meme orandum
| A newfangled news tangle |
|
|
The Art Of Losing Friends By / WaPo — Permalink Of all our allies in the world, which is the only one to have joined the United States in the foxhole in every war in the past 100 years? Not Britain, not Canada, certainly not France. The answer is Australia. Australia does not share only a community of values with the United States. | |
|
Avedon Carol: Things I saw — Bra of the Week Pretty and sexy and overpriced, by Rigby & Peller Krauthammer reports from the Bizarro... Josh Marshall: The first sign of the overnight take-over came when Charles Krauthammer led off with this morning's column in the Post... H.D. Miller: Just as bad, Kerry and his surrogates, including his sister, have been working hard to alienate other friends who've stood by us for the past three years. |
Oliver Willis: Bill Kristol - neocon apologist - Charles Krauthammer, a man who can't keep his lies straight - Roger Simon, a... Charles Johnson: The Art Of Losing Friends — Charles Krauthammer on the reckless, win-at-any-cost behavior of the Kerry... Mike Rappaport: The Art of Losing Friends — Charles Krauthammer pens this devastating critique of John Kerry's campaign. |
| Also: Jonah Goldberg, Barbara O'Brien, McQ, Tom Maguire, Allah, Glenn Reynolds, Betsy Newmark | |
Allawi Effectiveness Hinges on Credibility By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has emerged as an impassioned witness for the defense in America's presidential election, unambiguously echoing President Bush's key arguments about Iraq and forcing Sen. John F. Kerry into the unusual position of tangling with a foreign head of state during the campaign. | |
|
Baldilocks: And check Kerry campaign adviser Lockhart's comments in the LA Times: [quote] "The last thing you want to be seen as is a...[end quote] Orrin Judd: SPADE: Tying Kerry to Terror Tests Rhetorical Limits (Dana Milbank, September 24, 2004, Washington Post) Bird Dog: This is nuance and diplomatique? Not. Joe Lockhart, mouthpiece for the Kerry campaign, made this despicable comment |
Andrew Sullivan: BEYOND BELIEF: I'm going to wait till after next week's national security debate to make a final assessment of John... Barbara O'Brien: But Glenn continues: "UPDATE: It just gets worse: "Democrats moved quickly to fuel skepticism, denouncing Allawi's message in unusually pointed terms." Cori Dauber: Let me tell you what it would look like for someone to cross that line. (via Instapundit.) |
| Also: Howard Kurtz, Glenn Reynolds, C. D. Harris | |
Truth Be Told, the Vietnam Crossfire Hurts Kerry More By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 - The war over who did what in the Vietnam era rages on in the 2004 campaign. But it has inflicted more wounds on the candidate who saw combat, Senator John Kerry, than the one who did not, President Bush, analysts across the political spectrum say. | |
|
William J. Dyer: NYT bungles description of Kerry's 1970 Paris meeting, and publishes a Brinkley gaffe — Jodi Wilgoren's article... Vanderleun: Heroes & Hustlers — Invidious Comparisons ROGER SIMON SUMS UP THE DIFFERENCES between the statements of Allawi and... Greg Ransom: Douglas Brinkley in today's New York Times. Brinkley is the author of Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War. |
Tom Maguire: Finally, props to Jodi Wilgoren of the NY Times for mentioning the "Texans for Truth" ad and completely missing the point. Atrios: Wilgoren — Apparently Brinkley isn't happy with how Wilgoren quoted him... Developing, as they say... Orrin Judd: NEWS MINUS THE NEW: Truth Be Told, the Vietnam Crossfire Hurts Kerry More (JODI WILGOREN, 9/24/04, NY Times) [snipped quote] Really? |
| Also: Roger L. Simon, KJL, H.D. Miller, Allah, Bill @INDCJournal | |
Inside the Beltway By / Washington Times — Permalink During a 1997 debate on CNN's "Crossfire," Sen. John Kerry, now the Democratic presidential nominee, made the case for launching a pre-emptive attack against Iraq. So reveals Rep. Peter King, New York Republican, who appeared with Mr. Kerry on the program. | |
|
Charles Johnson: Giuliani Apologizes to President — Rudy Giuliani has apologized to President Bush for his erroneous statements at the Republican Convention: Inside the Beltway. Hindrocket: This was in the Washington Times this morning, and Drudge has linked to it, so it may be old news, but it's still pretty stunning. Orrin Judd: OR WE THOUGHT WE KNEW: Kerry out attack (John McCaslin, 9/24/04, Washington Times) [snipped quote] No wonder John Kerry... |
Tom Maguire: Kerry On Crossfire, November, 1997 — Matt Drudge and the Washington Times are discussing a Kerry appearance on... Stefan Beck: Back in 1997, Kerry said: "We know we can't count on the French. We know we can't count on the Russians. Clayton Cramer: In Defense Of Unilateral, Pre-Emptive War — From the Washington Times, quoting a 1997 episode of "Crossfire": [quote] "We know we can't count on the French.[end quote] |
| Also: Shannon Love, PoliPundit | |
Tying Kerry to Terror Tests Rhetorical Limits By / WaPo — Permalink President Bush and leading Republicans are increasingly charging that Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry and others in his party are giving comfort to terrorists and undermining the war in Iraq — a line of attack that tests the conventional bounds of political rhetoric. | |
|
Avedon Carol: Dana Milbank writes about the vicious rhetoric coming from the Republicans, Tying Kerry to Terror Tests Rhetorical... Noam Scheiber: THE GOP'S STEALTH STRATEGY ON TERROR: Dana Milbank has a nice piece in today's Washington Post about the... Mark Kleiman: For example, George W. Bush yesterday paused from his attempt to decide whether he thinks we can win the war on terror... |
Jason Van Steenwyk: The Great American Gollum: The Democratic Sellout — The Washington Post's Dana Milbank thinks that Republican campaign rhetoric is crossing a line. Joe Gandelman: But then we saw this in the Washington Post (obnoxious registration required) by Dana Milbank which reads, in part Fontana Labs: J'accuse! This seems to be getting out of hand: Bush said Kerry's statements about Iraq "can embolden an enemy." |
| Also: Dan Gillmor, Tom @Corrente, Rich Lowry, Hugh Hewitt, Barbara O'Brien, Betsy Newmark, Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Mathew Gross, Josh Marshall | |
The Candidates, Seen From the Classroom By / NYT — Permalink In an unofficial but very formal poll taken in my freshman writing class the other day, George Bush beat John Kerry by a vote of 13 to 2 (14 to 2, if you count me). My students were not voting on the candidates' ideas. | |
|
McQ: Articulating "the message" — In today's NY Times, Stanley Fish uses his freshman english class to demonstrate why the... Stuart Buck: And yet here it is. Pejman Yousefzadeh: And that is what makes this article so strange: [snipped quote] I don't particularly find any of this surprising. |
Ann Althouse: Why Kerry speaks so incomprehensibly ... According to Stanley Fish. Dave Johnson: Kerry Staff Read This — The Candidates, Seen From the Classroom, on the communications skill of the candidates. Steve M.: Stanley Fish has written a New York Times op-ed piece that's gladdening right-wing hearts: In an unofficial but very... |
| Also: Eugene Oregon, Orrin Judd, Susan Madrak | |
The Fall NRO — Permalink A bankrupt generation is fading away. Dan Rather's initial, furious street-side defense of an amateurish forgery — smug, huffy, self-righteous — brings to mind one of those bad movies about the Paris barricades, especially the grainy, black-and-white... | |
|
Allah: While angry viewers dig the grave, VDH performs the last rites. As for Allah, he just keeps on dancing. UPDATE: Anyone can Photoshop. Greg Ransom: VICTOR DAVIS HANSON on "The Fall." Charles Johnson: VDH: The Fall — Victor Davis Hanson on Dan Rather: The Fall. |
