Top Items:
David Johnston / New York Times:
Cover-Up Issue Is Seen as Focus in Leak Inquiry — WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - As he weighs whether to bring criminal charges in the C.I.A. leak case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special counsel, is focusing on whether Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, and I. Lewis Libby Jr. …
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Washington Post:
A Palpable Silence at the White House — At 7:30 each morning, President Bush's senior staff gathers to discuss the important issues of the day — Middle East peace, the Harriet Miers nomination, the latest hurricane bearing down on the coast. Everything, that is, except the issue on everyone's mind.
Discussion:
democracyarsenal.org, Wonkette, AMERICAblog, Houtopia, Just a Bump in the Beltway and RedState.org
Associated Press:
U.N.: Syria, Lebanon Involved in Slaying — UNITED NATIONS - Top Syrian intelligence officials approved the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and their Lebanese counterparts helped organize it, according to a U.N. probe that officially linked Damascus to the slaying for the first time.
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Washington Post:
U.N. Report Sees Syrian Involvement in Hariri's Death — A U.N. investigation has implicated senior Syrian and Lebanese officials in the assassination of Lebanon's leading reformer in a move that U.S. and European officials expect will generate new international pressure on the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad.
New York Times:
Top Syrian Seen as Prime Suspect in Assassination — UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 - The United Nations investigation into the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri of Lebanon is focusing on the powerful brother-in-law of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria as the main suspect …
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Miers: The Only Exit Strategy — It's no secret that I think the Harriet Miers nomination was a mistake. Nonetheless, when asked how she will do in her confirmation hearings, my answer is, I hope she does well. I have no desire to see her humiliated. Nor would I take any joy in seeing her rejected …
Discussion:
Wampum, The Moderate Voice, Daly Thoughts, TMH's Bacon Bits, Just a Bump in the Beltway, Althouse and Decision '08
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Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
The Final Act Of Miers Nomination Begins — CQ reader Tom Holsinger notes a key development in the Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court, one that probably will signal a merciful end to the conservative split over the controversial selection. Two key Republican Senators …
John Fund / Opinion Journal:
Lotto Trouble — The Miers nomination pits a Swift Boat author against a Bush National Guard detractor—in reverse. — The politics of the Harriet Miers nomination are getting stranger as attention turns toward Ms. Miers's tenure as head of the Texas Lottery Commission.
Discussion:
The Right Coast
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Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Bad News Turns Into Flood On Miers — This morning's news has administration aides choking on their morning coffee regarding the Harriet Miers nomination. While the Wall Street Journal comes out in opposition to her confirmation and urges withdrawal, the New York Sun reports …
Discussion:
The Anchoress
jdnews.com:
Time to close up this federal trough — One of the smartest things President Bush did to reduce recovery costs in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was to suspend Davis-Bacon Act rules in the hardest hit states. But Congress is frantically trying to overrule the president …
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Kieran Healy / Crooked Timber:
Ye Ladies of Easy Leisure — So by now everyone and his same-sex partner knows that Maggie Gallagher's stint at Volokh is one long struggle between her strong argument that marriage has many benefits and her handwaving about gay people bringing down the Roman Empire.
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Elisabeth Bumiller / New York Times:
Team Is Preparing Miers for Tough Senate Hearing — WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - The briefing books are the same. The White House and Justice Department inquisitors are the same. Even the questions are largely the same, like queries about abortion rights, the right to privacy and the 14th Amendment.
Discussion:
Althouse
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Charles Babington / Washington Post:After the Home Run, a White House Balk?
Discussion:
AMERICAblog
Jon Sanders / johnlocke.org:
*Former* NC State visiting prof Kamau Kambon DID call for the extermination of white people — Go to C-SPAN online, click on the recent archives and scroll down till you find "Black Media Forum on Image of Black Americans in Mainstream Media" (Oct. 14 at Howard University).
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Timothy Williams / New York Times:
Lawyer Representing Defendant in Hussein Trial Is Found Dead — A lawyer representing one of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants was found dead with a bullet wound to the head in Baghdad, the Iraqi government said today. — The body of Sa'doun Antar Nsaif Al Janabi was foundThursday night, but he was not identified until today.
Discussion:
TAPPED
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Michael Georgy / Reuters:Men in suits took slain Saddam trial lawyer-witnesses
Discussion:
Body and Soul
Suzanne Gamboa / Associated Press:
DeLay in Court; Lawyers Request New Judge — AUSTIN, Texas - Rep. Tom DeLay appeared in court Friday for the first time since his indictment, but his arraignment on conspiracy and money laundering charges was delayed pending a hearing on his request for a new judge in the politically charged case.
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James K. Glassman / Tech Central Station:
Are Americans Becoming Europeans? — MILAN - I have just finished a two-week trip to Europe — my honeymoon, if you must know — and, as usual with a European trip, I have come away with two completely different impressions. — Europe, or at least the parts I go to, is a wonderful place to live and to visit.
Discussion:
TAPPED
Jack Shafer / Slate:
The Exorcism of the New York Times — In the name of journalism, the paper must cast out the unclean spirits. — The ongoing Judith Miller scandal—like Jayson Blair's journalistic malfeasance and the embarrassments of the Wen Ho Lee episode before it—has sent the old gray palooka …
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Los Angeles Times:
Bush Critic Became Target of Libby, Former Aides Say — Cheney's chief of staff reportedly sought an aggressive campaign against Wilson. — WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was so angry about the public statements of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV …
Discussion:
mediabistro, firedoglake, The All Spin Zone, War and Piece and Just a Bump in the Beltway
ktva.com:
Senate comes to halt in battle among Republicans over bridges — According to the Associated Press, Alaska's senior senator was the forefront today of a clash of generations and political philosophy. Ted Stevens, a 37-year Senate veteran, told freshman colleague Tom Coburn of Oklahoma …
Discussion:
GOP Bloggers
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Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
DeLay Smile May Foil Democrat Campaign Ads — WASHINGTON — Why is Tom DeLay smiling? After all, he's been indicted. Forced out of his job as House majority leader. And called into court for fingerprinting and a mugshot like a common criminal. — Answer: A photo of DeLay grinning …
Discussion:
Oblogatory Anecdotes, Don Surber, NewsBusters.org, THE DAILY DELAY and Media Blog on National …
Billmon:
Imperial Candor — I just got finished reading the full transcript of the talk given by Larry Wilkerson (Colin Powell's chief of staff) at the New America Foundation on Wednesday. There is some truly scary stuff in there — going way beyond the "cabal" comment that's been the soundbite of choice for the corporate media.
