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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 …
Discussion:
Obsidian Wings, The Political Pit Bull, Hugh Hewitt, The Carpetbagger Report, Althouse, In Search Of Utopia, JunkYardBlog, chicagoboyz.net, Decision '08, This Blog Is Full Of Crap, Blogs for Bush, CALIFORNIA YANKEE, No More Mister Nice Blog, Conservative Thinking, Fraters Libertas, Balloon Juice, Barcepundit, BizzyBlog.com, In the Bullpen and Suitably Flip
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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
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.
Discussion:
Solomonia, PunditGuy, All Things Conservative, In the Bullpen, TigerHawk, Dean's World, Ed Driscoll.com, Viking Pundit and firedoglake
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.
Discussion:
Right Wing Nut House, The Reaction, Betsy's Page, California Conservative and Blogs for Bush
Pajamas Media:
From the Oval Office to the blogs — Michelle Malkin liveblogged Bush's prime time speech in the Oval Office last night, and blogs started commenting right after it ended: — Instapundit: "[O]ne big thing struck me: In this national televised speech, Bush went out of his way to take responsibility for the war.
Gateway Pundit:
After Only 1,000 Days, Bush Takes Credit for Iraq — "We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction... Saddam may well hide his most lethal weapons in mosques, schools and hospitals. If our forces attempt to strike such targets …
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 …
Elisabeth Bumiller / New York Times:
Asking for Patience, Bush Cites Progress in Iraq — WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 - President Bush declared to the nation on Sunday night that the United States was winning the war in Iraq and pleaded with his viewers not to "give in to despair" over a conflict that has cost more than 2,100 American lives and an estimated 30,000 Iraqi deaths.
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ScrappleFace
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Michael A. Fletcher / Washington Post:President Gives Both Reassurance, Warnings on Iraq
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Wonkette
New York Times:
Rice Defends Domestic Eavesdropping — WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday defended President Bush's decision to secretly authorize the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without seeking warrants, saying the program was carefully controlled …
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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.
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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 …
Hope Yen / Associated Press:
Lawmakers Call for Domestic Spying Probe — WASHINGTON - Democrats and Republicans called separately Sunday for congressional investigations into President Bush's decision after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to allow domestic eavesdropping without court approval.
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Tom Shales / Washington Post:
From the Oval Office, a Call to See the Light at the End of the Tunnel — Determined to sound determined, President Bush addressed the nation on the troublesome subject of Iraq in a 16-minute speech last night from the Oval Office. Grim-faced, yet with a trace of anxiety in his eyes …
Oliver Poole / Telegraph:
Iraqis in former rebel stronghold now cheer American soldiers — In the low-slung concrete buildings of Tal Afar, a city built on dirty sand and mud, George W Bush sees the potential for military success in Iraq. — In recent weeks it has been one case study the American president …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
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.
Laura / War and Piece:
There's something else about the Bush/NSA warrantless, oversight-less spying on Americans that doesn't make sense. The case Bush cited yesterday - of two San Diego based hijackers al Hazmi and al-Mihdhar and their overseas communications — as a justification for going around the FISA court …
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