Glenn Reynolds: RATHERGATE, THE KERRY CAMPAIGN, AND MORE: Victor Davis Hanson has thoughts on the big picture. Roger L. Simon: What He Said... Victor Davis Hanson on Dan Rather and Liberal Hypocrisy: If we wonder why CBS is in trouble, why no one... |
Republicans Admit Mailing Campaign Literature Saying Liberals Will Ban the Bible By / NYT — Permalink The Republican Party acknowledged yesterday sending mass mailings to residents of two states warning that "liberals" seek to ban the Bible. It said the mailings were part of its effort to mobilize religious voters for President Bush. | |
|
Captain Ed: "Banning Bibles" Irresponsible And Stupid, And Outnumbered — Republicans sent insipid and stupidly hyperbolic mailings... Joe Gandelman: GOP Admits Mailing Say Liberals Want To Ban The Bible — This swing voter is LIVID about this: [snipped quote] The... Andrew Sullivan: BANNING BIBLES: Yep, the RNC did it. I might add that blogs broke this story, although David Kirkpatrick refers only to a liberal religious group. |
Michael Froomkin: Slime — The New York Times: Republicans Admit Mailing Campaign Literature Saying Liberals Will Ban the Bible. Mark Kleiman: Republicans Admit Mailing Campaign Literature Saying Liberals Will Ban the Bible By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK The Republican... David Allan Pell: John Kerry Killed My Bible — Just in case terrorism isn't one of your top issues (and therefore Cheney's suggestion... |
| Also: Tarek @LiquidList, Laura Rozen | |
Guess Who's a GOP Booster? Opinion Journal — Permalink With the scandal at CBS still festering, questions are being raised about whether a felony was committed when the network broadcast apparently forged memos in an attempt to discredit George W. Bush. Yesterday, the chairman of CBS's parent company chose Hong Kong as a place to drop a little bomb. | |
|
Jane Galt: What Dan hath wrought — The Wall Street Journal Asia is reporting that Sumner Redstone, the liberal president of Viacom (CBS's parent company) is supporting George W. Bush. Allah: The parent company's backing Bush. Cronkite's mumbling about "embarrassment". Rather and Heyward are avoiding each other. Charles Johnson: Here's a story that probably sent Dan Rather straight to the Xanax bottle: Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone is a Bush supporter. |
Steve Bainbridge: Redstone Endorses Bush — A day late and a few dollars short, the Asian Wall Street Journal notes Viacom CEO's "endorsement" of President Bush. Jay Rosen: They're good for Viacom. Opinion Journal: "Guess Who's a GOP Booster? The CEO of CBS's parent company endorses President Bush." |
The Cult of Che By / Slate — Permalink The cult of Ernesto Che Guevara is an episode in the moral callousness of our time. Che was a totalitarian. He achieved nothing but disaster. Many of the early leaders of the Cuban Revolution favored a democratic or democratic-socialist direction for the new Cuba. | |
|
Michael Totten: And today in Slate he blasts The Motorcycle Diaries, the new film about Che Guevara, and the standing ovation the audience gave it at Sundance. Matthew Yglesias: Nevertheless, I've written on this general subject before and Paul Berman's review of The Motorcycle Diaries really pissed me off. Orrin Judd: WAKING WITH THE COYOTE UGLY, BUT TRYING TO KEEP YOUR LEFT ARM: The Cult of Che: Don't applaud The Motorcycle Diaries. |
Nick Gillespie: Whole thing here. But he sure cut a good-looking figure—good enough, noted Cynthia Grenier in her Reason commentary on... Pejman Yousefzadeh: "THE CULT OF CHE" — Will someone please explain to me why thugs are proffered love and praise simply because of their quasi-romantic air? Damian Penny: Totalitarian pin-up — Paul Berman (whose Terror and Liberalism, a call for his fellow liberals to take a stand against... |
| Also: Christopher Kanis | |
AP Poll: Bush Solidifies Support Among Men By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush solidified his advantage among men during the last month and holds his highest ratings since January on job performance, the economy and Iraq , according to an Associated Press poll. | |
|
Bill Hobbs: Even though Bush has a solid lead nationally, it is imperative that all possible efforts be made to prevent the... Hindrocket: Current Poll Data — The Associated Press-Ipsos poll released today shows President Bush with a seven point lead among likely voters, 52% to 45%. Taegan Goddard: An AP/Ipsos Public Affairs poll shows the president "holds a 17-point lead among men. |
Orrin Judd: STILL DRIVING 55: AP Poll: Bush Builds Advantage Among Men (WILL LESTER, 9/24/04, Associated Press) [snipped quote] It... Chris Bowers: AP-Ipsos 9/20-22 931 LV, MoE 3.5, (9/7-9/9) Bush 52 (52) Kerry 45 (43) O / U 3 (5) Not much in the way of internals here. Captain Ed: AP Poll Shows Bush Lead At 7 — The AP released the results of its AP/Ipsos poll and they match up with most other polling this month, to John Kerry's chagrin. |
Bush Surprises Departing Troops With Gift -- Himself By / WaPo — Permalink BANGOR, Maine, Sept. 23 — It had been a pretty glum day for Spec. Brian Parker, who along with the other members of his National Guard unit said goodbye to their families and departed on a charter flight for a long-term stint in Iraq. | |
|
Blackfive: It's a registration-required-art icle so I'll post the whole thing here: Bush Surprises Departing Troops With Gift —... Phillip Carter: Yesterday, President Bush borrowed a page out of Ike's playbook to visit a planeload of reservists en route to Iraq in Bangor, Maine. Orrin Judd: THE GIFT: Bush Surprises Departing Troops With Gift — Himself (Dana Milbank, September 24, 2004, Washington Post) [snipped quote] Amen, Sister. |
Tom Maguire: MORE: This is the guy Kerry has to beat. Bring. It. On. James Joyner: Bush Surprises Departing Troops — Bush Surprises Departing Troops With Gift — Himself (Dana Milbank, WaPo)... Captain Ed: Bush Visits Outbound Guard Soldiers — Dana Milbank writes with uncharacteristic objectivity about a surprise visit by... |
| Also: Betsy Newmark | |
Heinz Kerry helps Democrats raise $1M at Phoenix event By / bizjournals — Permalink Arizona Democrats raked in more than $1 million Wednesday night at a fund-raiser headlined by Teresa Heinz Kerry. Heinz Kerry criticized the Bush administration on tax cuts, Iraq and the war on terrorism at the event, which was held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. | |
|
Roger L. Simon: Survival is Hell. Allawi was once a Baathist and doesn't bear too many resemblances to Mother Teresa. Andrew Stuttaford: In between speculating on an October surprise, Teresa Heinz Kerry tells a fundraiser that she was 'embarrassed' to receive the George Bush tax cuts. Jeralyn Merritt: Wednesday night in Phoenix, Theresa Heinz-Kerry raised a cool mil for Arizona Democrats. |
Taegan Goddard: Teresa Heinz Kerry, quoted by the Phoenix Business Journal, "alluding to a possible" pre-election announcement of the capture of Osama bin Laden. Tom Maguire: Go Ahead, Teresa - Tell Us The Surprise — Teresa Heinz Kerry, heiress and seer, predicts that Osama might be captured before the election. Lorie Byrd: Te-Ray-za Predicts Osama October Surprise — Drudge links to this story quoting Teresa Heinz Kerry as saying, " 'I... |
| Also: Captain Ed, Andrew Sullivan, Charles Johnson, KJL | |
Statement by Author and Historian Douglas Brinkley U.S. Newswire — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ — Author and historian, Douglas Brinkley, issued the following statement to correct a report by the New York Times today: "A story in the September 24 New York Times leaves the false impression that I think John Kerry was not 'the war hero we thought he was.' Nothing could be further from the truth. | |
