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THE MYTH OF THE 'MISSING EXPLOSIVES': A SHAMELESS LIE By / New York Post — Permalink SHOULD the United Na tions decide who be comes our president? Sen. John Kerry wouldn't mind. He's shamelessly promoting the lies that the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency is telling about Iraq. | |
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John Cole: Exposives Issue — What he said. Bird Dog: Ralph Peters offers his twelve common sense reasons as to why the explosives were not stolen after April 4th, 2003. H.D. Miller: (Here's Ralph Peters calling the myth of the missing explosives, a "shamless lie.") |
Porphyrogenitus: The Stakes Are Too High For You to Stay Home — First read Ralph Peters, no knee-jerk defender of the Bush... Cori Dauber: THINGS THAT GO BOOM IN THE NIGHT — Ralph Peters' take on the 400 tons. Stephen Green: Of course, he did that once before." Read the rest here. |
| Also: Jesse Taylor, McQ, Tim Blair, James Joyner, JoelL @SouthernAppeal, Cliff May, Damian Penny | |
Conservatives launch baseless verbal attacks on U.S. troops Media Matters for America — Permalink In falsely accusing Senator John Kerry of denigrating American troops, it is in fact conservatives themselves — including one of Bush-Cheney '04's most vocal campaigners — who are suggesting that soldiers on the ground are responsible for explosives going missing in Iraq. | |
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Jeanne D'Arc: Iaeaseal_011 I'm betting "blame the troops" makes a quick retreat, and "see, we told you Saddam had WMDs" takes off as the excuse of the last few days. Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: Speaking about the tons of explosives missing from al Qaqaa, Rudy Giuliani said the following on the Today Show: ... Atrios: Conservatives Continue to Blame Troops — Add Ingraham and Kristol to the list, along with Giuliani. The truth? |
Avedon Carol: Media Matters reports on another example of "conservatives" supporting our troops - by blaming them for following the... Digby: That doesn't really pass the smell test since William Kristol on FOX News Live and Laura Ingraham all echoed this... Tim Dunlop: Expect more of "blame the troops" and/or "it doesn't really matter" excuses. |
Web Offers Hefty Voice to Critics of Mainstream Journalists By / NYT — Permalink Practicing cheap and dirty politics, playing fast and loose with the facts and even lying: Accusations like these, and worse, have been slung nonstop this year. The accused in this case are not the candidates, but the mainstream news media. | |
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Michael Totten: GET A PAPER ROUTE: Jim Rutenberg wrote an article for the New York Times about journalists spooked by "Internet writers." Roger L. Simon: One of the early reflections of this pain is an article in today's NYT - Web Offers Hefty Voice to Critics of Mainstream Journalists. Jeff Jarvis: Then this Jim Rutenberg story in the news section wrote about bloggers dogging big media on issues of accuracy and fairness. |
Cori Dauber: GIVING THE GUILTY EXCUSES — I have to admit that I'm very torn by this article (via Memeorandum) on media critique on the Internet in today's Times. Matt Welch: Amusing New York Times article today about the pain of high-profile campaign reporters having to deal with, as Tom... Tresy @Corrente: Like Talking to a Cocker Spaniel — Between the uncomprehending, affronted reaction to Stewart's Crossfire appearance... |
| Also: Tim Blair, Hindrocket, Roger Ailes, Michelle Malkin | |
Report: Video Shows Explosives Went Missing After War Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - ABC News on Thursday showed video that appeared to confirm that explosives that went missing in Iraq did not disappear until after the United States had taken control of the facility where they were stored. | |
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Dwight Meredith: Still photos of the intact seal are here. Game, set and match (at least on that issue). Update: More proof. Atrios: "Video Shows Explosive Went Missing After War" — This whole "when did they go missing" debate was mostly irrelevant to the underlying issue, but... game, set, match. |
Oliver Willis: Bush Admin: Our Previous Statements, Spin, Etc. are Now Inoperative — Report: Video Shows Explosives Went Missing After War [snipped quote] (via atrios) Tim Dunlop: (Thanks to reader Mike for the link) UPDATE: So it looks like the final answer is in: the explosives were there and thus... |
FBI Investigating Halliburton Contracts By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - The FBI has begun investigating whether the Pentagon improperly awarded no-bid contracts to Halliburton Co., seeking an interview with a top Army contracting officer and collecting documents from several government offices. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Two more: The FBI is investigating Halliburton and researchers and scientists at Johns Hopkins University, Columbia... Mathew Gross: FBI Investigating Halliburton Contracts — Why does the FBI hate America? Steve Soto: FBI Launches Investigation Of Bush Administration Halliburton Contracting — The Bush Administration - The gift that... |
Oliver Willis: Mr. Bush, FBI on Line One — FBI Investigating Halliburton Contracts [snipped quote] (gleeful emphasis mine) Robert Cox: MEDIA MELTDOWN PART II — Well the AP is rushing to the ramparts to help John Kerry in flogging a silly story about... |
TERROR TAPE WARN OF BUSH, CHENEY CONSEQUENCE Drudge Report — Permalink ABCNEWS withheld portions of an alarming new al Qaeda videotape which warns the next terror attack will dwarf 9/11 from the feds when they submitted the video for analysis, a top federal source tells the DRUDGE REPORT. ABC strongly denies the charge. | |
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Roger L. Simon: The Insufferable Self-Importance of the Mainstream Media Continues — Not much more than two weeks after ABC Political... Ace: In Videotaped Threat, Al Qaeda Formally Endorses John Kerry — But the shocks continue: Unbiased, objective ABCNews... |
Michael Totten: Drudge reports that the Al Qaeda videotape obtained by ABC News was sent to the FBI and the CIA and has since been authenticated. James Joyner: Drudge: ABC Withheld Parts of Video from CIA — Drudge has the siren out again: [snipped quote] Update (1707): The link is now up. |
Kerry unable to crack Bush base By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink Pollster John Zogby surprised the political world back in April with a long-range prediction that John Kerry would defeat George W. Bush for president. On Monday this week, Zogby told me, he changed his mind. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: The Reptile today: "Pollster John Zogby surprised the political world back in April with a long-range prediction that John Kerry would defeat George W. Bush for president. Stephen Green: . . Flip-flop from Zogby: [snipped quote] Well, we all know how well that's likely to work. |
Joe Gandelman: Columnist Robert Novak says so: "Pollster John Zogby surprised the political world back in April with a long-range... Betsy Newmark: Bob Novak says that Zogby has flip-flopped and now thinks that Bush will win because Bush has done better at solidifying his base and is perceived as stronger on terror. |
Don't Ask Me By / WaPo — Permalink Three dozen protesters gathered outside the Minneapolis Star Tribune building a month ago. They glowered and pounded on the windows. They carried signs calling the newspaper the "Star and Sickle." They shouted "Liberal!" at staffers leaving the building. | |
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Avedon Carol: Bits of news — In The Washington Post, Richard Morin reports on a new wrinkle in this year's political landscape -... David Allan Pell: People are even furious at the pollsters. And I don't just mean they're accusing them of being wrong. Megan McArdle: POLL-WATCHING: The Washington Post says there are major problems with the polls — "Costs are soaring as cooperation rates remain at or near record lows. |
Daniel Drezner: Richard Morin makes this point in today's Washington Post: [snipped quote] Keep this in mind when someone trumps a one or two point lead by their candidate. James Joyner: Polls Coming Under Scrutiny — Don't Ask Me: As Fewer Cooperate on Polls, Criticism and Questions Mount (WaPo) "It's tough being a pollster these days, even in Minnesota. Mathew Gross: The Life of a Pollster — The Washington Post has a good read on being a pollster in the 2004 election: [snipped quote] Indeed. |
| Also: DemFromCT | |
CIA, FBI AUTHENTICATE NEW QAEDA TERROR TAPE; ABCNEWS EXECUTIVES CONSIDER POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AIRING Drudge Report — Permalink The CIA and FBI late Wednesday authenticated a disturbing new al Qaeda videotape which warns the next terror attack will dwarf 9/11. "The streets will run with blood," and "America will mourn in silence" because they will be unable to count the number of the dead, a man claims on the video. | |
