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Poll Finds Drop in Muslim Support for Terrorism By / WaPo — Permalink Osama bin Laden's standing has dropped significantly in some key Muslim countries, while support for suicide bombings and other acts of violence has "declined dramatically," according to a new survey released today. | |
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Brad Plumer: Oh yeah, meanwhile, it seems that both Osama bin Laden and suicide bombings are becoming less popular in certain parts of the world. Praktike: The world's only Arabic-speaking Aardvark, who can perhaps claim credit for initially pointing out that Friedman has... Dean Esmay: Muslim March Toward Freedom by Dean Support for terrorism is dropping rapidly in the muslim world, according to Pew... |
Jan Haugland: Drop in Muslim support for terrorism, rise in support for democracy — If you are looking for signs we are winning the war on terror, this would be it. Andrew Sullivan: That may no longer be merely a hope. There's also growing support for democracy. Von @ObsidianWings: Good Things — I'm with the Blogfather — this is big news: [snipped quote] Granted, though, some of the good news is of the "glass half full" variety. |
| Also: Captain Ed, James Joyner, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Glenn Reynolds | |
London Bombers Tied to Al Qaeda Plot in Pakistan By / ABCNEWS — Permalink July 14, 2005 — At least two men who have connections to last week's London bombings are alive and still at large. The first is a man, who was seen on surveillance tapes at Luton station, located outside of London, as he bid farewell to the four bombers the morning of the attacks. | |
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LeanLeft: Politics Above Everything — Filed under: Politics Iraq Terrorism — Kevin This is what happens when you put politics... Barbara O'Brien: ABC News says, "Officials tell ABC News the London bombers have been connected to an al Qaeda plot planned two years ago in the Pakistani city of Lahore. Atrios: Global War on Democrats — From ABC: Officials tell ABC News the London bombers have been connected to an al Qaeda plot planned two years ago in the Pakistani city of Lahore. |
Captain Ed: London Bombers Were The B-Team — According to ABC News, British intelligence thought they had stopped the coordinated... Gateway Pundit: The photo at the right shows Hasib Hussain, 18, at the Luton train station at 7:20 a.m., one week ago today. John Cole: Al Qaeda and the London Bombings — This was just passed on to me: "At least two men who have connections to last week's London bombings are alive and still at large. |
Are you ready? Tomorrow you will be in Paradise . . . Times of London — Permalink What motivates a suicide bomber? Our correspondent talks to a young Muslim who survived his intended 'martyrdom' and describes the terrorists' rigorous training | |
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Ed Driscoll: His words are utterly chilling, as he explains how young men are turned into kamikazes: "In Gaza, S is celebrated as a... Orrin Judd: ROOT CAUSES (via Ed Driscoll): Are you ready? Tomorrow you will be in Paradise . . . : What motivates a suicide bomber? Scott @PowerLine: "Sacred explosions" — Ed Driscoll writes: [quote] Stanley Kurtz of NRO linked to this piece in London's Times Online: "Are you ready?[end quote] |
Hugh Hewitt: From Ed Driscoll who got it from Stanley Kurtz: "Are You Ready: Tomorrow You Will be in Paradise." Roger L. Simon: The Psychopathology of Everyday Life - Gaza Style — I'm sure this article on the etiology of suicide bombers would tax... Stanley Kurtz: This remarkable article tells you the answer. |
Rehnquist Says He'll Stay on Supreme Court AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, denying rumors of his retirement, said Thursday he will continue heading the court as long his health permits. ''I'm not about to announce my retirement,'' he said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. | |
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John @PowerLine: Rehnquist Staying Put — Chief Justice Rehnquist is tired of the virtual death-watch the media have been keeping outside... Orrin Judd: Rehnquist Says He'll Stay on Supreme Court (RON FOURNIER and GINA HOLLAND, 7/14/05, Associated Press) "Squelching... |
TChris: Update: "I'm not about to announce my retirement," he told The Associated Press. Armando @DailyKos: Rehnquist: I'm Staying — From AP: [snipped quote] We'll see how the Right reacts to this. Fight for their reactionary judge now? |
Limbaugh blasted Mehlman's renunciation of GOP racial tactics: "Republicans are going to go bend over and grab the ankles" Media Matters for America — Permalink Nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh blasted Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Ken Mehlman's plans to apologize for his party's notorious Southern Strategy at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). | |
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LeanLeft: Limbaugh - Mad for RNC Apologizing for Racism — Filed under: Politics Media — Kevin This is disgusting. the Southern... Atrios: Limbaugh — Mad at Republicans for apologizing for exploiting racism. Over the top, even for him... |
Chris Bowers: Of course, the Republican base has reacted violently against this act of contrition: "LIMBAUGH: President Bush... Ed Cone: Rush is wrong — Limbaugh disgusted by RNC chair's apology for racially divisive politics. |
Wilson's Iraq Assertions Hold Up Under Fire From Rove Backers Bloomberg — Permalink July 14 (Bloomberg) — Two-year old assertions by former ambassador Joseph Wilson regarding Iraq and uranium, which lie at the heart of the controversy over who at the White House identified a covert U.S. operative, have held up in the face of attacks by supporters of presidential adviser Karl Rove. | |
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Faiz @ThinkProgress: FACT: Wilson Was Right, Bush Was Wrong Bloomberg recently reported, "Two-year old assertions by former ambassador Joseph... Gateway Pundit: Update 2: More lies from the MSM regarding Wilson. This one is just sickening from Bloomberg.com ! Digby: Bookmark This — From Bloomberg: Wilson's Iraq Assertions Hold Up Under Fire From Rove Backers |
Barbara O'Brien: The rightie linked above was reacting to this Bloomberg article, "Wilson's Iraq Assertions Hold Up Under Fire from Rove Backers," of which Digby says, "Bookmark this." Jeralyn Merritt: Bloomberg News reports that Joseph Wilson's accusations against White House officials hold up against Republican accusations against him. |
Gov. to Be Paid $8 Million by Fitness Magazines LAT — Permalink SACRAMENTO — Two days before he was sworn into office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger accepted a consulting job paying an estimated $8 million over five years to "further the business objectives" of a national publisher of health and bodybuilding magazines. | |
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Kevin Roderick: • Gov. Schwarzenegger's take from his deal to promote American Media's fitness magazines is either $5 million... Dr. Steven Taylor: Not Good, to Say the Least — Via the LAT: Gov. to Be Paid $8 Million by Fitness Magazines "Two days before he was... Chris Nolan: This million dollar deal - the Sac Bee says $5 million, the LATimes $8 million - with magazines that endorse and push... |
Doug Heller: Arnold gets paid 1% of ad revenue or $1 million a year (which ever is greater - the LA Times estimates that the contract... Armed Liberal: But he's stepped in something squishy and foul-smelling, and he'd better get his shoes cleaned up before he tracks it into the house. Taegan Goddard: Schwarzenegger Conflict Exposed — "Two days before he was sworn into office," California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)... |
| Also: Clayton Cramer, Jim Romenesko, Pudentilla | |
China 'ready to use N-weapons against US' By / Financial Times — Permalink China is prepared to use nuclear weapons against the US if it is attacked by Washington during a confrontation over Taiwan, according to a senior Chinese military official. | |
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PatHMV @Centerfield: I wasn't intending to post a third story today, but then China threatened to use nuclear weapons against the United... K. J. Lopez: FT: "CHINA 'READY TO USE N-WEAPONS AGAINST US'" (Here.) Makes you worry even more about Unocal. |
Clayton Cramer: Going To War With China — This isn't the first time that China has indicated its willingness to use nuclear weapons on the U.S. Ramesh Ponnuru: PROVOCATION from China. |
Karl Rove and CIA Leak; Joe Wilson Interview; Douglas Feith Interview; Middle East Tensions; London Terror Investigation CNN — Permalink THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now, the battle over Karl Rove and the CIA leak intensifying. There are new accusations and recriminations. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. | |
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Steve Antler: Wilson loses it... Judith Miller remains in jail, and on CNN Joe seems lost in Orwellian doublethink, firmly convinced... John Hawkins: Joe Wilson: My Wife Wasn't A Clandestine Officer — I think this should settle the whole debate over whether Valerie... |
John Podhoretz: Here is Joseph Wilson himself, talking to Wolf Blitzer on CNN today: "My wife was not a clandestine officer the day that Bob Novak blew her identity." |