|
William J. Dyer: Within hours, the Kerry campaign published a press release from Mr. Brinkley to respin this quote: "Author and... Greg Ransom: UPDATE: The Kerry campaign is circulating the following retraction from novelist Douglas Brinkley: [quote] "A story in the...[end quote] |
H.D. Miller: Nevermind — Apparently, Doug Brinkley has decided that it's better to dance with the person who brought him to the ball than attempt to repair the damage done to his reputation. |
Speech at Temple University Kerry-Edwards Press Room — Permalink Philadelphia, PA - It's an honor to be here today at Temple University, one of America's leading public research universities, in the city where America was born. Like the great Philadelphian Ben Franklin, you have a proud tradition of seeking answers to the defining questions of our time. | |
|
Lambert @Corrente: "New generations must believe there is more to life than salvation through martyrdom. (via John Kerry transcript)" As I say, he's no dove. Oliver Willis: And can I just say "Goddamn, Amen." to this speech from today? For me, this is 90% of the reason I don't support George Bush. |
Mathew Gross: Weekend Reading — While I'm finishing up Dean's new book, be sure to read this speech and spread it around. Oliver @LiquidList: Politics: Kerry Philly — I love this line: [snipped quote] Also, did anyone catch him riffing on his AIDS record, in... |
Is Cat Stevens a Terrorist? By / Weekly Standard — Permalink ON TUESDAY, U.S. authorities diverted a United Airlines London-Washington flight to Bangor, Maine, where the ex-pop singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, now as Yusuf Islam, was questioned by federal security agents, and then ordered deported back to Britain. | |
|
James Joyner: Is Cat Stevens a Terrorist? Matthew Yglesias: Cat Stevens — Stephen Schwartz writes that Yusuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, is not a terrorist... |
Stefan Beck: Stephen Schwartz has the answer. Er, I mean, here's the answer. Nick Gillespie: And in The Weekly Standard, Stephen Schwartz, author of an excellent history of California a few years back, asks "Is Cat Stevens a Terrorist?" |
Kerry Accuses President of Misleading U.S. on Iraq By / NYT — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 23 - Stepping up his efforts to put President Bush on the defensive over Iraq, Senator John Kerry said on Thursday that conditions there were so bad there that the elections planned for January were in jeopardy and that the president's assertions that things were improving did not match reality. | |
|
John Hawkins: Kerry Offers Allawi Guided Tour of Iraq — Democrat presidential contender John Forbes Kerry today offered to give Iraqi... Ann Althouse: Now, Kerry seems to have decided that his last hope is to win us over to his dark view of Iraq. |
H.D. Miller: Policy of Defeat Update — An unsightly amen chorus of dunderheads, ninnies, fantacists, bloviators and, professional... Michele Catalano: Back to the car metaphor, it seems as if the Little Pinto That Couldn't is purposely steering into these potholes. |
Echoes of a 1972 Loss Haunt a 2004 Campaign By / NYT — Permalink BOSTON - It was the campaign that seemed to have everything. A rented mainframe computer and a sophisticated telephone voter list when typewriters and index cards were still common. A legion of eager volunteers, including a bike-riding boarding school student named Caroline Kennedy. | |
|
Ann Althouse: A bride and a bridal gown. The NYT runs a long piece about John Kerry's early political years. Taegan Goddard: Back to the Future — The New York Times looks at the similarities between Sen. John Kerry's 1972 and 2004 campaigns,... |
Hugh Hewitt: This is a quote from the front page of the New York Times today. It is in an article about Kerry's hapless 1972 run for Congress. Orrin Judd: I'M A LOSER, BABY: JOHN KERRY'S JOURNEY: Echoes of a 1972 Loss Haunt a 2004 Campaign (TODD S. PURDUM, 9/24/04, NY Times)... |
Let's Get Real By / NYT — Permalink Never mind the inevitable claims that John Kerry is soft on terrorism. What he must address is the question of how his policy in Iraq would differ from President Bush's. | |
|
Barbara O'Brien: Paul Krugman: [quote] Mr. Bush claims that Mr. Kerry's plan to secure and rebuild Iraq is "exactly what we're currently doing."[end quote] |
Gregory Djerejian: Krugman Channels Kerry — "Realistic goals". Read: A mammoth abdication of responsibility and the biggest blow to American credibility in the international arena since Vietnam. |
Turkish Captive in Iraq Tells of Fearful Struggle to Hold On By / NYT — Permalink ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 20 - Perhaps the words were meant to be reassuring after the blindfold and the guns at her back. But for Zeynep Tugrul, a young Turkish journalist held hostage in northern Iraq, her captor's calm statement was as comforting as bathing in ice. | |
|
Venkat @BeggingToDiffer: KIDNAPPED — Read the account of Zeynep Tugrul, a Turkish journalist who very recently underwent a harrowing hostage ordeal in Iraq. Cori Dauber: A Turkish journalist who was released — along with her Canadian colleague — told her story to the Times. |
Steve M.: Zeynup Tugrul, a Turkish journalist who was captured with Taylor, tells a harrowing story of the ordeal in today's New York Times. Susanna Cornett: In this NYT story, she tells what it was like. Here is what she told her captors about her reasons for being where she was when she was taken: "They took a taxi to the city. |
Rumsfeld: Four-fifths Iraq poll? CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has suggested that parts of Iraq might be excluded from elections set for January due to rising violence. On Thursday Rumsfeld expressed optimism that elections will push through as scheduled. | |
|
Steve Gilliard: Right after we leave the sanitarium." Rumsfeld: Four-fifths Iraq poll? Oliver Willis: The Four-Fifths Argument — If you have ever wondered before how unserious Team Bush really is about Iraq, look no further than Don Rumsfeld. |
Josh Marshall: Don Rumsfeld said yesterday that elections in "three-quarters or four-fifths of" Iraq might be good enough. Kevin Hayden: Weak Excuse President grasps at weak rhetoric — The Excuse President resorts to Strawman arguments and the mass media obediently wags its tail. |
Controversial Texas rancher defends release of documents to CBS Knight Ridder — Permalink FORT WORTH, Texas - (KRT) - The source of a disputed CBS News report said Thursday he warned the network that documents critical of President Bush's service in the National Guard would be vigorously challenged, and should be independently validated. | |
|
Stuart Buck: But Burkett apparently has a different story: [snipped quote] UPDATE: NEVER MIND. Bill @INDCJournal: The original post follows: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a big scoop, namely Bill Burkett's first non-CBS interview... |
Michelle Malkin: BURKETT SAYS HE AND LOCKHART DISCUSSED THE FAKE MEMOS — Jack Douglas Jr. of Kinght-Ridder reports: "During a single... Allah: Texas Army National Guard Lt. Col. Bill Burkett tells the FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM that he has suffered four seizures... |
Cheney: Kerry disrespectful to Iraqi leader AP — Permalink ST. JOSEPH, Missouri (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney chastised Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry on Thursday, saying his criticism of Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi showed an appalling "lack of respect." | |
|
Orrin Judd: MORE: Cheney: Kerry disrespectful to Iraqi leader (AP, September 24, 2004) "Vice President Dick Cheney chastised... Rickheller @Centerfield: This Is McCarthyism — The new effort by Republicans, such as Vice President Cheney, is to portray John Kerry as a... |
