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Quoted in this edition:

ABCNEWS
  Gary Langer
Ace of Spades HQ
  Ace
www.AndrewSullivan.com
  Andrew Sullivan
Angry Bear
  Angry Bear
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
  Emperor Darth Misha I
ARMAVIRUMQUE
  Stefan Beck
Asia Times
Associated Press
  Julia Angwin
  Paul Chavez
  Ali Akbar Dareini
  Will Lester
  Gina Holland
  Susan Haigh
  Anick Jesdanun
Balkinization
  Jack Balkin
Balloon Juice
  John Cole
BBC
THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH
  Gregory Djerejian
Belmont Club
  Wretchard
Betsy's Page
  Betsy Newmark
Billmon
  Billmon
Body and Soul
  Jeanne D'Arc
Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal
  Brad DeLong
BuzzMachine
  Jeff Jarvis
Captain's Quarters
  Captain Ed
Catallarchy.net
  Brian W. Doss
Change for America
  Adam Mordecai
  Joe Drymala
Chicago Tribune
  John Cook
  Andrew Zajac
Chrenkoff
  Arthur Chrenkoff
Citizen Smash
  Smash
CNN
Cold Fury
  Mike Hendrix
The Corner
  Jonah Goldberg
  Tim Graham
  KJL
  Andrew Stuttaford
  Barbara Comstock
  Mark Krikorian
Crescat Sententia
  Will Baude
Daily Kos
  Kos
  DemFromCT
  Tom Schaller
Daimnation!
  Damian Penny
danieldrezner.com
  Daniel Drezner
DefenseLINK
  Kathleen T. Rhem
Discourse.net
  Michael Froomkin
EconoPundit
  Steve Antler
Electablog
  David Allan Pell
Eschaton
  Atrios
etc.
  Noam Scheiber
the evangelical outpost
  Joe Carter
The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
Fox News
Happy Furry Puppy Story Time with Norbizness
  Norbizness
Hit & Run
  Julian Sanchez
HobbsOnline
  Bill Hobbs
HughHewitt.com
  Hugh Hewitt
Hullabaloo
  Digby
Informed Comment
  Juan Cole
Instapundit.com
  Glenn Reynolds
INTEL DUMP
  Phillip Carter
Ipse Dixit
  C. D. Harris
The Iraq War Reader
  Micah Sifry
Israel news and commentary from IsraPundit
  Fred Lapides
JustOneMinute
  Tom Maguire
Lean Left
  Kevin Raybould
The Left Coaster
  Steve Soto
LibertarianJackass.com
  Libertarian
Little Green Footballs
  Charles Johnson
Los Angeles Times
  Larry B. Stammer
  Josh Meyer
Mathew Gross
  Mathew Gross
Matthew Yglesias
  Matt Yglesias
MaxSpeak, You Listen!
  Max B. Sawicky
Media Notes Extra
  Howard Kurtz
Michelle Malkin
  Michelle Malkin
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The Moderate Voice
  Joe Gandelman
MSNBC
MyDD
  Chris Bowers
The National Debate
  Robert Cox
The New Republic
  Kenneth Pollack
New Scientist
New York Post
  Ralph Peters
New York Sun
New York Times
  William Safire
  Susan Jo Keller
  Jodi Wilgoren
  David D. Kirkpatrick
  Elisabeth Bumiller
  Tom Zeller
  Maureen Dowd
  Michiko Kakutani
New Yorker
  Seymour M. Hersh
NewsMax.com
  Jack Wheeler
No More Mister Nice Blog
  Steve M.
NY Daily News
  Monique El-Faizy
Obsidian Wings
  Katherine R
Oh, That Liberal Media
  Captain Ed
Opinion Journal
  Anne Bayefsky
  Alan Bromley
Outside the Beltway
  James Joyner
OxBlog
  Patrick Belton
  Josh Chafetz
  David Adesnik
pandagon.net
  Jesse Taylor
Pejmanesque
  Pejman Yousefzadeh
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
PoliBlog
  Steven Taylor
The Poor Man
  The Poor Man
Power Line
  Deacon
  Hindrocket
  The Big Trunk
PRESTOPUNDIT
  Greg Ransom
Priorities & Frivolities
  Robert Garcia Tagorda
ProfessorBainbridge.com
  Steve Bainbridge
protein wisdom
  Jeff Goldstein
QandO
  Dale Franks
  McQ
  Jon Henke
Rantingprofs
  Cori Dauber
Reuters
  Reed Stevenson
  Peter Kaplan
The Right Coast
  Tom Smith
The Rittenhouse Review
  James Martin Capozzola
the road to surfdom
  Tim Dunlop
Roger Ailes
  Roger Ailes
Salon
  John Gorenfeld
Samizdata.net
  Perry de Havilland
Seattle Times
  Jonathan Martin
Secular Blasphemy
  Jan Haugland
Shot In The Dark
  Mitch Berg
Slate
  Christopher Hitchens
  William Saletan
Southern Appeal
  Nathan Hallford
The Spoons Experience
  Christopher Kanis
Steve Gilliard's News Blog
  Steve Gilliard
t a c i t u s
  Tacitus
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire
  Taegan Goddard
Talking Points Memo
  Spencer Ackerman
TalkLeft
  TChris
  Jeralyn Merritt
TAPPED
  Nick Confessore
  Matthew Yglesias
»«TBogg»«
  Tbogg
Tech Central Station
  Robinder Sachdev
Telegraph
  Mike Hodgkinson
  Melanie Phillips
  Mark Steyn
This Modern World
  Tom Tomorrow
Tim Blair
  Tim Blair
Time
UPI
  Shaun Waterman
USA Today
  James P. Gannon
The Volokh Conspiracy
  Eugene Volokh
War and Piece
  Laura Rozen
The Washington Monthly
  Kevin Drum
Washington Post
  Carol D. Leonnig
  Howard Kurtz
  Jonathan Chait
  Dana Milbank
  Alan Cooperman
  Paul Farhi
Washington Times
  Guy Taylor
Winds of Change.NET
  Guest Author



AUDIENCE GASPS AS JUDGE LIKENS ELECTION OF BUSH TO RISE OF IL DUCE
  New York Sun   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — A prominent federal judge has told a conference of liberal lawyers that President Bush's rise to power was similar to the accession of dictators such as Mussolini and Hitler.
Deacon: Injudicious — The New York Sun reports that federal judge Guido Calabresi told a conference of lawyers that President...
Greg Ransom: Clinton judge likens Bush to Hitler. Bush is like Mussolini, Hitler according to a Clinton appointed Federal judge.
Eugene Volokh: And yet I find it hard to distinguish this from what Judge Calabresi seemingly said at a conference of the liberal...
Max B. Sawicky: "I KNEW MUSSOLINI; MUSSOLINI WAS AN ENEMY "OF MINE; YOU'RE . . . " Here come de judge . . .
Glenn Reynolds: This is something that my former law professor, now judge, Guido Calabresi, should have thought about more deeply before making remarks comparing Bush to Mussolini.
Andrew Sullivan: BEGALA AWARD NOMINEE: [snipped quote] - Guido Calabresi, judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.
Also: Hugh Hewitt

9/11 panel: New evidence on Iraq-Al-Qaida
  By / UPI   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) — The commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks has received new information indicating that a senior officer in an elite unit of the security services of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein may have been a member of al-Qaida involved in the planning of the suicide hijackings, panel members said Sunday.
Emperor Darth Misha I: And now this? "9/11 panel: New evidence on Iraq-Al-Qaida By Shaun Waterman UPI Homeland and National Security Editor...
Jon Henke: Linked! (or, maybe not) This development sounds interesting... (also found here) "The commission investigating the...
Jeff Goldstein: Saddam's People — Ted Kennedy responds:* [snipped quote] **** h/t ColoradoConservative
The Poor Man: There appears to be a two-pronged approach: 1) The Big Lie - The Moonie news, UPI and the Washington Times, are today...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Of course, the press and the Commission would do well to address the substance of this story in further examining the...
Mike Hendrix: Imagine my surprise — Interesting—very: "WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI)—The commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001,...
Also: Roger L. Simon, Bill Hobbs