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JoelL @SouthernAppeal: Read about it here and here. In this video, bearing the logo of As-Sahab (Al Qaeda's video production company) the... Christopher Kanis: WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN? DRUDGE REPORT: CIA, FBI AUTHENTICATE NEW QAEDA TERROR TAPE Authenticate as what, exactly? Megan McArdle: IT'S REAL, SO RUN IT: The CIA has apparently authenticated the tape of a terrorist threatening new attacks, but ABC is holding off because of the political implications. |
Whiskey: Terror tape authenticated — According to the Drudge Report, the Al Qaeda video tape obtained by ABC in Pakistan has been authenticated by the CIA and FBI. KJL: "THE STREETS WILL RUN WITH BLOOD" — That al Qaeda tape is evidently real. James Joyner: CIA, FBI Authenticate New Al Qaeda Video — CIA, FBI AUTHENTICATE NEW QAEDA TERROR TAPE; ABCNEWS EXECUTIVES CONSIDER... |
Alleged Terror Tape Gives ABC Pause By / WaPo — Permalink It has all the makings of an incendiary story: a chilling pre-election videotape featuring a supposed member of al Qaeda, declaring in English that "blood will run red in the streets of America." | |
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Digby: Halloween Terror How likely is it do you suppose, that FOX will run with the American Al Qaeda boogeyman tape before the week-end is out? Megan McArdle: UPDATE: Howard Kurtz reports that ABC may not run it at all, saying they aren't convinced it represents a real threat. Orrin Judd: THE NON-BARKING DOG: Alleged Terror Tape Gives ABC Pause: News Division Delays Airing Video as FBI, CIA Evaluate (Howard... |
PoliPundit: Fact Check — On that Qaeda tape, the linguists seem to think that English isn't the guy's native tongue Charles Johnson: ABC Suddenly Concerned About Impacting Election — ABC News is very concerned about the effect on the US election of... |
100,000 Civilians Died Because of Iraq War, Hopkins Study Says Bloomberg — Permalink Oct. 28 (Bloomberg) — About 100,000 civilians have died as a result of the war in Iraq, according to research from Johns Hopkins University. The findings are the first scientific study of the effects of war on Iraqi citizens, according to the Lancet medical journal, which is publishing the research. | |
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Harley: Now this from John Hopkins University (emphasis mine): [snipped quote] Yeah, I know. War is hell. Tell it to the Iraqis. Taegan Goddard: 100,000 Civilians Killed in Iraq — "About 100,000 civilians have died as a result of the war in Iraq, according to research from Johns Hopkins University," Bloomberg reports. |
Bird Dog: Update [2004-10-28 16:18:21 by Bird Dog]: Five days before the election, a Johns Hopkins study is released showing way... |
Kerry Uses Bush's Own Words to Call Him Unfit By / Reuters — Permalink TOLEDO, Ohio (Reuters) - Democratic challenger John Kerry turned President Bush 's own words into a weapon on Thursday and said it was the Republican incumbent who had jumped to conclusions in Iraq , disqualifying him from being commander in chief. | |
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Lambert @Corrente: "Jumping to Conclusions" — Nice Kerry takedown of one of the index cards KaWen wrote up for Inerrant Boy: [snipped quote] Yup. Captain Ed: Kerry: Iraq Is Equivalent To Bay Of Pigs — If you could imagine the most foolish analogy anyone could use in terms of... |
Joe Gandelman: We Told You So — We said this would happen in an earlier post: [snipped quote] You could see this coming a mile away once Bush said it. Steve Soto: Kerry Throws Bush's Words Back At Him — I love it when a seed planted in the blogosphere grows. |
'American' voice on new terror video By / Christian Science Monitor — Permalink ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - A new videotape that has surfaced in Pakistan threatens a massive attack against the United States by a purported American member of Al Qaeda. It is not yet known if the tape is an authentic Al Qaeda production, but it bears enough resemblance that some experts are taking the tape seriously. | |
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Lambert @Corrente: Here's what the vry mild-mannered Christian Science Monitor has to say: "A new videotape that has surfaced in Pakistan... KJL: THAT AL QAEDA TAPE — The Christian Science Monitor has watched it. |
Steve M.: The Christian Science Monitor has a few details about the October surprise terror tape (featuring an American-accented... |
Poll: Republicans inch ahead By / Rapid City Journal — Permalink Republicans John Thune and Larry Diedrich have overcome double-digit deficits to draw ahead of their Democratic rivals, Sen. Tom Daschle and Rep. Stephanie Herseth, according to an independent poll. | |
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James Joyner: Zogby: Thune Ahead of Daschle — Poll: Republicans inch ahead (Rapid City Journal) [snipped quote] Very interesting, although certainly not decisive. Orrin Judd: 50 & 60 & 240: Poll: Republicans inch ahead (Bill Harlan, 10/28/04, Rapid City Journal) "Republicans John Thune and... Hindrocket: South Dakota Swinging Red — Good news from the latest Zogby poll in South Dakota: John Thune has a three-point lead over Tom Daschle. |
H.D. Miller: And John Thune is pulling ahead in South Dakota. It might be bye, bye Tom, Looks like you changed your permanent residence just in time. Jayson @PoliPundit: No, nope, and no. That was Dan Pfeiffer, the campaign spokesman for Tom Daschle, lashing out at Zogby, for the latter's... |
The incompetent or the incoherent? Economist — Permalink YOU might have thought that, three years after a devastating terrorist attack on American soil, a period which has featured two wars, radical political and economic legislation, and an adjustment to one of the biggest stockmarket crashes in history, the campaign for the presidency would be an especially elevated and notable affair. | |
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Richard TPD: Conservative Economist endorses Kerry — It's been a good week for Kerry, as yet another prominent conservative voice... Stuart Benjamin: The Economist switches from Bush to Kerry: The Economist magazine, which endorsed Bush in 2000, has endorsed Kerry in 2004. |
Kash: The Economist Endorses Kerry — The Economist gives a somewhat lukewarm endorsement to Kerry: [snipped quote] The editors... Taegan Goddard: Economist Backs Kerry — The Economist, which endorsed George W. Bush for president in 2000, has reversed itself and now... |
Schilling coming to Verizon with President Bush By / Union Leader — Permalink Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling will accompany President George W. Bush to his campaign stops in Manchester and Portsmouth on Friday. The Union Leader has learned Schilling will appear with Bush at rallies at the Verizon Wireless Arena and at the Pease International Tradeport. | |
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Lorie Byrd: Talk About Adding Insult To Injury — Does it get any better than this? (Thanks to Polipundit reader, Sherrie Zabinski, for sending me the link.) Orrin Judd: WAVING THE BLOODY SOX: Schilling coming to Verizon with President Bush (JOHN DiSTASO, 10/28/04, Manchester Union Leader) [snipped quote] Brilliant. |
Betsy Newmark: Here's the modern version of "waving the bloody shirt." |
The 92% Solution By / NRO — Permalink The Kerry campaign's concerns about its candidate's failure to rally black voters in numbers similar to those received by either the Gore or Clinton presidential campaigns have become a staple of the daily news. | |
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James Joyner: Getting Out the White Vote — Peter Kirsanow has an interesting analysis of the racial breakdown of the vote this... Acidman: Some polls indicate that the change may begin with this Presidential election. It'll be a slow process, because old habits are hard to break. |
Orrin Judd: PSSSST, GEORGE BUSH KILLED RAY CHARLES, PASS IT ON: The 92% Solution: Kerry and the black vote. Betsy Newmark: Peter Kirsanow waxes optimistic about black support for Bush. |
Hold Bush Accountable By / WaPo — Permalink I do not write the headlines for my columns. Someone else does. But if I were to write the headline for this one, it would be "Impeach George Bush." Of course, I realize there's no chance Congress would impeach the president at this point or under almost any circumstance. | |
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Avedon Carol: Richard Cohen finally says two things that are long overdue in Hold Bush Accountable: I do not write the headlines for my columns. Matthew Yglesias: October 28, 2004: "I do not write the headlines for my columns. Someone else does. |
Digby: Oh Sure, Now When It's Safe To Be Shrill — It seems that my favorite bucket of lukewarm spit has finally received the... KJL: OY "Impeach George Bush." (Richard Cohen) |
Household Survey Sees 100,000 Iraqi Deaths By / AP — Permalink LONDON (AP) - A survey of deaths in Iraqi households estimates that as many as 100,000 more people may have died throughout the country in the 18 months since the U.S.-led invasion than would be expected based on the death rate before the war. | |
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Oliver Willis: War: Totally Awesome — Household Survey Sees 100,000 Iraqi Deaths "A survey of deaths in Iraqi households estimates... |
Chris Bowers: Oh My God — I have nothing to say about this: [snipped quote] A moment of silence is in order. |