Oliver Willis: Willis: Cheney disrespectful to the American people — Dick Cheney, the putrid excuse of a vice-president we've got, is... |
Burkett: CBS Caught 'Flat-Footed' Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — The man in the middle of the debacle dogging CBS News about documents purporting to show that President Bush shirked his Vietnam-era National Guard duty says the network was caught "flat-footed" and he believes he is being set up to be a scapegoat. | |
|
B.C: And The Cannibalism Starts.... Looks like Bill Burkett isn't going to be the one falling on the sword for Gunga Dum Blather. |
Dale Franks: A True Democrat — Yeah, you can tell that memo-boy, Bill Burkett, is a Democratic partisan, just based on his line of... |
Christopher Hitchens: In enemy territory Independent — Permalink To many of Christopher Hitchens' old friends, he died on September 11th 2001. Tariq Ali considered himself a comrade of Christopher Hitchens for over thirty years. Now he speaks about him with bewilderment. | |
|
Gary Farber: This, although containing nothing dramatically new, is one of the most interesting interviews with him I've yet read. Johann @HarrysPlace: Hiiiiitchens — I had the privilege of interviewing Christopher Hitchens last week. You can read the interview here. |
Stephen Pollard: Johann Hari's interview with him in the Independent contains a quote from Hitchens which goes to the heart of the left's moral bankruptcy: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing. |
Bush keeps slight lead in Florida By / USA Today — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush narrowly leads Sen. John Kerry in electoral vote-rich Florida, a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds. Those results give Bush a lead in eight of 11 battleground states surveyed this month. | |
|
Pejman Yousefzadeh: This poll provides some interesting insights on both the race for the popular vote, and for the all-important electoral... Howard Kurtz: Time for our poll watch, starting with USA Today:"President Bush narrowly leads Sen. John Kerry in electoral vote-rich Florida, a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds. |
Hugh Hewitt: Bush ahead in 8 battleground states. And tied New Jersey! See RealClearPolitics for all the poll results. |
Wal-Mart ends anti-Semitic book sale Reuters — Permalink LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bowing to a barrage of complaints from Jewish groups, retail leader Wal-Mart Inc. has stopped selling "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion," an infamous anti-Semitic tract long exposed as fake. | |
|
Andrew Jaffee: Wal-Mart ends anti-Semitic book sale — CNN Money reported today: "Bowing to a barrage of complaints from Jewish... |
Roger L. Simon: I Never Boycotted France, but I'm Sure Boycotting Wal-Mart — I don't care if they have finally removed this infamous forgery from their online service. |
Iraq Can Wait for Democracy By / NYT — Permalink Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the Iraqi Shiite leader, is concerned that Shiites may not be adequately represented in a future government, fueling worries that the national election scheduled for January may not happen. | |
|
Matthew Yglesias: Wishful Thinking — Noah Feldman offers some real insights, as usual, this time on the question of Iraq's elections. Steve Clemons: This New York Times piece today by my friend and colleague Noah Feldman argues that the mania over having the elections no matter how chaotic the environment is wrong-headed. |
Cori Dauber: And he also points out that there has to be some incentive to get the Sunnis to participate, since right now, even aside... |
Balancing Act: How News Portals Serve Up Political Stories Online Journalism Review — Permalink Google News uses computer algorithms to identify top stories while Yahoo News favors old-fashioned human editors. But do Google's automated search results display a conservative bias? Some count the story inches devoted to both men. | |
|
Jay Rosen: New twist on the bias debate: JD Lasica, Google News: Unintentionally skewing to the right? (Online Journalism Review.) Ed Cone: JD Lasica in OJR: "Google News: Unintentionally skewing to the right?" Those brilliant bots seem to pull up stories that slam Kerry, but coddle Bush. Kevin Hayden: That's what J. D. Lasica found out. |
James Joyner: Balancing Act: How News Portals Serve Up Political Stories (OJR) [snipped quote] Interesting. Avedon Carol: And check out Balancing Act: How News Portals Serve Up Political Stories by J.D. Lasica on an apparently inadvertent... Lambert @Corrente: Why do the results in Google News skew right? |
| Also: Dan Gillmor, Josh Marshall | |
Twisting the Truth By / WaPo — Permalink There is one good thing about President Bush's new advertisement showing John Kerry windsurfing: Kerry does enjoy windsurfing. That alone puts the ad on a higher plane of truthfulness than many of the statements the president regularly makes on the campaign trail. | |
|
Mark Kleiman: Instead, he says things such as: A very intelligent political reporter I know said the other night that Republicans simply run better campaigns than Democrats. Pessimist @LeftCoaster: Twisting the Truth [snipped quote] Ah, E. J., if only there were more like you out there! |
Jonah Goldberg: EJ'S ANGER — EJ Dionne complains about Bush's soft treatment by the press. That's right. |
Bush upbeat on Iraq in talk to U.N. San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink United Nations — President Bush brushed aside concerns about violence and disorder in Iraq and told world leaders assembled here Tuesday that the country is making progress against the insurgency. | |
|
Matthew Yglesias: [quote]The president has bizarrely dismissed his own intelligence agencies' analysis of Iraq as "guessing" — for political reasons.[end quote] |
Kevin Drum: The president has bizarrely dismissed his own intelligence agencies' analysis of Iraq as "guessing" — for political reasons. |
LOCKHART'S LOCKED LIPS By / New York Post — Permalink CLINTONISTA-turned- John-Kerry-strategist Joe Lockhart's account of his role in Memogate boils down to this: I did not have National Guard conversations with that man, Mr. Burkett. | |
|
Charles Johnson: Lockhart's Locked Lips — Questions about Kerry strategist Joe Lockhart's connection to the forged Killian memos... Betsy Newmark: Deobrah Orin wonders what Joe Lockhart and Bill Burkett talked about in their reportedly short conversation. |
PoliPundit: Orin on Lockhart — Deborah Orin parses Joe Lockhart. Bill Burkett said today that Lockhart tried to convince him to hand over the forgeries to the Kerry campaign. |
Panel Calls U.S. Troop Size Insufficient for Demands By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 - A Pentagon-appointed panel of outside experts has concluded in a new study that the American military does not have sufficient forces to sustain current and anticipated stability operations, like the festering conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and other missions that might arise. | |
|
Dave Johnson: Not Enough Troops — Panel Calls U.S. Troop Size Insufficient for Demands: "A Pentagon-appointed panel of outside... |
Matthew Yglesias: The New York Times reports on a new Pentagon-commissioned study showing "that the American military does not have... |
Rumsfeld Raises Prospect of Limited Iraq Elections Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday raised the possibility that Iraq could conduct only limited elections in January, excluding places where violence was considered too severe for people to go to polls. | |
|