First private astronaut reaches space
  New Scientist   —   Permalink 
Test pilot Michael Melvill rocketed into the history books on Monday, as the first person ever to become an astronaut without the help of any government-funded hardware.
The 62-year-old test pilot flew a three-seater rocket called SpaceShipOne to the fringes of space, high above the Californian desert.
Brian W. Doss: This time, neither as state actors nor as state passengers, but as entrepreneurs… spaceshipone_enginesgo.jpg spaceshipone_success!.jpg
Jan Haugland: SpaceShipOne has rocketed Michael Melvill into the history books as the first astronaut who reached space entirely on private funding.
Josh Chafetz: UPDATE: Roundup: WaPo, CNN, MSNBC, Space.com, BBC, AP, Reuters, Fox News, New Scientist.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: FORAGING THROUGH THE FINAL FRONTIER — As an advocate of private enterprise, I cannot help but be thrilled at this news:...
Glenn Reynolds: THE SPACESHIP ONE LAUNCH WAS A SUCCESS: [snipped quote] Rand Simberg was at the launch and has numerous posts about it.
Damian Penny: Update: I have CNN on in the background, and it looks like they're going to show it. Update II: they did it!

Unfairenheit 9/11
  By / Slate   —   Permalink 
One of the many problems with the American left, and indeed of the American left, has been its image and self-image as something rather too solemn, mirthless, herbivorous, dull, monochrome, righteous, and boring.
John Cole: Hitchens On Moore — G oread the whole thing, in all of its savage glory, as Hitchens destroys Michael Moore: I leave...
McQ: Incinerating Michael Moore — You might get the idea, reading Christopher Hitchens' review of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" that perhaps Hitchens wasn't that enamored with it.
Damian Penny: Hitchens on Fahrenheit 9/11 — Needless to say, he didn't like it much. Needless to say, you should read the whole thing. (via Let it Bleed)
Betsy Newmark: Christopher Hitchens does a must read review of Fahrenheit 911. Read the whole thing and send it to your friends.
Tim Blair: FACILE CROWD-PLEASER TAUNTED — Looks like Christopher Hitchens wants to be the first to attract a Michael Moore defamation suit: [snipped quote] He's only getting warmed up.

The Zelikow Report
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — "Panel Finds No Qaeda-Iraq Tie" went the Times headline. "Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed" front-paged The Washington Post. The A.P. led with the thrilling words "Bluntly contradicting the Bush Administration, the commission.
The Poor Man: William Safire remains convinced that Osama and Saddam piloted the jets that crashed into the WTC, escaping only due to the personal intervention of Bill Clinton.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: SAVING THE 9/11 COMMISSION — William Safire offers some pointers on how the Commission can regain its credibility: "1.
Jeff Jarvis: The runaway 9/11 Commission : William Safire has a great column this morning dissecting the recent sins of the 9/11 Commission with its al Qaeda-Iraq link stories.
Laura Rozen: William Safire is, true to form, out of control.
Hugh Hewitt: Bill Safire does a fine job summarizing the collapse of the 9/11 Commission's credibility in the wake of the staff report last week.
Betsy Newmark: William Safire says that the problem with the 9/11 staff report was not the way the media played it but the waknesses...
Also: Bill Hobbs, Cori Dauber, Captain Ed, Steve Antler, Steve Bainbridge

PLAN B
  By / New Yorker   —   Permalink 
In July, 2003, two months after President Bush declared victory in Iraq, the war, far from winding down, reached a critical point. Israel, which had been among the war's most enthusiastic supporters, began warning the Administration that the American-led...
Tacitus: Taking Hersh at face value — Which may or may not be a wise thing, but let's do so for a moment, because to my mind, the strategic assertions here add up.
Fred Lapides: This subtitle tells a bit more than the title —"Plan B" in The New Yorker.
Laura Rozen: Seymour Hersh reports this week on Israel's development of a "Plan B" after concluding that the US had lost the post-war...
Matthew Yglesias: Seymore Hersh, however, has a rather different theory — the Turkish government is upset about massive Israeli aid to...
Steve Soto: Worse yet, as Seymour Hersh reports over the weekend, the Israelis concluded months ago that the Bush Administration had lost Iraq.
Jeanne D'Arc: UPDATE: Semour Hersh on Allawi: The White House has yet to deal with Allawi's past.

9/11 Panel Members Debate Qaeda-Iraq 'Tie'
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, June 20 — Thomas H. Kean, chairman of the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, reiterated Sunday that the inquiry turned up no evidence that Iraq or its former leader, Saddam Hussein, had taken part "in any way in attacks on the United States."
The Poor Man: Commission chair Thomas Kean seems content to make nice with the Bushies over this right now, so we should be hearing...
Smash: THE NEW YORK TIMES buries the lede.
Cori Dauber: "9/11 Panel Members Debate Qaeda-Iraq 'Tie'" (From my notes of the Chairs' appearance on This Week, "We looked at those...
Laura Rozen: From the Times Monday: "Thomas H. Kean, chairman of the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, reiterated...
Tom Maguire: The Wind Died — Bush supporters have the Reagan bounce, the new Pew Research Report showing an uptick in public support...
The Big Trunk: HINDROCKET adds: Dafydd ab Hugh points out that the New York Times, like the Post, dipped its toe into the water this...
Also: Steven Taylor, Robert Garcia Tagorda, Captain Ed

Iraq and the Election
  By / ABCNEWS   —   Permalink 
Amid rising disenchantment with the war in Iraq, President Bush has lost significant ground on the issue on which he's staked his presidency: fighting terrorism.
For the first time in ABC News/Washington Post polls, more than half of Americans, 52 percent, say the Iraq war was not worth fighting.
Taegan Goddard: Bush's Support Erodes In New Poll — There's not very good news for President Bush in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.
Atrios: From ABC: For the first time in ABC News/Washington Post polls, more than half of Americans, 52 percent, say the Iraq war was not worth fighting.
Kos: ABC/WaPo poll. 6/17-20. MoE 3%. (5/20-23 results) [snipped quote] Hmmm, given the choice between the flip flopper and liar, I'll take the flip flopper.
Tom Maguire: Excuses, excuses. UPDATE: Hmm, do I detect a bit of a breeze?

Iraqi officer in al Qaeda, papers show
  By / Washington Times   —   Permalink 
A senior officer in Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's security services was a member of the terrorist group that committed the September 11 attacks, a member of the commission investigating the suicide hijackings said yesterday.
James Joyner: WaTimes — Iraqi officer in al Qaeda, papers show "A senior officer in Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's security...
Betsy Newmark: John Lehman, who sometimes seems the only Commission member on the ball, notes that a guy with the same name as one of Saddam's Fedayeen, was a member of the 9/11 group.
The Big Trunk: The connection to page A9 — This morning's Washington Times features 9/11 Commission member John Lehman's disclosure on...
KJL: FEDAYEEN WHILE AL QAEDA — This looks like a poential tie...

Support for Bush's War on Terror Slips, Poll Shows
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
Public anxiety over mounting casualties in Iraq and the doubts about long-term consequences of the war continue to rise and have helped to erase President Bush's once-formidable advantage over Sen. John F. Kerry on who is best able to deal with terrorist threats, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
TChris: New Poll Shows Dissatisfaction With Bush — For the moment at least, President Bush has lost his long-held advantage as...
David Allan Pell: Now more than half of respondents answer that question by saying John Kerry.
James Martin Capozzola: STEEP DROP IN SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT — Losing the War on Terror — Abroad and Among Voters This just in from the...
Steve Soto: Latest ABC News/Post Poll Shows Kerry Ahead, With Bush Losing Ground On Terrorism, Iraq, And Honesty — As Bush's...