Rehnquist insists he won't resign MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, denying rumors of his retirement, said Thursday he will continue heading the court as long his health permits. "I'm not about to announce my retirement," he said. | |
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Tbogg: Rehnquist Watch — Not Stone Cold William Rehnquist. Posted by Picasa Not going quietly. Taegan Goddard: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote] — Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, quoted by the AP. Link | Related News |
Joe @AmericaBlog: AP has the story: "Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, denying rumors of his retirement, said Thursday he will continue heading the court as long his health permits. |
Support for bin Laden falls in Muslim countries By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Support for Osama bin Laden and suicide bombings have fallen sharply in much of the Muslim world, according to a multicountry poll released on Thursday. The survey by the Pew Research Center examined public opinion in six predominantly Muslim nations: Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Jordan and Lebanon. | |
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Ace: After they answer "Yes" — which of course they will — read them this: [snipped quote] And then watch them splutter. Orrin Judd: MORE: Support for bin Laden falls in Muslim countries (Alan Elsner Thu Jul 14, 2005, Reuters) "Support for Osama bin... |
Clayton Cramer: This latest poll suggests that if Bush's actions are alienating Muslims in the war against terror, he needs to do it... |
You are so lucky that you're not British, Chirac tells his people Times of London — Permalink PRESIDENT CHIRAC sought to regain favour with his worried nation yesterday by telling the French that they are far better off than the British and have no reason to take lessons from across the Channel. | |
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Ace: I'm beginning to understand this whole cross-national voting thing: [snipped quote] M Sarkozy is known to be... Orrin Judd: TAKE MY WIFE...PLEASE: You are so lucky that you're not British, Chirac tells his people (Charles Bremner, 7/15/05, Times of London) [snipped quote] Who knew he did stand-up? |
Betsy Newmark: He tries to convince his countrymen, that sure things aren't so bon in France right now, but at least they're not British. |
Abu Ghraib Tactics Were First Used at Guantanamo By / WaPo — Permalink Interrogators at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, forced a stubborn detainee to wear women's underwear on his head, confronted him with snarling military working dogs and attached a leash to his chains, according to a newly released... | |
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Michael @AmericaBlog: The Washington Post details the obvious — that the same methods used in Abu Ghraib denounced by Bush and everyone around the world began in Guantanamo Bay. Gene @HarrysPlace: According to The Washington Post: The report's findings are the strongest indication yet that the abusive practices seen... Avedon Carol: So it appears it may even be clear to the WaPo that what happened at Gitmo was not just a few bad apples. |
Von @ObsidianWings: Y'know, but for Rove's stupidity and/or ciminality; Bush's mis-sell of Social Security reform; and... Steve Soto: Pentagon Report On Guantanamo Destroys The "Few Bad Apples" Defense — Well, here's a story that the White House will... Steve M.: Ah, but there's also a Washington Post story on General Schmidt's report; it's titled "Abu Ghraib Tactics Were First Used at Guantanamo." |
| Also: Barbara O'Brien, Susie Madrak, Marty Lederman, Armando @DailyKos, James Joyner, John Cole, Michelle Malkin, Jeralyn Merritt, Pudentilla, Tom Smith | |
Senators Who Averted Showdown Face New Test in Court Fight By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - When seven Democrats and seven Republicans joined in the Senate to avert a showdown on President Bush's judicial nominees, they urged the president to remember the word "advice" in the Constitution's advice and consent clause. | |
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Sam Rosenfeld: Just to add a bit to Matt's comments on Sheryl Gay Stolberg's latest Gang of 14 piece, the closing quote from Ben Nelson... Avedon Carol: In the NYT, Sheryl Gay Stolberg writes about the Gang of 14 as if it was some sort of profile in courage. In fact, it's cowardice. Atrios: Scared of Their Own Shadows — What a bunch of spineless wankers the "gang of 14" are. |
Matthew Yglesias: GANG OF GRANDSTANDERS. Atrios sure is right about this typically inane love poem to the "Gang of 14" Senate moderates. Captain Ed: The Breakfast Club Wants A Sequel — The members of the Senate's Gang of 14 that held off the GOP push for the... |
Getting Worried at the White House By / WaPo — Permalink President Bush's lackluster refusal to comment yesterday on his political guru's involvement in the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame did nothing to ease growing worries at the White House that trouble may be around the corner. There were no words of support for Karl Rove. | |
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Digby: No Longer A Beer Buddy — "Finally, it's not just honesty where Bush is taking a hit. Lambert @Corrente: Borscht, anyone? Froomkin's live chat: [snipped quote] [Rim shot. Laughter. "Hey, I just flew in from DC, and boy..." |
Laura Rozen: Meantime, Stygius alerts me to a comprehensive press round up of Rove stories by the WaPo's Dan Froomkin. |
Wilson: The president should 'fire Karl Rove' MSNBC — Permalink It was two years ago today, that columnist Robert Novak outed Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative. For the last eight months, Ambassador Joe Wilson has let the legal process play out and let the grand jury do its work. | |
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Digby: I don't know if you saw Wilson on the Today show, but I thought he acquitted himself very well --- mainly because he kept on the topic of the larger Iraq lies. Lorie Byrd: (Link via Instapundit) From the looks of the transcript, they could have used the suggestions. |
Jim Lindgren: 2D UPDATE: Well, something that looks like a Today Show transcript is up on MSNBC's website, and its dateline is "Today show[,] Updated: 8:24 a.m. ET July 14, 2005." John @AmericaBlog: VIDEO: Ambassador Wilson on the Today Show this morning — From Today |
Dems Call for Bill on Security Clearance By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats moved forcefully into the controversy surrounding White House aide Karl Rove on Thursday, calling for legislation to deny security clearances to officials who disclose the identity of an undercover agent. | |
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Chris Bowers: Perhaps the best news of the day comes from Senate Democrats, who have stepped up to the plate: "Senate Democrats... Neil the Ethical Werewolf: Good Work Harry — In the wake of the Rove scandal, Senate Democrats are introducing a bill to deny security clearances to officials who blow the cover of secret agents. |
Greg @TheTalentShow: Time To Pick Sides — Brilliant bit of political maneuvering by Sen. Reid : [snipped quote] It'll be hard for the... |
Keep court centered, GOP moderates urge Chicago Tribune — Permalink In the weeks before the Supreme Court concluded its term for the summer, a group of women senators, Republicans and Democrats, came together with a bold suggestion for President Bush. They, like the White House, were expecting ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist to announce his retirement at the end of June. | |
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Todd Zywicki: Chicago Tribune on Nomination Politics: Chicago Tribune has a story today about liberal Republicans joining with some... K. J. Lopez: WOMEN'S WORK — Apparently the letter was written weeks ago. |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Agenda Journalism — By the Chicago Tribune. It's quite amazing just how many of those so-called moderates get quoted... |
Younger Students Show Gains in Math and Reading By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 14 - America's elementary school students made solid gains in both reading and math in the first years of this decade, while middle school students made less progress and older teenagers hardly any, according to test results issued today that are considered the best measure of the nation's long-term education trends. | |
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Wind Rider: Not that some won't try, but it'll be pretty hard to sidetrack the potential for a cause and effect conclusion on this... |
Ann Althouse: This is great news: [snipped quote] Despite Spellings' efforts at sharing the credit, I expect to hear lots of people going out of their way to discredit No Child Left Behind. |
Time Reporter Testifies About Contacts With Rove WaPo — Permalink The reporter with whom Karl Rove discussed a covert CIA operative testified before a grand jury yesterday, as President Bush appeared publicly with his top White House political adviser and cautioned against prejudging the federal leak investigation. | |
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Lambert @Corrente: "Several people familiar with the investigation said they expect Fitzgerald to indict, or at least force a plea agreement..." Hunter @DailyKos: Media Storm; White House "Concerned" About Indictments — For the White House, it gets worse (WaPo): [snipped quote] Most... John @AmericaBlog: Thursday's Wash Post on Rove — Wash Post: "A number of legal experts, some of whom are involved in the case, said... |