Tim Dunlop: Even as the president is giving happy-talk press conferences and campaign speeches, passing round the bong of "reality"... Taegan Goddard: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote] — Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, quoted by Reuters, on holding Iraqi elections in January. Gregory Djerejian: Don Rumsfeld, testifying on the Hill yesterday. Oh, Mr. Rumsfeld—you are such the anti-Girlie Man. |
Phillip Carter: In testimony yesterday to the Senate Armed Services Committee (thanks to ML for the heads up), Rumsfeld said it was more... SK Bubba: Freedom on the march — Bush says elections will go on in Iraq. Rumsfeld says, yeah, but not for all of Iraq. Andrew Sullivan: Is it better than not having an election? You bet," - Donald "Get a life" Rumsfeld, yesterday. Hey, why not a civil war, while we're at it? |
| Also: Atrios | |
In prime minister, presidential race gets a touchstone By / Boston Globe — Permalink WASHINGTON — Apart from the heavy Iraqi accent, he sounded almost like a Republican official introducing President Bush at a campaign stop. But as interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of Iraq toured the diplomatic circuit in Washington yesterday, praising Bush... | |
|
Orrin Judd: DEMOCRATS VS. IRAQIS: In prime minister, presidential race gets a touchstone (Anne E. Kornblut, September 24, 2004,... |
Howard Kurtz: Out in campaign land, the prez plays the Allawi card: "Apart from the heavy Iraqi accent, he sounded almost like a... |
Yom Kippur: The fast track to love and forgiveness By / Jewish World Review — Permalink Yom Kippur is all about love and forgiveness. It's about how we are always inseparably one with G-d. On Yom Kippur we get a glimpse of ourselves, our choices and our relationship to G-d from another perspective — G-d's perspective. | |
|
Orrin Judd: ATONE DEAF: Yom Kippur: The fast track to love and forgiveness (Rabbi David Aaron, 9/24/04, Jewish World Review) "There... |
Dean Esmay: By the way, whether you're Jewish or not, if you're spiritual, you will probably enjoy this inspiring article on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and forgiveness. |
Kerry: Allawi's Take on Iraq Unrealistic By / AP — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ohio - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Thursday that Iraq 's Ayad Allawi was sent before Congress to put the "best face" on a Bush administration policy that has gone wrong. | |
|
Baldilocks: On the visit of interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi: "The prime minister and the president are here obviously to... Betsy Newmark: Then he basically calls Prime Minister Allawi an American puppet and a liar. Arthur Chrenkoff: Never happy unless it's raining — Wasn't John Kerry's response to Iyad Allawi's Congress speech just pathetic? |
Avedon Carol: In the mix — Before I left I marked Why Should I? by Digby - a reminder of why it's supposed to bother us when presidents lie. Todd Pearson: So, instead, we get this: "Kerry: Allawi's Take on Iraq Unrealistic." It looks to me like Kerry is cornered. Mike Hendrix: Doesn't even know what class is, all his blueblood pretensions and upper-crust elitism notwithstanding: "I think the... |
| Also: Allah, Mark Kleiman, John Cole, Charles Johnson, Roger L. Simon, Hugh Hewitt, Sir George, Kos, Glenn Reynolds, H.D. Miller, Edward _ | |
NEWSMAKER: IYAD ALLAWI Online NewsHour — Permalink In an exclusive interview, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi discusses the recent hostage situation in Iraq, the media's portrayal of the war-torn nation and the upcoming elections in January. JIM LEHRER: Now to our Newsmaker interview with Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi. | |
|
Susan Madrak: From Josh Marshall: "An amazing exchange from Jim Lehrer's interview this evening with Iyad Allawi, which opens and shuts the case on the latter's credibility about anything. Josh Marshall: An amazing exchange from Jim Lehrer's interview this evening with Iyad Allawi, which opens and shuts the case on the latter's credibility about anything. |
Norbizness: UPDATE: And meet his identical Iraqi cousin, Prime Minister the Sinister Iyad Allawi (via Talking Points Memo), JIM... |
Journalism Happens By / WaPo — Permalink Courage, Dan. Courage. That word, once used by Dan Rather as a sign-off, perfectly describes what he needs now. He's made mistakes. He has not handled himself well. He probably prejudged the story, maybe working backward from the conclusion, and for too long put up his dukes and got into a defensive crouch. | |
|
Jonah Goldberg: NONSENSE — Richard Cohen makes some fair points today. |
Glenn Reynolds: RICHARD COHEN is defending Dan Rather for making an honest mistake: "Mistakes are what happen to aggressive news organizations." |
Some Democrats See a Turning Point By / WaPo — Permalink One axiom of this campaign year is that whenever Iraq has dominated the news, President Bush has suffered politically. What Democrats and Republicans are asking this week is how much the latest bad news from Iraq will set back a president who emerged from his convention stronger than at any point in the general election. | |
|
Taegan Goddard: Sen. John Kerry's aides believe he "has turned a corner with newly aggressive attacks on Bush's Iraq policies," the Washington Post reports. |
Betsy Newmark: Dan Balz has an article saying that the Democrats are heartened by Kerry's new position on Iraq. |
CBS source denies plotting with Kerry By / Dallas Star-Telegram — Permalink The source of a discredited CBS News report said Thursday that he did not coordinate the release of disputed documents with John Kerry's campaign. Bill Burkett, a former Texas National Guardsman, also said that he warned the network that the documents... | |
|
PoliPundit: Senior Kerry campaign adviser Joe Lockhart tried to convince Bill Burkett to give him the forgeries: [snipped quote] If... |
Betsy Newmark: Here is the Fort Worth Star Telegram story that Drudge was talking about. (annoying registration required). |
Bush's Air Guard stint started well, then faded into mystery By / Air Force Times — Permalink John F. Kerry's service in Vietnam and his postwar testimonials have been targeted all summer by Republican-funded critics and veterans groups — so much so that for several months they have obscured George W. Bush's much-criticized Vietnam-era service in the National Guard. | |
|
Mark Kleiman: The Air Force Times joins the liberal media — The Air Force Times looks at the same documents the Boston Globe and U.S... David Neiwert: The problem was pointed out by that far-left rag, Air Force Times: Another White House-released document shows a total... Matt Welch: The Air Force Times, on Bush's National Guard Service: Link sent by a triple-secret operative. For those of you who care about such things, etc. |
Gary Farber: Two views of the story of Bush's abrupt decline in his Air Force National Guard service, and mysterious disappearance... Lambert @Corrente: Here's how that well-known liberal organ, the Air Force Times, describes Bush's tour of, um, duty: [snipped quote] Plus... |
President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi Press Conference White House — Permalink PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all for coming. I'm honored to stand with the Prime Minister of a free and sovereign Iraq. Welcome, Mr. Prime Minister. I applaud your leadership and your courage. It's my honor to welcome a friend to the White House. | |
|
Joe Katzman: There was also a press conference later. U.S. President George W. Bush's address to the United Nations U.S. Democratic... Jon Henke: Perhaps he missed it when President Bush cited: "persistent violence" "acts of violence" "suicide bombing" "beheadings"... Josh Marshall: That's President Bush from his appearance today with Prime Minister Allawi of Iraq. |