One Small Step
  By / Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you at this first U.N. conference on anti-Semitism, which is being convened six decades after the organization's creation.
Christopher Kanis: For a good discussion of how antisemitism is the very heart and soul of the United Nations, see this column.
Glenn Reynolds: THE U.N. AND ANTI-SEMITISM: Some pointed comments from Anne Bayefsky.
Charles Johnson: The Focal Point of Antisemitism — Columbia University adjunct professor Anne Bayefsky gave a speech today to a United...
Stefan Beck: That's discrimination." Read the whole thing here.

U.S. Said to Overstate Value of Guantánamo Detainees
  NYT   —   Permalink 
GUANTNAMO BAY, Cuba, June 19 — For nearly two and a half years, American officials have maintained that locked within the steel-mesh cells of the military prison here are some of the world's most dangerous terrorists — "the worst of a very bad lot," Vice President Dick Cheney has called them.
Tim Dunlop: The NYTimes has an article today talking about prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.
Digby: Gitmo Betta Blues — For the full FUBAR take on the Gitmo disaster, read this article in the NY Times today.
Norbizness: War on Terror: Any detainee who admits to being a terrorist while being interrogated/tortured for 30 months justifies and exonerates our indefinite detention policy.
Tom Tomorrow: Story here. Now, if you'll excuse me, all those Precious Moments figurines aren't going to pack themselves...
Joe Drymala: But according to the New York Times this morning, out of 595 men being held there, perhaps a dozen or two have been...
Phillip Carter: Report finds that "government and military officials have repeatedly exaggerated both the danger the detainees posed and...
Also: Jesse Taylor, Jeralyn Merritt, Michael Froomkin

Connecticut Governor to Resign, Reports Say
  AP   —   Permalink 
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland will announce his resignation Monday night, amid a federal corruption investigation and a growing move to impeach him, two sources told The Associated Press.
Jesse Taylor: Rowland Gone — Connecticut Gov. John Rowland to step down.
Atrios: Rowland to Resign — Another fine Republican goes down.
James Joyner: Rowland to Resign — AP — Connecticut Gov. Rowland to Resign "Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland will announce his...
Kos: Rowland is gone CT. Gov. john Rowland finally took the hint and resigned.
Roger Ailes: Another One Bites The Dust — [snipped quote] Good riddance to bad Republicans.

A Few Obstacles Don't Keep Kerry From Seaside Break
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
NANTUCKET, Mass., June 20 - Thwarted by fog, a flat bicycle tire and a tricky wind, Senator John Kerry spent most of a shortened Father's Day weekend secluded in his wife's seaside retreat here in one of the nation's most exclusive summer playgrounds.
Steve M.: The Daily Howler notes today that Jodi Wilgoren of The New York Times and Nedra Pickler of AP have been writing about...
Tom Maguire: So there were indications that the wind had shifted even before the Times dropped this Kerry metaphor in our laps on...
Digby: Wilgoren runs behind Kerry on his Nantucket vacation tabulating the cost of sand dabs and wind-surfing equipment like...
Betsy Newmark: John Kerry had a nice "man of the people" weekend at his wife's seaside estate. [snipped quote] I'll take Bush chopping wood anytime.

Inside Air America's troubles: Optimism and shaky finances
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
On March 30, the night before Air America went on the air, the liberal radio network threw itself a $70,000 party at Manhattan's hip Maritime Hotel. More than 1,000 guests, including Yoko Ono and Tim Robbins, drank red, white and blue vodka cocktails as they toasted the network's bid to challenge the dominance of conservative talk radio.
Dale Franks: According to today's Wall Street Journal article, available for free here, not only does the corporation have serious...
Steve Bainbridge: As reported in today's WSJ (available free here), Air America is in deep financial trouble:Many of Air America's...

Jobs and Mr. Kerry
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
THE FUROR OVER "offshoring" of jobs to countries such as India, so pronounced during the Democratic primaries, seems to have faded. With good reason: Last week the Labor Department published the first government effort to quantify the impact of offshoring,...
Brad DeLong: [quote]An old financial journalism colleague of mine points out this claim from a June 19 Kerry-bashing Post editorial: "Jobs...[end quote]
Billmon: An old financial journalism colleague of mine points out this claim from a June 19 Kerry-bashing Post editorial: Jobs...

Kerryism of the Day
  By / Slate   —   Permalink 
Question: What kind of Democrat are you?
Kerry: A thinking Democrat. You can call me an old-fashioned New Deal Democrat1. I'm not going to break faith on Social Security. I'm not going to abandon people who are struggling to earn a decent wage.2
Will Baude: I wonder... In deconstructing the latest Kerryism, Eugene Volokh finally asks: "What is the author of this column thinking?
Eugene Volokh: Kerryisms strikes again: Slate's increasingly surreal Kerryisms column has this entry today: [snipped quote] The Slate...

Hail to the Moon king
  By / Salon   —   Permalink 
You probably imagine your congressman hard at work in the Capitol debating legislation, making laws — you know, governing. But your newspaper probably didn't tell you that one night last March, members of Congress hosted a crowning ritual for an ex-convict multi-billionaire who dressed up in maroon robes and declared himself the Second Coming.
Joe Carter: No. Just another day in our nation's capital: [snipped quote] Most of the congressmen in attendance claim that they...
Roger Ailes: Hail to the Moon King — A must read.
Kevin Raybould: Read this and be amazed ... [snipped quote] Suffer through the day ad, its worth it.
Steve Gilliard: All hail the moon king — This is some weird s**t Hail to the Moon king The deeply weird coronation of Rev.

Moore Film Title Angers Author Bradbury
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ray Bradbury is demanding an apology from filmmaker Michael Moore for lifting the title from his classic science-fiction novel "Fahrenheit 451" without permission and wants the new documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" to be renamed.
Jan Haugland: Now, finally, Moore has actually contacted Bradbury. Bradbury, who hadn't seen the movie, said he called Moore's company...
James Joyner: Moore Film Title Angers Author Bradbury — AP - Moore Film Title Angers Author Bradbury [snipped quote] While I like...
Steven Taylor: Bradbury v. Moore — Moore Film Title Angers Author Bradbury [snipped quote] I have a great deal of respect for Ray...

Clinton Book Puts Familiar Foe Back in Conservatives' Sights
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
As a core of Democratic partisans cheer the return of their champion, Bill Clinton, to the limelight in time to pitch in on the campaign trail, many of his old antagonists are gearing up again.
Robert Garcia Tagorda: Conservative grassroots organizer Richard Viguerie tells the New York Times that the dynamic can work the other way...
Noam Scheiber: David Kirkpatrick reports in today's Times that: [snipped quote] The White House has tried on several occasions to frame...
Steve M.: The #2-ranked story today at Lucianne.com is "Clinton Book Puts Familiar Foe Back in Conservatives' Sights," from The New York Times.
Roger Ailes: Meet Your Liberal Media: Whitewater Whitewashers Edition — In a front page article on Clinton-haters, the oh-so-liberal...
Jack Balkin: Moral Clarity, Part 2 — As I read this New York Times article about how certain conservative pundits are happily...
Howard Kurtz: As if to underscore my point, here's a story from today's New York Times: "As a core of Democratic partisans cheer the...
Also: Steve Gilliard

A Spasm of Spite
  By / NewsMax.com   —   Permalink 
In the Monday, June 14, 2004 edition of The Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan wrote a despicable hit piece on her fellow speechwriters in the Reagan White House.
Atrios: Ha ha. Peggy came late, arriving in Reagan's second term, and was quickly identified by the other speechwriters as being dedicated to self-promotion.
Roger Ailes: Some Reaganaut named Jack Wheeler says that the Pegster is "beneath contempt." [snipped quote] "Ronnie liked me better!"