KERRY CAMP'S FINAL FUMBLE By / New York Post — Permalink ONCE again, John Kerry shows his instinct to go for the capillaries, rather than the jugular. Kerry has embraced the dubious New York Times/CBS accusations about U.S. bungling permitting the theft of explosives from an ammunition dump in Iraq. | |
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Joe Gandelman: John Kerry, breathe a sign of relief: Former Clinton advisor and present Clinton foe Dick Morris thinks you're wrong in pressing the ammunition issue. Orrin Judd: DEEP QAQA: KERRY CAMP'S FINAL FUMBLE (DICK MORRIS, October 28, 2004, NY Post) [snipped quote] The problem is not just that the story is bogus but that it is incoherent. H.D. Miller: The Madness of King Kerry — Dick Morris , even before the release of yesterday's "the Ruskies did it" bombshell, weighs in on Senator Kerry's last desperate grab for power. |
Jesse Taylor: The Right Path — In case you were worried at all about this explosives story, Dick Morris says it was the wrong thing for the Kerry camp to pursue. Cliff May: DICK MORRIS — Thinks Kerry has made a serious error by "embracing the dubious New York Times/CBS accusations about U.S... Deacon: He would do better — Dick Morris thinks that the Kerry campaign committed a major blunder by running with the New York Times story on Al Qaqaa. |
| Also: Betsy Newmark | |
Arafat to Be Flown to Hospital in Paris By / AP — Permalink RAMALLAH, West Bank - The ailing Yasser Arafat will be flown to Paris for treatment, one of his doctors said Thursday, after the Palestinian leader spent most of the day sleeping, was confused at times and unable to hold down food. | |
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Cori Dauber: Tell me — is there anyone who isn't welcome in that country? I mean no kidding, anyone? Well. . . Michael Totten: A PALESTINIAN IN PARIS: Yasser Arafat is being flown to Paris for medical treatment. |
Ace: Ailing Arafat to be Treated in, Surprise Surprise, Paris — Who can blame him? They're big fans of his in Paris. |
Bush Campaign Acknowledges Ad Was Doctored Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush's campaign acknowledged on Thursday that a television ad depicting soldiers listening to Bush speak had been doctored so that some of the faces of the soldiers appear more than once. | |
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Josh Marshall: Video editors get slotted for CIA fall-guy role in latest Bush cooked up evidence flap ... [snipped quote] Priceless. |
Charles Johnson: Deceptive Reuters Headline of the Day — Reuters says: Bush Campaign Acknowledges Ad Was Doctored. |
Of Armitages, Kennedys, political buttons, and more NRO — Permalink You bet he does — approves, that is. For years, my line has been, "Conservatives make either too much or too little of media bias." Some make too much of it, it is true. But I think the more common error is to make too little of it. It makes a huge difference. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Jay Nordlinger has an answer to Caroline Kennedy who was whining about Bush invoking the name of her father. Andy B: Jay Nordlinger writes a very good column further illuminating this idea. |
Judith Weiss: Jay Nordlinger collects anecdotes from beleaguered Bush voters in Dem country, on wearing or not wearing buttons. |
'War raised Iraqi death rate by 100,000' Guardian — Permalink As many as 100,000 more Iraqi civilians have died in the 18 months since the US-led invasion last year than would have been expected in the period before the war, a study claimed today. Researchers said the chances of a violent death were 58 times higher after the invasion than before it. | |
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Kevin Raybould: There are no words: [snipped quote] When the right wing says "they hate us because of our freedoms" they actually have something of a point. |
Jeanne D'Arc: Ninety-five percent of those deaths were the result of bombs or fire from helicopter gunships, and the majority of victims were women and children. |
Bush Campaign to Recut Doctored Ad By / AP — Permalink INDIANOLA, Iowa - President Bush 's campaign acknowledged Thursday that it had doctored a photograph used in a television commercial to remove the president and the podium where he was standing. The campaign said the ad will be re-edited and reshipped to TV stations. | |
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Garance Franke-Ruta: The Bush campaign is walking back from its aptly named new ad, "Whatever It Takes," which an eagle-eyed DailyKos.com... |
Charles Johnson: UPDATE at 10/28/04 3:48:06 pm: More details in this AP story, revealing that this brouhaha is even more ridiculous than it first appeared: Bush Campaign to Recut Doctored Ad. |
Arafat's Health Reported to Improve By / NYT — Permalink JERUSALEM, Oct. 28 - Additional doctors were arriving from Arab countries to treat the ailing Yasir Arafat at his West Bank compound today, though associates said that his condition was stable and that he was well enough to attend Muslim prayers. | |
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Jeff Jarvis: Forbidden visuals : Did we really need to see Arafat in his PJs? Tim Dunlop: PYJAMA UPDATE: The Palestinians have issued a photo of the guy from Sanford and Son (Red Foxx) in order to prove me wrong. |
Sarah Wildman: Last night's news that Yasser Arafat is not just sick with the flu, but actually slipped into unconsciousness (if... |
Study: 100,00 Excess Civilian Iraqi Deaths Since War By / Reuters — Permalink LONDON (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed in violence since the U.S.-led invasion last year, American public health experts have calculated in a report that estimates there were 100,000 "excess deaths" in 18 months. | |
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Fontana Labs: I just killed a lot of people — Via The Poor Man, a Reuters report claiming that there have been in the neighborhood of... |
The Poor Man: One Hundred Thousand — One hundred thousand: [snipped quote] And the people who elected them. The Johns Hopkins press release is here. |
Missing and Explosive WaPo — Permalink LESS THAN A POUND of the high explosive known as HMX was enough to destroy a Pan Am jumbo jet over Scotland in 1988 in one of the worst terrorist attacks against Americans before Sept. 11, 2001. | |
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Dale Franks: Almost Fair and Balanced — One of the reasons why I believe the Washington Post is a far better newspaper than the New... KJL: HEARTENING — The Washington Post this morning raises some of the points Cliff May has been making on Bombgate. |
Cliff May: THE PLOT THICKENS — As Kathryn has pointed out, it was heartening that the Washington Post today was willing to follow... Tom Maguire: These vexing time management decisions...] [We will put this WaPo editorial up at the top. |
Fukuyama's moment: a neocon schism opens By / openDemocracy — Permalink The Iraq war opened a fratricidal split among United States neo-conservatives. Danny Postel examines the bitter dispute between two leading neocons, Francis Fukuyama and Charles Krauthammer, and suggests that Fukuyama's critique of the Iraq war and decision not to vote for George W Bush is a significant political as well as intellectual moment. | |
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Von @ObsidianWings: One does not have to put oneself in the realist box, however, to appreciate this critique of the Iraq War, which extensively quotes Francis Fukuyama. |
Andrew Sullivan: QUOTE OF THE DAY: [snipped quote] - Francis Fukuyama, on why he's not voting for Bush. |
Tribune Co. Announces Steep Circ Declines In Los Angeles and Chicago on Day After News of Fuller's Retirement By / Editor and Publisher — Permalink NEW YORK The Tribune Co. announced this morning that circulation at its two largest papers, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, experienced steep declines. | |
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Ed Driscoll: Legacy Media Bleeds More Red Ink — Editor and Publisher writes: [snipped quote] The Gray Lady's bottom line has been looking redder and redder as well. |
Kevin Roderick: A story in Editor & Publisher leads with the Times' "steep drop" and notes that the Chicago Tribune also suffered a smaller drop in circulation. |
Fund-raising group milks vulnerable senior citizens Seattle Times — Permalink The College Republican National Committee has raised $6.3 million this year through an aggressive and misleading fund-raising campaign that collected money from senior citizens who thought they were giving to the election efforts of President Bush and other top Republicans. | |
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Steve Soto: College Republicans Scamming Millions, Mostly From Seniors — I'm sure we've all seen local TV reports about how shady... |
Byron L: The Seattle Times has the details: [snipped quote] More at the Brown University Democrats blog. |
Blogger grounded by her airline By / BBC — Permalink A US airline attendant is fighting for her job after she was suspended over postings on her blog, or online diary. Queen of the Sky, otherwise known as Ellen Simonetti, evolved into an anonymous semi-fictional account of life in the sky. | |