Tim Dunlop: Smirking for the camera on Thursday during another joint press conference with the man he keeps misnaming as the prime... Norbizness: Just a Niggling Detail — President Bush, today: If we stop fighting the terrorists in Iraq, they would be free to plot... Oliver Willis: Reporter Avoids Bush Misdirection — From today's press conference: [snipped quote] (emphasis mine) Give that man a cookie! |
| Also: Thomas Lang, Orrin Judd | |
CNN survey: Bush widens lead in Electoral College CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush this week reached a symbolic milestone, overtaking Democratic challenger John Kerry in New Hampshire and Iowa to claim more than 300 electoral votes in CNN's weekly Electoral College scorecard. | |
|
Mitch Berg: 301-237? According to CNN, if the election were held today Bush would win, and win big. |
Captain Ed: CNN: Bush Can Claim Over 300 Electoral Votes — CNN's polling shows that George Bush has a grip on 301 Electoral College... |
Kerry always pushed global cooperation, war as last resort San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink Washington — No argument is more central to the Republican attack on Sen. John Kerry than the assertion that the Democrat has flip-flopped on Iraq. President Bush, seated beside Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Tuesday: "My opponent has taken so many different positions on Iraq that his statements are hardly credible at all.'' | |
|
CJR: The stories I love to see are ones like the one the San Francisco Chronicle published Wednesday. Matthew Yglesias: Marc Sandalow of The San Francisco Chronicle notes that "[n]o argument is more central to the Republican attack on Sen... Josh Marshall: A journalist — Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau Chief of the San Francisco Chronicle — decided to discuss charges that... |
Kash: And from a piece in the SF Chronicle yesterday: "Flip-flopping charge unsupported by facts; Kerry always pushed global... Sir George: Some people make the amazing claim that John Kerry has been consistent in his position on Iraq, if you take the long view of his campaign. David Allan Pell: It turns out that when one looks at hundreds of statements about Iraq that Kerry has made over the past two years, there isn't really any record of flip flopping. |
| Also: Stefan Sharkansky | |
Iraqi Prime Minister's Speech to U.S. Congress NYT — Permalink The following is a transcript of remarks delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to a joint session of Congress. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, it's my distinct honor and great privilege to speak to you today on behalf of Iraq's interim government and its people. | |
|
Bird Dog: Kerry's comments after Allawi's speech should be flatly condemned. This is nuance and diplomatique? Not. Todd Pearson: Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi gave a speech to a joint session of Congress today. The speech emphasized gratitude and optimism. Gregory Djerejian: Allawi's Speech — Wow. Strong speech. Advantage Allawi (and Bush). Kerry looks, er, very small today. |
Michele Catalano: This pothole has a name: Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Allawi spoke to Congress yesterday, thanking America for its role in moving Iraq towards democracy. Mike Hendrix: Stark contrast — Class, in spades: "There are no words that can express the debt of gratitude that future generations of Iraqis will owe to Americans. |
Burkett insists 'jury still out' on CBS documents CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Bill Burkett, who gave CBS News the alleged documents about President Bush's National Guard service, insists "the jury is still out" on whether those documents are authentic. "The documents have not been conclusively proven false," Burkett said. | |
|
William J. Dyer: Burkett blames CBS News, Dubya, and the blogosphere — According to CNN, based on its email interview with CBS News'... |
Greg Ransom: Also this from CNN: [quote] Burkett also said "the central part of my agreement with CBS was that they use their massive and...[end quote] |
Transcript: Bush, Allawi Speak Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush hosted interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi at the White House on Thursday. Following is a transcript of their news conference: BUSH: Thank you all for coming. I'm honored to stand with the prime minister of a free and sovereign Iraq. | |
|
Ken Layne: Afghaniraqistan, Land of Armies & Suiciders — At yesterday's Allawi press conference, Bush repeatedly referred to the "Afghan national army" fighting in Najaf. Avedon Carol: What else to make of this? At Political Animal, Kevin drum says "the best thousand words I've read yet on the whole... KJL: Telling, too, that W. basically has to tell the press to ask the Iraqi prime minister questions. |
Rice Grad: Quotes from Bush/Allawi press conference: Here are some excerpts from Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Allawi, from the Bush/Allawi press conference. Atrios: More Guns, Less Voting — Ok, great, so today we also had Bush rambling on about the coming elections. Matthew Yglesias: What else to make of this? [snipped quote] We can't find Abu al-Zarqawi because "he hides?" |
| Also: Kos | |
Senator Kerry's Remarks NYT — Permalink Following is a transript of remarks made by Senator John Kerry today in Columbus, Ohio. I want victory. I want to win. And I have a better plan to win than George Bush does. The president says that things are getting better in Iraq and we must just stay the same course. | |
|
Venkat @BeggingToDiffer: CRYSTAL* Tapped links to Kerry's remarks on Allawi's and Bush's optimism. Gregory Djerejian: Strong speech. Advantage Allawi (and Bush). Kerry looks, er, very small today. I mean, was this statement for real? |
Matthew Yglesias: The nominee offered another sharp rebuke today to the president's failed Iraq policy and his dismal effort to cover it... Orrin Judd: MORE: Senator Kerry's Remarks (September 23, 2004) "Following is a transript of remarks made by Senator John Kerry today in Columbus, Ohio. |
Redstone Vows 'Appropriate' Consequences For CBS News Forbes — Permalink HONG KONG - Here's one breaking story that Dan Rather will be watching closely. Reacting to the document scandal at CBS News, Sumner M. Redstone, chairman and chief executive of Viacom (nyse: VIAb - news - people ), CBS' parent, vowed that the results of a recently announced probe would be "appropriate—and the consequences will be appropriate." | |
|
Baldilocks: You knew that deep doo-doo was in your immediate future. Well, Daddy is home. Roger L. Simon: Dept. of Uh-Oh — Sumner speaks. Rather cringes. |
Steve Bainbridge: Right While it is widely assumed that CBS News anchor Dan Rather is biased in favor of Democrats, his boss purportedly... |
The U.N.? Who Cares? By / Opinion Journal — Permalink These are surreal times. Americans in Iraq are beheaded on videotape. Russian children are machine-gunned in their schools. The elderly in Israel continue to be blown apart on buses. | |
|
Thomas Krannawitter: United Nations: Corrupt at Worst, Irrelevant at Best — So explains Victor Davis Hanson in a wonderful piece in today's Wall Street Journal. Charles Johnson: VDH: The U.N.? Who Cares? At OpinionJournal, a must-read column by Victor Davis Hanson: The U.N.? Who Cares? |
Dale Franks: Let them go to Geneva — Victor Davis Hanson addresses the problems of the UN in today's Wall Street Journal. KJL: U.N.? WHO CARES? READ VDH. |
Bush: Terrorists May Plan More Attacks By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Standing beside Iraq 's interim leader, President Bush contended Thursday that insurgents could "plot and plan attacks elsewhere, in America and other free nations," if the United States pulled out. He said his top commander there has not asked for more troops but if he did, "I'd listen to him." | |