Tom Maguire: UPDATE: The WaPo sees perjury and obstruction of justice on the menu. Gene @HarrysPlace: Unfortunately the chances of that happening are about as good as the chances of Bush demanding (as he said he would) the... Hugh Hewitt: More "reporting" from the Washington Post: "Fitzgerald could have evidence, for instance, that Rove or other officials... |
| Also: Susie Madrak, Josh Marshall, Jim Romenesko | |
Sen. Clinton seeks 'Grand Theft' sex scene probe By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sen. Hillary Clinton pressed on Thursday for a government investigation into how simulated sex cropped up in a modified version of the blockbuster criminal adventure video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." | |
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Matthew Sheffield: Reuters reporter Peter Kaplan phrased his story in more mysterious tones: "Clinton asked the U.S. Federal Trade... |
Orrin Judd: THE ONE WHO GETS IT: Sen. Clinton seeks 'Grand Theft' sex scene probe (Peter Kaplan, Jul 14, 2005, Reuters)... |
Convicted, Executed, Not Guilty By / NYT — Permalink If Larry Griffin were being tried today for the murder of Quintin Moss, he would almost certainly be acquitted. The evidence is overwhelming that he did not kill Mr. Moss. But Mr. Griffin is not being tried today. He has already been executed for the murder. | |
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Tarek @LiquidList: (Bob Herbert wrote more today.) Cookie Jill: ooopsie. so sorry. we bad. [snipped quote] i foresee many other mr. griffin's in our future. |
Fontana Labs: Nonetheless, this consideration seems to move a lot of people, and so I wonder about the implications of this story,... |
Breeding Stupidity By / Weekly Standard — Permalink THERE IS A STRANGE PAIRING of positions on the left. The first is that Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda were not connected. The work of Stephen F. Hayes and Thomas Joscelyn in THE WEEKLY STANDARD, which is supported by other serious investigative reporters... | |
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Jesse Taylor: When Steadfastness Goes Completely Awry — Hugh Hewitt asks where the idea that Iraq is a breeding ground for terrorists comes from. Matthew Yglesias: WHERE? Hugh Hewitt wonders where the loony left got this crazy notion that the Iraq War is breeding new terrorists. |
Hugh Hewitt: "Breeding Stupidity" is my WeeklyStandard.com column this morning. "They know who No. 5 is," is the report from London this morning. referring to the bomb-maker. Scott @PowerLine: Breeding grounds — Don't miss Hugh Hewitt's Daily Standard column: "Breeding stupidity." |
CIA 'outing' might fall short of crime By / USA Today — Permalink WASHINGTON — The alleged crime at the heart of a controversy that has consumed official Washington — the "outing" of a CIA officer — may not have been a crime at all under federal law, little-noticed details in a book by the agent's husband suggest. | |
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Baldilocks: More on Berger (Thanks to Instapundit) UPDATE: One question answered. Note the source. Taegan Goddard: Wilson's Book May Exonerate Rove — "The alleged crime at the heart of a controversy that has consumed official... |
Greg Piper: Former Ambassador Joe Wilson's little-read book from last year is finally getting some attention from journalists, but... Garrett M. Graff: Getting ready for today's 3 p.m. chat, we're trying to catch up on the Plame/Rove leak investigation reading and... |
Data Shows Rising Toll of Iraqis From Insurgency By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi civilians and police officers died at a rate of more than 800 a month between August and May, according to figures released in June by the Interior Ministry. Um Alaa Shamoun, center, whose son was killed in a bombing, and Alaa's wife and child, right. | |
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Plutonium Page: The price is paid in human blood: [snipped quote] The graphic below shows the distribution of casualties (click to... Pudentilla: last throes — [snipped quote] when it's time to pull american troops out, in order to accommodate the republican's 2006... |
Steve Soto: Saudis Keep Bankrolling Terrorism (Photo courtesy of AFP) While Bush continues to walk hand in hand with his controllers... |
Plame Wars NRO — Permalink There is a lot that we still don't know about the case of Valerie Plame, so it would be premature to proclaim that Karl Rove has either been vindicated or discredited. Definitive judgments are going to have to wait for more information. What we know so far is far from damning. | |
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PGL: PlameGate: The National Review Has No Principles at All — While I had promised not to say anything more, NRO's oped... |
K. J. Lopez: By the way, here's our editorial up today on the Plame-Rove bizness. |
Coleman may lead defense of Rove Minneapolis Star Tribune — Permalink Republican officials hinted Wednesday that Sen. Norm Coleman could play a leading role in responding to Democrats' attacks against White House aide Karl Rove. | |
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Tbogg: Posted by Picasa Fresh from the battle of George Gallaway Made Me His Bitch, Norm Coleman gets to defend Karl Rove. Josh Marshall: Star Tribune confirms — TPM's mini scoop from Tuesday: Sen. Coleman (R-WH) tapped to lead defense of Karl Rove. |
Attaturk: I can't believe it, I just cannot believe that parody hath become reality... "Republican officials hinted Wednesday that... |
Rove Death Watch, Part 2 By / Slate — Permalink Why aren't the major newspapers running editorials calling for Karl Rove's resignation? The Washington Post is silent. So is the Los Angeles Times. Maybe they're waiting for more information. But what more do they have to know? | |
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Kevin Drum: Tim Noah knows this is ridiculous, but today he manfully shoulders the task of pretending to take it seriously so he can... Steve Antler: And this comment meant... Does Timothy Noah have any idea just how unhinged this appears to anyone not completely consumed by Rove-hate? |
Matthew Yglesias: Tim Noah has a great piece patiently debunking the web of moronic spin The Wall Street Journal and the RNC are bandying about to protect Karl Rove. Jim Romenesko: (Related stories from WP and WSJ.) > Noah: Why aren't major papers calling for Rove's resignation? (Slate) |
Sandy Berger's Sentencing Postponed NewsMax.com — Permalink Sentencing for former Clinton National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, who pleaded guilty in April to stealing and destroying top secret terrorism documents from the National Archives, has been delayed, NewsMax.com has learned. | |
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Baldilocks: You can't break a law by outing a person as a covert agent when they do not meet the standards of that very same law... John Cole: ' Berger has had his sentencing post-poned: [snipped quote] Not sure why it was postponed, as the story provides no details. |
Glenn Reynolds: The answer is no, because the sentencing has been postponed until September, but this news account, which is all I could find, isn't very informative as to why. |
Teaching the Constitution Townhall.com — Permalink A long time ago (47 years to be exact) in another culture and when television was in glorious black and white, composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein inaugurated a TV series called "Young People's Concerts." | |
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Jesse Taylor: I'm Too Pretty For Judicial Review — Cal Thomas wonders why we interpret laws with purposefully flexible meanings, but don't interpret objective quantitative measures. |
Betsy Newmark: Cal Thomas calls for a Young People's Constitution TV series similar to Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. |
Kennedy rips Santorum comments By / Boston Globe — Permalink WASHINGTON — In a rare personal rebuke of a colleague, Senator Edward M. Kennedy lambasted Senator Rick Santorum from the Senate floor yesterday, demanding an apology for the Pennsylvania Republican's online comments connecting Boston's ''liberalism" to the child sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Here's the three-year-old column that Ted Kennedy and friends are up in arms about—and I have to say that they are right, this time, to be incensed. K. J. Lopez: A SANTORUM ASIDE — This macro just won't die: "Santorum, 47, a devout Catholic and a possible presidential contender in 2008." |
Taegan Goddard: Kennedy Rips Santorum — "In a rare personal rebuke of a colleague," Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) "lambasted" Sen. Rick... |
This is a turning point: we have to fly the flag for Britishness again By / Telegraph — Permalink I have already had enough about how perfectly normal these young men were, and what charming fellows they were, and how there was nothing they loved more than serving in dad's chip shop or helping an old lady across the street or a good game of cricket in the park. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: On that point, read Boris Johnson's piece in today's "Daily Telegraph". Pejman Yousefzadeh: ON BRITISHNESS — Boris Johnson goes nuclear: [snipped quote] As someone whose family has benefited mightily from the... |
Orrin Judd: CAN'T WHISTLE PINAFORE: This is a turning point: we have to fly the flag for Britishness again (Boris Johnson,... Peter Burnet: SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT PROUD — This is a turning point: we have to fly the flag for Britishness again (Boris Johnson, The... |
