Top Items:
White House:
President's Address to the Nation — THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Three days ago, in large numbers, Iraqis went to the polls to choose their own leaders — a landmark day in the history of liberty. In the coming weeks, the ballots will be counted, a new government formed …
RELATED ITEMS:
Think Progress:
EMBARGOED TEXT: Bush's Prime Time Speech on Iraq — [Ed note: We'll start respecting embargoes when they start telling the truth.] — THE WHITE HOUSE — Office of the Press Secretary — EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY December 18, 2005 — ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION
Discussion:
Pam's House Blend, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, The Washington Monthly and The Liberal Avenger
Michelle Malkin:
THE BUSH SPEECH: NO CUT AND RUN — Tonight. 9pm EST. President Bush addresses the nation on Iraq. Preview: … The White House website will have a live webcast here. The White House Renewal in Iraq page is here. — TV Newser has details of tonight's MSM coverage: … 0902pm EST.
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:
BUSH DOUBLES DOWN: I just watched Bush's speech. Nothing new there for anyone who's been paying attention to the speeches he's been giving over the past couple of weeks. But one big thing struck me: In this national televised speech, Bush went out of his way to take responsibility for the war.
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Presidential Address Live Blog — I'll be live-blogging the Oval Office speech by George Bush in this post when it starts in 30 minutes. Keep checking back for updates ... 8:00 — I wonder what color tie he'll be wearing? I'll be watching this on Fox ...
Lorie Byrd / PoliPundit.com:
The Iraq Address To The Nation — Good speech. President Bush did a much better job than usual in the Oval Office format (except for some of the hand motions) and he covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. He didn't point to many specifics, but did a great job at making many points including the following:
New York Times:
Eavesdropping Effort Began Soon After Sept. 11 Attacks — WASHINGTON - The National Security Agency first began to conduct warrantless eavesdropping on telephone calls and e-mail messages between the United States and Afghanistan months before President Bush officially authorized a broader version …
RELATED ITEMS:
Laura / War and Piece:There's something else about the Bush/NSA warrantless …
Discussion:
Eric Umansky
Haaretz:
Sharon aide: PM's condition improved, he looks excellent — A senior aide to Ariel Sharon said after visiting him Monday morning that the prime minister's condition had improved overnight, and that there were no external signs of the mild stroke he suffered Sunday night.
RELATED ITEM:
MSNBC:
Transcript for December 18 — MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this is Sunday: the Iraqi people vote in large numbers. What now for their country and for our men and women in Iraq? With us, the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice. And for the Democrats, the ranking member …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Unclaimed Territory, The Heretik, Booman Tribune ~ Boo! and scout prime
RELATED ITEMS:
John Amato / Crooks and Liars:Condi: I am not a crook! Sorry, I meant: I am not a lawyer!
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
David Neiwert / Orcinus:
They're making a watch list ... ... checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice ... Big Brother is coming to town: … Plainly, this kind of anecdote underscores the ease with which programs aimed strictly at stopping terrorists (or those with a "clear link" to terrorists) …
RELATED ITEMS:
Walter Pincus / Washington Post:
Pentagon's Intelligence Authority Widens — Fact Sheet Details Secretive Agency's Growth From Focus on Policy to Counterterrorism — The Pentagon's newest counterterrorism agency, charged with protecting military facilities and personnel wherever they are, is carrying out intelligence collection …
Jonathan Chait / The New Republic:
A SURPRISE IN BUSH'S IRAQ SPEECH: — I am not, to say the least, a fan of President Bush. But a portion of his speech tonight genuinely moved me and made me think more highly of him. It was the part where he addressed opponents of the Iraq war, said he understand their passion but asked …
Discussion:
The Anonymous Liberal
Associated Press:
Reid Calls for Probe of Domestic Spying by Bush administration — Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called Sunday for congressional hearings and investigations into President Bush's authorization of domestic spying as part of the war on terror. — "This Congress has done very little oversight …
Discussion:
The Claremont Institute, Say Anything, baldilocks, THE ASTUTE BLOGGER and protein wisdom
Jodi Wilgoren / New York Times:
Red District, Blue Candidate, Purple Heart — CHICAGO, Dec. 16 - During 13 months of rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth says, she did a lot of reading about American schoolchildren "losing our competitive advantage" with China.
Joe Keohane / Boston Globe:
Public enemy — Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel 'It Can't Happen Here' envisioned an America in thrall to a homespun facist dictator. Newly reissued, it's as unsettling a read as ever. — PICTURE THIS: A folksy, self-consciously plainspoken Southern politician rises to power during a period of profound unrest in America.