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Jim Treacher: Anyway, the BBC News site has more, although they call her "Queen of the Sky," which I think is like referring to "the Nirvana" or, more to the point, "the Wonder Woman." |
Tim Blair: SKYBLOGGER DOWN — The BBC reports: "A US airline attendant is fighting for her job after she was suspended over postings on her blog, or online diary. |
Arafat Seriously Ill but in Stable Condition, Aides Say WaPo — Permalink RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 28 — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was said to be seriously ill but in stable condition Thursday as a team of international doctors considered moving him to a Ramallah hospital from the battered headquarters compound where he has been confined for more than two years. | |
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H.D. Miller: Weekend at Yassirs — Weekend at Yassir's? Weekend at Bernies Tell me you didn't think of Weekend at Bernies when you saw this picture of Arafat. |
Tim Dunlop: Mortal coil — Reading through these various accounts of the health of Yasser Arafat, I'll take a guess and say he has... |
Attack prompts Bush website block BBC — Permalink The official re-election site of President George W Bush is blocking visits from overseas users for "security reasons". The blocking began early on Monday so those outside the US and trying to view the site got a message saying they are not authorised to view it. | |
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Steve Gilliard: No furriniers need see our website: Bush — Furriners keep out Attack prompts Bush website block [snipped quote] Jen: Gilly: BWAHAHAAHAAHAAA! |
Dan Gillmor: Bush's Campaign Blocking Overseas Views of Website — The BBC reports it's for "security" reasons, apparently due to a DDOS attack earlier this month. |
NBC, ABC developing 9/11 miniseries Reuters — Permalink LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) — NBC and ABC are developing miniseries revolving around the September 11 attacks, using the "9/11 Commission Report" as the blueprint for dramatic retellings of the events that led to the devastating strikes on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. | |
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Steve Gilliard: 9/11 miniseries — I can live without thinking about this NBC, ABC developing 9/11 miniseries Thursday, October 28, 2004... |
Michele Catalano: NBC and ABC: Go to Hell — Blood sucking, profiteering, exploitive, greedy leeches. I may elaborate later. |
Early voting, other factors could put election outcome into the hands of lawyers By / Townhall.com — Permalink This is it — the final stretch in which George W. Bush and John Kerry fight for every vote in every battleground state. As expected, political pundits are all now stressing the role voter turnout will play next Tuesday. | |
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Steve F: No wonder Republicans in Florida are frustrated—Chirs Among people who have voted already, according to Quinnipiac: http://www.quinnipiac.edu /x12942.xml? |
Mathew Gross: I know Republicans feel entitled and all, but if you can't wait in line to vote, you're just a crybaby: [snipped quote] Blame blame blame. |
Republicans challenge 5,600 addresses that may not exist By / JSOnline — Permalink State Republicans filed a last-minute complaint Wednesday with the Milwaukee Election Commission claiming that 5,600 city addresses on the voter rolls may not exist. The commission will meet at 9 a.m. today to consider the Republican allegation. | |
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James Joyner: Update: Republicans challenge 5,600 addresses that may not exist (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal) "State Republicans filed... Betsy Newmark: Some clever sleuthing on the part of the Wisconsin GOP. |
PoliPundit: Wisconsin — Republicans have lawyers too! |
Armed Group Claims to Have Iraq Explosives AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - An armed group claimed in a video Thursday to have obtained a large amount of explosives missing from a munitions depot facility in Iraq and threatened to use them against foreign troops. | |
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Steve Soto: Insurgents Claim To Have Iraqi High Explosives — The benefits of George W. Bush's incompetence in securing the tons of... |
McQ: Fueling the Furor — The AP headline shouted "Armed Group Claims to Have Iraq Explosives". Really? |
Since you asked By / Salon — Permalink The letters started in August. Instead of asking about unfaithful husbands and drug-addicted boyfriends, people started asking, Should I commit election fraud to ensure Bush's defeat? Should I leave the country if he is reelected? Why am I so utterly out-of-my-head about politics? | |
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Steve Gilliard: This is the best single anwer ever given in this column and once, says something in a way a lot better than I could. |
Susan Madrak: "ARGHHHHH...." OR, THE INARTICULATE MOAN OF THE POLITICALLY CONSCIOUS IN PAIN — Salon advice columnist Cary Tennis devotes today to a timely topic: "Politics is freaking me out!" |
A Hole in the Heart By / NYT — Permalink When you read polls showing a significant number of Americans feel our country is on the wrong track, what do you think is bothering people? I think it's a deep worry that there is a hole in the heart of the world - the moderate center seems to be getting torn asunder. | |
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Richard TPD: The radioactive president — In his best column in months, Thomas Friedman sums up just how isolated and alone America... Awinters @Centerfield: There is an interesting editorial by Thomas Friedman 0f the NY Times on the damage political polarization is having not just on America but the rest of the world. Ezra Klein: Update: You can also discuss exactly when Tom Friedman stopped writing important books and began writing columns that... |
James Joyner: Thomas Friedman: A Hole in the Head — Thomas Friedman's latest column, "A Hole in the Heart," argues that the nation... Susan Madrak: LOOKS LIKE THE VACATION REALLY HELPED HIS WRITING — Ezra takes the perfect shot at Tom Friedman: "You can also discuss... Steve Soto: Tom Friedman Sees The Light — Tomorrow's Friedman: I have been struck by how many foreign dignitaries have begged me lately for news that Bush will lose. |
More Smoke Than Ire By / WaPo — Permalink Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. The blows will soon end and silence will descend as voters wield their mighty power to decide. Regarding domestic conditions, the campaign has taken the country's temperature and found it less fevered than the political class's rhetoric. | |
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Stephen Green: By the Numbers — A little perspective from George Will: "Despite Kerry's reiteration that George Bush's presidency is... |
Betsy Newmark: George Will says that the Democrats' complaints this year are more smoke than fire. |
Yasser Arafat in serious but stable condition Haaretz — Permalink Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is expected to be transferred from his Muqata headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah to a hospital in the city Thursday afternoon, as Palestinian sources said he continued to be in serious but stable condition. | |
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Roger L. Simon: Haaretz reports: Israel assured the Palestinian Authority on Thursday that PA Chairman Yasser Arafat will be permitted... |
Gregory Djerejian: Palestinian journalists camping outside Arafat's office over the past 48 hours reacted with cynicism to Abbas's courtesy... |
Arafat in Serious Condition, Foreign Medics Arrive By / Reuters — Permalink RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Foreign doctors rushed to Yasser Arafat's side on Thursday to tend to the seriously ill Palestinian leader, who for decades has symbolized his people's struggle for statehood. | |
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Charles Johnson: Al-Reuters Concerned for Sick Terrorist — Reuters Palestinian propagandist Wafa Amr is very concerned for the ailing... |
John Cole: Just Die Already — Great news from the Middle East: [snipped quote] Just f**king die already and slither through the gates of hell. |
Swing Voters Slow to Decide, Still Cross-Pressured Pew Research Center — Permalink With less than a week to go before the election, many swing voters have yet to commit to a candidate, but over the past month there has been some movement among this group toward Sen. John Kerry. | |
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James Joyner: Swing Voters Slow to Decide, Still Cross-Pressured — Summary of Findings: Swing Voters Slow to Decide, Still... DemFromCT: The Pew Poll denotes the obvious with the title "Swing Voters Are Slow To Decide" but doesn't yield to temptation by suggesting banning them from being interviewed altogether. |
Taegan Goddard: New Polls — A Pew Research Center Poll finds Sen. John Kerry "has made more substantial gains among swing voters in the past month" than has President Bush. Jeralyn Merritt: Pew Center: Kerry Gaining With Swing Voters — The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press has re-polled more than 500 voters who were undecided in September. |