Kennedy Rebukes Santorum for Comments By / WaPo — Permalink Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) led a phalanx of Massachusetts politicians yesterday in demanding that the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, apologize for blaming the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal on "liberalism" in Boston. | |
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Jan Haugland: Santorum is smacked around a lot — What can possibly make conservative bloggers like Captain Ed and Michelle Malkin agree with senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry? Michelle Malkin: But for Sen. Rick Santorum to single the city out as more of a fertile breeding ground for sexual abuse than the rest of the country is just wrong. Captain Ed: In his latest faux pas, he doesn't even have logic on his side: "What drew the concentrated ire of the Bay State's... |
Billmon: As if Man-Dog's current crop of bizarre comments and wacked out social views weren't bad enough, he has to go and dreg... John Cole: He's Picking Out a Thermos, For You — Rick Santorum is picking out a thermos for you, and not an ordinary thermos, for you. K. J. Lopez: NOT JUST 2006, BUT 2008 — Notice how the media's hoping and praying for a Romney vs. Santorum story, too. |
Rove Isn't the Real Outrage By / WaPo — Permalink If I were a nicer person, I would have some sympathy for Karl Rove. After all, in a town where many of the people, if they're honest about their job titles, would put down "character assassin," Rove merely tried to impugn the bona fides of a Bush administration critic, the former diplomat Joseph Wilson IV. | |
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Gateway Pundit: Richard Cohen today writing for the Washington Post tries to do his damage. Rich Lowry: COHEN ON ROVE — I obviously don't agree with Richard Cohen on the Iraq war or its prelude, but at he's right that the Rove business is a farce. |
Attaturk: I lose. You already know my prediction history. What a pile of manure, shorter Cohen: "Eh, they're all assholes anyway." |
Democrats' disarray muddies court fight By / Baltimore Sun — Permalink IN ONE of the most gripping scenes from Braveheart, thousands of Scottish yeomen face the professional army of the English King Longshanks. Stripped to the waist and painted blue, the yeomen spoil for a fight, daring the English to join them in battle. | |
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Paul @PowerLine: They only look lame — Jonathan Turley claims that the Democrats are in disarray in their battle to defeat President... |
Todd Zywicki: Turley on Court Fight: Via Powerline, Professor Jonathan Turley comments on Supreme Court nomination politics and offers some advice to Senator Reid and the Democratic Party. |
Word Blossom By / TNR — Permalink In at least one Washington law firm this July, the summer associates are earning their keep. Their boss is one of the lawyers involved with the Rove-Plame scandal, and he's keeping them busy with a surprisingly thorny task: Tracking the public comments of Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's attorney. | |
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Andrew Sullivan: LUSKIN AGONISTES: TNR's Ryan Lizza follows the recent contortions of Karl Rove's lawyer. |
Josh Marshall: Ryan Lizza on — Rove lawyer GB Luskin: [snipped quote] Click here for the rest. |
AP Exclusive: Jane Abraham decides not to run for U.S. Senate By / AP — Permalink LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jane Abraham has decided not to run for the U.S. Senate, avoiding a possible showdown with the woman who defeated her husband for the seat five years ago. Abraham, 43, has talked to party officials and traveled to Michigan to meet with party activists to discuss a possible run in past months. | |
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Gerry Daly: Jane Abraham decides not to run for U.S. Senate — The Associated Press: "Jane Abraham said she decided that, while... Taegan Goddard: Abraham Will Not Run for Senate — Jane Abraham will not run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, "avoiding a possible... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: MI Update — Jane Abraham won't be running against Debbie Stabenow next year. Me thinks Keith Butler is the GOP's best bet. |
Rove's war By / Salon — Permalink This is Karl Rove's war. From his command post next to the Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House, he is furiously directing the order of battle. The Republican National Committee lobs its talking points across Washington, its chairman forays the no-man's-land of CNN. | |
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Avedon Carol: Really, they've had plenty of time to figure this out. (More here.) Sidney Blumenthal on Topic A, with the whole story. Barbara O'Brien: That being said, Sidney Blumenthal has an excellent piece in Salon called "Rove's War" that clearly explains the whole Plame saga. Cookie Jill: (read great salon.com article today from sidney blumenthal) (if the republicans think that no law was broken or crime... |
Billmon: Paper Chase II — From Sid Blumenthal's latest piece at Salon: [snipped quote] I can't understand why so many people keep getting this timeline wrong. Echidne: And as this opinion piece in the Salon points out, this very fact may turn out to be Rove's downfall. Larre @LeftCoaster: New Questions Need Answers — Near the end of Sidney Blumenthal's superb article in today's Salon.com new questions are... |
| Also: Atrios, Josh Marshall, John @AmericaBlog | |
Joseph Wilson Calls on Bush to Fire Rove AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson called on President Bush Thursday to fire deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, saying Bush's top-level aide engaged in an "abuse of power" by discussing Wilson's wife's job with a reporter. | |
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Steve Antler: Joseph Wilson on NBC Today: why didn't they ask the obvious — if his wife's cover was so important, why didn't they simply send someone else? Orrin Judd: Joseph Wilson Calls on Bush to Fire Rove (The Associated Press, July 14, 2005) "Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson... |
Brian Stelter: > NBC's 'Today' national correspondent Jamie Gangel had a big exclusive this morning: An interview with Joe Wilson, who... |
Report Discredits F.B.I. Claims of Abuse at Guantánamo Bay By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - A high-level military investigation into complaints by F.B.I. agents about the abuse of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, concluded in a report released Wednesday that their treatment was sometimes degrading but did not qualify as inhumane or as torture. | |
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Betsy Newmark: And I notice that the FBI report that got Dick Durbin so excited that he compared our behavior at Guantanamo to the Nazis, Soviets, and Khmer Rouge, has been debunked. Steve M.: They spoke of "torture techniques" and described detainees forced into uncomfortable positions for 18 to 24 hours at a... Roger L. Simon: I know that's a loaded question but an interesting case is a article from tomorrow's New York Times - "Report Discredits... |
Avedon Carol: Not that the NYT doesn't want to pretend otherwise. Steve M. detects the importance of panties. James Joyner: Report Discredits F.B.I. Claims of Abuse at Guantánamo Bay (NYT | RSS) "A high-level military investigation into... John Cole: BTW- the report does also show that torture was not the norm at Gitmo, and that the complaints reported by FBI agents do... |
| Also: Michelle Malkin, Sadly, No!, Tom Smith | |
Then and now, evil always wants more By / LAT — Permalink Whether it's Hitler or Bin Laden, history teaches the dire consequences of appeasement. The London bombings have occasioned many comparisons with the 1940 Blitz. | |
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Ken Masugi: From Max Boot's regular LAT op-ed column: [snipped quote] In Monty Pythonesque reply, "A BBC spokesman said last [Monday]: "The word terrorist is not banned from the BBC. |
Glenn Reynolds: MAX BOOT: [snipped quote] Indeed. More historical perspective here. And Tim Blair notes the phenomenon in the present, from Phillip Adams. |
Michigan bucks McCain By / The Hill — Permalink Michigan Republicans want to bar Democrats and independents from the GOP's 2008 presidential primary — a step that would present a major hurdle for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), should he decide to run for the White House in 2008. | |
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Gerry Daly: Michigan GOP Reconsidering Primary — The Hill reports: "Michigan Republicans insist they do not want to shape the... Betsy Newmark: The Hill reports that Michigan Republicans are thinking of changing their primary from an open primary in which... |
Taegan Goddard: McCain May Face Obstacle in Michigan — Republicans in Michigan are looking to "bar Democrats and independents from the... |
Investigating Karl Rove Fox News — Permalink "Talking Points Memo" this evening concerns Karl Rove (search). While some in the media are foaming over Rove's situation, we've been investigating it and here is what we know. | |
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S.Z.: I think we may have a winner. 3. But let's see if Bill O'Reilly can top it. |
Scared Monkeys: Last night on the O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly interviewed Aruban attorney Arlene Ellis-Schipper. |
Young Republican meeting target of military question Las Vegas Sun — Permalink Despite an Internet effort to drum up opposition, several hundred of the nation's most ambitious young Republicans convened Thursday with little controversy. Activists of a loosely organized campaign called "Operation Yellow Elephant" had threatened to protest the Young Republican National Convention at Mandalay Bay this week. | |
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Roger Ailes: Given the time and effort you put into the convention and your experience in the food service industry, I'm sure your... |
Jo Fish: Remember, he told the Las Vegas Sun at one time that: [snipped quote] But wait, today via Roger Ailes (the good one) we... |
Senate Democrats Call for Increase in Troops By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and other Democrats proposed Wednesday to increase the size of the Army by 80,000 troops as a way to alleviate what she called a "crisis" in the military caused by lengthy deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. | |
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Matthew Yglesias: Folks inclined to believe that the proposal from Senators Jack Reed, Joe Lieberman, Hillary Clinton, and Ken Salazar to... |
John Cole: It appears it isn't any longer, as the NY Times has a piece on it now: [snipped quote] Hard to argue with the politics of... |
Mr. Bush, Pick a Genius By / NYT — Permalink Mr. President, they must think you're head of programming at CBS. Some people are telling you to name a Hispanic as your first Supreme Court nominee. Others say, Pick a woman. Harry Reid says, Pick someone who's not too controversial. | |
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Ann Althouse: That's who David Brooks wants George Bush to put on the Supreme Court: "[P]ick someone capable of writing the sort of... |
Riggsveda @Corrente: The Madman Theory Of Religious Forcefeeding picture1 David Brooks imagines the country is on an inevitable slide... |
Of Taxes and 'Treason' Opinion Journal — Permalink Never say we aren't willing to help an editorial subject in distress, and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm clearly needs some friendly advice. Last month the state legislature buried the Democratic Governor's top legislative priority, a grandiose... | |
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Ace: It's The Law: Only Liberals Can Make Treason Accusations Without Media Screaming — Jennifer Granholm, the Canadian... Glenn Reynolds: SOME DARE CALL IT TREASON. |
Greg Piper: But she had an embarrassing reaction to an op-ed from a Michigan legislator and professor criticizing her new tax plan:... Steve Antler: Ever since "Roger and Me" we've been interested... Here's the latest commentary on unemployment and taxes in Michigan, and here's some background. |
What Americans want in O'Connor court vacancy By / USA Today — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Bush has gotten a flood of advice from key senators, high-powered interest groups and even his wife as he weighs one of the most consequential decisions of his tenure: whom to nominate to the Supreme Court. | |
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John @PowerLine: This morning's USA Today, delivered to my hotel room here in Washington, contains evidence that the whole consultation... |
Orrin Judd: What Americans want in O'Connor court vacancy (Susan Page, 7/14/05, USA TODAY) [snipped quote] The Roe bit is a... |
Data Shows Faster-Rising Death Toll Among Iraqi Civilians By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi civilians and police officers died at a rate of more than 800 a month between August and May, according to figures released in June by the Interior Ministry. In response to questions from The New York Times, the ministry said that 8,175 Iraqis were killed by insurgents in the 10 months that ended May 31. | |
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Mark Kleiman: In this case, the better thing was to suppress a truth that might have interfered with a war against the wrong party,... |
Susie Madrak: Why They Love Us If only they understood why this is all worth it in the long run... uh, why is that, exactly? |
I Was a Teenage Terrorist By / Front Page Magazine — Permalink In 1996, Abdurahman Khadr, then 13-year-old terrorist-in-training, stood face to face with his idol: Osama bin Laden. Before long, Khadr would join the ranks of al-Qaeda's jihad in Afghanistan, fulfilling the calling of his hard-line Islamist family by waging war against the hated Americans. | |
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Ace: But $500,000+, and a brave, Oscar (TM) bait potrayal by Johnny Depp, for an Islamicist terrorist hero. Well, an ex-terrorist. |
Warren Bell: FEEL-GOOD TERRORIST MOVIE OF THE YEAR — This appears to suggest that Hollywood is run by profiteering whores. |
Report: UK blast mastermind identified Aljazeera — Permalink British police have identified the man thought to be the mastermind of last week's bombings in London in which at least 52 people died. The British-born man in his 30s, of Pakistani origin, arrived at a UK port last month and left the country again the day before the attacks, on 7 July, The Times newspaper reported on Thursday. | |
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Gateway Pundit: London Bomber Mastermind on the Lam — Aljazeera is reporting on the London Bombings "Mastermind"(?) today. Praktike: As for the alleged mastermind, Al Jazeera is reporting, second-hand, that he IS Pakistani and even prints the name:... |
Juan Cole: The main mentor appears to have been a Britisher of Pakistani origin who had earlier had contacts with al-Qaeda, and who slipped out the the UK the day before the attacks. Laura Rozen: British bombing mastermind identified. More from Praktike. |
It is an insult to the dead to deny the link with Iraq Guardian — Permalink In the grim days since last week's bombing of London, the bulk of Britain's political class and media has distinguished itself by a wilful and dangerous refusal to face up to reality. | |
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Marcus @HarrysPlace: Kingdom of the Blind — Seumas Milne in the Guardian accuses British journalists of "a wilful and dangerous refusal to... |
David T: Milne is a key example of such a fellow traveller: "We can't of course be sure of the exact balance of motivations that... |
London: The Pakistani Connection By / Weekly Standard — Permalink IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS after the horror in London on July 7, media in Britain and abroad focused considerable attention on "Londonistan"—the local zoo of Islamist agitators, almost entirely Arab, who have made headlines for years with their extremist preaching. | |
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Ted Belman: London: The Pakistani Connection — Those paying attention to Britain's Jamaati culture shouldn't be surprised by... |
USMC_Vet: Stephen Schwartz notes that there was something brewing in Londonistan for a while, if only anyone would have bothered to ask close observers of the community. |
Young Republicans suffer setback Las Vegas Sun — Permalink Nevada's chapter of the Young Republicans has basically imploded, leaving its chairman with up to $25,000 in personal debt and allegations that he mishandled money. All but three people have resigned from the statewide group, but the fallout could prove increasingly embarrassing to the entire state Republican Party. | |
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Tbogg: But enough about me... let's get back to The Cowardly Nathan: Nevada's chapter of the Young Republicans has basically... Roger Ailes: Poor, Poor Pitiful Me — That sound coming from Las Vegas is the high-pitched whine of the Cash-Strapped Nevada... John Cole: Nevada Young Republicans 'Imploded' — This will be making the rounds of lefty bloggers tomorrow, so you might as well see it here first: [snipped quote] Fabulous. |
Atrios: Waaaah — I hear the military is offering good signing bonuses now: Nevada's chapter of the Young Republicans has... Jo Fish: Chickenhawk Squawking Whining — Ah, young Nathan Taylor. Remember him? The Chairman of the Young Republican National Convention in Las Vegas? |
Kennedy Rips Santorum for 2002 Column By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - In a rare personal attack on the Senate floor, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) accused Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) on Wednesday of being self-righteous and insensitive for a column he wrote three years ago linking Boston's liberalism to the sex abuse scandal in its Catholic diocese. | |
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Norbizness: UPDATE: And a little blowback from the Senators from Massachussetts... Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., commented, "As a... |
Chris @AmericaBlog: Kennedy blasts Santorum, asks for apology — Kenndy and Kerry jumped on Santorum's confirmation of his previous outrageous remarks about the Boston priest pedophile scandals. |
GOP Nervously Eyeing Rove and CIA Probe By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Republicans are nervously watching the fight over Karl Rove's involvement in a news leak that exposed a CIA officer's identity, fearing that President Bush's chief adviser has become a major political problem. | |
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Josh Marshall: Said Luskin: "Cooper's truthful testimony today will not call into question the accuracy or completeness of anything Rove has previously said to the prosecutor or the grand jury." |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Cocoon — The AP's Ron Fournier is trapped so deep inside of the liberal cocoon, the freakin' jaws of life would be insufficient to extricate him. |
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 27 in Iraq By / LAT — Permalink BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber in an explosives-laden SUV killed at least 27, including an American soldier, late this morning in the deadliest insurgent attack in more than two months. | |
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Juan Cole: Shiite Children Targeted — Najaf Clerics Warn of Civil War Borzou Daragahi of the Los Angeles Times reports on the... |
Baldilocks: Monsters — Not Minutemen, are the killers of children. [snipped quote] (Thanks to Citizen Smash) |
Judy Miller and the press, Part 2 Salon — Permalink The continued angry response from many readers to my opinion piece about the Judith Miller case exemplifies the central point I was struggling to make: There is now a yawning gulf of perception between the media's sense of itself and the public's ideas about the media. | |
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Susie Madrak: Chill Factor These stories by Salon's Andrew O'Hehir really seem to exist in a vacuum. |
Stirling Newberry: It is one of the sorriest spectacles in any profession, when its members try and defend their privileges as rights. |
Iranians Warning Europe of Resumed Atomic Effort By / NYT — Permalink TEHRAN, July 12 - Iran will resume uranium enrichment if the European Union does not recognize its right to do so, two Iranian nuclear negotiators said in an interview published Tuesday. | |
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USMC_Vet: If the EU recognizes Iran's right to enrichment, it will enrich uranium. No enrichment, No deal. Any questions? |
Gregory Djerejian: Lede of the Week... ...no, it's not Rove-related. It's this Iran related gem: [snipped quote] Got that? |
White House Touts Falling Budget Deficit By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - After three years of steadily climbing budget shortfalls, President Bush finally had some good fiscal news Wednesday: Surging revenues and a steady economy have led to a steep drop in the expected deficit for this year. | |
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Brendan Nyhan: In a story about the wildly optimistic new budget projections from the White House, the AP buries any critical... |
Champollion: Diversion Tactics and Fallacies of Logic — The moron in chief wants a distraction from the Rove events of the day. |
Bush to Ganji: 'America Stands With You' By / New York Sun — Permalink WASHINGTON - As Tehran University students clashed with police in Iran yesterday during demonstrations demanding the release of political prisoners, President Bush, from Washington, joined the growing movement calling for the release of dissident journalist Akbar Ganji. | |
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USMC_Vet: See here and here for more details. Sunni Group in Iran (Organisation of God's Soldiers for Sunni Mujahideen) beheads Iranian Security agent. |
Dr. Demarche: Many people have called for his release, including President Bush The President calls on all supporters of human rights... |
Car bomb kills 24 children as they mob US patrol offering candy AFP — Permalink BAGHDAD (AFP) - Twenty-four Iraqi children were killed by a suicide car bomber targetting US soldiers as they handed out chocolates in a Baghdad neighbourhood they had entered to warn of a possible attack. "Children gathered round the Americans who were handing out sweets. | |
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Joe Katzman: Trent Telenko passes this on, noting that our enemies reveal themselves in their actions, and show what they are:... |
Donald Sensing: Mass murderers — Words are beggared for this. |
Standing With Ganji New York Sun — Permalink One evening not many years ago, we fell into a conversation about the heroes of the Cold War with Stephen S. Rosenfeld, who had recently retired as editorial page editor of the Washington Post. When we proffered the name of President Reagan, Mr. Rosenfeld cocked an eye and offered in return the name of Sakharov. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: "STANDING WITH GANJI" — It is good to see that the Bush Administration appears ready to make a public case about the plight of Akbar Ganji. |
K. J. Lopez: PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT — President Bush on Akbar Ganj, who is nearing death on a hunger strike in an Iranian prison. |
Chertoff Restructuring Homeland Security Department By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - Saying that the nation must "maximize our security, but not security at any price," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced today that he is restructuring the sprawling two-year-old department so that it is better able to prevent - or at least respond to - the next terrorist attack. | |
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Kim Lane Scheppele: Perhaps coincidentally, US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff proposed just today that the United States... |
Will Baude: I recommend them to readers who are meta-Supreme-Court nerds who don't already read BTQ. 2: Michael Chertoff has promising plans to overhaul the Department of Homeland Security. |
Karl Rove, Whistleblower Opinion Journal — Permalink Democrats and most of the Beltway press corps are baying for Karl Rove's head over his role in exposing a case of CIA nepotism involving Joe Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame. | |
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John Cole: People who run around claiming Rove deserves a medal or that the media should 'be shot' should be beaten with a stick... Marty Lederman: (And then, of course, there's "KARL ROVE IS WHISTLEBLOWER"—but I'll leave that one for those who have been all over that particular outrage for more than two years.) Christian Crumlish: In the case of the Rove/Plame controversy, left-wing muckrakers, the Raw Story, actually posted a graphic reproduction... |
Nick Gillespie: Forget the possible technicalities of the law, says conservative columnist Jay Ambrose: "There is no question that Rove... Jim Lindgren: The Wall Street Journal says that Wilson had started lying to the press and public about how he was hired before his wife was outed, in part by Rove. Mark Kleiman: If George W. Bush subscribes to the latest appalling wingnut notion — that any CIA officer who disagrees with White... |
| Also: Ed Driscoll, Von @ObsidianWings, Rob @Wizbang, Joe Gandelman, Tbogg, Stephen Green, S.Z., Hunter @DailyKos, Billmon, Digby, Medium Lobster, Scott @PowerLine, Andrew Sullivan, PGL, Josh Marshall, K. J. Lopez | |
Bush honesty rating drops to lowest point By / MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - The last two weeks certainly have been eventful ones in America and across the globe: President Bush gave a prime-time speech on Iraq and attended a G-8 summit in Scotland; Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the Supreme Court (with... | |
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John Cole: Bush 'Honesty' Ratings — According to this NBC/Wall Street journal poll, Bush's job performance rating has dropped... Matthew Yglesias: Here's another bit of support for an idea I've been pressing for a while: [snipped quote] Most commentators who've been... Attaturk: So much for the "Bump" of fear — After all the past events of the past two weeks, especially the bombing that punditry... |
Steve Soto: According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released late today and taken through Monday, only 41% of... Armando @DailyKos: No Say The American People The American people no longer trust their President: [snipped quote] Little wonder. Joe @AmericaBlog: NBC poll has Bush tanking — NBC/Wall Street Journal shows Bush disapproval at 49%, approval at 46%. |
| Also: Laura Rozen | |
Rove's Role in Spy Inquiry Reverberates Throughout Capital Bloomberg — Permalink July 13 (Bloomberg) — Karl Rove planned to become more visible in President George W. Bush's second term, though not as a subject in the first criminal investigation of the Bush presidency. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Bloomberg today reported: [snipped quote] We know that Fitzgerald subpoenaed the complete transcript of his July 12, 2003 press gaggle conducted at a hospital in Nigeria. Nico @ThinkProgress: Was Ari the Other Leaker? » Bloomberg News raised eyebrows today with this vague mention of former White House... Atrios: Ari — Could be in trouble...here's the meat, from bloomberg: People familiar with the inquiry say Fitzgerald also... |
Susie Madrak: 5) If Rove was simply trying to be helpful to a reporter, why did he (and the White House) lie about his part for the past two years? Steve Soto: As did the forgotten man, Ari Fleischer, whose previous testimony according to Bloomberg just now is also being looked at closely by special counsel Fitzgerald. Chris Bowers: Bush Has Been Questioned in Leak Case — Up, up and away we go (emphasis mine): [snipped quote] Damn, we have to win the House in 2006. |
| Also: Laura Rozen | |
Santorum resolute on Boston rebuke By / Boston Globe — Permalink WASHINGTON — Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, refused yesterday to back off on his earlier statements connecting Boston's ''liberalism" with the Roman Catholic Church pedophile scandal, saying that the city's ''sexual license" and ''sexual freedom" nurtured an environment where sexual abuse would occur. | |
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PatHMV @Centerfield: This laid the ground work to elevate it from column opinion to news, resulting in the July 13 Globe article, "Santorum Resolute on Boston Rebuke". K. J. Lopez: I'm just now reading all the Boston Globe coverage of the Kennedy vs. Santorum story. This is just all so low and rotten. Pennywit @Wizbang: From The Boston Globe: WASHINGTON — Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate,... |
Jay Tea: I took a careful look at the Boston Globe account of their interview with Santorum, and I have come to the conclusion that he is right on several key points. Norbizness: Catholic Church pedophilia scandal covered up by cardinal who was reassigned to an important Vatican post : Liberal... Michelle Pilecki: Michelle Pilecki: Rick Doesn't Back Down — Given a chance to take his foot out of his mouth over his hyperbolic link of... |
| Also: Mark Leon Goldberg, Chris @AmericaBlog, Susie Madrak, Steve Bainbridge, LeanLeft, Andrew Sullivan | |
Rehnquist Hospitalized for Fever in Va. By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, ailing with cancer, is in the hospital with a fever, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Rehnquist was taken by ambulance to an Arlington, Va., hospital Tuesday night and was admitted for observation and tests, Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. | |
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Ann Althouse: I see the Chief Justice has been hospitalized. Much as I'd like to see more turnover on the Court, I'm sorry to see anyone ailing, and I wish him the best. James Joyner: AP updates: Rehnquist Hospitalized for Fever in Va. "Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, ailing with cancer, is in the hospital with a fever, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. John @AmericaBlog: Rehnquist in the hospital — I had a feeling he wasn't doing well, and that, I think, is why the rumors swirled last Friday about him imminently stepping down. |
Zoe Kentucky: There are several things that could kill it, for instance: 1) Bush's Supreme Court Nominee announcement pushes it off... Jeralyn Merritt: Chief Justice Rehnquist Hospitalized With Fever — Chief Justice William Rehnquist has been hospitalized with a fever. Joe Gandelman: Rehnquist In Hospital Due To Fever — Each day, it seems, we are closer and closer to getting an annoucement about a... |
| Also: Dr. Steven Taylor, Michelle Malkin | |
No Alberto By / Weekly Standard — Permalink THOUGH HE DEFENDED Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against conservative critics, President Bush now appears highly unlikely to nominate Gonzales to replace retiring Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor. | |
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Ann Althouse: Fred Barnes is providing more anti-Gonzales argumentation, raking in links — but there's nothing engaging there, really. Gail Heriot: Not Gonzales — For what it's worth, the report from Fred Barnes at the Weekly Standard is that Bush is now leaning away... Feddie @SouthernAppeal: "No Alberto—President Bush is leaning away from nominating Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to the Supreme Court": So sayeth Fred Barnes. |
Steve M.: UPDATE: For whatever it's worth, Fred Barnes said this morning in The Weekly Standard that President Bush now... Ramesh Ponnuru: GONZALES WATCH — Fred Barnes writes that it is "highly unlikely" that Bush will nominate Alberto Gonzales to replace... |
Sharp Rise in Tax Revenue to Pare U.S. Deficit By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 12 - For the first time since President Bush took office, an unexpected leap in tax revenue is about to shrink the federal budget deficit this year, by nearly $100 billion. | |
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Damian Penny: But it is getting lower, thanks mainly to increased revenue: For the first time since President Bush took office, an... James Joyner: Sharp Increase in Tax Revenue Will Pare U.S. Deficit (NYT | RSS) [snipped quote] The article also notes that part of the... Don: A CAREER-LIMITING MOVE — Neal Phenes thinks that the New York Times' Edmund Andrews has set himself up to be fired for... |
Captain Ed: Within hours of hearing the leading Democratic presidential candidate excoriate President Bush for following their lead,... John Cole: The Deficit — The budget deficit will be slightly smaller than expected: [snipped quote] Of course there are tsome on... Justin @SouthernAppeal: Sharp Rise in Tax Revenue to Pare U.S. Deficit: From the NYTimes (via Drudge): [snipped quote] Me: Boom! |
| Also: Glenn Reynolds | |
Are You an Originalist? By / NRO — Permalink President Bush's promise to appoint originalist justices like Scalia and Thomas invites the question: What is this peculiar creature, the originalist? The term "originalism" identifies the traditional, common-sense principle that the meaning of various... | |
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LeanLeft: As a joke, it's lame, and as an argument, it's a joke. It's so hard to tell the difference at National Review Online. Eugene Oregon: Ed Whelan asks Are You an Originalist? and gives us a simple quiz to help us find out [snipped quote] I choose "D." JoelL @SouthernAppeal: Read his article here. |
Orrin Judd: JUST READ THE TEXT: Are You an Originalist? : Take this simple test and find out. Mike Rappaport: Are you an originalist? Edward Whelan asks the question at NRO. Betsy Newmark: Edward Whelan has a clever multiple choice test to determine if you are an originalist. |
Bush Says He Might Consider Newcomers for High Court NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - President Bush said today that his nominee for the Supreme Court may be someone who has never sat on the bench before. "Would I be willing to consider people who had never been a judge?" Mr. Bush said. "And the answer is, 'You bet.' | |
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Joe Carter: Card: President Bush is considering nominees for the Supreme Court who have never sat on the bench before. John Podhoretz: BUSH SAYS... ...he'd consider appointing someone who'd never been on a court before, according to the New York Times. |
John Cole: SCOTUS Update — These remarks from Bush are going to cause a veritable s***-storm: "President Bush said today that his... |
Senators Advise Bush on Picking a Court Nominee NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 12 - In their first meeting with President Bush over the Supreme Court vacancy, Democrats went so far Tuesday as to offer names for consideration while senators of both parties encouraged the president to look beyond the federal judiciary for candidates. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Bush Gets Democratic Input On Supreme Court Nominee — In a season where virtually every news story seems to have... Norbizness: I think our friends at Alas, A Blog may have part of the answer: Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America,... Andrew Sullivan: So why did the White House call Falwell for input on a judicial nominee for the Supreme Court? Just asking. |
Steve M.: I know President Bush met with senators from both parties yesterday to discuss his Supreme Court pick, but I didn't know... Echidne: The Democrats want a moderate, the wingnuts want Attila the Hun: "While Democrats were clamoring for a nominee who... |
Bush to Hold Comments on Rove During Inquiry By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 13 - President Bush parried questions about Karl Rove today, insisting that he will not comment about his trusted adviser until the conclusion of an investigation into the unmasking of a C.I.A. operative. | |
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Arianna Huffington: Bush may be making the claim that he can't comment until "the investigation is complete," but he and Karl obviously have... Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: And today he said this: ""I also will not prejudge the investigation based on media reports. |
Armando @DailyKos: As of this morning, Day 4 of the saga, this is where the President stands: Stonewall: "President Bush parried... Hunter @DailyKos: Stonewall: "President Bush parried questions about Karl Rove today, insisting that he will not comment about his... |
We rock the boat Guardian — Permalink If I'm asked about 7/7, I - a Yorkshire lad, born and bred - will respond first by giving an out-clause to being labelled a terrorist lover. I think what happened in London was a sad day and not the way to express your political anger. Then there's the "but". | |
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David T: Yesterday, the Guardian published an article by "trainee journalist" Dilpazier Aslam who penned an article from the... Scott Burgess: 'Sassy' Suicide Bombers — Today's Guardian gives space to Dilpazier Aslam, a "Guardian trainee journalist" who suggests... Ed Driscoll: Somehow though, unlike England's Guardian newspaper, I don't think he'd be writing about "sassy" suicide bombers, as... |
Andrew Sullivan: THE GUARDIAN'S OWN ISLAMO-FASCIST: The Guardian, in the wake of mass murder, publishes this piece defending... Norm Geras: The first voices, so far as I know, were those of the SWP and George Galloway, but it wasn't very long - indeed it was... |
