memeorandum

Political Web, page A1 … for 9:35 PM ET, December 21, 2005
Current Politics Page     Also:   Tech

Top Items:

John Schmidt / Chicago Tribune:
President had legal authority to OK taps  —  President Bush's post- Sept. 11, 2001, authorization to the National Security Agency to carry out electronic surveillance into private phone calls and e-mails is consistent with court decisions and with the positions of the Justice Department under prior presidents.
RELATED ITEMS:
Daniel J. Solove / Concurring Opinions:
Judge Posner's Troubling Call for Massive Surveillance
H. Josef Hebert / Associated Press:
Senate Blocks Alaska Refuge Drilling  —  WASHINGTON - The Senate blocked an attempt to open an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling Wednesday, foiling an attempt by drilling backers to force the measure through Congress as part of a must-have defense spending bill.
RELATED ITEMS:
William Branigin / Washington Post:
Senate Blocks Arctic Drilling Provision  —  The Senate today failed to pass a major defense appropriations bill after a Democratic-led bloc stymied it with a filibuster in an effort to force removal of a controversial provision on oil drilling in an Alaskan wildlife refuge.
Washington Post:
With Cheney's Vote, Senate Passes Budget Bill  —  Legislation Would Trim $40 Billion Over 5 Years  —  The Senate narrowly passed a $40 billion budget-cutting bill today, with Vice President Cheney casting the deciding vote after the chamber split 50-50 on the measure.
RELATED ITEMS:
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
Barking Up Every Tree  —  I'm sleeping better at night.  —  Our federal authorities have things under control.  —  FBI counterterrorism agents are on the case, looking into any nefarious plots by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  —  Documents obtained by the ACLU shows …
RELATED ITEMS:
Daniel Benjamin / Slate:
Bush's Bogus Analogy
Discussion: Poynter Online
Rowan Scarborough / Washington Times:
Times faulted by 9/11panel
Alison Fitzgerald / Bloomberg:
Snow, Praising Bush on Budget, Calls Clinton's Surplus `Mirage'  —  Dec. 21 (Bloomberg) — President Bill Clinton left office in 2001 with a federal budget surplus of $127 billion.  President George Bush ran a deficit of $319 billion in 2005.  So who deserves more credit for fighting red ink?
Discussion: Angry Bear
RELATED ITEM:
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
Shoveling some Snow  —  I can appreciate the awkwardness the administration must feel when it comes to their enormous, record-breaking budget deficits.  The president ran in 2000 on a platform that not only called for a balanced-budget amendment to the constitution, but insisted that deficits were "dangerous" for the economy.
Reuters:
Saddam steals show claiming US torture  —  By Mussab al-Khairalla and Gideon Long  —  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein told his trial on Wednesday he was beaten in U.S. custody and, in an extraordinary outburst toward the end of the hearing, also said those who had tortured Iraqis should be punished for their crimes.
RELATED ITEM:
BBC:
'Americans tortured me' - Saddam
Discussion: Gateway Pundit
Richard Morin / Washington Post:
Majority of Americans Support Alito Nomination  —  A majority of Americans now support the confirmation of U.S. Appeals Court Judge Samuel A. Alito to the Supreme Court to fill the seat of retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
RELATED ITEM:
Associated Press:
Democrats Seek All of Alito's Writings
Discussion: The Sideshow
ydr.com:
Investigate perjury in Dover ID case  —  Judge Jones issued a broad, sensible ruling - finding that some board members lied.  —  Dec 21, 2005 — They lied.  —  William Buckingham and Alan Bonsell wanted to bring God into high school biology class, and in the process, they lied.
Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
RELATED ITEM:
Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Fourth Circuit keeps Padilla case alive, rebukes government  —  In a deeply serious setback for the Bush Administration's legal strategy for the war on terrorism, the Fourth Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon kept intact its ruling in the now-celebrated Jose Padilla case …
RELATED ITEM:
Steve Vladeck / PrawfsBlawg:
Fourth Circuit Rules Against Government in Padilla
Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy
Jim Henley / Unqualified Offerings:
Pete Townsend, Thou Shouldst Be Living at This Hour  —  Diana Moon tips me to the early returns from Iraq, and the early reaction in some of its parts.  Returns: … That is, the theocratic Shi'ite ruling coalition got almost two thirds of the vote in Baghdad itself …
RELATED ITEM:
Emanuele Ottolenghi / National Review:
The Light of the World  —  Let's embarrass Iran's evil regime.  During this festive season, let's light some Hanukkah candles in front of their embassies.  —  In Jewish tradition, Hanukkah is the festival of lights, because it celebrates the survival of the Jewish people against the onslaught …
Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Solomonia
William J. Kole / Associated Press:
Mayor begs Schwarzenegger not to cut ties  —  VIENNA, Austria - The mayor of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Austrian hometown on Tuesday begged the California governor to reconsider his decision to cut ties to the city after locals assailed him for his death penalty stance.
Discussion: QandO and Ace of Spades HQ
thepittsburghchannel.com:
Teen Guilty Of Manslaughter After Online Confession  —  Passenger Pulled Steering Wheel, Causing Crash  —  TAVARES, Fla. — An 18-year-old passenger who caused a fatal crash by pulling on the steering wheel pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter after prosecutors discovered a confession on his online blog.

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More Items:

Digby / Hullabaloo:
Adults Wanted  —  Kevin Drum has a whole bunch of good posts …
thebostonchannel.com:
Romney To Decide On White House Run In '07
John / AMERICAblog:
Bush's NSA director Michael Hayden …
Charles Hurt / Washington Times:
Roberts 'puzzled' by Rockefeller's concerns
Discussion: The RCP Blog and Power Line
Hullabaloo:
Christmas Morning  —  Thank you all so much for your kind contributions.
Tom Watson:
The Bush Embolism II
Mark Stevenson / Associated Press:
Mexico Promises to Block Border Wall Plan
Phil Hirschkorn / CNN:
Officials: Sen. Clinton's GOP challenger to quit race
Discussion: Wonkette and Running Scared

Earlier Picks:

Jason Leopold / rawstory.com:
Leak probe not seen to end with Rove, lawyers say
Martin Crutsinger / Associated Press:
Economy Grows at Fastest Pace in 1 1/2 Years
Gateway Pundit:
Hong Kong Democracy Advocates Win Legislative Showdown
Hotline On Call:
'02 Redux?  —  The most common comparison made to the upcoming …
Discussion: TAPPED and Daily Pundit
Chris Kromm / Facing South:
Why did people die in New Orleans?
timeswatch.org:
The Times Watch 'Quotes of Note Worst of 2005'
Discussion: NewsBusters.org
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Yanks Add Centerpiece in Damon
Max Boot / Los Angeles Times:
'Plame Platoon' is AWOL on new leaks
 
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