Bush Hits Back at Kerry Charge Over Explosives NYT — Permalink PONTIAC, Mich., Oct. 27 - President Bush broke his silence on Wednesday on the disappearance of 380 tons of explosives in Iraq, accusing Senator John Kerry of making "wild charges" about the missing explosives and of "denigrating the actions'' of troops in the field. | |
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Matthew Yglesias: One, campaign-oriented and written by two campaign reporters, reads like this: "President Bush broke his silence on... Hindrocket: At the Times, the Lying Continues — The New York Times reports again on Al Qaqaa this morning, and again its report is misleading at best. Tom Maguire: Finally, the NY Times rowback now looks like an effort by the Harvard Heavyweight Eight - if the Times rows back any... |
Taegan Goddard: Bush Breaks Silence on Missing Weapons — President Bush "broke his silence on Wednesday on the disappearance of 380... DeLong: Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps? |
Editor: Leaks Hastened Report on Missing Explosives By / WaPo — Permalink On Sunday night, New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller told Jeff Fager, executive producer of CBS's "60 Minutes," that the story they had been jointly pursuing on missing Iraqi ammunition was starting to leak on the Internet. "You know what? | |
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Brian Montopoli: Go to comments — October 28, 2004 Fact Check It Takes Just One Click of the Mouse In the Washington Post today, media... Hindrocket: The Times Backpedals — Bill Keller, executive editor of the New York Times, gave an interview yesterday to Howard Kurtz... Cori Dauber: For awhile, the new administration at the Times had brought in some fresh air, but they're right back to the same old... |
Bird Dog: According to Howard Kurtz, even Bill Keller acknowledged that he rushed the story instead of nailing it, but then covered himself by saying it was "basically ready". Charles Johnson: CBS News at the Heart of Weapons Story — Howard Kurtz reports that CBS News and the New York Times were collaborating... Ann Althouse: UPDATE: WaPo's Howard Kurtz has a much less NYT-flattering version of the story: "On Sunday night, New York Times... |
| Also: Michelle Malkin, Andrew Sullivan, Jim Treacher | |
ON TOP OF THE WORLD By / Boston Globe — Permalink ST. LOUIS — They did it for the old folks in Presque Isle, Maine, and White River Junction, Vt. They did it for the baby boomers in North Conway, N.H., and Groton, Mass. They did it for the kids in Central Falls, R.I., and Putnam, Conn. | |
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McQ: Beaners bounce birds and Bambino's curse — I'm a little miffed with the BoSox today. David Allan Pell: A team of northeast liberals who everyone thought couldn't come through in the clutch just gave a whole lot better performance in the midwest than anybody thought they would. |
Mrs Greyhawk: The Great Bambino is Smiling from Above — At Last! "Pigs can fly, hell is frozen, the slipper finally fits, and Impossible Dreams really can come true." |
The Commander-in-Chief By / Weekly Standard — Permalink JOHN KERRY now closes his presidential campaign exactly as he opened his political life: Attacking the United States military. Thirty-three years ago, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he indicted the soldiers of Vietnam as war criminals, the heirs of Genghis Khan. | |
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Captain Ed: Addendum: Be sure to read Hugh Hewitt's excellent Weekly Standard column today on this same topic. Hugh Hewitt: My WeeklyStandard.com column, "The Commander-in-Chief," blasts John Kerry for his opportunistic trashing of the 3rd Infantry Division and the 101st Airborne Division. |
Betsy Newmark: Hugh Hewitt's column zings Kerry for his denigration of the US military when Kerry made his explosives and explosive charge backed up by the Bush-hating IAEA. |
Was Abe Lincoln Gay? By / LA Weekly — Permalink If the loving heart of the Great Emancipator found its natural amorous passions overwhelmingly directed toward those of his own sex, it would certainly be a stunning rebuke to the Republican Party's scapegoating of same-sex love for electoral purposes. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Abe Abraham Lincoln has been outed, but Abe should forget about it by spending a nice night at the theater. Andrew Sullivan: That he slept in the same bed as men for much of his life? Doug Ireland sets the stage for the coming debate. |
Ann Althouse: Read the whole poem in this L.A. Weekly article about the forthcoming book "The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln." |
Germany's Bild goes Republican Guardian — Permalink There was unexpected solace yesterday for George Bush from an unlikely source: Germany. Bild, Europe's bestselling tabloid with 4m copies a day, yesterday endorsed the president, who it said was far less "wobbly" than his Democratic rival. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: This is perhaps the most surprising one: [snipped quote] Old Europe comes out for Bush? Well, why not? Tim Blair: In another unexpected development, Germans go for George: "Bild, Europe's bestselling tabloid with 4m copies a day,... |
Judith Weiss: A major German newspaper endorses Bush. If Kerry wins, he might find all his putative allies not as happy to see him as he thought. |
First U.S. Unit at Iraq Site Did Not Hunt Explosives By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first U.S. military unit to reach the site in Iraq where U.N. officials say 377 tons of high explosives are missing did not carry out a hunt for such material, the unit's commander said on Wednesday. | |
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Gregory Djerejian: Buried in this Reuters piece carried on the Times website: "Bush and Pentagon officials said the material might have been moved from the site before U.S. forces arrived. |
Josh Marshall: The fact that this particular stuff wasn't found during a brief inspection is hardly conclusive about the whereabouts of... |
Russia tied to Iraq's missing arms By / Washington Times — Permalink Russian special forces troops moved many of Saddam Hussein's weapons and related goods out of Iraq and into Syria in the weeks before the March 2003 U.S. military operation, The Washington Times has learned. | |
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Matthew Yglesias: The Washington Times' Bill Gertz has a bizarre story out today in which Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for... Clayton Cramer: More On The Explosives Story — The Washington Times has an article by Bill Gertz reporting that the missing explosives... Pejman Yousefzadeh: EXPLOSIVE — Regarding this story by Bill Gertz—which is indeed explosive if true—Greg Djerejian has the following to... |
Bill Hobbs: Perhaps. The Pentagon is reportedly declassifying satellite photos showing heavy truck activity around the arms depot before the U.S. invasion. Stephen Green: Useless Speculation — OK, we all already know what the big story is today: [snipped quote] So - who does it hurt and who does it help (if anybody)? 'Cicero': The material that went missing at the Al-Qaqaa facility is thought to be a part of this operation. read the rest!... |
| Also: Jude Nagurney Camwell, Jon Henke, Gregory Djerejian, Cori Dauber, Howard Kurtz, Whiskey, John Cole, Damian Penny, Colt, Dean Esmay, Joe Gandelman, Arthur Chrenkoff, Marc Schulman, H.D. Miller, Roger L. Simon, Bill @INDCJournal, Jeff Goldstein, Orrin Judd, Dale Franks, Tom Maguire, Hindrocket, Lorie Byrd, Tom Smith, Tom Karako, Megan McArdle, Josh Marshall, Michelle Malkin, Steve Dillard, Christopher Kanis, Charles Johnson, Betsy Newmark, Jeanne D'Arc | |
4 Iraqis Tell of Looting at Munitions Site in '03 NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 27 - Looters stormed the weapons site at Al Qaqaa in the days after American troops swept through the area in early April 2003 on their way to Baghdad, gutting office buildings, carrying off munitions and even dismantling heavy machinery, three Iraqi witnesses and a regional security chief said Wednesday. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: Evidence Mounts — A New York Times story quotes Iraqi eyewitnesses who say that looters stormed the al Qa Qaa facility after the Americans stormed through and left in unsecured. Matthew Yglesias: Meanwhile, in the same edition of the very same newspaper is this story: "Looters stormed the weapons site at Al Qaqaa... Mark Kleiman: Ignore the spin: al Qaqaa was looted after U.S. troops came through — Read the New York Times story below, and then... |
DemFromCT: This is a Monday story that through George Bush's ineptitude is still going strong Thursday, with clear evidence (NY... Gregory Djerejian: 9) Time to play defense—but rollback now complete! Joe Gandelman: The Times adds another layer of credibility to its story by finding LOOTERS who tell what happened: "Looters stormed... |
| Also: Arthur Chrenkoff, Greg Ransom, Steve Gilliard, Josh Marshall, Atrios, Jeanne D'Arc | |