Cheney needs to step aside for good of Bush, party
  By / USA Today   —   Permalink 
Dear Mr. Vice President:
I am writing to you as a long-time admirer. Ever since you rose to prominence 30 years ago — when you became chief of staff to President Gerald Ford and I was a Wall Street Journal reporter covering economic policy in the Ford administration — you seemed to embody the qualities needed at the right hand of the president.
Steve Bainbridge: Swap Cheney for McCain — James Gannon suggests that Dick Cheney should step down so that John McCain can take over as...
Mathew Gross: Aside from the obvious vomit about Bush being the hier to Reagan's legacy, James P. Gannon's Open Letter to Dick Cheney...
Tom Maguire: In other news, James P. Gannon, "a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and editor of The Des Moines Register, is encouraging Cheney to go take a book deal.

Air America restructures under new banner
  By / Chicago Tribune   —   Permalink 
The investors in Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network that launched in March, are restructuring the company to free it of any obligations incurred by ousted chairman and founding investor Evan Cohen.
Steve Bainbridge: As Thomas points out:The assets of Air America are reported to be sold to a new corporate entity, leaving creditors of...
Robert Cox: Burdened by poor management decisions, lack of ratings and advertising sales, and mounting debts, Progress Media will be...

Judicial Nominee Practiced Law Without License in Utah
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Thomas B. Griffith, President Bush's nominee for the federal appeals court in Washington, has been practicing law in Utah without a state law license for the past four years, according to Utah state officials.
Jesse Taylor: Damned Democrats — Another vicious Democrat attack on one of George W. Bush's judicial nominees is unfurled, and the pathetic liberal media picks it up faithfully.
TChris: Judicial Appointee Practiced Law Without a License — Further proof that the Bush administration cares only about...
James Joyner: Judicial Nominee Practiced Law Without License — WaPo — Judicial Nominee Practiced Law Without License in Utah...
James Martin Capozzola: FAILING ALL THE WAY UP — Standards So Lax, They Barely Exist The Washington Post today reports ("Judicial Nominee...
Atrios: Nominee Been Practicing Law Without License — Can't these clowns do anything right? [snipped quote] They really just think that rules don't apply to them.
Michael Froomkin: Looks like DC Circuit nominee Thomas B. Griffith didn't get that last part, leading the Washington Post to report that Judicial Nominee Practiced Law Without License in Utah.

Private Rocket Plane Makes Historic Space Flight
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
MOJAVE, Calif. (Reuters) - The privately funded rocket plane SpaceShipOne flew to outer space and into history books on Monday as the world's first commercial manned space flight.
Greg Ransom: We don't need no stinkin' stolen money. Free men using their own property fly into space.
Steven Taylor: There and Back Again: SpaceShipOne — Cool: Private Rocket Plane Makes Historic Space Flight [snipped quote] Only one of...
Julian Sanchez: The first manned commercial space flight busted the final frontier today, making it a likely candidate to win the $10 million X Prize.

Nader selects Green Party activist as running mate
  AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected longtime Green Party activist Peter Camejo to be his running mate on Monday, a move sure to boost his chances of winning the Green Party's endorsement this week and its access to ballot lines in 22 states and the District of Columbia.
Tom Maguire: Veepstakes Suspense Ended! Camejo has the mojo! Trivial pursuit fans, and no one else, should take note.
Micah Sifry: It's Peter Camejo, the fund manager who ran for governor of California on the Green Party line.
Mathew Gross: And of far more likely impact to the election today is Nader's selection of Green Party activist Peter Camejo as his...

Iraqi Officer Linked to Al Qaeda
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
The commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has been told "a very prominent member" of al Qaeda served as an officer in Saddam Hussein's militia, a panel member said yesterday.
Cori Dauber: Indeed, yesterday Commissioner Lehman actually mentioned the story of the Iraqi working as a fixer at the Malaysian...
Pejman Yousefzadeh: [quote]John F. Lehman, a Reagan-era GOP defense official told NBC's "Meet the Press" that documents captured in Iraq "indicate...[end quote]
The Big Trunk: Close readers of the Post will find the story (via Reuters) on page A9: "Iraqi officer linked to al Qaeda."
Smash: Iraq-Qaeda Link Documented — THE 9/11 COMMISSION has been granted access to documents linking a senior member of al Qaeda with Saddam's Fedayeen militia, Reuters reports.
James Joyner: Reuters — Iraqi Officer Tied to Al Qaeda - 9/11 Commissioner "The commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks has...
Captain Ed: 9/11 Commission Wakes Up, Smells Coffee — The Washington Post reports in tomorrow's edition that the 9/11 Commission...

Nader Taps Green Activist As Running Mate
  AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON June 21, 2004 — Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected longtime Green Party activist Peter Camejo to be his running mate on Monday, a move sure to boost his chances of winning the Green Party's endorsement this week and its access to ballot lines in 22 states and the District of Columbia.
Steve Soto: Update: As Tony mentioned in the Comments section, Nader is hooking up with Green Party leader Peter Camejo this morning to form a Green/Reform party ticket for this fall.
Chris Bowers: Nader, Caemjo and the Green Party Convention — Earlier today, Ralph Nader announced that he has selected Peter Camejo as his running mate, and Camejo accepted.

'Three UK vessels seized in Iran'
  BBC   —   Permalink 
Iran says it has seized several British navy vessels inside its territorial waters near the Iraqi border.
Eight British sailors on board the three vessels were arrested when they were seized on the Shatt al-Arab river, state-run Iranian media said.
Jeff Jarvis: Iranian hostages... again : Iran has seized three British boats.
Patrick Belton: MAJOR DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT UNFOLDING: Iran has seized three vessels of the Royal Navy which were patrolling the Shatt al-Arab, and have seized eight British sailors.
Laura Rozen: Iran has seized three British navy vessels and arrested eight British sailors, the BBC reports.

Mother says state failed to protect disabled daughter
  By / Seattle Times   —   Permalink 
In two decades as an advocate for people with developmental disabilities, Nancy Sclater has raised millions of dollars, building a network that includes political and business luminaries.
Mike Hendrix: We're from the government; we're here to help you…. Michelle Malkin has run across a real horror story here: [snipped quote] Read the rest, and follow the links too.
Michelle Malkin: The latest horror story out of Washington state involves Suzy Sclater, a woman with cerebal palsy and the developmental...

Iran Confiscates Three British Boats
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran said Monday it had confiscated three British naval vessels and arrested eight armed crew members. The Royal Navy acknowledged it had lost contact with three small patrol boats on a routine mission in the waterway between Iraq and Iran.
Ace: Iran Captures Three British Boats — Iran wants to play the tough-guy. With the second-most powerful navy in the region, at least.
Smash: Iran Seizes British Patrol Boats — IRAN HAS CAPTURED three Royal Navy boats patrolling the Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iraq and Iran, Associated Press reports.

AP Poll: Most Rate Reagan Over Clinton
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON - Most Americans say that Ronald Reagan , who died this month, will be remembered as a better president than Bill Clinton , who is trying to improve his image with a new autobiography, according to an Associated Press poll.
John Cole: Most Popular President Ever — Can't wait to see the spin from Atrios on this one: [snipped quote] Not a bad legacy for the Least Popular Modern President ever, right, Atrios?
Jonah Goldberg: VOX POPULI: REAGAN'S THE WINNER — From the Associated Press: "WASHINGTON - Most Americans say that Ronald Reagan (news...

