Top Items:
New York Times:
G.O.P. Senators and Bush Reach Wiretap Accord — WASHINGTON, March 7 — Moving to tamp down Democratic calls for an investigation of the administration's domestic eavesdropping program, Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesday that they had reached agreement with the White House …
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Walter Pincus / Washington Post:
Senate Panel Blocks Eavesdropping Probe — The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted along party lines yesterday to reject a Democratic proposal to investigate the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program and instead approved establishing, with White House approval, a seven-member panel to oversee the effort.
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Post-mortem on the Intelligence Committee vote — (updated below) — The Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday rejected Sen. Rockefeller's motion to hold hearings to investigate the President's warrantless eavesdropping program by an 8-7, strict party line vote.
Houston Chronicle:
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 22 — He prevails over three in spite of legal troubles — Still facing legal battles, U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay won a pivotal political fight Tuesday by defeating three challengers in the Republican primary for his Houston-area seat. — Opponent Tom Campbell …
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Sylvia Moreno / Washington Post:
DeLay Wins Tex. GOP Primary — Former House Majority Leader Easily Beats Three Challengers — AUSTIN, March 7 — Rep. Tom DeLay, facing an unusual four-way Republican primary, won the party's nomination Tuesday, calling his victory a rejection by voters of "the politics of personal destruction."
Discussion:
The Sundries Shack, Outside The Beltway, Thoughts of an Average Woman and A Blog For All
George Jahn / Associated Press:
Iran Threatens U.S. With 'Harm and Pain' — VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Iran threatened the United States with "harm and pain" Wednesday for its role in hauling Tehran before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program. America's ambassador to the United Nations said Iran's comments reflected the menace it poses.
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Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
At Conservative Forum on Bush, Everybody's a Critic — If the ancient political wisdom is correct that a charge unanswered is a charge agreed to, the Bush White House pleaded guilty yesterday at the Cato Institute to some extraordinary allegations. — "We did ask a few members …
Thomas B. Edsall / Washington Post:
Democrats' Data Mining Stirs an Intraparty Battle — With Private Effort on Voter Information, Ickes and Soros Challenge Dean and DNC — A group of well-connected Democrats led by a former top aide to Bill Clinton is raising millions of dollars to start a private firm that plans …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, PunditGuy, The Agonist, GOP Bloggers, Oliver Willis, Betsy's Page, The American Mind, Booman Tribune and ScrappleFace
Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:
House Agrees To Vote On Ports — Efforts by the White House to hold off legislation challenging a Dubai-owned company's acquisition of operations at six major U.S. ports collapsed yesterday when House Republican leaders agreed to allow a vote next week that could kill the deal.
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Charles Babington / Washington Post:
Congress Votes to Renew Patriot Act, With Changes — Congress voted yesterday to renew a four-year-old anti-terrorism law that makes it easier for federal agents to secretly obtain Americans' records and communications, even as some lawmakers warned that voters are growing increasingly concerned …
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Democratic Veteran
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Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
House Renews USA Patriot Act; Bush to Sign
House Renews USA Patriot Act; Bush to Sign
Discussion:
Power Line
Bill Brubaker / Washington Post:
Rumsfeld Says Media Exaggerating Iraqi Civilian Deaths — Defense Secretary Suggests Misreporting Swaying Public Opinion — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today presented an upbeat report of the conflict in Iraq and said he agrees with the commander of the U.S.-led coalition …
Discussion:
DefenseLINK, CNN, The Heretik, The Huffington Post, Rising Hegemon, Needlenose, The Left Coaster, Waveflux, NewsBusters.org, AMERICAblog, Bark Bark Woof Woof and Daily Kos
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New York Times:
Elite Troops Get Expanded Role on Intelligence — WASHINGTON, March 7 — The military is placing small teams of Special Operations troops in a growing number of American embassies to gather intelligence on terrorists in unstable parts of the world and to prepare for potential missions to disrupt, capture or kill them.
Associated Press:
New animal resembles furry lobster — PARIS, France (AP) — Divers have discovered a new crustacean in the South Pacific that resembles a lobster and is covered with what looks like silky, blond fur, French researchers said Tuesday. — Scientists said the animal, which they named Kiwa hirsuta …
Discussion:
Running Scared
Nick Schulz / Slate:
The Crappiest Invention of All Time — Why the auto-flushing toilet must die. — After a stint of telecommuting, I recently returned to working in a large downtown building. My office shares a men's room with everyone who works on our level. The bathroom sports three stalls …
Kevin Sites / Reuters:
UN envoy alarmed at Cuba jail allegations — GENEVA (Reuters) - A special U.N. rights envoy expressed alarm on Tuesday at allegations of ill treatment in Cuban jails, but said that a U.S. economic embargo was hampering attempts to improve Cuba's respect for political rights.