Bus firm takes car sharers to court Guardian — Permalink They might have been congratulated for their "green" efforts in an area of heavy air pollution. Instead a group of French cleaning ladies who organised a car-sharing scheme to get to work are being taken to court by a coach company which accuses them of "an act of unfair and parasitical competition". | |
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Jan Haugland: And therein lies the rub: the bus company is now suing the women and their employer for "an act of unfair and parasitical competition". Eugene Volokh: "Bus Firm Takes Car Sharers to Court": The Guardian (UK) reports: [snipped quote] Thanks to John Chalmers for the pointer. |
Clayton Cramer: I Couldn't Make Up A Story Like This — It sounds like a French joke, or something out of a Ayn Rand novel about the... |
The Jews NRO — Permalink War and a sickness. It was widely noted, most passionately by the Iraqi blogger Hammorabi, that when Tony Blair reminded the House of Commons that many countries had been scourged by the terrorists in recent years, he omitted Iraq from the list. | |
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Brendan Nyhan: Update 7/13: Matthew Yglesias links to this post on Tapped, but says that I "missed the best of the lot" — a Michael... Matthew Yglesias: He misses, however, the best of the lot where Michael Ledeen expressly calls (it's at the end) for enhanced censorship,... |
Scott @PowerLine: Yesterday at National Review Online, Michael Ledeen explored the same issue in greater depth: "The Jews." Roger L. Simon: Are Iraqis the New Jews? Only my pal Michael would posit something so outrageous. [He does court controversy.-ed. |
Politeness in the photocopier queue is why we're losing the War on Terror By / Times of London — Permalink I'M FURIOUS. According to the Associated Press and an assorted mixture of internet nutters, the Israelis were tipped off about the London attacks moments before they happened. Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was able to change his plans to visit a hotel directly above one of the blast sites. | |
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Steve Bainbridge: Must read — Daniel Finkelstein in the Times of London. Money quote: "Ultimate victory may be beyond the terrorists' reach. James Joyner: Politeness in the photocopier queue is why we're losing the War on Terror (Times of London) [snipped quote] Norm Geras... Jim Henley: Hence, these two articles go together: Lindsay Beyerstein on "Nice Guys" and their complaints about lack of nookie, and... |
Harry @HarrysPlace: The BBC and the 'T word' — Gene's expose of the BBC's removal of the word 'terrorist' from its online reports has... Jan Haugland: Daniel Finkelstein has what can be described a novel idea: Politeness in the photocopier queue is why we're losing the War on Terror. Norm Geras: Reasons of displacement — Daniel Finkelstein in today's Times: [snipped quote] No, but also yes. |
| Also: Jason Van Steenwyk | |
Bush Deflects Questions on Rove By / WaPo — Permalink President Bush deflected questions today about the alleged role of one of his top advisers in leaking the identity of a CIA agent, saying he would not discuss the matter until an investigation is complete. | |
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Jack Cluth: What, me worry?? [snipped quote] Having raised stonewalling to an art form, the Bush Administration is in no mood to give... Billmon: The Hired Hand — [snipped quote] "bushrove.jpg" |
Lambert @Corrente: Frogmarch watch: Bush to let surrogates do the dirty work, as usual — Mush from the wimp: [snipped quote] Asked for a comment, Bush said [snipped quote] Really?! |
'Scarborough Country' for July 12 MSNBC — Permalink JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Tonight's top headline: questions of whether one of the suspects confessed in the Natalee Holloway case. Welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY, no passport required, only common sense allowed. | |
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Armando @DailyKos: GOP Definition of "Guts": Lying to the American People — In what has to be one of the most disgusting examples of the... David Sirota: King went on to then say "maybe Karl Rove was not perfect [but] we live in an imperfect world, and I give him credit for having the guts." |
Scared Monkeys: From Aruba Today; Kalpoe Brothers, J. v/d Sloot Appear in Court Also the transcripts from last nights (7/12/05)... Atrios: Rep. King: Members of Media Should be Shot — On Scarborough: And Joe Wilson has no right to complain. |
Rove Case May Test Bush's Loyalty to His Closest Aides By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, July 12 - Loyalty has long been the most hallowed virtue in the Bush White House, but rarely has it been tested the way it has this week. No one has been closer to the president longer, or bailed him out of more tight spots, than Karl Rove, his chief political adviser. | |
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Ted @CrookedTimber: [1] This assertion is no longer operative since Rove's lawyer admitted that he was a source, and Gibson is misleading at best when he makes it. Steve Clemons: From David Sanger's piece in the New York Times today: [snipped quote] Clearly, parsing words is back in style in the White House. Matthew Yglesias: It seems that Karl Rove really will be reaching for the semantics defense: [snipped quote] It's time to put a stop to this silliness. |
Joe Gandelman: There's little sign that the controversy swirling over President George Bush's political right-hand-man Karl Rove and... Jack Balkin: The Rove Scandal and the Twenty Second Amendment JB There's a structural issue lurking behind the developing scandal over Karl Rove. Tom Maguire: The Times promotes the story of Rove and the Plame leak with another long story lacking in new developments. |
| Also: Gregory Djerejian, Attaturk, Taegan Goddard, Michael @AmericaBlog, Mike Rappaport, Tom Tomorrow, Atrios | |
Second thoughts on leak case By / Boston Globe — Permalink LAST WEEK in this space, I implied that the special counsel in the Valerie Plame leak case, Patrick Fitzgerald, might be protecting the Bush administration. It made no sense, I argued, that New York Times reporter Judith Miller was going to jail for protecting... | |
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Susie Madrak: The Public Interest Robert Kuttner retracts his previous column: After a week's reporting and reflection, I also... Zoe Kentucky: Rove and others seem to be carving out a defense with the repeated use of a very carefully worded phrase. John Podhoretz: WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE — Robert Kuttner has actually published a column apologizing for his appalling, idiotic and... |
Barbara O'Brien: This week, Kuttner has second thoughts. "Here's what we've learned: First, Fitzgerald is playing it straight. Jim Romenesko: Kuttner apologizes to Fitzgerald for column "I really booted" — Boston Globe Robert Kuttner implied last week that... Andrew Sullivan: One of the first casualties of the impulse to jump to conclusions is Bob Kuttner. (I can't believe I beat Mickey to this. |
Uproar Has Roots in Rove's Vast Reach LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush once said he would fire any White House staffer who had leaked the identity of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame. But if that source turns out to be Karl Rove, the president's longtime political guru, a firing would be a devastating blow to the White House. | |
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Steve Soto: And given how close these two are politically, the only way that happens is if Bush himself is implicated. Pudentilla: attack poodles at the l.a. times comfort karl in his darkest hour "uproar has roots in rove's vast reach - the architect... Jim Romenesko: Claim: Rove has "great credibility" with journos he deals with — Los Angeles Times Karl Rove maintains contacts at... |
Laura Rozen: Karl Rove and the press, and his history with the Bush family: "[George W. Bush and Rove] came together during young... Jeralyn Merritt: The LA Times today provides some illumination: "Rove has duties beyond his official role of working on foreign and domestic policy development. Orrin Judd: KARL THE BUILDER: Uproar Has Roots in Rove's Vast Reach: The architect of Bush's success, known for detail work, has kept close ties to the media. |
Children die in Baghdad car bomb BBC — Permalink At least 26 Iraqis, almost all of them children, have been killed by a suicide car bombing in south-eastern Baghdad. A US soldier is also said to have died in the blast. Another three US soldiers are reported to have been injured. | |
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Talking Dog: I realize many of you may disagree with me on this, but I consider the blood of dozens of Iraqi children today who were... |
Natalie Solent: Another day, another horror. Suicide bomber massacres children in Iraq. |
Bush Won't Comment on Rove During Probe By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday that he will withhold judgment about top aide Karl Rove's involvement in leaking the identity of a CIA agent until a federal criminal investigation into the matter is complete. | |
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Steve Soto: As Cooper Testifies This Morning, Bush Clams Up — As Matt Cooper testifies to the Grand Jury now, Bush says he will say nothing until the investigation is complete. Rice Grad: Instead he said that he won't "prejudge the investigation based on media reports." |
Joe @AmericaBlog: Update: AP claims Bush was supposed to show support for Rove, but didn't, hmmm: "Bush's statement was a surprise for... |