Lawyer: Rowland to announce resignation
  CNN   —   Permalink 
(CNN) — Embattled Gov. John G. Rowland of Connecticut, facing possible impeachment amid a federal corruption probe, will announce his resignation Monday night, his lawyer said.
"He's going to announce his resignation at 6 o'clock," William Dow III, his personal lawyer, told CNN from his office in New Haven, Connecticut.
Jeralyn Merritt: Conn. Governor Rowland to Resign — Connecticut Governor John Roland will announce his resignation tonight on television: [snipped quote] What got Rowland in this spot?
James Joyner: UPDATE: CNN has additional details: Lawyer: Rowland to announce resignation [quote] "He's going to announce his resignation at...[end quote]

Bill's Self-Portrait
  MSNBC   —   Permalink 
June 28 issue - If Bill Clinton had to pick a defining moment that says more about him than any other, it probably wouldn't be the afternoon he was sworn in as president after a long, uphill campaign.
Howard Kurtz: Newsweek offers this summary: "Clinton doesn't directly blame unresolved feelings about his troubled childhood for his...
Taegan Goddard: Newsweek says the book "is vintage Clinton—by turns interesting and infuriating." Michael Isikoff has an early review for the magazine.

High Court Rules on Police ID Requests
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that people do not have a constitutional right to refuse to tell police their names.
The 5-4 decision frees the government to arrest and punish people who won't cooperate by revealing their identity.
Mathew Gross: "But Officer, I Was Just Walking Here" — Well, the Supreme Court just pissed away a little more of your freedom: "The...
TChris: That value took a big hit today as the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that an individual can be criminally prosecuted for...

Iraqi Official to American Press: Report More Good
  By / DefenseLINK   —   Permalink 
BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 20, 2004 - Iraq's deputy prime minister implored the American press to provide more balanced coverage of operations in Iraq.
Barham Salih, a prominent leader from Kurdish northern Iraq, made his plea June 19 to American reporters traveling in Iraq with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.
James Joyner: Iraqi Leaders: Report More Good — American Forces Press Service — Iraqi Official to American Press: Report More Good [snipped quote] Interesting.
Bill Hobbs: I seem to recall somebody else who once said Saddam himself was Iraq's weapon of mass destruction...) Also, the new...

AP: Kerry Took Money From Arrested Figure
  AP   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry's campaign collected a maximum $2,000 check from the recently arrested son of South Korea's disgraced former president, and some of its fund-raisers met several times with a South Korean government official who was trying to organize a Korean-American political group.
Jesse Taylor: Oh, and the campaign took money from a bad person and then gave it back when they found out who he was.
Howard Kurtz: This Associated Press report could spell trouble for Kerry: "John Kerry's campaign collected a maximum $2,000 check...
Captain Ed: Kerry Takes Tainted Money, Returns It — Howard Kurtz (scroll way down) thinks this will be a problem for John Kerry: [snipped quote] Eh.
Libertarian: WHAT'S NEWSWORTHY ABOUT THIS? One criminal donates to another criminal. Big deal.

The President and the Gun: To the Avenger Go the Spoils
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
The story of how President Bush ended up with Saddam Hussein's pistol mounted in his private study off the Oval Office has dribbled out in the last few weeks, and it is a good one.
Jeff Jarvis: The New York Times today on Bush hanging Saddam's pistol in the White House: [snipped quote] And in the Guardian,...
Tbogg: How Georgie got his gun: As first reported in Time magazine, the soldiers who captured Mr. Hussein in December presented...
Taegan Goddard: How Bush Got Saddam's Gun — [snipped quote] the New York Times reports.

Iraq as the 51st state
  Asia Times   —   Permalink 
"He was a patron of terrorism ... He had long-established ties with al-Qaeda." - Vice President Dick Cheney on Saddam Hussein, June 14
ANN ARBOR, Michigan - Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan, has positioned himself as a virtually indispensable voice in the Iraq debate.
Guest Author: A week of carnage that left dozens dead and the world reeling: Iraqi Gunmen Kill Diplomat; 6 Are Injured In Bombings...
Juan Cole: Pepe Escobar's interview with me on Iraq at the Asia Times is available online. An excerpt: [snipped quote] Read more.
Steve Gilliard: Speaks Arabic, understands, even teaches Iraqi history This is part of an interview Juan Cole did with the Asia Times "ATol: This was the original neo-con plan?

Report: Iran Seizes British Naval Vessels
  Fox News   —   Permalink 
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian state television reported Monday that Iranian forces had seized three British naval vessels on the Iraqi border and arrested their crews, according to wire reports.
A British military spokesman in Iraq confirmed that contact had been lost with three patrol boats.
Jeff Goldstein: '" Looks like it's time I start thinking up some Persian jokes...
Damian Penny: Iran seizes British ships — The Iranians say they've seized three small British naval vessels which strayed into their...

Connecticut Gov. John Rowland to Resign
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
HARTFORD, Conn. - Gov. John G. Rowland will announce his resignation Monday night, amid a federal corruption investigation and a growing move to impeach him, his lawyer told The Associated Press.
Chris Bowers: Rowland Will Resign Tonight — I did not follow this story very closely, but for a Governor to resign due to corruption it is a big deal.
C. D. Harris: He's decided to resign the Governorship in the wake of a State Supreme Court decision that he can be compelled to testify in the corruption probe launched against him.

Jack Kelly: Headline ruse
  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette   —   Permalink 
On Thursday, the lead headline in the Post-Gazette was "Saddam, al-Qaida Not Linked. Sept. 11 Panel's Conclusion at Odds with Administration." In the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that day, the banner headline read: "9/11 Panel Debunks Saddam Link.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATE: Here is another apt critique of the media's coverage of this issue.
Captain Ed: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: We Were Wrong — Jack Kelly at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette makes an extraordinary claim in...
Mike Hendrix: Oh, if only — Now here's a new government initiative I could really get behind; kudos to Bush for coming up with it: the No Reporter Left Behind Act!
Christopher Kanis: ONE FOR DIOGENES — The Greek may never have found his honest man, but Ed at Captain's Quarters has found an honest...
Bill Hobbs: 9/11 Commission Chairman: Media lied about Saddam/Al Qaeda link — Read all about it here. I had a long post on it here last Friday.
Glenn Reynolds: It's certainly addressing a serious and undeniable problem. UPDATE: More evidence of pressing need here.
Also: Tom Smith

KILLERS WITH CAMERAS
  By / New York Post   —   Permalink 
IMAGINE if, on D-Day, the Nazis had been al lowed to place camera teams on Omaha Beach — with our suffering soldiers forbidden to interfere. What if, on top of that, the Germans had invented American atrocities against French civilians — and our own officials defended their right to do so in the name of press freedom?
Charles Johnson: Killers with Cameras — Ralph Peters says JihadTV (Al Jazeera) is the most powerful ally of terror in the world—and we're fools to ignore it: Killers With Cameras.
James Joyner: Shut Down al-Jazeera — Ralph Peters makes a controversial argument this morning. [snipped quote] He's got a point.

The Silence of the Lemmings
  By / Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—My family drove here from New York last weekend to celebrate our elder daughter's graduation from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. It was a time to rejoice in her accomplishments, and I couldn't help but feel a kindred pride with the other assembled parents and siblings.
Michelle Malkin: In this otherwise unobjectionable Wall Street Journal op-ed by Alan Bromley, who recounts a typically dreadful...
The Big Trunk: The Journal headline writer wittily imputes "The silence of the lemmings" to the audience, but Bromley notes the noisy cheers that greeted Annan's most stupid remarks.

Syrian jailed for internet usage
  BBC   —   Permalink 
Syria has jailed a man who downloaded material from a banned emigre website and e-mailed it to others.
Abdel Rahman al-Shaghouri, 32, received a two-and-a-half year sentence for "publishing false news that saps the morale of the nation".
Glenn Reynolds: SYRIAN JAILED FOR INTERNET USAGE: [snipped quote] Indeed.
KJL: MAN JAILED FOR USING THE INTERNET — Baathist tyranny lives on in Syria.

