Top Items:
Timothy J. Burger / Time:
Disgraced Congressman 'Wore a Wire' — Sources tell TIME that Duke Cunningham wore a wire after agreeing to cooperate with a graft probe — Washington's power players have always bragged about being well-wired, but for disgraced former congressman Duke Cunningham, "wired" wasn't just a figure of speech.
Glenn Greenwald / Hullabaloo:
Hanging the Messenger — Atrios asked this question yesterday: … I'm not sure exactly what those commentators would say (although I'm sure it would be appropriately balanced and would give due deference to the view that Bush had good arguments for such spying and did so only with the best …
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Michelle Malkin:
THE CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR "SPYING" BROUHAHA — Okay, here's the deal: Liberal blogs are buzzing over NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell's interview with NYTimes reporter James Risen, which was posted at MSNBC.com. Acording to left-wing Americablog, a transcript of the original interview …
Christopher Hitchens / Slate:
What Sharon Did — The Bulldozer's long, brutal career ended better than anyone expected. — On the day after Ariel Sharon's massive stroke, it's not difficult to remember a time when the news of his demise would have been, not to be too callous about it, something that would have been welcomed …
Discussion:
worldtribune.com, Austin Bay Blog, Kesher Talk, Decision '08, Yourish.com, Legal Fiction, Boker tov, Boulder! and Air America Radio
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Fox News:Sharon's Emergency Surgery Ends
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Washington Post, Haaretz, ScrappleFace, Right Wing News, The Political Pit Bull and damnum absque injuria
E. J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
Abramoff and His Vanishing Friends — It almost makes you feel sorry for Jack Abramoff. — Republicans once fell all over themselves to get his "moolah," the term used famously by the disgraced superlobbyist, and to get his advice on dealing with that warm and cuddly entity known as "the lobbying community."
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National Review:
Murtha Fears a Withdrawal that "Makes It Look Like There's a Victory" — Representative John Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has come to national prominence since his call for a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, said Thursday night that he worries about "a slow withdrawal which makes it look like there's a victory."
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Kimberly Hefling / Associated Press:
Murtha Denies Causing Recruitment Woes — WASHINGTON - Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record) says the military is blaming him for a recruitment slump instead of recognizing mistakes that have led to an enlistment shortage. — "They're trying to direct attention away from their problems …
Hotline On Call:
BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE GOPERS CALL FOR ELECTIONS — The Hotline has learned from three House sources that at least two-dozen House GOPers spanning the ideological spectrum have agreed to sign a letter to House Conference Chair Deborah Pryce (R-OH) requesting new leadership elections in an effort …
Discussion:
The Fix, No More Mister Nice Blog, Daily Kos, Taegan Goddard's …, The All Spin Zone and Wonkette
Firouz Sedarat / Reuters:
Zawahri says US defeated in Iraq: Jazeera TV — DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said in a video aired on Friday that President George W. Bush's plans to withdraw troops from Iraq meant Washington had been defeated by the Muslims.
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Al Kamen / Washington Post:
Scooter Finds Fellowship at the Hudson Institute — I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , chief of staff and national security adviser to Vice President Cheney until that indictment unpleasantness a few months ago, has found a new perch as he awaits trial. — Libby is joining the Hudson Institute …
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thenewstribune.com:
IRS tracked taxpayers' political affiliation — WASHINGTON - As it hunted down tax scofflaws, the Internal Revenue Service collected information on the political party affiliations of taxpayers in 20 states. — Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a member of an appropriations subcommittee …
David Ensor / CNN:
NSA: Amanpour, other CNN reporters not targeted for surveillance — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A senior U.S. intelligence official told CNN on Thursday that the National Security Agency did not target CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour or any other CNN journalist for surveillance.
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John / AMERICAblog:CNN covers Amanpour spy story
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The Hotline's Blogometer, TAPPED, Factesque, The Indepundit, War and Piece and Alternate Brain
Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:
Saddam's Terror Training Camps — THE FORMER IRAQI REGIME OF Saddam Hussein trained thousands of radical Islamic terrorists from the region at camps in Iraq over the four years immediately preceding the U.S. invasion, according to documents and photographs recovered by the U.S. military in postwar Iraq.
Knight Ridder:
Alito's record on search and seizure matters comes under scrutiny — WASHINGTON - As the Bush administration defends its right to eavesdrop on Americans without court permission, a look at Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's record on search and seizure matters reveals how few limits …
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Eric Schmitt / New York Times:
Iraq Facing Hurdles, U.S. General Warns — CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Jan. 4 - The top American operational commander in Iraq has offered a sober assessment of the hurdles facing a new Iraqi government, voicing concerns that sectarian rivalries and incompetence could cripple major ministries …
Discussion:
american footprints, The Left Coaster, Rantingprofs, The Heretik, Middle Earth Journal and TAPPED
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Ron Brynaert / rawstory.com:
In effort to widen propaganda story, Washington Post nets unpaid blogger — A Washington Post article which combined coverage of a blogger's embedment in Iraq with a story about military propaganda has sparked so much controversy that the paper's ombudsman is "looking into it," RAW STORY has learned.
Discussion:
Media Blog on National …, BLACKFIVE, Michelle Malkin, Sadly, No! and Why Are We Back In Iraq?
David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Visited by a Host of Administrations Past, Bush Hears Some Chastening Words — President Bush Thursday with present and former secretaries of state and defense. From left: Harold Brown, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, James A. Baker III, Colin L. Powell, James R. Schlesinger, Donald H. Rumsfeld …
Joe McDonald / Associated Press:
Microsoft Shuts Down Chinese Blog — BEIJING - Microsoft Corp. has shut down the Internet journal of a Chinese blogger that discussed politically sensitive issues, including a recent strike at a Beijing newspaper. — The action came amid criticism by free-speech activists …
