Top Items:
David Stout / New York Times:
Defense of Eavesdropping Is Met With Skepticism in Senate — WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales told skeptical senators today that the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program is legal, constitutional and vital to national security in a time of terrorism.
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Alberto R. Gonzales / Opinion Journal:
America Expects Surveillance — Monitoring the enemy is necessary and appropriate. — In the days following Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush charted a course of action to respond to the worst attack on our homeland in history. He promised to use every tool available to defeat al Qaeda …
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Live blogging the NSA hearings — The logistics of live-blogging from the Committee room were too complicated, so I am live-blogging the hearings off-site. I may be able to do it from the Committee room itself for the afternoon session, but I'd rather have full blogging abilities outside of the room than be in the room.
CNN:
Gonzales faces skeptical questions about spy program — Attorney general defends NSA eavesdropping — WASHINGTON (CNN) — U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was defending President Bush's controversial domestic spying program Monday in testimony at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Discussion:
Angry Bear
USA Today:
Telecoms let NSA spy on calls — The National Security Agency has secured the cooperation of large telecommunications companies, including AT&T, MCI and Sprint, in its efforts to eavesdrop without warrants on international calls by suspected terrorists, according to seven telecommunications executives.
BBC:
Four killed in cartoon protests — Four people have died in violent protests against cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad, following more than a week of demonstrations. — Three people died after police in Afghanistan fired on protesters when a police station came under attack, a government spokesman said.
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit, News Blog, Gina Cobb, Blinq, A Blog For All, Washington Post, Outside The Beltway and The Moderate Voice
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Victor Davis Hanson / realclearpolitics.com:A European Awakening Against Islamic Fascism?
Discussion:
All Things Beautiful, irishpennants.com, Instapundit.com, Sister Toldjah and Austin Bay Blog
Washington Post:
Handful of Races May Tip Control of Congress — In Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum (R) has been running behind his challenger for months. In Montana, Sen. Conrad Burns (R), linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal, is on the defensive. In Ohio, Sen. Mike DeWine (R) is struggling to overcome …
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Jim Galloway / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Republican senators urge Reed to quit race — Twenty-one Republican state senators on Friday called for Ralph Reed to withdraw from the contest for lieutenant governor, declaring that his ties to Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff could jeopardize the re-election of Gov. Sonny Perdue and the rest of the GOP ticket.
Erin P. Billings / rollcall.com:
Democrats 'Recalibrating' Message Strategy — National Democratic leaders remain engaged in strategic talks over how and when to unveil their 2006 campaign platform, with recent discussions focused on laying out the party agenda in installments rather than all at once.
Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:
Bush's $2.8 Trillion Budget Proposal Cuts Domestic Programs — President Bush today proposed a $2.8 trillion budget for fiscal 2007 that would cut billions of dollars from domestic programs ranging from Medicare and food stamps to local law enforcement and disease control …
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Digby / Hullabaloo:
The Eunuch Caucus — I've been digesting this morning's hearings and I am dumbstruck by the totality of the Republicans' abdication of their duty. These men who spent years running on Madisonian principles ("The essence of government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands …
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report
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Matthew Yglesias / TAPPED:WHAT HAPPENED TO POWER HUNGER? I'm glad to see that Arlen Specter seems …
Discussion:
The Reaction
John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Hilarious: Pajamaline — First of all Power Line is not part of Pajamas Media as far as I know. (I believe they are part of the Blog News Service of PM) Durbin reacts to Mirengoff's parroting of Karl Rove's talking point. — Video-WMP Video-QT — Atrios:
somethingawful.com:
Leave a Message in the Anonymous Muslim Man Complaint Box — I saw on the TV that there is a show now with a woman host. This is not very bad by itself because the woman was dressed in accordance with the laws of Islam and did not expose herself and inflame the lust of any male guests.
Hillel Italie / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Feminism pioneer Betty Friedan dies at 85 — NEW YORK — Betty Friedan, whose manifesto "The Feminine Mystique" helped shatter the cozy suburban ideal of the post-World War II era and laid the groundwork for the modern feminist movement, died Saturday, her birthday. She was 85.
Andrew Sabl / The Reality-Based Community:
Attacking Iran—the analogies — While I normally have the highest intellectual respect for Mark Kleiman, his tentative support for military action in Iran is (as he knows) one position that makes me doubt whether his contact with reality is as solid as he believes.
Hugh Hewitt:
The Worst Superbowl Moment? — Had to be Ed Rendell's when he saw Lynn Swann run on to Ford Field with other past Superbowl MVPs. Swann got a thundering reception from the pro-Steelers crowd. Let's see —tired, old party hack versus fresh face superstar with charisma.
Judd / Think Progress:
VIDEO: Senate Conservatives Refuse To Put Gonzales Under Oath — Watch the right-wing members of the committee take a principled stand against accountability: … Specter wins the vote but concludes "this is really not a very good way to begin this hearing." — Full Transcript:
Francoalemán / Barcepundit:
NOW, ZAPATERO HAS DEFINITELY put Spain in the wrong side. With all Western countries publicly defending free speech and condemning the barbaric acts of violence after the publication of the Danish cartoons, Zapatero and Erdogan write an open letter that has been published in today's International Herald Tribune:
