch Berg's open letter to Sen. Bill Frist: "You suck" *** Let the MSM drooling over the "maverick" moderates... |
Joe Gandelman: But Ron Forrnier, AP Political Writer, notes that the stakes are still high: "An eleventh-hour deal did little to... |
Gary Bauer Calls Senate Judicial Deal a 'Sell Out' U.S. Newswire — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 23 /U.S. Newswire/ — Former Presidential Candidate Gary Bauer issued the following statement late Monday as news of the "travesty" to justice deal on stalled judicial nominees was released. The President of American Values said: "This is a sad day for our nation. | |
|
Josh Marshall: Gary Bauer's reaction. The Dobson fatwa. |
Ramesh Ponnuru: SO IS — Gary Bauer. |
Statement of Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron Regarding Deal on Filibusters U.S. Newswire — Permalink WASHINGTON, May 23 /U.S. Newswire/ — Statement of Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron regarding deal on filibusters: "While Alliance for Justice has no interest in seeing the Senate break down, we are very disappointed with the decision to move these extremist nominees one step closer to confirmation. | |
|
Hugh Hewitt: Silver linings: 1. Nan Aron is unhappy —a very good sign indeed. 2. |
Ramesh Ponnuru: NAN ARON is very disappointed. |
Deal Reached to Avert Judicial Showdown AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — Averting a showdown, centrists from both parties reached agreement Monday night on a compromise that clears the way for confirmation votes on many of President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, leaves others in limbo and preserves venerable Senate filibuster rules. | |
|
Tom Maguire: The key to the "maybe we'll nuke you later" deal seems to be this: [snipped quote] The Dread Pirate Roberts would approve - most likely they'll settle this in the morning. Cernig: Kirk stopping the self-destruct system with only 3 seconds to go, the Senate has agreed a "compromise" in the ongoing saga of fillibuster vs nuclear option. Joe Gandelman: Senate Moderates Avert Polarizing Filibuster Showdown — Senate moderates from both parties have pulled a political... |
Avedon Carol: "Blankets for land" was also "a deal" — You should read Norm Ornstein to understand what happened last night. Barbara O'Brien: But now that there may be a deal to compromise on the filibuster, does this mean poor Bill will be have to watch all those rented zombie videos by himself? Brad Plumer: All I can say is that if and when the Democrats do retake the Senate, they should immediately push for a massive... |
| Also: Michelle Malkin, Lambert @Corrente, Tom @ScaredMonkeys, Jeff Goldstein, Dr. Steven Taylor, Steve Bainbridge | |
Senators Avert Showdown Over Filibusters By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - In a dramatic reach across party lines, Senate centrists sealed a compromise Monday night that cleared the way for confirmation of many of President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, left others in limbo and preserved venerable filibuster rules. | |
|
Amanda Marcotte: Personally, the compromise basically neuters the nuclear option long-term in exchange for Owen, Rogers-Brown and Pryor. Frederick Maryland: Here's the latest case in point. On Monday night, moderate senators brokered a compromise on the judicial noms issue. Patrick Carver: Scattered Thoughts on the Filibuster "Deal" Made by 14 Dems and Republicans: That's right, a group of "centrists"... |
Steve M.: I've been trying to write a longish post about an unrelated matter, so I'm barely up to speed on the filibuster deal,... Steve @BeggingToDiffer: THE FILIBUSTER DEAL — So, the Senators have struck a deal on judicial filibusters. At least for now. Tom Maguire: Stem Cells And France — A deal on filibusters? Then two other stories should move to center stage. |
| Also: Jayson @PoliPundit, C. D. Harris, Tom @ScaredMonkeys, RJ Eskow, Avedon Carol, K. J. Lopez, Christopher Kanis, Avedon, Tully @Centerfield | |
Senators Said to Reach Filibuster Deal By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Centrists Republicans and Democrats reached a compromise Monday night to avoid a showdown on President Bush's stalled judicial nominees and the Senate's own filibuster rules, officials from both parties said. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Both sides had arranged for screenings of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington to spin to their side (anyone who grew up on it... Tom @ScaredMonkeys: HARRY REID commercial blasting the Republicans after the press conference on Fox News. ABC News AP Report Yahoos take. Kos @DailyKos: The Deal — Still no details beyond the AP's brief description: "Under the agreement, Democrats would pledge not to... |