ABCNEWS HOLDS TERROR WARNING TAPE Drudge Report — Permalink In the last week before the election, ABCNEWS is holding a videotaped message from a purported al Qaeda terrorist warning of a new attack on America, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. The terrorist claims on tape the next attack will dwarf 9/11. | |
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Colt: Is there an American al-Qaeda tape being held by ABC News? Poland will boost their anti-terror force by 2,000. Lambert @Corrente: Gaslight watch: Oh wow! There may be an extremely non-political terror alert this weekend! Avedon Carol: "Drudge is at it again, pretending to have found a new Sekrit Plot in the newsmedia because ABC News turned a terrorist tape over to US intelligence rather than airing it!" |
Jesse Taylor: Veggie Cars For The Future ABC ISN'T BROADCASTING AN UNVERIFIED TERRORIST THREAT! THEY ALSO AREN'T BROADCASTING THE THEORY THAT MY CAR RUNS ON GREEN BEANS! Donald Sensing: Citing a story on Drudge: [snipped quote] I didn't see anything about this on ABC News' web site.The tape apparently... Clayton Cramer: According to Drudge, they are holding back on a tape that—let's face it—would remind a lot of Americans who al-Qaeda... |
| Also: Harley, Steve M., Zoe Kentucky, Ann Althouse, Ogged @Unfogged, Josh Marshall, Jon Henke, Joe Gandelman, Orin Kerr, Jeff Goldstein, Robin Burk, Tom @Corrente, Michelle Malkin, Stephen Green, Roger L. Simon, Charles Johnson, James Joyner, Lorie Byrd | |
Russians 'may have taken Iraq explosives' NYT — Permalink The controversy over Iraq's missing explosives intensified on Wednesday as the Bush administration rejected charges of incompetence and a senior Pentagon official claimed the munitions may have been removed by Russians before the US-led invasion. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: Also, the Financial Times lends coverage to the story about the Russians removing the explosives. Joe Gandelman: The Financial Times reports: [quote] The Russian embassy in Washington rejected the claims as "nonsense", saying there were no Russian military in the country at the time. [end quote] Bill @INDCJournal: And, for what it's worth, when asked about Shaw's remarks, Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita told the Financial Times: "I am unaware of any particular information on that point." |
Captain Ed: The Financial Times follows up on the remark made yesterday by John Shaw, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, suggesting... Greg Ransom: Good linkage here. The Financial Times has more. And here's a good backgrounder on the story from Clifford May. Josh Marshall: Late Update: Drudge's 'the Russians did it' story is up now at the Washington Times, all based it seems on the say-so of... |
| Also: Jeanne D'Arc | |
Judge Rebuffs GOP Effort To Contest Voters in Ohio By / WaPo — Permalink A U.S. District Court judge yesterday effectively ended efforts by Republicans in Ohio to challenge the eligibility of tens of thousands of voters in one of the most closely contested states in this year's presidential race. | |
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James Joyner: Republicans Challenge Registrations in Ohio, Nevada, and Wisconsin — Judge Rebuffs GOP Effort To Contest Voters in Ohio... Ezra Klein: Fine, I'll Take It Later — Jesse has more on Ohio voter fraud coming up today, but first this, from the department of... Jeralyn Merritt: Judge Rejects Ohio GOP Voter Challenge — The Ohio GOP lost a big one Wednesday with a federal judge rejecting its... |
Barbara O'Brien: A U.S. District Court judge in Ohio killed the GOP's scheme to deprive 35,000 newly registered voters of their right to vote. Kevin Hayden: Susan Dlott of Cincinatti, you're my new HERO! [snipped quote] Personally, I'm going to get a pair of binoculars and/or a... Steve Gilliard: Ohio challenges stopped — Stealing an election as fast as I can Judge Rebuffs GOP Effort To Contest Voters in Ohio By... |
| Also: Lambert @Corrente, Harley | |
On Fridays, Bloggers Sometimes Retract Their Claws By / NYT — Permalink IN the vitriolic world of political Web logs, two polar extremes are Eschaton (atrios.blogspot.com), a liberal, often anti-Bush site with a passionate following, and Instapundit (www.instapundit.com), where an equally fervent readership goes for hearty praise of the Administration. | |
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Jeff Jarvis: Snot The New York Times : Two stories in The New York Times really got under by blogger's craw this morning as I flew up... James Joyner: Cat Bloggers of the World Unite — On Fridays, Bloggers Sometimes Retract Their Claws (NYT) [snipped quote] Indeed. Barbara O'Brien: Catblogging hits the mainstream press. To help make a difference, register with VoterCall and make some calls to get out the vote. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: BUY PET. BLOG PET. Get New York Times article written about self. Ann Althouse: Thanks for linking, New York Times, and I know I'm just a humble guestblogger — my real home is over here — but that... Fred Clark: Anyway, much has happened in the last few days — Inkblot Drum gets profiled in The New York Times, our corrupt and... |
| Also: Kevin Drum, Atrios | |
Trends in Largest Battleground States Diverge By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Diverging trends in the three largest battleground states point toward a volatile and tense finish in the presidential race, new Times polls have found. | |
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James Joyner: Bush, Kerry Split in 3 Key Swing States — Bush, Kerry Split in 3 Key Swing States (Ron Brownstein, LAT) "Diverging... Howard Kurtz: The Los Angeles Times gets with the battleground poll idea: "The surveys find President Bush holding an 8 percentage... Michelle Malkin: Update: An LA Times poll shows Bush up by 8(!) in Florida, down by 6 in Ohio, and even in Pennsylvania. |
Steve Soto: Los Angeles Times Polls Add More Confusion — Another day, another confusing poll for the battleground states. Betsy Newmark: LA Times has good poll results for Bush out of Florida and bad results out of Ohio. Taegan Goddard: New Polls Show Close Race — "Diverging trends in the three largest battleground states point toward a volatile and... |
Eyewitness to a failure in Iraq By / Boston Globe — Permalink IN 2003 I went to tell Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz what I had seen in Baghdad in the days following Saddam Hussein's overthrow. For nearly an hour, I described the catastrophic aftermath of the invasion — the unchecked looting of every public... | |
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Randy Paul: Also, since everyone else is linking to it, I might as well point out this op-ed article by Ambassador Peter Galbraith... Laura Rozen: Go read Peter Galbraith in the Boston Globe. Josh Marshall: It's not something that they or the civilian mis-planners of the war ever gave much thought to. |
Mark Kleiman: Second thoughts from a hawk — Peter Galbraith thinks that, given the bungled execution of the post-"mission... Andrew Sullivan: THE WIDER PROBLEM: Check out this piece by Peter Galbraith, a supporter of the war who was appalled by what he saw in the invasion's aftermath. Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: Securing WMD Sites In Iraq — Today's Boston Globe has an editorial by Peter Galbraith on the kinds of failures that let WMD sites be looted after our invasion of Iraq. |
| Also: Matthew Yglesias, Max B. Sawicky, Jeanne D'Arc, Norbizness, Barbara O'Brien | |
Urgent Warning on Iraqi Cache Issued in 1995 By / New York Sun — Permalink WASHINGTON - Nine years ago, U.N. weapons inspectors urgently called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to demolish powerful plastic explosives in a facility that Iraq's interim government said this month was looted due to poor security. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Russia has denied it) —And concerns over these weapons went back to 1995, according to the New York Sun. Pejman Yousefzadeh: POT, MEET KETTLE — The IAEA's sermonizing on the issue of the missing explosives in Iraq would be far more effective if... KJL: AND WHAT DID THE IAEA DO? NY Sun on a 1995 warning about an Iraqi weapons cache. |
Betsy Newmark: The New York Sun reports that, in 1995, UN Weapons Inspectors asked the IAEA top destroy these very explosives. Charles Johnson: IAEA Incompetence Responsible for Weapons Cache — Chief US Weapons inspector Charles Duelfer issued an urgent warning... Bill @INDCJournal: In today's New York Sun: Nine years ago, U.N. weapons inspectors urgently called on the International Atomic Energy... |
| Also: C. D. Harris, Jeff Goldstein, Cori Dauber, Roger L. Simon, Megan McArdle, Tom Maguire | |
Bush, Kerry Trade Attacks Over Missing Explosives WaPo — Permalink LITITZ, Pa., Oct. 27 — President Bush took up the issue of missing high explosives in Iraq for the first time today, counterattacking Democratic challenger John F. Kerry for making "wild charges" without knowing the facts and accusing the Massachusetts senator of "denigrating" U.S. troops and commanders. | |
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Noam Scheiber: That in mind, today's Washington Post front-pager about the campaign contains a pretty encouraging nugget:... Betsy Newmark: Meanwhile, back at the MSM ranch, Dana Milbank and Jim VandeHei are about two days behind on the explosives story and... Atrios: Mary Cheney - America's Biggest Problem — WaPo: "The rally was a love-fest in the conservative, rural Florida community. |