Bill Clinton's Aura: Still at the Cleaners
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Bill Clinton, having delivered a command performance in launching his book blitz with Dan Rather last night, is in no danger of getting the Ronald Reagan treatment.
Liberal commentators, some swallowing hard, may have hailed the 93-year-old Gipper as he passed from the scene.
Atrios: Fact Free Kurtz — According to Howie: [snipped quote] Of course, Clinton left office with a higher approval rating than Reagan, but facts are like Kryptonite to Kurtz.
Tim Graham: Howard Kurtz's "Media Notes" recycle the same old shameless Clintonista war on the decency of conservatives.

Mad money: Fury helps fund Kerry's effort
  Minneapolis Star Tribune   —   Permalink 
Democrats apparently figure that the madder you are at President Bush, the more you're going to be willing to pay to beat him.
That seems to be the strategy behind a Minneapolis fundraiser for John Kerry that's basing its ticket prices on whether you are angry, livid, or mad as hell about the direction of the country.
Hindrocket: Saturday morning, the Minneapolis Star Tribune followed up on our story in an article titled "Mad money: Fury helps fund Kerry's effort."
Mitch Berg: Light Enough Already — My Northern Alliance colleagues at Powerline made the Strib.

Evangelical Leaders Reexamine Principles
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
The National Assn. of Evangelicals is circulating a draft of a groundbreaking framework for political action that strongly endorses social and economic justice and warns against close alignment with any political party.
Kevin Drum: EVANGELICALS...Some good news on the religion front: [snipped quote] It's not all good news for liberals, of course,...
Daniel Drezner: Which is why Karl Rove can't be too happy about Larry B. Stammer's article in the Los Angeles Times about a new white...
Matthew Yglesias: Via Daniel Drezner, the Los Angeles Times reports on a potentially crucial new white paper from the National Association...
Jeanne D'Arc: The Los Angeles Times obtained a draft of guidelines for political action which takes expected stands against gay...

Transcript for June 20
  MSNBC   —   Permalink 
PLEASE CREDIT ANY QUOTES OR EXCERPTS FROM THIS NBC TELEVISION PROGRAM TO "NBC NEWS' MEET THE PRESS."
This is a rush transcript provided for the information and convenience of the press. Accuracy is not guaranteed. In case of doubt, please check with:
Steven Taylor: Classic Clinton — From yesterday's Meet the Press, come two classic reminders of the psyche and self-image of Bill Clinton.
Robert Garcia Tagorda: John Lehman (Former Reagan Appointee): "There's really very little difference between what our staff found, what the...

Bloggers to Attend Political Convention
  By / AP   —   Permalink 
NEW YORK - A handful of scribes publishing in a newer medium will join the thousands of newspaper, magazine and broadcast journalists at this summer's political conventions. They'll be blogging.
Daniel Drezner: The blogging of the convention — The Associated Press reports that the Democrats will offer media credentials to "a handful of bloggers" at this year's convention in Boston.
Jeralyn Merritt: Bloggers at the DNC — The AP reports on bloggers who have applied for media credentials to attend the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Tacitus: Conventioneers — So, I got a tentative invite to the GOP convention in NYC, as per the AP piece here.
Jeanne D'Arc: Interesting that the Republicans would rather stick with the "liberal" media.
Andrew Sullivan: It's happening. For my part, I think bloggers could make more of a statement by not going to these elaborate infomercials.
Glenn Reynolds: MANY BLOGGERS ARE NAMED in this story about blogging the political conventions. I agree with Bob Somerby, myself, but I'm glad that others feel differently.

Privatizing Foreign Policy
  By / TCS   —   Permalink 
With all due apologies to Daniel Webster, some words need to be re-defined. Maybe we could start with the word "diplomacy". The classic definition of diplomacy as n.
Glenn Reynolds: PRIVATIZING FOREIGN POLICY: Well, the State Department could certainly use the help.
Arthur Chrenkoff: Robinder Sachdev on winning the hearts and minds the non-governmental way: "Privatizing Foreign Policy."

Europe vs. America
  Opinion Journal   —   Permalink 
The growing split between the U.S. and Europe has been much in the news, mostly on foreign policy. But less well understood is the gap in economic growth and standards of living. Now comes a European report that puts the American advantage in surprisingly stark relief.
Captain Ed: A new study by Sweden — a bastion of cradle-to-grave nanny-statism — shows that the European standard of living has...
Greg Ransom: And here is the WJS on the report: "U.S. GDP per capita was a whopping 32% higher than the EU average in 2000, and the...
Steve Antler: "European Rent-Seeking Politicians Suck Oxygen Out of Economic Growth"? (uh,...bad headline...bad...) OpinionJournal...

Ron Jr. hits Bush team
  By / NY Daily News   —   Permalink 
Ronald Reagan's son harshly criticized the Bush White House for invoking religion and his father's name to justify the Iraq war and scoffed, "They're no Ronald Reagans."
Ron Reagan, the late President's son, unloaded on President Bush and his advisers to NBC's Chris Matthews in an interview that aired last night on "Dateline."
Joe Gandelman: Here's A Member Of The Reagan Family Who Won't Vote For George Bush — He was extremely blunt Friday night as you can see for yourself.
Roger Ailes: Let's see: [quote] Iraq 9/11 "Mission Accomplished" WMDs The economy Honor and Integrity [end quote] And now: [quote] The mantle of Saint Ronnie "[Ron-Not-Jnr.[end quote]

Iraqi Officer Tied to Al Qaeda - 9/11 Commissioner
  By / Reuters   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks has been told "a very prominent member" of al Qaeda served as an officer in Saddam Hussein 's militia, a panel member said on Sunday.
Captain Ed: Reuters reports that Richard Ben-Veniste, one of the partisan hacks on the panel, told NBC that he hoped Cheney would...
Charles Johnson: The Connections Are Coming Out — New intelligence reportedly shows a direct link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda: Iraqi Officer Tied to Al Qaeda - 9/11 Commissioner.
Ace: Fedayeen Saddam May Have Been 9-11 Conspirator — Let me tell you something: I never expected this story to go anywhere.

Iraq Group Threatens to Kill S.Korean Hostage -TV
  Reuters   —   Permalink 
DUBAI (Reuters) - An Iraqi group has threatened to behead a South Korean hostage if Seoul does not end cooperation with U.S. occupying authorities, a videotape aired on Arabic television station Al Jazeera said Monday.
James Joyner: Al Qaeda Threaten to Behead South Korean Hostage — Reuters — Iraq Group Threatens to Behead S. Korean
Charles Johnson: Religion of Decapitation — Iraq Group Threatens to Behead S. Korean.
Joe Gandelman: The Reuters report: [snipped quote] The U.S wouldn't give in. Saudi Arabia wouldn't give in. Will South Korea (stupidly) give in?

The Iraq-Qaeda Link: A Short History
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
For nearly three years, murky speculation, innuendo and inaccurate information have kept a connection between Saddam Hussein and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 alive in the American mind.
Mike Hendrix: Backing up — So this is what they consider a "correction," is it? [snipped quote] Aside to Tom: actually, it's neither.
Tom Maguire: They Linked Him, They Linked Him Not... As the editors at the NY Times continue to pluck petals off a daisy, they manage...

Saudi Cops Surround Home in Riyadh
  Fox News   —   Permalink 
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi security forces surrounded a house in central Riyadh where suspected militants were believed to have fled after trading fire with security forces Sunday, security officials said.
Steve Bainbridge: Our Saudi "Allies" — The 9/11 Commission, according to the LA Times, will report that "Pakistan and Saudi Arabia helped...
John Cole: Our Saudi Allies — Fabulous: "According to the account of Johnson's kidnapping, posted on an Islamic extremist Web...
Wretchard: Fox news is reporting new developments on the Paul Johnson murder, "... the Al Qaeda cell behind Johnson's killing...