Steve Soto: Moderates Hammer Out Deal To Avert Nuclear Option - As Bush's Gallup Numbers Fall Again — Details are just now... Michelle Malkin: First news reports: FOXNews, ABC News, MSNBC *** First blogger reax: Captain Ed... "So far, no one really has the... Jesse Taylor: The filibuster is god's will, after all — Well, I guess that's something.. By the same logic that allowed theocrats to... |
Deal averts filibuster showdown MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - Averting a showdown, 14 centrists from both parties in the Senate reached agreement Monday night on a compromise that clears the way for confirmation votes on many of President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, leaves others in limbo and preserves venerable Senate filibuster rules. | |
|
Dirty Harry: (Low speed access - .wmv) World Net Daily: "Deal averts filibuster showdown." Lambert @Corrente: More from Ben "Dover" Nelson: [quote] "I think it's a positive step to be able to set aside the nuclear option and also get as...[end quote] Taegan Goddard: Deal Averts Filibuster Showdown — "Senators from both parties reached a compromise Monday night to avoid a showdown on... |
Tbogg: If it makes them unhappy, then why do I feel so bad — Like a lot of people I'm not sure that I care for the compromise... Tom @ScaredMonkeys: MSNBC reports , but is holding back to check with Newsweek to see how to spin this so it hurts the white house the most. |
Frist schedules Senate 'all-nighter' on judges By / MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - Cots were brought into the Capitol Monday as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist scheduled an all-night session stretching into Tuesday to dramatize the debate over President Bush's judicial nominees and the filibusters that Democrats have used to block votes on 10 of them. | |
|
Barbara O'Brien: I see that Bill Frist planned a pajama party for all his Senate buddies. Tom @ScaredMonkeys: Is the Senate Going all night Cots were brought into the Capitol Monday as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist scheduled... Captain Ed: UPDATE II: Second Wobbly sighting — Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio, from last Thursday: "When the talks broke up on... |
David Sirota: New Evaluations Raise Questions About Owen — With the Senate going into high gear on President Bush's right-wing... Joe Gandelman: Countdown Beginning On The Nuclear Option — Unless there's a surprise, Senate moderates appear not to have succeeded... Jeralyn Merritt: Sen. Frist has scheduled an all-nighter in the Senate. Cots have been brought in. |
| Also: Orrin Judd | |
Senators Reach Deal on Filibuster WaPo — Permalink Fourteen Republican and Democratic senators announced this evening they had reached a compromise designed to prevent a showdown over President Bush's judicial nominations. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), speaking for the group of seven Republicans and seven Democrats, announced the agreement at a news conference at 7:40 p.m. | |
|
Chris Lawrence: Great taste, less filibuster — Well, that was fun while it lasted: Fourteen Republican and Democratic senators... Taegan Goddard: The AP notes that under the agreement, Democrats "would pledge not to filibuster any of Bush's future appeals court or... |
Tom @ScaredMonkeys: ABC News AP Report Yahoos take. Washington Post Buzz Blog screams SELL OUTS, I do not disagree. |
SJC chief decries 'attacks' on judges By / Boston Globe — Permalink WALTHAM — The chief justice of the state Supreme Judicial Court said yesterday that rhetoric about judges destroying the country and the suggestion that court decisions should conform to public opinion are threatening public trust in the judicial system, a cornerstone of democracy. | |
|
Steve Bainbridge: Even if this precedent could be limited to judicial nominations, what happens if President Hillary (with a 50-50 Senate... Shawn @LiquidList: Politics: No Apologies — Margaret H. Marshall, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Chief Justice, delivered a... K. J. Lopez: "JUDICIAL ACTIVISM" SHOULD BE OFF-LIMITS — Not as a practice, as a criticism. |
Eugene Volokh: Public Trust in the Judicial System: Orin points to a Boston Globe article that starts with: "The chief justice of the... Orin Kerr: Judges on Judging Judges: If I'm not mistaken, this is an example of a judge criticizing people for being... |