Taegan Goddard: "That Bush addressed the issue at all... reflected the prominence the explosives have gained in the final days of the... Joe Gandelman: It's boiling over into the Presidential campaign with new revelations — often seemingly contradictory — emerging with each new news cycle. Jack Balkin: From the Washington Post: [snipped quote] Why is the controversy over Al Qaqaa important? |
| Also: Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Kevin Drum | |
Military Assault in Falluja Is Likely, U.S. Officers Say By / NYT — Permalink CAMP FALLUJA, Iraq, Oct. 22 - A military offensive by American and Iraqi forces to reclaim rebel-held Falluja is probably inevitable and would be the largest and potentially the riskiest since the end of major combat in May 2003, senior American officers say. | |
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Robin Burk: I suspect this is the clearest signal yet that a massive move will be made on Fallujah very soon. read the rest! »... Colt: Fallujah is next. The British Black Watch is moving in to position to free up Marines for the job. Roger L. Simon: You will start to hear that from many Democratic operatives if the battle for Fallujah is now on as many are saying... but that dog won't hunt. |
James Joyner: Assault in Falluja Is Likely, U.S. Officers Say — Military Assault in Falluja Is Likely, U.S. Officers Say (NYT)... David Adesnik: The NYT reports that a major assault on Falluja and Ramadi is inevitable in the coming weeks. Michael Totten: TAKING FALLUJAH: The New York Times reports that the U.S. military is preparing a massive assault on Fallujah. It is time. |
| Also: Cori Dauber | |
Bush Says Kerry 'Jumps to Conclusions' on Iraq Explosives By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 - President Bush addressed for the first time today the mysterious disappearance of 380 tons of explosives in Iraq, accusing his campaign rival, Senator John Kerry, of exploiting the issue without knowing, or caring about, the truth. | |
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Gregory Djerejian: 5) Next, the Times does its level best to distance itself from a story that, it appears, could be crumbling around them. David Allan Pell: Here's Bush on the missing munitions: [snipped quote] What about jumping into a war without knowing all the facts? Tom Maguire: A Must Read — A must read from the Times. |
Joe Gandelman: The key response of President Bush is that John Kerry is jumping to conclusions — a sound bite that we can just see... Matthew Yglesias: Which presidential candidate took to the stump yesterday to explain that "a political candidate who jumps to conclusions... Max B. Sawicky: He fails to talk about the fact that more than 400,000 tons of munitions have been seized or destroyed by coalition... |
Lake Worth man accused of 'political attack' on girlfriend Sun-Sentinel — Permalink WEST PALM BEACH - An 18-year-old Marine recruit remained in jail on Wednesday, charged with threatening to stab his girlfriend over her choice for president, news partner NewsChannel 5 reported in its noon broadcast. | |
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Tim Cavanaugh: Brief story (courtesy of Drudge), here. Better story (including the portentous lead: "Steven Soper liked his girlfriend, but authorities say he liked President Bush more.") here. Joe Gandelman: I Think He Took "Voter Suppression" Too Far — From Florida, this poignant tale of a man who truly believed in... Clayton Cramer: I See Some Inconsistencies in This Story — It sounds like political derangement is becoming a big problem in Florida: ... |
Kevin Hayden: So he held her captive, threatening to stab her in the neck with a screwdriver. Ramesh Ponnuru: LEST WE THINK that all the nutty anger is on one side of this election, here's some news from Florida. (Via Mark Shea.) |
Holbrooke: "I Don't Know the Truth" By / Weekly Standard — Permalink IT SEEMS THAT Monday's groundbreaking New York Times story on missing explosives in Iraq was certainly not groundbreaking and may not even be true. The allegations that nearly 400 tons of "high explosives" were missing from the al Qaqaa arms dump are based on charges leveled by Mohamed al Baradei, chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency. | |
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Howard Kurtz: Here's Bill Kristol's piece in the Standard: "It seems that Monday's groundbreaking New York Times story on missing... Dale Franks: Anyway, Holbrooke—the foreign policy guy, not the one Clint Eastwood blew up—goes on national TV, and says the... PGL: But William Kristol's Holbrooke: I Don't Know the Truth is beyond the pale. |
Joe Gandelman: The Weekly Standard's William Kristol questions the veracity of the allegations and whether it's appropropriate for... C. D. Harris: Richard Holbrooke: "The claims are old and increasingly suspect. Greg Ransom: I SAW RICHARD HOLBROOKE'S performance on Big Story with John Gibson attempting to whitewash the big NY Times fake news... |
| Also: Hugh Hewitt | |
Bomb-gate NRO — Permalink The scandal the Times ought to be investigating. The United Nations is already embroiled in the largest economic scam in world history: the multibillion dollar Oil-for-Food scandal. | |
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Greg Ransom: And here's a good backgrounder on the story from Clifford May. And file this one under "cover your ass" — with fig leaves. Betsy Newmark: Clifford May has a great rundown on all that is wrong with the NYTrogate story. [snipped quote] Read the rest. The Big Trunk: UPDATE: And don't miss Clifford May's NRO column: "Bomb-gate." DEACON adds: I strongly urge our readers to look at May's column. |
Dale Franks: Indeed, as Clifford May reports today: "It gets worse: The U.N. weapons inspectors led by Rolf Ekeus asked the IAEA to dispose of these explosives back in 1995. Laura Rozen: As one such example, the National Review's amiable Cliff May accuses IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei of being the source... |
Iraq says 'impossible' explosives taken before regime fall AFP — Permalink BAGHDAD (AFP) - A top Iraqi science official said it was impossible that 350 tonnes of high explosives could have been smuggled out of a military site south of Baghdad before the regime fell last year. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Missing Ammunition: The Energizer Bunny Of An Issue — The issue of the missing 350 tons of explosives that vanished in... Steve Gilliard: The real October Surprise — Bush: not my fault Iraq says 'impossible' explosives taken before regime fall "BAGHDAD... Josh Marshall: "It is impossible that these materials could have been taken from this site before the regime's fall," Mohammed al-Sharaa told the AFP. |
Jeanne D'Arc: Late March/ Early April: The head of the Iraqi Science Ministry's site monitoring department says that "not even a shred... Harley: The Last Big Story of the Campaign — Every campaign has one. The story that dominates the last news cycles. |
Sources: Serious deterioration in Arafat's health By / Jerusalem Post — Permalink Palestinian officials and doctors rushed to the Mukata in Ramallah Wednesday evening amid reports that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was seriously ill. A senior PA official told The Jerusalem Post that Arafat, who has been ill for nearly two weeks, was facing difficulties breathing. | |
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Roger L. Simon: As for the Jerusalem Post... Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a cardiologist who visited PA Chairman Yasser Arafat Wednesday... Christopher Kanis: I think this could be it. |
Talking Dog: Palestinian strongman Yasir Arafat is in serious medical condition, described cryptically by different sources as... Charles Johnson: Arafish Death Pool — The world's most decrepit terrorist may finally be about to die: Sources: Serious deterioration in Arafat's health. |
Voter drive using kids draws fire By / JSOnline — Permalink Hundreds of public schoolchildren, some as young as 11, are taking time out of regular classes to canvass neighborhoods in Milwaukee, Madison and Racine in a get-out-the-vote effort organized by Wisconsin Citizen Action Fund - a group whose umbrella organization has endorsed John Kerry for president. | |
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Avedon Carol: Sadly, No! finds yet another thing that's creating right-wing outrage - school kids getting the vote out. Gasp! Joanne Jacobs: Not a class act — Instapundit surrogate Ann Althouse is right on in her critique of the use of Wisconsin students —... Andrew Stuttaford: DRAFTING SCHOOLKIDS — The latest shabby tactic from the Kerry (oh, sorry, 'non-partisan') camp is, it seems, forcing kids to get out the vote. |
Orrin Judd: WELL, SWEATSHOPPING DOES BEAT OUTSOURCING THESE DAYS: Voter drive using kids draws fire: Coalition says effort is... Bill Hobbs: Details and commentary from Ann Althouse here. Coverage from the Milwaukee State Journal here. Sadly @SadlyNo: The Milwaukee State Journal is also covering the story. |
| Also: Ann Althouse | |