New Abuse Charges
  Time   —   Permalink 
Could the abuse of prisoners in Iraq have gone beyond the beatings and sexual humiliation already alleged? Unreleased, classified parts of the report on prison abuse from Major General Anthony Taguba, which were read to TIME, contain indications of mistreatment of female prisoners.
Katherine R: In one case, Time magazine obtained a copy of the plaintiff's release order. The specific, individualized charges are on pages 19-27 of the complaint.
Jeralyn Merritt: Iraqi Abuse Allegations Get Worse — Time Magazine reports that a federal class action has been brought in California on behalf of former detainees.
Adam Mordecai: Time Magazine on June 20, 2004: "Could the abuse of prisoners in Iraq have gone beyond the beatings and sexual humiliation already alleged?
Ace: That Time article Andrew places such stock in? That Time article with unskeptically repeats uncorroborated and utterly ridiculous charges from an anonymous terrorist?
Andrew Sullivan: ELECTROCUTION? Time reports on the deepening mystery of what really happened at Abu Ghraib.

2 Allies Aided Bin Laden, Say Panel Members
  By / LAT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON — Pakistan and Saudi Arabia helped set the stage for the Sept. 11 attacks by cutting deals with the Taliban and Osama bin Laden that allowed his Al Qaeda terrorist network to flourish, according to several senior members of the Sept. 11 commission and U.S. counter-terrorism officials.
Jesse Taylor: So, when you read this LA Times article on our allies in the war on terrorism (Pakistan and Saudi Arabia) paying off the...
Kevin Drum: The lead story in the LA Times this morning is a report that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia aided al-Qaeda prior to 9/11:...
Jan Haugland: The 9/11 commission has been very kind to these two countries in the preliminary reports so far, but now some members...
Cori Dauber: Just shocked. Imagine finding out that the Saudis were facilitating the Taliban to keep the wolf at bay.

Because They Could
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
In his "60 Minutes" interview, Bill Clinton calls his intern idyll "a terrible moral error," illuminating "the darkest part of his inner life." Not to mention the hardest part on his back since, astonishingly, he says he spent months sleeping on the couch.
Nick Confessore: I was surprised to see that Maureen Dowd, a charter member of the Catholic Moralizer Squad back during Clinton's day,...
Matthew Yglesias: Thomas Friedman. They love us in China, except they kind of don't. Maureen Dowd. Clinton-bashing returns at last.
Roger Ailes: Can You Get Fired For Plagiarizing A Bumper Sticker? From MoDo's column: [snipped quote] Hmmm.... Sounds familiar.
Bill Hobbs: Because I Could — I've taken the liberty of reproducing Maureen Dowd's latest New York Times column here, and adding a...
Steve Gilliard: Because They Could By MAUREEN DOWD Published: June 20, 2004 WASHINGTON [quote] In his "60 Minutes" interview, Bill Clinton...[end quote]
Cori Dauber: Maureen Dowd passed that point a long, long time ago. Take this weeks column.

Why This Election Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Four years ago, activist Arianna Huffington and comedian Bill Maher were performing at "Shadow Conventions" designed to ridicule the irrelevant banalities of the two major parties. Lefty Texas commentator Jim Hightower was speaking out for Ralph Nader.
Matt Yglesias: I was going to come up with a long response to this but perhaps better to just go for a few bullet points where I think...
Max B. Sawicky: RUBINTISM — Jonathan Chait of The New Republic flaunts his weak grasp of fiscal policy.
Brad DeLong: ": RUBINTISM: Jonathan Chait of The New Republic flaunts his weak grasp of fiscal policy."

Up tiddlee up up
  By / Telegraph   —   Permalink 
On the tarmac of a desolate airport, the grey paint on forlorn hangars blistering in the searing desert sun, decomissioned military jets are parked in rows beside mothballed airliners.
Glenn Reynolds: HERE'S MORE ON TOMORROW'S scheduled private manned spaceship launch by Burt Rutan.
Andrew Stuttaford: TO BOLDLY GO — Good for them.

All's Fair
  NYT   —   Permalink 
Q Senator Lott, many people associate you not only with conservative politics but also with your curious hair. It never moves, even in the wind. Is it real?
No. 1, it is not a toupee. No. 2, it is generally straight and not inclined to run all over the place.
Steve M.: How are you going to get people to give information that will lead to the saving of lives? —interview with Trent Lott...
Will Baude: Curious — The New York Times (I should have bought the paper version; I tire of reading these things online) has an...
Spencer Ackerman: From national treasure — Trent Lott's Q&A in the Sunday Times Magazine: [snipped quote] Somewhere in Tashkent, as he's...
Andrew Sullivan: "- From the New York Times Magazine. THE PEACE PROCESS: I have to say I haven't been so amused in a very long time.
Michael Froomkin: And therein lies part of the problem… 1 [Update: Here's Trent Lott in today's NYT Magazine: You recently created a...

There was a link between Saddam and al-Qa'eda
  By / Telegraph   —   Permalink 
To the anti-war lobby, it was cause for jubilation. "No Qa'eda-Iraq tie" crowed The New York Times. "White House misled the world over Saddam" exulted our own Independent. And presidential candidate Senator John Kerry claimed that the Bush administration had "misled America over the need for war".
Perry de Havilland: Saddam Hussain and Al Qaeda — For those who insist that the lack of an Al-Qaeda/Iraq link means Saddam should have been...
Tom Smith: More on Iraq- al Qaeda connection — This via realclearpolitics (which should be a daily stop for you).

Mourning After
  By / TNR   —   Permalink 
Bill Galston is one helluva debater. In the fall of 2002, well before the invasion of Iraq, I faced Bill—a University of Maryland professor and a former colleague of mine in the Clinton administration—in a public debate, and he kicked my rhetorical ass.
Gregory Djerejian: Alexander Cockburn? Robert Fisk? Noam Chomsky? Nope, Ken Pollack! Pollack is clearly torn on Iraq now well over a year out.
David Adesnik: Even so, Pollack's column in TNR is well worth reading. Fortunately, there is only one point at which he waxes idiotarian.

Saudi al Qaeda cell names new leader
  CNN   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia announced Sunday that Saleh al-Oufi will replace slain leader Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin, according to the Islamist Web site where the group posts its messages.
James Joyner: Saudi al Qaeda Cell Names New Leader — CNN — Saudi al Qaeda cell names new leader [snipped quote] I look forward to the naming of al-Oufi's replacement.
Captain Ed: "Al-Muqrin claimed responsibility for the beheading of U.S. hostage Paul Johnson Jr." CNN also reports that al-Qaeda has...

As Genocide Unfolds
  WaPo   —   Permalink 
THE BUSH administration is waking up to Darfur, the western Sudanese province where Arab death squads have herded African villagers into refugee camps and are waiting for them to die.
Gregory Djerejian: Warren Christopher's Back! [snipped quote] From a WaPo masthead today. Sound familiar? Next thing you know someone will call Darfur a "Problem from Hell."
Max B. Sawicky: NO OIL HERE — If the U.S. invaded Iraq out of humanitarian motives, why doesn't it do likewise for the Sudan?