|
Mary @LeftCoaster: Nevertheless, as Bush and his handpicked interim leader of a free Iraq (actually second hand, as it was supposed to be Mr Chalabi) both say, Iraq is approaching doneness. Tarek @LiquidList: Which is it? a) raise taxes b) admit that the entire Bush "economic strategy," if that's what you want to call it, has... Jeralyn Merritt: Bush: More Attacks, More Troops to Iraq — George Bush, fearmonger. |
Lambert @Corrente: [quote]"And the reality's right here in the form of the prime minister." (via ABC) [end quote] Matthew Yglesias: You can find coverage of Abizaid's remarks in newspapers and television networks throughout America. It's even in Canada. Jesse Taylor: But hearing it come out of the president's mouth makes you realize just what a terribly morally bankrupt idea it is. |
| Also: Stefan Sharkansky | |
Transcript: Allawi Thanks America Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday. Following is a transcript of his remarks: ALLAWI: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, it's my distinct honor and great privilege to speak to you today on behalf of Iraq's interim government and its people. | |
|
Lorie Byrd: Kerry's Words On Allawi - A Primer On How To Insult Your Friends And Allies — I didn't see John Kerry's remarks regarding the speech by Iyad Allawi until late Thursday night. Andrew Sullivan: BUSH'S LATEST ARGUMENT: Allawi's address was moving, inspiring and almost persuasive. Dean Esmay: What a great and glorious day. "* Update * The complete transcript of Prime Minster Allawi's remarks is right here." |
John Hawkins: Allawi's Speech: Thank You, America — Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi addressed a Joint Session of Congress... Glenn Reynolds: HERE'S A TRANSCRIPT OF IYAD ALLAWI'S SPEECH today. UPDATE: I agree that Kerry's response to Allawi's speech was ill-considered. Roger L. Simon: When he warned of the media distortion of events there, I thought of Rather. When he told us that they could hold an election today if need be, I clenched my fist. |
Transcript: Allawi Addresses U.S. Congress WaPo — Permalink Iraqi interim prime minister Ayad Allawi addressed a joint meeting of Congress Thursday morning. Here is a transcript of his speech. ALLAWI: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, it's my distinct honor and great privilege to speak to you today on behalf of Iraq's interim government and its people. | |
|
Cori Dauber: That's a shame, because it was quite powerful. The opening is of particular note. Rice Grad: Text of Interim Iraq Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's speech to Congress... is available here. |
Orrin Judd: NO WONDER KERRY EDWARDS COULDN'T BRING HIMSELF TO ATTEND: Transcript: Allawi Thanks America (September 23, 2004) |
Media Credibility Reaches Lowest Point in Three Decades By / Gallup — Permalink PRINCETON, NJ — As media analysts and journalists wring their hands over the fallout from CBS News' faulty reporting relative to President George W. Bush's Vietnam-era National Guard service, a new Gallup Poll finds the news media's credibility has declined significantly among the public. | |
|
Glenn Reynolds: But the damage has been done, and defenses like Cohen's — which pretend that hit jobs intended to influence an... Hugh Hewitt: The Information Reformation is accelerating because the big media meltdown is also accelerating. |
Robert Cox: DAN RATHER...PRICELESS — Dan Rather's lost viewership...a million and climbing Dan Rather's credibility...zero Dan... Jeff Jarvis: Declining trust in media : A new Gallup survey says that trust in media has taken a dramatic decline. |
Glenn Harlan Reynolds: Media dinosaurs, your game is up The Australian — Permalink DAN Rather - the biggest of big-foot news anchors at CBS, a television network regarded by many, until recently, as the premier TV news operation in the US - has had a rough couple of weeks. | |
|
Howard Kurtz: Glenn Reynolds, writing in the Australian rather than as InstaPundit, sees the end of an era: "Journalism —... Greg Ransom: GLENN REYNOLDS — [snipped quote] More here. Glenn Reynolds: I HAVE A COLUMN ON RATHERGATE and what it means for the media, worldwide, in The Australian today. |
Jan Haugland: Glenn Reynolds writes in The Australian about how the internet is threatening the news monopoly of big media. Roger L. Simon: AND... file this one under "Endangered Species." |
2nd BCT soldier's plea to the world: 'Buy us beer' Stars & Stripes — Permalink CAMP HABBANIYAH, Iraq — To Sgt. Dale Rogers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, the near beer that soldiers sometimes get in Kuwait and Iraq tastes like something drained through a wet sock. | |
|
KJL: NATIONAL EMERGENCY — Our soldiers need beer! Blackfive: Tanker Schreiber sends this great idea on how to really support the troops: 2nd BCT soldier's plea to the world: 'Buy us... Stephen Green: This Bud's for You — Here's the problem: [snipped quote] Here's the solution. |
Hugh Hewitt: Beer for the troops! It is the least we can do. (Hat tip to Blackfive.) Michelle Malkin: BUY A SOLDIER A BEER — Stars and Stripes reports today on a new charity for thirsty American soldiers: [snipped quote] Do pitch in. |
Liberal Journalists Are From Mars NRO — Permalink Clueless and intolerant. One of the footnotes of Rathergate is the disconnect between liberals and anyone to the right of, well, them. Take the general media reaction to Charles Johnson, the Los Angeles web designer and former jazz musician who typed up... | |
|
Matt Welch: Geography as Political Destiny? Armed Liberal: On Tolerance — Cathy Seipp has a new column up at National Review Online about Dan Rather, the cultural divide, and her personal experiences in bridging it. Michelle Malkin: THE INSULARITY OF THE MSM — Catherine Seipp's piece today at NRO, "Liberal Journalists Are from Mars," is excellent. |
Charles Johnson: Liberal Journalists Are From Mars — Cathy Seipp skewers the biased liberal media for their reaction to ... uh ... me: Liberal Journalists Are From Mars. Glenn Reynolds: CATHY SEIPP has more thoughts on RatherGate and the cocoon. UPDATE: Another story in the CBS-affiliate-backlash category. |
Presidential Attack Ads Move From Land to Water -- and Back By / WaPo — Permalink What began with a mocking image of John F. Kerry pursuing one of his favorite pastimes erupted yesterday into a bitter airwaves battle in which the Democratic presidential nominee tied President Bush to 1,000 U.S. deaths in Iraq and the beheading of two Americans this week. | |
|
Mark Kleiman: Atrios points out that George Bush (still, at last count, confused about our prospects for winning the war on terror) is... Atrios: Voting for the War — Let's consider Bush's recent rhetoric. His latest ad says "Kerry voted for the Iraq war." |
Fontana Labs: That's what this is all about. But his ads say different: "In which direction would John Kerry lead?" a narrator asks. Steve M.: Is it really a terrible idea to respond to the Bush campaign's windsurfing ad by reminding voters that Kerry is a grown-up who doesn't live in Fantasyland? |
Bid to Save Tax Refunds for the Poor Is Blocked By / WaPo — Permalink Congressional negotiators beat back efforts yesterday to expand and preserve tax refunds for poor families, even as they added $13 billion in corporate tax breaks to a package of middle-class tax cuts that could come to a vote in the Senate today. | |
|
Steve M.: Repeat after me, John Kerry — and all Democrats: This is a Republican tax increase. Eugene Oregon: Posted Without Comment — From the Washington Post [snipped quote] Also posted without comment - the headline from this... |
