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Political Web, page A1 … for 9:55 AM ET, December 21, 2005
Current Politics Page     Also:   Tech

Top Items:

Washington Post:
Spy Court Judge Quits In Protest  —  Jurist Concerned Bush Order Tainted Work of Secret Panel  —  A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.
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New York Times:
Spying Program Snared U.S. Calls  —  WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - A surveillance program approved by President Bush to conduct eavesdropping without warrants has captured what are purely domestic communications in some cases, despite a requirement by the White House that one end of the intercepted conversations …
Reuters:
Senators members seek spying probe  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican calls mounted on Tuesday for U.S. congressional hearings into President George W. Bush's assertion that he can order warrantless spying on Americans with suspected terrorist ties.
Knight Ridder:
Senators call for probe of Bush's domestic-surveillance program
Discussion: Done With Mirrors
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Susan Schmidt / Washington Post:
Abramoff Reportedly Negotiating a Deal in Which He Would Plead Guilty, Testify  —  Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, facing trial on fraud charges Jan. 9 in Florida, is negotiating a possible deal with the Justice Department, in which he would agree to plead guilty and cooperate …
Discussion: The Democratic Party
Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:
In Final Hours, M.T.A. Took a Big Risk on Pensions  —  On the final day of intense negotiations, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, it turns out, greatly altered what it had called its final offer, to address many of the objections of the transit workers' union.
RELATED ITEMS:
New York Times:
An Unnecessary Transit Strike
Discussion: Gothamist
Michael Powell / Washington Post:
Judge Rules Against 'Intelligent Design'  —  Dover, Pa., District Can't Teach Evolution Alternative  —  A federal judge barred a Pennsylvania school district yesterday from mentioning "intelligent design" as an alternative to evolutionary theory in a scathing opinion that criticized local …
RELATED ITEMS:
Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:
Judge Rejects Teaching Intelligent Design
Discussion: Althouse and Big Lizards
Patrick Cockburn / Independent:
Iraq's election result: a divided nation  —  Iraq is disintegrating.  The first results from the parliamentary election last week show the country is dividing between Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions.  —  Religious fundamentalists now have the upper hand.  The secular and nationalist candidate backed …
RELATED ITEM:
Richard A. Posner / Washington Post:
Our Domestic Intelligence Crisis  —  We've learned that the Defense Department is deeply involved in domestic intelligence (intelligence concerning threats to national security that unfold on U.S. soil).  The department's National Security Agency has been conducting, outside the framework …
Richard Morin / Washington Post:
Poll: Bush Approval Numbers Up  —  President's Job Approval Rating Increases by Eight Points  —  Washington Post polling editor Richard Morin was online Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the new Post/ABC poll, which shows an eight point increase in President Bush's approval rating …
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Chris Bowers / MyDD:   Our Conversation With Richard Morin
Judd / Think Progress:
Fact Check: Clinton/Carter Executive Orders Did Not Authorize Warrantless Searches of Americans  —  The top of the Drudge Report claims "CLINTON EXECUTIVE ORDER: SECRET SEARCH ON AMERICANS WITHOUT COURT ORDER..." It's not true.  Here's the breakdown -  —  What Drudge says: … What Clinton actually signed:
Max Boot / Los Angeles Times:
'Plame Platoon' is AWOL on new leaks  —  Highly classified programs have been revealed, which could provide real aid to our enemies.  So where's all that outrage now?  —  IT SEEMS like only yesterday that every high-minded politician, pundit and professional activist was in high dudgeon …
Charles Babington / Washington Post:
4 GOP Senators Hold Firm Against Patriot Act Renewal  —  Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) could barely conceal his anger.  —  "The Patriot Act expires on December 31, but the terrorist threat does not," he told reporters at the Capitol yesterday.
White House:
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan  —  MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everyone.  I want to begin with talking about matters going on with the Congress right now, particularly the Senate.  —  The President, as you heard last night, applauds the House for its work to meet key national priorities.
Kevin Drum / The Washington Monthly:
WARTIME....Do President Bush's inherent constitutional powers as commander-in-chief give him the authority to override federal law and approve domestic spying by the NSA?  That's certainly the justification he provided at Monday's press conference: … Bill Kristol and Gary Schmitt support …
RELATED ITEM:
Josh Meyer / Los Angeles Times:
Officials Fault Case Bush Cited  —  Internal breakdowns, not shortcomings in spy laws, were at play before Sept. 11, they say.  —  WASHINGTON — In confirming the existence of a top-secret domestic spying program, President Bush offered one case as proof that authorities desperately needed …
Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla
worldtribune.com:
Report: Syria agrees to hide Iran nukes  —  LONDON — Syria has signed a pledge to store Iranian nuclear weapons and missiles.  —  The London-based Jane's Defence Weekly reported that Iran and Syria signed a strategic accord meant to protect either country from international pressure regarding their weapons programs.

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More Items:

Washington Post:
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David Ignatius / Washington Post:
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Discussion: INTEL DUMP
TigerHawk:
Considering victory conditions in the wider war and the importance of ideology
CNN:
Germany frees killer of U.S. diver
Tim Tagaris / The Democratic Party:
Did George Bush Break the Law?
Discussion: Pensito Review and Hugh Hewitt
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danielgross.net:
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