Clinton still has 'heat' - but it's the Democrats who are getting burnt
  By / Telegraph   —   Permalink 
There was a photograph in The New York Post a few weeks ago of Bill Clinton and some other fellow entering a room. Seven-eighths of the picture was Clinton with a big broad smile and his arms outstretched, like a cheesy Vegas lounge act acknowledging the applause of the crowd before launching into his opening number ("I Get a Kick Out of Me").
Betsy Newmark: Mark Steyn wonders why the Democrats are so eager to have Bill Clinton hanging around. [quote] seemed "so September 10th".[end quote]
Arthur Chrenkoff: Mark Steyn on the return of Clinton: [snipped quote] Theodore Dalrymple on American and British social myths.
Pejman Yousefzadeh: But Steyn is perfect, so I couldn't resist linking to him: "The Clintons' Democratic Party was great for the Clintons...
Dale Franks: Indeed, Mark Steyn gives republicans a very good reason to appreciate Bill Clinton.
Barbara Comstock: MARK STEYN ON CLINTON — "Say what you like, but, in the Cinton era, the only naked guy with women's panties on his head...
The Big Trunk: My lie — Mark Steyn meditates hilariously on the publication of Clinton's memoirs: "Clinton has 'heat' — but it's the Democrats who are getting burnt."
Also: Tim Blair, Greg Ransom

Clinton rages against Dimbleby in Panorama confrontation over Lewinsky
  Telegraph   —   Permalink 
Bill Clinton loses his temper with David Dimbleby during a BBC television interview to be broadcast this week when he is repeatedly quizzed about his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Glenn Reynolds: I WONDER IF CLIPS OF THIS INTERVIEW will make it to America: [snipped quote] I suspect that they will.
Joe Gandelman: The Telegraph story about Clinton's purported loss of temper (CAUTION: how much of THIS STORY is hype to get ratings for...
Ace: I Can't Believe I'm Saying This: Leave Clinton Alone — So, Clinton got all angry and heated when vigorously questioned about Monica Lewinsky on BBC.
Steve Antler: More here, here, and here: [snipped quote] UPDATE: Finally, from Drudge, this.

The Pastiche of a Presidency, Imitating a Life, in 957 Pages
  By / NYT   —   Permalink 
As his celebrated 1993 speech in Memphis to the Church of God in Christ demonstrated, former President Bill Clinton is capable of soaring eloquence and visionary thinking.
McQ: Michko Kakutani blasts the book soundly (and surprisingly) on the front page of the NY Times: "The book, which weighs...
Howard Kurtz: Not only did it obtain an advance copy of the book (as the AP did), but reviewer Michiko Kakutani slams it: "The book,...
Taegan Goddard: Imitating a Life in 957 Pages — The New York Times blasts Bill Clinton's memoirs: "The book, which weighs in at more...
Nathan Hallford: Unfavorable Review: Yesterday's New York Times contained what, in my opinion, was unfavorable review of Bill Clinton's new book, to be released tomorrow.
Steve M.: Michiko Kakutani ends her New York Times pan of Bill Clinton's book this way: ...the former president's account of his...
James Martin Capozzola: This time, it's Michiko Kakutani, reviewing Clinton's memoirs, My Life.
Also: Pejman Yousefzadeh, Jesse Taylor, Adam Mordecai, KJL, Atrios, Michelle Malkin, Tim Blair, Whiskey, Tom Smith, Gene @HarrysPlace, Hugh Hewitt, Jeff Jarvis, Joe Gandelman

9/11 Panel's Findings Vault Bush Credibility To Campaign Forefront
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
The White House's swift and sustained reaction last week to the preliminary findings of the Sept. 11, 2001, commission showed the potential threat the 10-member panel poses to President Bush's reelection prospects.
Digby: Inside Out — Billmon writes: [snipped quote] I loved that one too.
Cori Dauber: On the other hand, looking at the actual article, it may be that the headline writers for the online edition are just...
Billmon: 2+2=5 — I see the White House is continuing its human wave assault on logic and reason - leaving the 9/11 Commission trapped between the lines.
DemFromCT: On the website, the WaPo leads with this: [snipped quote] You can argue about Kerry's campaign and platform.
Gregory Djerejian: Why Is This So Hard? [snipped quote] Dana Milbank in today's WaPo.

Insiders shape postwar Iraq
  By / Chicago Tribune   —   Permalink 
A little over a year ago, Stuart Bowen Jr. was lobbying for a company looking for work in the impending reconstruction of Iraq.
A former longtime aide to President Bush, Bowen tapped administration contacts on behalf of URS Group, a consulting firm, and...
Jeanne D'Arc: Digby... ...captures the essence of Bush, Inc. in Iraq.
Daniel Drezner: In the Tribune, Andrew Zajac focuses more closely on the recruitment of CPA personnel.
Digby: Subversive Journalism (I like it.) Insiders shape postwar Iraq: [snipped quote] 3 points.

G.O.P. Offensive Puts Small Dent in Kerry's Image
  NYT   —   Permalink 
WASHINGTON, June 19 — When John Kerry effectively nailed down the Democratic presidential nomination on March 2, the White House was waiting. With relentless precision, it began a 90-day campaign to weaken Mr. Kerry's candidacy, a blast that included record...
James Martin Capozzola: Never before has a presidential campaign so poorly spent $85 million. A million dollars a day and losing ground.
Angry Bear: Based on this NYT story, not only can they spend a lot yet end up with little to show for it in Iraq, on a Medicare...
Steve M.: Yes — amazing!

Foes Confounded by Limited Outcry Against Gay Marriage
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
He has preached for months that gay marriage could be the downfall of Western civilization, but the Rev. Gary F. Smith is worried that the message is not getting across to his flock at the Church of the Nazarene in Leesburg.
"There's quite a bit of lethargy in the pews," he said.
Nick Confessore: Cooperman writes: [snipped quote] As I've said before, I really think the GOP is making a big strategic error on this...
Tom Schaller: Trouble in Wedgeville — Looks like gay marriage may not be the wedge issue the GOP is hoping it will be. Read this.
Steve Gilliard: Foes Confounded by Limited Outcry Against Gay Marriage By Alan Cooperman Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, June 20,...
Tbogg: It looks like it's only the Evangelical ministers (also known as "unemployable white guys with no job skills") are...

Clinton defends successor's push for war
  CNN   —   Permalink 
(CNN) — Former President Clinton has revealed that he continues to support President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq but chastised the administration over the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison.
C. D. Harris: The Leftie Blogs Will Make For Entertaining Reading The Next Few Days — The Best President In The History Of The...
Captain Ed: Now, Bill Clinton says that George Bush had no choice but to remove Saddam Hussein after 9/11, based on the intelligence...
Jon Henke: Perhaps it is the distance I've gotten from the 90s, or perhaps it is the distance he's gotten from legislation, but...

Kerry Backs $7-an-Hour Minimum Wage
  By / WaPo   —   Permalink 
Sen. John F. Kerry called yesterday for a 36 percent hike in the federal minimum wage over the next three years, contending that such an increase would help 7 million working people escape poverty.
The current federal minimum, established eight years ago, is $5.15 an hour.
Mark Krikorian: JOBS AMERICANS SHOULDN'T DO — Kerry's call Friday for increasing the federal minimum wage to $7 brought to mind last...
Steve Antler: Sorry but I just don't get it... On increasing the minimum wage: [snipped quote] Let's simply stipulate (for the moment...

Keynote Address by Senator Joe Lieberman
  The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies   —   Permalink 
Thank you to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy for sponsoring this important symposium on the future of Iraq and the war on terrorism. Through gatherings such as this one, the Foundation is helping "lead the war of ideas in the battle between freedom and totalitarianism."
Hindrocket: This speech by Joe Lieberman on Iraq and the war against Islamofascism is excellent.
Glenn Reynolds: JOE LIEBERMAN UNDERSTANDS what's going on: [snipped quote] I'd like to see Lieberman as Kerry's running mate, but I guess that's not going to happen.
Mike Hendrix: DINO — Thanks to Reynolds for finding this one: [snipped quote] Joe Lieberman is one of only a pitiful few Democrats who truly grasp what's really on the line here.