Hesiod: TAX WORKING FAMILIES: And give the money to rch corporations INSTEAD! That's what the Republicans just did. Michael Graham: LIBERAL ECONOMIST WANTED...to explain the following from today's Washington Post: "The dust-up centers on an... |
Hope Amid the Rubble By / NYT — Permalink Based on what Americans have been seeing in the news media about Afghanistan lately, there may not be many who believed President Bush on Tuesday when he told the United Nations that the "Afghan people are on the path to democracy and freedom." | |
|
Bird Dog: Progress in Afghanistan — It's not going perfectly, but things are improving, so says Peter Bergen, professor at Johns Hopkins. James Joyner: Afghanistan: Hope Amid the Rubble — Peter Bergen, a Middle East scholar whom Andrew Sullivan understatedly describes as... Daniel Drezner: Peter Bergen on Afghanistan — As a follow-up to my last post on Bush's commitment to democracy promotion, it's worth... |
Jan Haugland: Afghanistan 'better than so-so' — Peter Bergen is positive about Afghanistan: Based on what Americans have been seeing... Matthew Yglesias: Bergen on Afghanistan — I agree with Andrew Sullivan: Peter Bergen is very credible, so his upbeat report on Afghanistan is worth taking seriously. Ed Cone: This good news op-ed from Afghanistan in today's Times got the Instapundit seal of approval. |
| Also: Andrew Sullivan, Roger L. Simon, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Orrin Judd, Glenn Reynolds, Gregory Djerejian | |
DEAD SOLDIERS By / New York Post — Permalink IMAGINE if, in the presiden tial election of 1944, the can didate opposing FDR had in sisted that we were losing the Second World War and that, if elected, he would begin to withdraw American troops from Europe and the Pacific. We would have called it treason. | |
|
Glenn Reynolds: Otherwise you're going to hear a lot of people questioning Kerry's patriotism. And they'll be right to. H.D. Miller: Tehran John — Ralph Peters puts a serious whupping on John Kerry's defeatist hide. The Big Trunk: Two fine columns — Two of the best opinion columns I've read in the past few weeks are "Dead soldiers" by Ralph Peters... |
Mike Hendrix: Naturally, there's more, and it's well worth a look-see. Dale Franks: And I thought he hated Don Rumsfeld... Ralph Peters is unhappy with the Kerry Campaign's new direction on Iraq. |
Breaking the News, Then Becoming It By / WaPo — Permalink Are the media having a nervous breakdown? The Dan Rather affair looks like yet another giant freakout in the patient's collapse. For Rather and CBS, all the conflicting tensions that torture journalists and producers day and night came together. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: This one from a psychiatrist I never heard of, Tina Brown (I could have sworn she is a journalist) writing a... Ezra Klein: Recommending a piece by Tina Brown is dicey business, but her take on the CBS scandal is the pithiest, most important article you'll find on the whole thing. Kevin Drum: TINA BROWN NAILS RATHERGATE....I hate to say this, but Tina Brown (yeah, yeah) gets it exactly right in her dissection of Rathergate today in the Washington Post. |
Avedon Carol: At Political Animal, Kevin drum says "the best thousand words I've read yet on the whole affair" of the Killian memos and the media reaction is from Tina Brown in the WaPo. Nick Confessore: Check it out here. Jeff Jarvis: I won't call on my usual preists-and-cathedrals image; this more the has-been queen sniffing in her castle at all the riff-raff out in the streets, typing fast. |
| Also: Susanna Cornett, Cori Dauber | |
Rove touts Bush headway in key areas By / Washington Times — Permalink President Bush expects to help Republicans gain up to four Senate seats and seven House seats in November and already is running Sen. John Kerry out of states that had been considered battlegrounds, White House political strategist Karl Rove said yesterday. | |
|
Michele Catalano: Was that the collective body of Arizona I just saw fall out of the car? Before you ask, the answer to your question is yes. Betsy Newmark: Karl Rove waxes very optimistic about the race. I tend to think that such bragging is tempting the gods. Stephen Green: Retreat — There's not much beyond some Republican cheerleading from Karl Rove in this Washington Times article. |
Lorie Byrd: Upbeat Boy Wonder — Bill Sammon has a story about how optimistic Karl Rove is about the election. Chris Mooney: A little bird directed my attention to this article from today's Washington Times, which contains the following... H.D. Miller: The Jedi Master — At least someone knows how to play the debate-expectations game. |
| Also: Taegan Goddard, Howard Kurtz, The Big Trunk | |
Despite Bush Flip-Flops, Kerry Gets Label By / WaPo — Permalink One of this year's candidates for president, to hear his opposition tell it, has a long history of policy reversals and rhetorical about-faces — a zigzag trail that proves his willingness to massage positions and even switch sides when politically convenient. | |
|
Avedon Carol: And I checked out Tapped, where Nick Confessore directs our attention to John F. Harris' article in The Washington Post... Liz Cox Barrett: Whiskey at Captain's Quarters knocks the Post for today's analysis piece by John F. Harris. Oliver @LiquidList: Politics: I Just Gotta Do This...Bear With Me FLIP-FLOP! FLIP-FLOP! FLIP-FLOP! FLIP-FLOP! FLIP-FLOP! FLIP-FLOP! |
Nick Confessore: The Washington Post's John Harris, one of the best political reporters out there, has a decent piece out today on the question of flip-flopping. Noam Scheiber: My colleague Jonathan Cohn e-mails the case for an imminent Kerry-is-surging storyline: [snipped quote] If today's John... Chris Mooney: George W. Bush, Flip-Flopper — The Washington Post has a great piece this morning showing that—spin... |
| Also: Whiskey, Betsy Newmark, John J. Miller, Orrin Judd | |
CBS Appoints 2-Man Panel to Investigate Guard Report NYT — Permalink CBS announced yesterday that Dick Thornburgh, a former attorney general, and Louis D. Boccardi, a former top executive of The Associated Press, would investigate the journalistic breakdowns that led to the broadcast of a flawed "60 Minutes" report about President Bush's National Guard service. | |
|
Jay Rosen: Howard Kurtz, Washington Post, Sep. 23 Two days ago, CBS announced its two-person truth commission. Orrin Judd: HEY, I WAS PROMISED A WHITEWASH...: CBS Appoints 2-Man Panel to Investigate Guard Report (JIM RUTENBERG and JACQUES... Jeff Jarvis: Oh, Danny boy : Dan Rather is throwing his boss, CBS News President Andrew Heyward, to the wolves in today's New York Times: [snipped quote] Nope, Dan. |
Allah: The New York Times says Rather isn't happy about that because, after all, how can we trust a political partisan to be fair and accurate in what he reports? The Big Trunk: "He immediately agreed.''" [end quote] The Times story referred to by Mr. Cottingham is "CBS appoints 2-man panel to investigate Guard report." Greg Ransom: DAN RATHER fingers CBS News chief Andrew Heyward as the one with hands-on responsibility in the forged documents story. |
Female Trouble By / New York Magazine — Permalink Should wives matter in a presidential campaign? Is it trivial to weigh Laura Bush's gentle, Xanax-like demeanor, her faultless librarian's poise and sincerity, against the imperious sexuality of Teresa Heinz Kerry? | |
|
Orrin Judd: UNMANNING CABANA BOY: Female Trouble: While fretting about Karl Rove, the Democrats overlooked Karen Hughes. PoliPundit: It's All Teresa's Fault — Says Naomi "earth tones" Wolf: [snipped quote] Or, as Mark Steyn puts it: "There is an attack dog on the Kerry team. |
Hindrocket: The Democrats Think About Women — This morning's Real Clear Politics links to a fascinating article by feminist writer and political consultant Naomi Wolf in New York magazine. |