Top Items:
John O'Neil / New York Times:
Bush Says U.S. Spying Is Not Widespread — President Bush today denied that the government is "mining or trolling through the personal lives of innocent Americans," as Democrats expressed outrage over a news report describing a National Security Agency program that has collected vast amounts of telephone records.
Discussion:
Lean Left, Riehl World View, Defense Tech, Big Lizards, TAPPED, Michelle Malkin and Daily Kos
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Crooks and Liars:
Cafferty: Dictatorship — Jack Cafferty didn't hold back today: — Video-WMP Video-QT — Cafferty: We all hope nothing happens to Arlen Specter, the Republican head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cause he might be all that stands between us and a full blown dictatorship in this country.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Hullabaloo, In Search Of Utopia, Attytood, Bench Conference and Thoughts of an Average Woman
Associated Press:
Text: Bush's Comments on NSA Activities — Remarks by President Bush Thursday on reports of the National Security Agency building a secret database of U.S. telephone records, as transcribed by the White House: — After September the 11th, I vowed to the American people that our government …
Rich Noyes / NewsBusters.org:
Hyping USA Today's "Big Brother" Bombshell: TV Jumps on Stale NSA Database Story — Seismic! Shocking! Startling! A bombshell!! That's how the ABC, CBS and NBC morning shows described a front-page story in today's (Thursday's) USA Today that breathlessly touted how "NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls."
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
No need for Congress, no need for courts — (updated below) — I just this morning read the obviously significant USA Today article detailing the fact that the NSA is maintaining a comprehensive data base of every call made by every American - both internationally and domestically …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, TalkLeft, RightWinged.com, Confederate Yankee, The American Mind, Firedoglake, Balkinization, The Anonymous Liberal, The Mahablog, NewsHog, Decision '08, The Huffington Post, CorrenteWire, Media Blog on National …, AMERICAblog, The Carpetbagger Report, dartblog.com, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Riehl World View, The Sideshow, Attytood and Bark Bark Woof Woof
USA Today:
Bush defends NSA data collection program — WASHINGTON — Responding quickly to a USA TODAY report that his administration has collected information on tens of millions of domestic phone calls, President Bush today said everthing the National Security Agency has done is legal …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Hugh Hewitt, David Corn, Decision '08, Donklephant, Blogcritics.org, Vox Popoli, Bring it On!, Hot Air, Pensito Review, Feministe and Scrutiny Hooligans
Associated Press:
Bush: We're not trolling your personal life — Lawmakers demand answers on phone records report — WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans and Democrats demanded answers from the Bush administration Thursday about a government spy agency secretly collecting records …
Bloomberg:
NSA Collected Phone Records in U.S., Lott Says (Update1) — May 11 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. National Security Agency has obtained the phone records of millions of Americans in an effort to stop terrorists, a Senate Intelligence Committee member confirmed. — News of the program …
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Orin Kerr / The Volokh Conspiracy:
THOUGHTS ON THE LEGALITY OF THE LATEST NSA PROGRAM: Assuming that the newly-disclosed NSA surveillance program was described accurately in the USA Today story, is this program legal? Here is a very preliminary run down of the issues. It's not as complete as I would like …
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Legal issues governing the Administration's newly disclosed surveillance program
Legal issues governing the Administration's newly disclosed surveillance program
William Branigin / Washington Post:
NSA Call-Tracking Program Sparks Alarm
NSA Call-Tracking Program Sparks Alarm
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report
AJStrata / The Strata-Sphere:
Another Day, Another National Security Leak
Another Day, Another National Security Leak
Discussion:
Defense Tech, The Next Hurrah, Macsmind, The Volokh Conspiracy, Comments From Left Field, Sister Toldjah, The Cranky Insomniac, Daily Kos, Flopping Aces, Unfogged, Riehl World View, Obsidian Wings, The Huffington Post, The American Thinker, The American Street, THE CUNNING REALIST, TalkLeft, News Hounds, A Blog For All, Democrats.com, Liberty Street, Yourish.com, AfterDowningStreet.org, Blue Crab Boulevard, ReidBlog and Gateway Pundit
John Byrne / The Raw Story:
Seventy two in Congress join battle against wiretaps
Seventy two in Congress join battle against wiretaps
Discussion:
Democrat Taylor Marsh …
Ryan Alessi / Lexington Herald-Leader:
Grand jury indicts Gov. Ernie Fletcher — The special grand jury that's been investigating state government hiring practices today indicted Gov. Ernie Fletcher on three misdemeanor charges of conspiracy, official misconduct and political discrimination. — The jury also indicted former …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
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Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Dean and Party Leaders in a Money Dispute — WASHINGTON, May 10 — Howard Dean was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee on an unusual promise: To send millions of dollars in contributions to build up state Democratic parties, even in states that vote solidly Republican.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hill, MyDD, Buckeye State Blog, Democrat Taylor Marsh … and AMERICAblog
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irna.ir:
President says his letter to President Bush was invitation to Islam — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Thursday that his letter to President George W. Bush did not concern the nuclear dossier, but rather was an invitation to Islam and the prophets culture.
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Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:
The Glenn and Helen Show: Ken Mehlman and Michael Barone on 2006 and 2008 — It's a roundup of Republican problems and solutions in today's Glenn and Helen Show. First, we talk to Ken Mehlman, chair of the Republican National Committee, about polls, anger in the base, and issues like immigration, spending, taxes, and judges.
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Baltimore Examiner:
Snow issues detailed rebuttals to media coverage of the president — WASHINGTON - New White House Press Secretary Tony Snow is starting off in a combative mode against the press by issuing detailed rebuttals to what he considers unfair coverage of Bush. — "The New York Times continues …
Peter Pae / Los Angeles Times:
Lewis Surfaces in Probe of Cunningham — Federal prosecutors have begun an investigation into Rep. Jerry Lewis, the Californian who chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee, government officials and others said, signaling the spread of a San Diego corruption probe.
Wall Street Journal:
Breakdown of Trust Led Judge Luttig To Clash With Bush — After Fight in Terrorism Case, — Conservative Star Gives Up — Court Seat for Boeing Job — New Task: Appease McCain — McLEAN, Va. — On Nov. 22, U.S. Circuit Judge J. Michael Luttig was at work in his chambers …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo
Phillip Martin / Burnt Orange Report:
The Tragedy of House Bill 1 — The Senate voted to pass out an incredibly twisted piece of legislation today after three days of secret meetings behind closed doors. The vote, which was unanimous and confirms that the "private club" of the Texas Senate is more important than the entire population of Texas …
The Raw Story:
DeLay notifies Speaker of the House he will resign June 9 — It's official: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has announced he will resign from Congress June 9. A copy of his resignation letter was acquired by RAW STORY. — Congressman Tom DeLay — Representing the 22nd District of Texas