Top Items:
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.
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Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Hopelessy 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, Cold Fury, The Left Coaster, New York Times, Booman Tribune, HolyCoast.com and Decision '08
New York Times:
Cheney's Aide Says President Approved Leak — WASHINGTON, April 6 — Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff testified that he was authorized by President Bush, through Mr. Cheney, in July 2003 to disclose key parts of what until then was a classified prewar intelligence estimate on Iraq, according to a new court filing.
New York Times:
Playing Hardball With Secrets — For more than two years, Senate Republicans have dragged out an investigation into how the Bush administration came to use bogus intelligence on Iraq to justify a war. A year ago, Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called it …
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, Austin Bay Blog, Gateway Pundit, Sister Toldjah, USS Neverdock, Carol Platt Liebau and small dead animals
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 …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Right Wing Nut House, Right Wing News, TexasRainmaker and Ace of Spades HQ
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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.
E. J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
Run-Down Republicans — Imagine that: Tom DeLay speaking truth to power. — "We don't have an agreed agenda," DeLay told a group of sympathetic reporters this week. "Breaking up our leadership has taken its toll." — Self-serving? Absolutely. DeLay is saying the Republicans …
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Dan Eggen / Washington Post:
Warrantless Wiretaps Possible in U.S. — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales left open the possibility yesterday that President Bush could order warrantless wiretaps on telephone calls occurring solely within the United States — a move that would dramatically expand the reach …
Discussion:
The Washington Monthly, The Carpetbagger Report, Lean Left, Firedoglake, Andrew Sullivan, Obsidian Wings, Democrats.com, Liberty Street, Air America Radio, Brilliant at Breakfast, The Democratic Daily Blog, Blue Crab Boulevard, TalkLeft, Concurring Opinions, Balloon Juice, CorrenteWire and Daily Kos
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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.
Ron Fournier / Associated Press:
Bush, GOP Approval Ratings Hit New Lows — WASHINGTON - President Bush's approval ratings hit a series of new lows in an AP-Ipsos poll that also shows Republicans surrendering their advantage on national security — grim election-year news for a party struggling to stay in power.
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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Christopher Swann / Financial Times:
US economy generates 211,000 new jobs — The US economy generated 211,000 jobs in March, surpassing analysts expectations and adding to confidence that economic growth has remained robust. — The consensus among economists had been for a more modest rise of around 195,000.
Discussion:
Dr. Sanity
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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 …
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, The Washington Monthly, TAPPED, TPM Muckraker, Air America Radio and Blogs for Bush
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 …
John Noonan / The Officers' Club:
South Park Takes on the Mohammed Cartoons — I just finished watching an episode of South Park that I'm certain will be generating its share of buzz tomorrow. — SP creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone gave their audience alot to chew on, so I'm going to recap from memory and TiVo best I can.
Ellen Goodman / Boston Globe:
Bloggers owe Carroll an apology — I AM SURE that Jill Carroll and her family are too busy inhaling the sweet spring air of freedom to spend time sniffing out the pollution in the blogosphere. Anyone who spent three months imagining the grimmest fate for this young journalist in the hands …
Discussion:
Debbie Schlussel, Hugh Hewitt, Norwegianity, Middle Earth Journal, Solomonia and Lost Remote TV Blog
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.