Top Items:
Hamza Hendawi / Associated Press:
Saddam's Trial Resumes, but Without Him — BAGHDAD, Iraq - The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed Wednesday after a lengthy delay but without the former president, who had declared the day before that he would not take part in an "unjust" court. — The seven other defendants and Saddam's lawyers …
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New York Times:
White House and McCain Are Near Deal on Torture Bill — WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 - The White House has all but abandoned its effort to persuade Senator John McCain to exempt Central Intelligence Agency employees from legislation barring inhumane or degrading treatment of prisoners in American custody.
Discussion:
Balkinization, Balloon Juice, The Carpetbagger Report, The Corner on National … and TalkLeft
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Joel Brinkley / New York Times:Rice Is Challenged in Europe Over Secret Prisons
Discussion:
www.AndrewSullivan.com
Washington Post:
Democrats Fear Backlash at Polls for Antiwar Remarks — Strong antiwar comments in recent days by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean have opened anew a party rift over Iraq, with some lawmakers warning that the leaders' rhetorical blasts …
Discussion:
CNN, The Huffington Post, The Indepundit, Centerfield, Balloon Juice, Legal Fiction, Oliver Willis, Presstitutes, RAGGED THOTS, Daily Pundit, Armchair Generalist, Just a Bump in the Beltway, Powerpundit, Betsy's Page, BlondeSense, Suburban Guerrilla, TKS on National Review Online, PoliPundit.com, Booker Rising, Left I on the News, Cam Edwards, Blogs for Bush, Cold Fury, Carol Platt Liebau and The American Mind
Alan Cooperman / Washington Post:
'Holiday' Cards Ring Hollow for Some on Bushes' List — What's missing from the White House Christmas card? Christmas. — This month, as in every December since he took office, President Bush sent out cards with a generic end-of-the-year message, wishing 1.4 million of his close friends and supporters a happy "holiday season."
Discussion:
Demagogue, The Corner on National …, The Anchoress, The Carpetbagger Report, Balloon Juice, RAGGED THOTS, TKS on National Review Online, RedState.org, Sepia Mutiny, The American Princess, Wonkette, The Heretik, The All Spin Zone, PrestoPundit, Prometheus 6, Alarming News, PhotoDude.com and Air America Radio
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Rachel Zoll / Associated Press:
Some Megachurches Closing for Christmas — This Christmas, no prayers will be said in several megachurches around the country. Even though the holiday falls this year on a Sunday, when churches normally host thousands for worship, pastors are canceling services, anticipating low attendance on what they call a family day.
Washington Post:
Fla. Professor Is Acquitted in Case Seen as Patriot Act Test — A federal jury acquitted former Florida professor Sami al-Arian yesterday of conspiring to aid a Palestinian group in killing Israelis through suicide bombings, dealing the U.S. government a setback in its efforts …
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Joe Kaufman / Front Page Magazine:Acquitting a Terrorist — "Today, the United States Department …
Discussion:
Israel news and commentary …
New York Times:
Senator Clinton, in Pander Mode — Hillary Clinton is co-sponsoring a bill to criminalize the burning of the American flag. Her supporters would characterize this as an attempt to find a middle way between those who believe that flag-burning is constitutionally protected free speech …
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Ezra Klein / TAPPED:
THE WRONG SIDE OF CLINTONISM. The New York Times writes: … No, it's worse than that. Flag burning legislation is kinda like the flu, it comes and it goes, usually syncing to season. Right now, we're out of the woods, at least till we get closer to 2006.
Discussion:
Left in the West
Donald Sensing / One Hand Clapping:
Remember Pearl Harbor — Last May my wife and traveled to Oahu. On Memorial Day Sunday we visited the USS Arizona Memorial. The ship was sunk on Dec. 7, 1941, along with many others. — This is the original ship's bell of USS Arizona, recovered from the sunken vessel and now on display …
Discussion:
BillHobbs.com
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Nathan / NathanNewman.org:
Anti-Unionism is the Date Rape of Corporate Crime — Even most liberals deny anti-union crime is widespread or deny that it's even a serious crime at all and anyways the folks doing it are such swell people, we can't expect us to like treat them like criminals, do you?
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Jean O. Pasco / Los Angeles Times:
Republican Tops Border Activist in O.C. Election — A Republican state senator sailed to victory Tuesday in a special congressional election in coastal Orange County featuring a maverick, third-party candidate who sought to capitalize on growing fears of illegal immigration.
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White House:
Fact Sheet: Rebuilding Iraq — Today's Presidential Action: — To Defeat The Enemy, The United States Is Helping Iraqis Rebuild. Over the course of this war, the Coalition has learned that winning the battle for Iraqi cities is only a first step. The Coalition has adjusted to win the …
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Associated Press:
CIA leak prosecutor again goes before grand jury — WASHINGTON (AP) — Six weeks after White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted in the CIA leak case, special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was back at work Wednesday before another grand jury in the drawn-out federal probe.
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ReddHedd / firedoglake:He's Baaaaack — Guess who? Fitzy is back before the grand …
Discussion:
IntoxiNation-News …
National Review:
Funny Girl — Chanukah came early for the Goldberg household last month. On November 23, Barbra Streisand wrote a letter to the editor complaining that the Los Angeles Times picked me up as a columnist. As gleeful as I was, I declined to respond. But now, just last night …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Moonbattery, Wizbang, Daily Pundit, The LLama Butchers and NewsBusters.org
Anne Applebaum / Washington Post:
It's Not Whether You 'Win' or 'Lose' . . . In recent months it has become common practice to talk about what it will take to "win" — or what it would mean to "lose" — the war in Iraq. Recently the pace of that talk has accelerated. Just last week President Bush published a …
Discussion:
The Blogging of the President
Editor and Publisher:
'Vanity Fair' Offers Fresh Details on Judith Miller Saga — NEW YORK In a lengthy feature piece on this autumn's Judith Miller saga forthcoming in the January issue of Vanity Fair (on sale Dec. 13), writer Seth Mnookin covers much familiar ground but also reveals new details and complaints …
Paul -V / Brainshrub.com:
Carnival of the Liberals Number 1 — Hurr-y, hurr-y, hurr-y — Step right up ladies and gentleman, boys and girls ... for the greatest blog carnival* on the internet! My name is Paul -V-, and I'll be your carnival barker today as we explore the best of the Liberal blogosphere.
Melanie Warner / New York Times:
Lines Are Drawn for Big Suit Over Sodas — It is lunchtime at Grover Cleveland High School in Portland, Ore. A steady stream of thirsty teenagers poke dollars into the three Coca-Cola machines in the hallway. By the end of lunch period, the Coke With Lime, Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke are sold out.
