memeorandum: Pity Party — The GOP's sad, sad search for a nominee. (Matthew Yglesias/American Prospect)

11:30 AM ET, March 7, 2007

Top Items:

The Libby Verdict — The serious consequences of a pointless Washington scandal — THE CONVICTION of I. Lewis Libby on charges of perjury, making false statements and obstruction of justice was grounded in strong evidence and what appeared to be careful deliberation by a jury.

Discussion: MSNBC, Firedoglake, The Sideshow, Matthew Yglesias, Dependable Renegade, State of the Day, Rising Hegemon, Decision '08 and The Huffington Post

Al Kamen / Washington Post:

Guess Libby's Pardon Date, Win a T-Shirt — The verdict is in! Now it's time for the In the Loop Pardon Scooter Contest! Yes, simply pick the date that President Bush will pardon Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who, according to federal sentencing guidelines …

Discussion: TIME: Swampland and Wonkette

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:

A Judgment on Cheney Is Still to Come — In legal terms, the jury has spoken in the Libby case. In political terms, Dick Cheney is still awaiting a judgment. — For weeks, Washington watched, mesmerized, as the trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. cast Vice President Cheney, his former boss …

Opinion Journal:

The Libby Travesty — Mr. Bush owes the former aide a pardon, and an apology. — The word "guilty" had barely crossed the airwaves yesterday in the perjury case of Scooter Libby before critics were calling it proof that President Bush "lied us into war" and demanding that Dick Cheney be strung up next.

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Hill, Boston Globe, The Raw Story, Joe's Dartblog, Crooks and Liars, Think Progress, Betsy's Page, The Absurd Report, Washington Post, Brendan Nyhan, Althouse and PSoTD

Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:

A Case of Bad Ink: Portrait of Media Is Not So Flattering — The parade of high-profile Washington journalists who took the stand in the Lewis "Scooter" Libby perjury case were not on trial. But few would dispute that the proceedings, which ended with Libby's conviction on four of five counts yesterday …

Discussion: New York Sun, The Huffington Post, Villainous Company, JustOneMinute and The Next Hurrah

The Huffington Post:

WHAT THE JURY THOUGHT, DAY BY DAY, WITNESS BY WITNESS, AT THE SCOOTER LIBBY TRIAL

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, FishBowlDC and CNN

Peter Baker / Washington Post:

For an Opaque White House, A Reflection of New Scrutiny — Shortly before he was inaugurated for his second term, President Bush was asked why no one was held responsible for the mistakes of the first. "We had an accountability moment," he replied, "and that's called the 2004 elections."

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Matthew Yglesias and Michael P.F. van der Galiën

Neil A. Lewis / New York Times:

Libby Guilty of Lying in C.I.A. Leak Case — I. Lewis Libby Jr., the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted on Tuesday of lying to a grand jury and to F.B.I. agents investigating the leak of the identity of a C.I.A. operative in the summer of 2003 amid a fierce public dispute over the war in Iraq.

Discussion: Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, FP Passport, How Appealing and The Vanity Press

Josh White / Washington Post:

Dole, Shalala to Lead Troop-Care Panel — Bipartisan Commission Will Evaluate Treatment, From Battlefield to Civilian Life — President Bush yesterday named former senator Robert J. Dole and former secretary of health and human services Donna E. Shalala to co-chair a bipartisan commission …

Discussion: The Caucus, CNN Political Ticker and Going to the Mat

American Thinker:
I Call for Justice — In this week's episode of Rome …

Discussion: Think Progress, Macsmind, Right Wing Nut House, The American Street and Wizbang

Guardian:
Lies about crimes — Leader — Even most Americans probably gave …

Discussion: NewsHog

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters: Pardon Me? — Speaking of pardons, Al Kamen of the Washington Post …

New York Times:
A Libby Verdict — There will be a great deal written …

Discussion: Decision '08 and Washington Post

Washington Post:
Libby 'Pilloried' For Leak, Panel Members Believed

Discussion: Seeing the Forest

Ana Marie Cox / Time: How Libby Came Undone

Reuters:

Wired Iraqi man triggers scare at L.A. airport — LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An Iraqi national wearing wires and concealing a magnet inside his rectum triggered a security scare at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday but officials said he posed no apparent threat.

Discussion: Hog On Ice, The Belmont Club, Blue Crab Boulevard, QandO, Boing Boing and Jules Crittenden

Robert Jablon / Associated Press:
US Airways flight diverted to Vegas after security incident in LA

Discussion: Hot Air and JammieWearingFool

Alberto R. Gonzales / USA Today:

They lost my confidence — Attorneys' dismissals were related to performance, not to politics. — As any employer or manager knows, the handling of personnel matters — especially the termination of employees — is one of the most challenging tasks in any business.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, The American Street and The Heretik

David Johnston / New York Times:
Prosecutors Describe Contacts From Higher Up

Discussion: On Deadline and Washington Post

Real Cities:
Ousted U.S. attorneys describe lawmakers' intrusions

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report

New York Times:

Obama, in '05 Investing, Took Same Path as Donors — Less than two months after ascending to the United States Senate, Barack Obama bought more than $50,000 worth of stock in two speculative companies whose major investors included some of his biggest political donors.

Discussion: TIME, Riehl World View, Hot Air, TAPPED, The Moderate Voice, First Read, Oliver Willis, On Deadline and Political Insider

Drudge Report:
OBAMA $$ HIT SET FOR NYT

Discussion: Roger L. Simon

Abraham Rabinovich / The Australian:

Iranian general 'seeking asylum in US' — A RETIRED Iranian general who went missing in Turkey last month has defected and sought asylum in the US, according to a well-connected Arabic newspaper published in London. — The newspaper, al-Shark al-Awsat, cited "high-profile" …

Pajamas Media: PANIC IN TEHRAN — The disappearance and possible defection …

Omaha World-Herald:

Hagel acts like he's already running — WASHINGTON - For a guy who hasn't announced a presidential bid, Sen. Chuck Hagel's schedule next week looks a lot like that of a candidate. — He's slated to appear with nine declared presidential hopefuls - including John McCain, Rudolph Giuliani …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias and Eschaton

Adam Nossiter / New York Times:

Powerful Governor Stands His Ground, Again, on Food Tax — The shoppers at the no-frills Brookshire's supermarket — plate lunches $4.49, food stamps gladly accepted — have no doubt: swapping the nation's highest state grocery tax for one of its lowest cigarette taxes is an excellent idea, and fie on the governor who opposes it.

Discussion: QandO and Sirotablog

Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:

"Before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment." — Chuck Hagel's historic moment, and what it means for a declining presidency. — The rapier is more silver than the moon. The horse, red eyed and fierce in the California night, is rearing up, and its rider points …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Outside The Beltway, Think Progress, Liberal Values and DownWithTyranny!

Reuters:

Burqa-clad Taliban leader caught as NATO attacks — KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan soldiers have captured a Taliban leader who tried to flee a security operation in the south dressed in a burqa, NATO said on Wednesday. — Tuesday's capture in Kandahar province came as NATO launched a major offensive …

Discussion: The Jawa Report

Kos / Daily Kos:

Edwards to skip Fox News debate — As I mentioned earlier today, I've been asking campaigns whether they plan on attending the Fox News debate. — Several of the campaigns I contacted are still trying to make a final determination, but the first to definitely say "no" is John Edwards.