memeorandum: Lanny Davis and "The problem with us Democrats" (Jesus' General)

9:05 AM ET, May 11, 2007

Top Items:

President Open to Benchmarks in Iraq Measure — Hours before the House approved a plan on Thursday to finance the Iraq war only through midsummer, President Bush offered his first public concession to try to resolve the impasse on war spending, acknowledging rising pressure from his own party and the public.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Daily Kos

CNN:

Bush open to benchmarks for Iraq … WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush said Thursday he will veto any bill with "haphazard, piecemeal funding," but agreed that setting benchmarks is a good way to evaluate progress in Iraq. — Bush said he has asked his chief of staff, Josh Bolten …

Shaun Mullen / The Moderate Voice:

Iraq War Dénouement: Curiouser & Curiouser — Now, I give you fair warning, either you or your head must be off, and that in about half no time! Take your choice! — From "Alice in Wonderland" — The House has approved a second Iraq war-funding bill that President Bush has vowed to veto.

Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:

House Approves Iraq War Funding Bill — The House tonight pushed through its second plan to fund the Iraq war and reshape war policy, approving legislation that would provide partial funding for the conflict, but hold back most of the money until President Bush reports on the war's progress in July.

Discussion: CNN, Associated Press, KnoxViews, Daily Kos and Shakesville

New York Times:
Editorial: Mr. Bush Alone

Discussion: Prairie Weather

David Espo / Associated Press:
House OKs Iraq funds in installments

Discussion: The Huffington Post, New York Times and Captain's Quarters

Cernig / The Newshoggers:
Always A Friedman Or Two Behind The Curve

Discussion: The Post Chronicle, State of the Day, Middle Earth Journal and Weekly Standard

David Johnston / New York Times:

Democrats Push Gonzales on Attorney Dismissals — House Democrats pressed Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at a hearing on Thursday to provide specifics about why federal prosecutors had been dismissed, but he stuck to his past assertions that, although ineptly handled, the dismissals were justified and appropriate.

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
THE ALBERTO GONZALES SHOW....One of the great discoveries …

Discussion: Slate

Garrett Epps / Salon:
Karl Rove's big election-fraud hoax

Discussion: Never Yet Melted, Brilliant at Breakfast, Prairie Weather and WorkingForChange

Washington — McClatchy Washington Bureau:
White House sought investigations of voter fraud allegations before elections

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Gonzales and The Secret Collaborative Process

Discussion: Think Progress, Firedoglake, The Garlic and politburo diktat 2.0

Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
New Questions for AG in Attorneys' Probe

Discussion: Associated Press

MSNBC:

Did informant aid Fort Dix plotters? — Entrapment defense may be presented in court for alleged plot against U.S. — CHERRY HILL, N.J. - He railed against the United States, helped scout out military installations for attack, offered to introduce his comrades to an arms dealer and gave …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Jihad Watch, State of the Day, Little Green Footballs, Rising Hegemon and Weasel Zippers

Audrey Hudson / Washington Times:

Lawmaker: Fort Dix hero may need immunity — The New Jersey store clerk whose tip led to the arrest of six terror suspects needs legislative protection from being sued as a "John Doe" or whistleblower, lawmakers said yesterday. — "The events in Fort Dix are just another reminder of the need …

Discussion: Hot Air and The Jawa Report

Michelle Phillips / anamosaje.com:

Giuliani Snubs Jones County — OLIN-Last weekend Deb and Jerry VonSprecken of Olin received a call from former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's campaign office asking them if they would be interested in holding a campaign rally on May 4, after she had donated to his campaign.

Discussion: Iowa Voice, Firedoglake, Washington Monthly and Hotline On Call

Greg Sargent / Horses Mouth:

Did Rudy Giuliani's campaign snub an Iowa farmer couple because they weren't millionaires and hence wouldn't be a suitable prop for Rudy's anti-"death tax" campaigning? And will the haircut-obsessed political media cover it? — Check out this unbelievable story from the Anamosa Journal-Eureka …

Discussion: The RBC, TPMCafe blogs, Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, Wonkette, Liberal Values, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Cliff Schecter

Richard N. Perle / Washington Post:

How the CIA Failed America — George Tenet sets the stage in his memoir by recalling a conversation he claims to have had with me on Sept. 12, 2001: "As I walked beneath the awning that leads to the West Wing[, I] saw Richard Perle exiting the building just as I was about to enter. …

Discussion: Sadly, No!, All Spin Zone and Rising Hegemon

Nico / Think Progress:

CBS fires Gen. Batiste over VoteVets ad. — Iraq veteran Gen. John Batiste "has been asked to leave his position as a consultant to CBS News" over a new VoteVets ad criticizing the Iraq war. He was interviewed tonight by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Watch it: — Digg It! — The URI to TrackBack this entry is:

Discussion: Shakesville, Eschaton, Brilliant at Breakfast, The Agonist and Booman Tribune

Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:

John Edwards' big ideas costly — WASHINGTON - Presidential candidate John Edwards is offering more policy proposals than any other candidate in the primary and his ideas are winning loud applause from Democratic audiences. — The question is whether other voters will cheer when they see the price tag …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Blue Crab Boulevard

Ward Rubrecht / City Pages:

Gun Shy — Sipping soda from a straw and leaning on his elbows at Perkins, Troy Scheffler seems harmless enough. The 31-year-old Hamline University grad student resembles a post-Pulp Fiction John Travolta—slightly overstuffed, with graying sideburns and a small, tense smile.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, shotinthedark.info/wp …, Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, JunkYardBlog, protein wisdom and Classical Values

Glen Johnson / Associated Press:

Critics fault Romney's abortion record — AGAWAM, Mass. - Conservative activists criticized Mitt Romney over his abortion record Thursday as the Republican presidential contender received an award from an anti-abortion group that also used to complain about his support for abortion rights.

Discussion: AMERICAblog

Redstate:
Straw, Meet Camel

Discussion: Hot Air, Townhall.com and The Atlantic Online

Steven Mufson / Washington Post:

As Gas Prices Rise Again, Democrats Blame Big Oil — A week after U.S. gasoline prices hit a near-record $3.05 a gallon, Democrats in Congress are promoting legislation taking aim at the big oil companies, although industry experts say that the efforts aren't likely to have any effect.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Jesus' General:

Lanny Davis and "The problem with us Democrats" — Lanny "Uncle Zell" Davis — Democratic Strategist — Dear Mr. Davis, — I don't like many Democrats. I can't think of more than three of them who are worth a damn: Joe Lieberman, his loyal and loving manservant, Dangerstien, and Zell Miller.

Discussion: QandO