America Wants Security By / NYT — Permalink It was a carefully staged Norman Rockwell scene. The street was lined with American flags; a high school band played "God Bless America." Then, under the watchful gaze of Wal-Mart's chief operating officer, Maryland's governor vetoed a bill that would have obliged large businesses to spend more on employee health care. | |
|
Steve Antler: "...selectively citing numbers..." Professor Krugman says: There's a very good reason voters, when given a chance to... Avedon Carol: In this morning's NYT, he returns to the subject of Americans overwhelmingly telling pollsters that they are more... Will Wilkinson: Questions for Krugman — Krugman says: "There's a very good reason voters, when given a chance to make a clear choice,... |
Barbara O'Brien: Other items of note from tday: Paul Krugman, "America Wants Security": "Since the election, high-profile right-wing... Tom Maguire: Security And Opportunity — Paul Krugman tells us that, on the economic front, "America Wants Security". Stirling Newberry: Daniel Gross and Paul Krugman weigh in. |
| Also: Magpie @PacificViews | |
President Welcomes Afghan President Karzai to the White House White House — Permalink PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. Welcome. Mr. President, welcome back to the White House. I am honored to stand by the first democratically-elected leader in the five-thousand year history of Afghanistan. Congratulations. PRESIDENT KARZAI: Thank you, sir. | |
|
Garrett M. Graff: They can, after all, read the transcript later. Faiz @ThinkProgress: "[Bush, 5/23/05]" Over the past couple of years, Bush and his advisors have consistently argued that increases in violence is evidence that the insurgency is losing. |
Arthur Chrenkoff: "Newsweek story is not America's story" — Afghanistan's President Karzai and President Bush gave a joint press conference. Kos @DailyKos: Dumbass — President Bush: [snipped quote] So if the insurgents stopped fighting, would that mean we were losing? |
Insurance Option Has Workers Pay More By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — For years, they were the kinds of health insurance plans one found at small businesses or among the self-employed, plans that had huge deductibles and required workers to pay a lot of medical bills themselves — such as allergy shots, chest X-rays and the cost of a new baby. | |
|
Avedon Carol: And again from Kevin two stories I was going to reference earlier until I got distracted by the whole filibuster thing,... Ezra Klein: HSA's on the March — This LA Times article on the rise of Health Savings Accounts in employer-offered health plans is the most important piece you'll read this week. Matthew Yglesias: HSA Thought — It seems to me that do to the intersection of corporate profit-seeking and conservative ideology, this... |
Barbara O'Brien: Stirling Newberry also points to this article by Daniel Gross: [quote] In corporate finance, a "cram-down deal" is defined as...[end quote] Kevin Drum: In the LA Times today, we learn about the latest wrinkle in employer healthcare plans: extremely high deductibles paired with health savings accounts. Orrin Judd: THE HSA REVOLUTION: A Costly Insurance Shift for Workers (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, 5/23/05, LA Times) |
U.N. Forces Using Tougher Tactics to Secure Peace By / NYT — Permalink NAIROBI, Kenya, May 22 - The United Nations, burdened by its inability to stave off the mass killings in Rwanda in 1994 and by failed missions in Bosnia and Somalia, is allowing its peacekeepers to mount some of the most aggressive operations in its history. | |
|
Jim Henley: No comment yet, add yours? » May 23, 2005 A Bureaucracy Like Any Other That would include any military under the command of the UN. Gary Farber: UN PEACEKEEPERS are both keeping more and less peace lately by kicking more ass. [snipped quote] It's easy to applaud this as good, and, in fact, I do. Suzanne Nossel: Fighting for Peace — Interesting article today about how UN peacekeepers have gotten much more aggressive and willing to use force as they police hotspots like Congo. |
Gregory Djerejian: Details here: "The United Nations, burdened by its inability to stave off the mass killings in Rwanda in 1994 and by... Charles Johnson: A War the New York Times Likes — Here's a very striking contrast, as the New York Times covers the activities of United... Tom Maguire: No Anti-Military Bias Here — The NY Times fawns over the new "get tough" UN peacekeeping tactics, with special emphasis... |
