Top Items:
Josh Marshall / TPM Muckraker:
McClellan Bobs and Weaves, But Certainly Doesn't Leak — This morning's White House gaggle, started at 10 AM ... QUESTION: Did the President authorize the leak of intelligence information? — Scott McClellan: Terry, there is an ongoing legal proceeding, and our policy has been that we're …
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The Washington Monthly, The Left Coaster, Democrats.com, Andrew Sullivan, Wonkette, Suburban Guerrilla and PoliticalSports
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New York Post:
DUBYA CAN'T LEAK — IT'S amazing how the common topics and subjects of discussion three years ago should vanish so quickly from memory. — Yesterday, breathless news reports suggested that President Bush had directed the "leak" of classified information in July 2003.
Discussion:
Donklephant, TAPPED, Austin Bay Blog, Sister Toldjah, Carol Platt Liebau, USS Neverdock and Gateway Pundit
Michael A. Fletcher / Washington Post:
Experts: Tactic Would Be Legal but Unusual — Legal experts say that President Bush had the unquestionable authority to approve the disclosure of secret CIA information to reporters, but they add that the leak was highly unusual and amounted to using sensitive intelligence data for political gain.
Michael A. Fletcher / Washington Post:
Testimony Adds New Element to Probe of CIA Leak — The allegation that President Bush authorized the dissemination of secret intelligence as part of an effort to buttress his case for war with Iraq introduces a new dimension to the long-running CIA leak investigation, while posing troubling …
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Hopelessly Compromised (II) — The NY Times editors tackle the latest Fitzgerald filings, and are more disingenuous than their reporters. … Emphasis added throughout. Regarding the "unmasking of... a covert C.I.A. agent", it is clear that Ms. Plame's status was classified …
Discussion:
Gay Patriot, The Anchoress, Instapundit.com, Dr. Sanity, Cold Fury, The Left Coaster and Booman Tribune
New York Times:
Immigration Deal Falls Short in Senate — WASHINGTON, April 7 — A carefully constructed compromise on immigration reform apparently fell apart in the Senate today after Democrats fended off conservative Republican efforts to amend the agreement and an effort to cut off debate failed by a lopsided vote.
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Suzanne Gamboa / Associated Press:
Senate Shelves Immigration Bill — The Senate sidetracked sweeping immigration legislation Friday, leaving in doubt prospects for passing a bill offering the hope of citizenship to millions of men, women and children living in the United States illegally. — A carefully crafted compromise …
Jeannine Aversa / Associated Press:
Employers Boost March Payrolls by 211,000 — Employers, in a springtime hiring burst, boosted payrolls by a sizable 211,000 in March and pushed the nation's unemployment rate down to 4.7 percent. — The latest snapshot, released by the Labor Department on Friday, suggested …
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Jeannine Aversa / Associated Press:
Consumer Confidence in Economy Improves — Consumer confidence in the economy's prospects improved in early April even as gasoline prices and borrowing costs marched higher. — The RBC CASH (Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household) Index, based on results from the international polling firm Ipsos …
CNN:
More than 70 killed in Baghdad mosque attack — Shrine has ties to Shiite political party; imam is in parliament — BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Three suicide bombers on Friday struck a Baghdad mosque affiliated with a major Shiite political party, killing at least 74 people, according to the Iraqi Health Ministry.
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William Sherman / NY Daily News:
The billionaire, the Post and the $220G shakedown — Page Six writer wanted $$$ to stop inaccurate coverage — A New York Post Page Six staffer solicited $220,000 from a high-profile billionaire in return for a year's "protection" against inaccurate and unflattering items about him in the gossip page, the Daily News has learned.
Con Coughlin / Telegraph:
Iran has missiles to carry nuclear warheads — Iran has successfully developed ballistic missiles with the capability to carry nuclear warheads. — Detailed analysis of recent test firings of the Shahab-3 ballistic missile by military experts has concluded that Iran has been able to modify …
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Guy Dinmore / Financial Times:
Iran ready for high-level talks, US resists
Iran ready for high-level talks, US resists
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Booman Tribune
Juan A. Lozano / Associated Press:
DeLay Supporters Crash Democrat's Event — SUGAR LAND, Texas - Supporters of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay protested at an event Thursday held by the Democratic candidate for the congressman's seat, and the event quickly dissolved into a shouting and shoving match. Police were called, but made no arrests.
Discussion:
Off the Kuff, Daily Kos, NewDonkey.com, Swing State Project, Blue Crab Boulevard, CorrenteWire, State of the Day, Wonkette and Preemptive Karma
Amy Sullivan / Washington Monthly:
Not as Lame as You Think — Democrats learn the art of opposition. — The first week of March should have been a bright spot for Democrats in an otherwise bleak five years. With the president's approval numbers reaching Nixon-esque lows, and Democrats outpolling Republicans by 15 points …
Kris W. Kobach / New York Post:
HIDDEN BOMBS — HOW do you slip legislative poison past a U.S. senator? Bury it on page 302 of a bill. — The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders yesterday announced a compromise on an immigration bill - with some details still to be worked out.
Peter Baker / Washington Post:
Bush Faces Rare Audience Challenge in N.C. — President Defends Warrantless Spying Program After Criticism at Open-Forum Event — CHARLOTTE, April 6 — Harry Taylor got the chance Thursday to do what frustrated liberals across the country have wanted to do for a long time: He stood up and told off the president.
Eric Lichtblau / New York Times:
Gonzales Suggests Legal Basis for Domestic Eavesdropping — WASHINGTON, April 6 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales suggested on Thursday for the first time that the president might have the legal authority to order wiretapping without a warrant on communications between Americans that occur exclusively within the United States.