Top Items:

Today's coverup of surveillance crimes and Barack Obama — What we learned in December, 2005 that George Bush and the telecoms were doing — listening in on the private conversations of American citizens without warrants — is a felony under clear U.S. law, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine for each offense.
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Senate Backs Wiretap Bill to Shield Phone Companies — WASHINGTON — More than two and a half years after the disclosure of President's Bush's domestic eavesdropping program set off a furious national debate, the Senate gave final approval on Wednesday afternoon to broadening the government's spy powers …

FISA on the floor; nutroots in a frenzy; Update: FISA reform passes, 69-28 — The Senate held three votes on telecom immunity amendments this afternoon and a final vote on the FISA reform bill will take place later today. After all is said and done, the 9/10 Democrats will go along …

Obama's online muscle flexes against him — Fans use his Web site to rip shifts in policy — The same Internet-fueled power that led to historic gains in organizing and fundraising for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign is now providing a platform for fiery dissent in a most unlikely place: his own Web site.
Discussion:
The New Republic, American Thinker, Wake up America, The Swamp, The Strata-Sphere, Redstate and BLACKFIVE

Congress votes to immunize lawbreaking telecoms, legalize warrantless eavesdropping
Discussion:
Ars Technica, The Reaction, Taylor Marsh, The Agonist, CommonDreams.org, Wonkette, Philly.com and LewRockwell.com Blog


He quit rather than lower flag for Helms — RALEIGH - L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he'd ever had rather than lower a flag to honor former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. — Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly …
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One nation, not just speaking English — After a substantial speech decrying the current state of bankruptcy law in the United States, Barack Obama took a few questions from the audience in Powder Springs, Georgia on Tuesday morning. One young woman asked whether there was anything …
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Pemberton GOP: Airbrushing Racism Since... So the Pemberton and Burlington County GOP got caught today. Take a look at a before screen shot of the Pemberton GOP website and see if anything looks out of place... Ah, what a tasteful municipal party message.
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GOP club accused of racism for Obama web banner
Discussion:
Think Progress


Jesse Jackson apologizes for comments critical of Obama — (CNN) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson issued an apology to Barack Obama Wednesday for making what he called a “crude and hurtful” remark about the Illinois senator's recent comments directed toward some members of the black community.
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Jesse Jackson — has been caught on tape — he thought the mic …
Discussion:
TownHall Blog

Jesse Ventura To Run for Senate? — In an interview with NPR's David Welna that ran today former Gov. Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Ind-Minn., sounds like he may run for Senate, challenging incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., whom Ventura defeated for governor in 1998, as well as Democratic nominee …

McCain Campaign Restricts Press Access — PITTSBURGH — Welcome to the new John McCain press strategy. — Avoid them. — McCain today held a 10-minute press conference, complete with podium, microphones for the questioners, network-quality audio and a camera for a local television station, which allowed CNN to carry it live.
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Reporters Dismiss McCain's Iran ‘Joke’ As Part Of His ‘Real Guy’ Persona — The AP reported yesterday that U.S. exports to Iran “grew more than tenfold during President Bush's years in office.” When a reporter informed Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) of the story, noting that …
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My Plan to Escape the Grip of Foreign Oil — One of the benefits of being around a long time is that you get to know a lot about certain things. I'm 80 years old and I've been an oilman for almost 60 years. I've drilled more dry holes and also found more oil than just about anyone in the industry.

Pat Buchanan Advertises His Book On Neo-Nazi Radio Show — You read that right. On June 29th, MSNBC personality and three-time presidential candidate Pat Buchanan appeared on a neo-Nazi radio program to promote his new revisionist history of the Second World War, Churchill, Hitler …


INTELLECTUALS LIE, THE POWERLESS DIE — THE greatest lie intellectuals tell us is that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” That's what cowards claim when they want to preen as heroes. — Billions of words have been hurled at Sudan's government. The misery in Darfur not only continues but deepens.

Mac's Off Cap-and-Trade — After writing favorably about Sen. McCain's recent economics speeches, where he clearly shifted toward the supply-side both on tax cuts and producing more energy, I went back last evening and carefully read his 15-page policy pamphlet called “Jobs for America.”

QUITE A STATEMENT — People say a lot of things about Social Security — a lot of it nonsense. But I haven't heard something like this in a long time. John McCain says that Social Security, as originally conceived more than 70 years ago, is an “absolute disgrace.”
Discussion:
Wonk Room, American Prospect, The Carpetbagger Report, MyDD, Political Punch, DemConWatch and A Tiny Revolution

Obama campaign revamps trip offer — The campaign reworded a solicitation on its website to comply with state law. People can now win a trip without donating money. — Barack Obama's presidential campaign modified a solicitation for donations on its national website Tuesday evening …
Discussion:
TIME.com