memeorandum: Spitzer Drops License Plan, But Damage to Democrats is Done (The Washington Post/The Trail)

6:40 AM ET, November 15, 2007

Top Items:

Clinton: No illegal immigrant licenses — WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday came out against granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, after weeks of pressure in the presidential race to take a position on a now-failed ID plan from her home state governor.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Albany Times Union, CNN Political Ticker, GINA COBB, Washington Times, michellemalkin.com, JammieWearingFool, Wake up America, Say Anything, Lonewacko, A Blog For All and New York Post

The Washington Post / The Trail:

Spitzer Drops License Plan, But Damage to Democrats is Done — The Democratic front-runners at last months debate were pressed on the issue of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. (AP). — After all the hoopla, N.Y. Gov. Eliot Spitzer is dropping his plan to provide drivers licenses to illegal immigrants.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Blue Crab Boulevard, Stop Her Now and CBS News

Patrick Healy / New York Times:

In Las Vegas, Chance for Clinton to Undo Damage — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton heads into tonight's Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas with an opportunity: to try to erase the unflattering image that her chief rivals, and her own mistakes, have helped create.

Discussion: Washington Post, USA Today, CNN and TalkLeft

Peter A. Brown / The Politico:
Immigration is new affirmative action

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard

Mark Finkelstein / NewsBusters.org:
Report: Clinton Aides Told Spitzer to Dump Licenses for Illegals

Discussion: Hot Air, Classical Values, Political Machine, protein wisdom and City Room

The Atlantic Online:
HRC Now Has An Answer On Immigration

Discussion: MyDD and Eunomia

John Bresnahan / The Politico:

House passes Iraq withdrawal bill — The House tonight passed a $50 billion Iraq funding bill that sets a "goal" of having all U.S. forces out of the country by Dec. 2008, the latest move in the ongoing political struggle over the war. — The "Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act" …

Michelle Malkin:

White Flag Dems pass Iraq withdrawal bill — Time to bring it out again... Just about an hour ago, the Dems passed their Iraq withdrawal bill, tying $50 billion in war funding to a demand that President Bush start bringing troops home in coming weeks (never mind that it's already starting) …

Discussion: Scotsman and Gateway Pundit

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times: House Approves Funds for Military, With Strings

Anne Flaherty / Associated Press:
House Passes Anti-War Bill

Discussion: Macsmind and Think Progress

Spectator:

The al Durah blood libel — I am in Paris where I have attended the Court of Appeal special session called to witness the 27 minutes of hitherto unseen footage of the 'killing' of Mohammed al Durah which the court had required France 2 to produce. For readers who are unfamiliar with this scandal, I wrote about it here, here and here.

Discussion: TigerHawk, Israel Matzav, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Solomonia, Augean Stables, Backspin and Atlas Shrugs

Backspin:

Dura Discredited — HonestReporting together with Take-A-Pen covered this afternoon's hearing in France where raw footage of the Mohammed Dura was publicly screened for the first time. HonestReporting/Take-A-Pen's Alain Benjamin, who saw the video in court, discussed by phone the proceedings with MediaBackspin editor Pesach Benson.

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

Richard Landes / Augean Stables:
Gambling with a Lie: Enderlin pulls a Rosemary Woods

Discussion: Pajamas Media and Israel Matzav

Camille Paglia / Salon:

Queen Hillary's disruptive court — The press corps finally wakes up to her waffling and evasions. Plus: Norman Mailer's largely forgotten legacy and our disappointing lesbian icons! — The mainstream media have been in a breathless tizzy about how Hillary Clinton waffled, tripped …

Discussion: bustardblog, HazZzMat, Feministe, JammieWearingFool, BitsBlog and Right Wing News

Thers / Whiskey Fire:
Golden Needles in Our Eyes

Discussion: Firedoglake and Althouse

Martina Stewart / CNN Political Ticker:

Rep. Dennis Hastert to announce resignation Thursday — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is expected to announce Thursday on the House floor that he is retiring from Congress, a senior aide to the congressman told CNN Wednesday. — The aide said that Hastert …

Discussion: The Gun Toting Liberal™, The Politico, About.com US Politics, MyDD and Swing State Project

Patrick Ruffini:

I Need 1,165 People Before Midnight — UPDATE: Just realized there are 12 questions on the front page of 10 Questions, so the cutoff for getting asked is 1,165 net positive votes before midnight. I'm at +826 right now. The heat is on. Vote below. — The 10Questions question period is rapidly drawing to a close.

Lily Quateman / The Politico:

Most at NYU say their vote has a price — Two-thirds say they'll do it for a year's tuition. And for a few, even an iPod touch will do. — That's what NYU students said they'd take in exchange for their right to vote in the next presidential election, a recent survey by an NYU journalism class found.

Discussion: Truthdig, About.com US Politics and Hot Air

Jason Horowitz / New York Observer:

McCain and Romney Aides Hit Rudy on Kerik — Rudy Giuliani's rivals are not at all satisfied with the former mayor's dismissal of the newest twist in the Bernard Kerik scandal.Commenting on book publisher Judith Regan's allegation that a senior executive at News Corp told her to lie …

Discussion: Think Progress and Dick Polman's American Debate

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:

Buzzy Krongard: I Told My Brother I Was Joining Blackwater's Advisory Board — Howard "Cookie" Krongard might have just perjured himself before the House Oversight Committee. — Earlier today, the State Department inspector general repeatedly told the panel that he was unaware his brother …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, D-Day, The Carpetbagger Report and Think Progress

Felix Gillette / New York Observer:

Imus Is Back! — But Not Quite Live! Bloodied Radio Cowboy Returns Dec. 3 With 21-Second Delay; WABC Says Ad Sales Going at Fast Clip; First Day's Guest, Carville; Ambivalent Russert Battered on Blogs — EDITION OF THE NEW YORK OBSERVER. — Philip Burke

Jim Garamone / DefenseLINK:

U.S. Examines 'Plan B' for Supplying Troops in Afghanistan — The U.S. military is examining different contingencies for supplying American troops in Afghanistan if supplies can no longer be shipped through Pakistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. (Video)

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere and The Belmont Club