Top Items:
Reuters:
Iraq border chief denies forged ballots seized — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The head of Iraq's border guards denied police reports on Wednesday that a tanker truck stuffed with thousands of forged ballot papers had been seized crossing into Iraq from Iran before Thursday's elections.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Donklephant, PunditGuy, Confederate Yankee, Stop The ACLU, QandO, Jihad Watch and Daily Pundit
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CNN:
Truck with allegedly fake ballots detained — Four soldiers, Sunni politician killed in separate incidents … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — With the country's parliamentary elections slated for Thursday and early voting already under way, a truck carrying what are believed to be fake ballots …
Discussion:
BlondeSense
Raleigh News & Observer:
Bush can settle CIA leak riddle, Novak says — Newspaper columnist Robert Novak is still not naming his source in the Valerie Plame affair, but he says he is pretty sure the name is no mystery to President Bush. — "I'm confident the president knows who the source is," …
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CNN:
Bush takes responsibility for invasion intelligence — President says removing Hussein still 'right decision' … WASHINGTON (CNN) — On the eve of Iraq's historic election, President Bush took responsibility Wednesday for "wrong" intelligence that led to the war, but he said removing Saddam Hussein was still necessary.
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MSNBC:
Bush acknowledges faulty Iraq intelligence — But he says war was still justified to oust Saddam, create democracy … MSNBC TV — WASHINGTON - President Bush accepted responsibility on Wednesday for going to war with faulty intelligence, but firmly defended a decision that has deeply divided the country.
Max Boot / Los Angeles Times:
Hate torture? Consider boot camp — HOLD THE PRESSES. I've discovered that the use of torture by the U.S. government is far more pervasive than previously believed. There are major facilities all over the country where thousands of men and women who have not committed any crime are held …
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Ben Connable / Washington Post:
The Truth On the Ground — When I told people that I was getting ready to head back to Iraq for my third tour, the usual response was a frown, a somber head shake and even the occasional "I'm sorry." When I told them that I was glad to be going back, the response was awkward disbelief, a fake smile and a change of subject.
Christian Oliver / Reuters:
Iran's Ahmadinejad says Holocaust a myth — TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the Holocaust was a myth, ramping up his rhetoric and triggering a fresh wave of international condemnation. — Last week Ahmadinejad first aired his doubts on the veracity …
Discussion:
PunditGuy, The Anchoress, Daily Pundit, Cold Fury, PoliBlog and A Chequer-Board of Nights …
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National Review:
Will Rove be Indicted? — There have been rumors flying around Washington in the last few days that Karl Rove, the president's top political adviser, might soon be indicted in the CIA leak investigation. At least for now, the rumors appear to be based on someone hearing that someone else …
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Brad DeLong / Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal:
Astroturf vs Grassroots (Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps?) — I talked to John Harris, national political editor of the print Washington Post this morning. It didn't go very well: … My belief—but since he won't answer the questions, I do not know—is that John Harris knew full …
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Washington Post:
A Religious Protest Largely From the Left — Conservative Christians Say Fighting Cuts in Poverty Programs Is Not a Priority — When hundreds of religious activists try to get arrested today to protest cutting programs for the poor, prominent conservatives such as James Dobson, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell will not be among them.
Discussion:
USA Today, Bull Moose, TAPPED, The Carpetbagger Report, The Stakeholder, Wonkette, Prometheus 6 and NewsBusters.org
White House:
President Discusses Iraqi Elections, Victory in the War on Terror — Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center — Washington, D.C. — In Focus: National Security — In Focus: Renewal in Iraq — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Please be seated. Thank you for the warm welcome.
Philip Shenon / New York Times:
Democrat Returning Donations From Abramoff's Tribal Clients — WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 - The ranking Democrat on the Senate committee investigating the Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff announced on Tuesday that he was returning $67,000 in political contributions from Mr. Abramoff's former partners and Indian tribe clients.
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org
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Jeffrey H. Birnbaum / Washington Post:
Immigration Pushes Apart GOP, Chamber — The House Republican leadership and the nation's business lobby, usually close allies, are battling each other over the issue of immigration. — In a rare schism, employer groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are pressing to kill …
Paul Sperry / Front Page Magazine:
The Pentagon Breaks the Islam Taboo — Washington's policy-makers have been careful in the war on terror to distinguish between Islam and the terrorists. The distinction has rankled conservatives who see scarce difference. — A little-noticed speech by President Bush in October gave them some hope.