Close aide: Arafat in critical condition CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was in critical condition late Wednesday after his health deteriorated through the course of the day, Palestinian officials said. Doctors were treating him at his Ramallah compound and assessing whether he should be sent to a hospital. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The face that stopped a thousand clocks and had a hand in countless deaths is now in agony: "A team of doctors was... Tom Paine: Who's in charge of this disaster zone, I have a list of complaints....." Yes, apparently the corrupt murdering bastard is slipping away, even as we speak. |
Tom Maguire: The Red Sox poised on the brink of ending their curse; Arafat poised on the brink of ending ours; Rehnquist with thyroid cancer - and it's still only Wednesday. Michele Catalano: In Which I Gloat About the Near-Dead — Faster, please. [How long before someone yells October Surprise! and mutters something about Karl Rove? |
Scientists Discover Ancient 'Little People' By / WaPo — Permalink Scientists have discovered a tiny species of ancient human that lived 18,000 years ago on an isolated island east of the Java Sea — a prehistoric hunter in a "lost world" of giant lizards and miniature elephants. | |
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Joe Gandelman: As someone who is five foot two I PROTEST this story that is an affront to my self-esteem — a story about scientists discovering a new species of ancient "little people." Shawn @LiquidList: Culture: It's True! It's True! The little people ARE real!! [snipped quote] Oh, how I love the little people. John J. Miller: Go here for another good summary of what's been found. |
Jesse Walker: Hobbits and Scotsmen — The Washington Post reports: [snipped quote] In other archeological news, a find in Scotland... Matthew Yglesias: Prehistoric Midgets — Located east of the Java Sea in along with some miniature elephants and giant lizards. |
Spokesman: Unit Didn't Search Al-Qaqaa By / AP — Permalink A U.S. military unit that reached a munitions storage installation after the invasion of Iraq had no orders to search or secure the site, where officials say nearly 400 tons of explosives have vanished. | |
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Joe Gandelman: There weren't orders? That's what a spokesman for the unit says: no orders to search or secure the site. Jeanne D'Arc: An AP reporter, embedded with the 3rd Infantry, described the searches of Al Qaqaa and other military facilities south... |
Juan Cole: Deadly Dual Use Explosives Missing: Part Deux — The politicization of news in the United States has reached such an... Matthew Yglesias: More absentee ballot problems rear their head in The Palm Beach Post, while Kimberly Hefling's account of the Al Qaqaa... |
Doctors in Ramallah fighting to save Arafat's life Haaretz — Permalink Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's health has deteriorated and he is in critical condition, Palestinian sources said on Wednesday night. The sources went on to say that Tunisian doctors were fighting for his life. | |
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Sir George: Time for Your Prayers — LC & IB Moparmike has notified me that Arafat is in critical condition, so it's time for your prayers. Damian Penny: Dear Santa — Please, please, please let this man die before Christmas, and you won't have to give me any more presents. |
David Allan Pell: Ariel Sharon is fighting for his political life while the deterioration of Yasser Arafat's health has reportedly left him in critical condition. Roger L. Simon: Haaretz, of course, is watching closely and has similar information. Maybe he's not crying wolf this time. |
Long lines, busy signals fuel voting frustration in Broward By / Sun-Sentinel — Permalink The Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office pointed a finger at the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday for nearly 60,000 missing absentee ballots, but took the blame for having a phone system that was being overwhelmed by calls from frustrated voters. | |
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Damian Penny: Oh, dear Lord, don't tell me we're going to be going through this nonsense all over again: The Broward County Supervisor... James Joyner: Florida: 58,000 Missing Ballots and 9 Lawsuits — Long lines, busy signals fuel voting frustration in Broward... Jeralyn Merritt: 58,000 Absentee Ballots Missing in Florida — The Broward County Elections office blames the Post Office. |
Matthew Yglesias: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel out of Fort Lauderdale leads with reports that 60,000 Broward County absentee ballots... Hugh Hewitt: And in Florida, local election officials are already overwhelmed. |
Terrorists hope to defeat Bush through Iraq violence By / Washington Times — Permalink BAGHDAD — Leaders and supporters of the anti-U.S. insurgency say their attacks in recent weeks have a clear objective: The greater the violence, the greater the chances that President Bush will be defeated on Tuesday and the Americans will go home. | |
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Todd Pearson: Quite honestly, I think that the senior leadership of al-Qaeda wants Bush re-elected for this reason:... McQ: More "foreign leaders" Endorse kerry — But these endorsements are sounded with a blast: [snipped quote] To bang the drum... Charles Johnson: Kerry's Iraqi Supporters — The holy warriors in Iraq are consciously trying to defeat President Bush by amping up the violence. |
Arthur Chrenkoff: First, this report from Iraq, and another endorsement Kerry could do without: "Leaders and supporters of the anti-U.S... Stefan Beck: PostedI don't think these were quite the "foreign leaders" John Kerry was referring to: [snipped quote] Of course, Senator Kerry has his fair share of enemies, too. PoliPundit: Quote of the Day — Iraqi terrorist Abu Jalal: [snipped quote] Don't let the terrorists put their candidate in our White House. |
| Also: Mitch Berg, Juan Non-Volokh, Betsy Newmark | |
Democrats file 9 suits in Florida By / Washington Times — Permalink Democrats in Florida already are pursuing nine election-related lawsuits, accusing state election officials of conspiring to disenfranchise minority voters. | |
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Clayton Cramer: Apparently Butterfly Ballots Aren't The Only Item Too Complex For Democrats — The Democrats are already filing lawsuits... More...: Democrats have invented a nonexistent racial issue. Here is a Washington Times update. (Thanks to Powerline for this link.) Michelle Malkin: Meanwhile, Democratic lawyers have already filed 9 lawsuits in Florida. |
James Joyner: Democrats file 9 suits in Florida (Washington Times) "Democrats in Florida already are pursuing nine election-related... Jeralyn Merritt: Democrats have already filed nine voting-related lawsuits in Florida. Acidman: It has all the signs of a complete fiasco already. |
| Also: Hindrocket, John Cole | |
CIA can't authenticate taped threat to U.S. MSNBC — Permalink The CIA is unable to authenticate a videotape in which a man claiming to be an al-Qaida terrorist warns of devastating new attacks on the United States, a senior U.S. intelligence official told NBC News on Wednesday. | |
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Magpie @PacificViews: A purported al-Qaeda tape threatening a massive attack on the US. What timing, eh? Joe Gandelman: UPDATE: DESPITE THE SCREECHING HEADLINES THE CIA CAN'T AUTHENTICATE THE TAPE (sorry I don't have a siren..) |
Steve M.: George Orwell, 1984 **** UPDATE: Josh Marshall quotes an NBC report that strongly suggests that this is no more... Michelle Malkin: And a follow-up report from Fox News here. MSNBC says CIA can't authenticate the tape. |
'Hobbit' joins human family tree BBC — Permalink Scientists have discovered a new and tiny species of human that lived in Indonesia at the same time our own ancestors were colonising the world. The three-foot (one-metre) tall species - dubbed "the Hobbit" - lived on Flores island until at least 12,000 years ago. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: RELATIVES — Well, I'm pretty much bereft of hair, but it would appear that my predecessors have been found. Chris Bertram: A new human species — The BBC is reporting that scientists have discovered evidence of a new human species that... |
Steve Bainbridge: Frodo Lived — [snipped quote] Cool. You will recall, of course, that the Prologue to the Lord of the Rings implies that Hobbits still live among us, albeit in hiding. |
Eminem Aims at Bush By / The Nation — Permalink H as Eminem—the poster child of American disenchantment—become the new face of activism? Those who are accustomed to Eminem's gay-bashing, gun-toting antics will hardly believe their eyes, as they watch his new video in which the top-selling rapper and his posse file into the voting booths, the words "Vote Tuesday, November 2" fading into the screen. | |
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Steve Gilliard: Number one with a bullet: Mosh — Coming to a polling place near you Eminem Aims at Bush by Sam Graham-Felsen "Those... |
Kos: Mosh is #1 — Eminem's "Mosh" is the number one video on MTV. The Nation has more. And the best analysis of the video comes from our very own Kid Oakland. |