Bush Again Urges Votes on Judges Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — While a dozen Senate lawmakers looked for compromise in a race against the clock, President Bush on Monday repeated his demand that his judicial nominees get an up or down vote by the full Senate. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Fox News reports: "While a dozen Senate lawmakers looked for compromise in a race against the clock, President Bush on... Michelle Malkin: More on the non-slumber party preparations here. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has arranged to deliver a 90-second nationally televised pitch sometime this evening. |
Forkum: From FoxNews: Bush Again Urges Votes on Judges: "Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told Democrats that unless they... Dale Franks: "To the Mattresses" — It looks like it's gonna be a long day in the Senate today. |
Poll: Bush approval mark nears low CNN — Permalink (CNN) — President Bush's job approval rating dropped to near its lowest point and Congress received poor marks as well in a national poll released Monday. Forty-six percent of 1,006 adults polled over the weekend said they approved of the overall job Bush is doing, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. | |
|
Barbara O'Brien: But there's the matter of the "President's" ever-diminishing political capital. His poll numbers continue to sink. Echidne: More Polling News — Bush is still doing very poorly, in fact, he might win the lowest ratings of any president ever if he goes on the same way. |
Steve Soto: This was announced at the same time that the latest CNN/USAT/Gallup poll came out showing that Bush had dropped back to... |
Wormhole 'no use' for time travel By / BBC — Permalink For budding time travellers, the future (or should that be the past?) is starting to look bleak. Hypothetical tunnels called wormholes once looked like the best bet for constructing a real time machine. | |
|
Jan Haugland: Wormholes have long been a favourite of sf writers, but they seem to be a no-go. Gary Farber: BUT I'M STILL GOING TO BUILD MY BLACK HOLE. I call it a blog! Ahahahahahaha! Wormhole 'no use' for time travel. |
Steve Bainbridge: DS9 Won't Be Needed — The physics of Star Trek just took another hit: [snipped quote] Apparently, however, we don't need... |
Drowning Out the Real Issues By / WaPo — Permalink A certain and clear pattern has emerged when a damaging accusation or claim against the Bush administration or the Republican-led Congress is publicized: Bush supporters laser in on a weakness, fallacy or inaccuracy in the story's sourcing while diverting all attention from the issue at hand to the source or the accuser in the story. | |
|
Barbara O'Brien: Shouldn't take long. Also, I see that Terry Neal is pissed about the Noise Machine. 'Bout time. | bar.jpg Will Collier: More "Journalism" From The Washington Post Company — Yet another post-Newsweekgate tendentious defense of the MSM today, this time from Terry M. Neal in the Washington Post. |
Steve Soto: Well, at least Terry Neal of the Washington Post's Talking Points gets the picture correctly this morning: "A certain... Kevin Drum: The real goal of the right wing media destruction machine, he says, is self-evident: [snipped quote] Good for him. |
Media vs. the Military By / WaPo — Permalink The bashing of Newsweek over its horribly handled item on Koran desecration has mushroomed into a sweeping indictment of the media, which some conservatives now accuse of deliberately slandering the military. | |
|
Jeff Goldstein: Which is not to say that commentators like Hewitt shouldn't be more circumspect in their rhetoric; they should, or else... Bill @INDCJournal: Tsk, Tsk (The Washington Post's Dishonest Presentation - UPDATED) Howard Kurtz wonders about the fallout from Newsweek's... |
Charles Johnson: Newsweek's Anti-Americanism — In his Washington Post column this morning, Howard Kurtz seems to take the position that... |
How Old Media Can Survive In a New World WSJ — Permalink There's no question: Traditional media businesses are struggling. Newspaper publishers, book publishers, movie studios, music companies, ad agencies, television networks — they're all trying to figure out how they fit into a new-media world. | |
|
Jeff Jarvis: So, for example, look at RSS feeds as a way to get your content out there and not only drive traffic back to your site... Jim Romenesko: Experts: What newspapers and TV news should do to survive — Wall Street Journal "The newspaper of the future is going to be a coalition of niche products," says consultant S.W. |
Brian Stelter: The Wall Street Journal assembles TV news experts who say the networks should "allow the viewers behind the screen," "broadcast beyond the TV" and "form overseas alliances." |
The Dhia Muhsin Example By / Opinion Journal — Permalink You may remember Dhia Muhsin, a carpenter from the working-class Baghdad neighborhood of al-Dora, who became a celebrity of sorts back in March, when he stood up to insurgents who terrorized his area. In a firefight lasting half an hour Mushin and his nephews killed three of them and forced the rest to retreat. | |
|
Blackfive: Update: How about? : Arthur Chrenkoff FrancoAlemán: IT'S the 28th installment of Arthur Chrenkoff's good news from Iraq. Jan Haugland: Counterweight — Chrenkoff has published Good news from Iraq part 28, an important reminder that Iraq is far more than mayhem and car bombs. |
Arthur Chrenkoff: Good News from Iraq: 23 May 2005 — Note: As always, available from "The Opinion Journal" and Chrenkoff. Cori Dauber: Another Good News Roundup From Iraq — Note particularly, even in the face of all the bombings, developments in talk... Daniel Holt: Middle East — Iraq — IRAQ ROUND-UP NO. 28 Chrenkoff has more good news from Iraq. |
Uday's Oil-for-News program Townhall.com — Permalink On January 6, 2005, the U.S.-funded Arabic satellite network Al Hurra broadcast an explosive exposé detailing the financial links between Saddam Hussein's regime and the Arab press. | |
|
Marc @USSNeverdock: Iraq - Oil For News Program — Town Hall reports on how Saddam bought Al Jazeera's news coverage. |
Charles Johnson: Uday's Oil-for-News Program — Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Eric Stakelbeck point out the financial links between Saddam... |
D.C. Grist - Scarborough comedy falls flat at awards By / Washington Examiner — Permalink Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, should hire a speech writer, or maybe he should fire the one he has. Scarborough was the host for The White House News Photographer's dinner but while his delivery was lively his humor fell flat like a thud. | |
|
Garrett M. Graff: Host Joe Scarborough bombed, or as the Examiner reported: "definitely not Scarborough country." |
Brian Stelter: > Frank Buckley is leaving CNN to anchor Weekends at KTLA (Los Angeles), but it seems his new boss isn't so happy about... |
Ben Bradlee Criticizes 'Newsweek' on Sourcing Debacle By / Editor and Publisher — Permalink NEW YORK Ben Bradlee, former executive editor of The Washington Post and a onetime Newsweek D.C. bureau chief, criticized the news magazine for taking too long to retract its recent, inadequately sourced Koran-abuse item. | |
|
Charles Johnson: Bradlee: "If You Don't Know, You Shouldn't Have Printed It" — Former Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee has... |
Ed Driscoll: Meanwhile, Ben Bradlee, the former editor of the Washington Post, which owns Newsweek, also isn't very happy about their... |
Iranian Leader Wants Candidates Reinstated AP — Permalink TEHRAN, Iran May 23, 2005 — Iran's supreme leader ordered the hard-line constitutional watchdog council to reconsider its decision to bar senior reformist candidates from running in next month's presidential elections, state-run television reported Monday. | |
|
Robert Mayer: Middle East — Iran — KHAMEINI RECONSIDERS REFORM CANDIDATES Now that I've lured you in with a misleading, typical MSM headline, read on. |
Praktike: It's hard for me to judge whether this is some kind of Iranian version of kabuki theater or not: TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's... |
Khamenei urges rethink of Iran poll bans Guardian — Permalink Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ordered the country's hardline constitutional watchdog to reconsider its decision to bar reformist candidates in next month's presidential elections, state-run television reported today. | |
|
Pejman Yousefzadeh: I SEE A PATTERN — It seems that every time there are elections in Iran, the hardline Guardian Council decides to... |
Gerry @DalyThoughts: Khamenei urges rethink of Iran poll bans — The Guardian Unlimited: "Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has... |
Concept of Compromise Is Pushed Off Senate's Center Stage By / LAT — Permalink Lyndon Johnson must be spinning in his grave. Bob Dole, Howard Baker and George Mitchell must be spinning in the comfy leather chairs of the big-name law firms they call home these days. | |
|
Taegan Goddard: Ron Brownstein says it's now left to "an assortment of mavericks, malcontents, back-benchers, gray eminences and... Chris Nolan: And that's before reading the LATimes Ron Brownstein who today bemoans the fact that compromise, once the hallmark of the Senate, is being pushed off-stage. |
Patterico: More Pro-Democrat Spin from Ron Brownstein Ronald Brownstein continues the L.A. Times theme: nuclear option bad, "compromise" good. |