Top Items:
Katherine Shrader / Associated Press:
Hatch: Court Briefed on Bush Surveillance — WASHINGTON - Two judges on the secretive court that approves warrants for intelligence surveillance were told of the broad monitoring programs that have raised recent controversy, a Republican senator said Tuesday, connecting a court to knowledge …
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New York Times:
Verizon Denies Turning Over Local Phone Data — Verizon, the country's second-largest phone company, said yesterday that it had not provided local phone records to the National Security Agency as part of efforts to compile a database of calling records to track terrorist activities.
Patrick Yoest / public.cq.com:
DHS Does About-Face In Backing Use of National Guard to Seal Border — In December of 2005, Fox News talking head Bill O'Reilly floated an unlikely — even brash — idea to the Homeland Security secretary to seal off the porous southwest border. — "Why don't you put the National Guard …
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Marina Montemayor / Associated Press:
Mexico Threatens Suits Over Guard Patrols — CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico - Mexico said Tuesday that it would file lawsuits in U.S. courts if National Guard troops on the border become directly involved in detaining migrants. — Mexican border officials also said they worried that sending troops …
White House:
Press Briefing by Tony Snow — MR. SNOW: I feel so loved. — Q Welcome to the White House Press Office. — MR. SNOW: Thank you very much. Well, it's good to be here. Thank you one and all. — Very quickly, as you know, President Bush today met with Prime Minister John Howard of Australia.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Baltimore Examiner, Angry Bear, Expose the Left, The Carpetbagger Report, WILLisms.com, BTC News, First Draft, Gateway Pundit and The Anchoress
Washington Post:
Republican Leadership Approval Hits All-Time Low — Public confidence in Republican governance has plunged to the lowest levels of the Bush presidency, with Americans saying they now trust Democrats by wide margins to deal with Iraq, gasoline prices, immigration and more …
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David Germain / Associated Press:
'Da Vinci Code' Misses the Mark for Critics — CANNES, France - "The Da Vinci Code" drew lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs Tuesday from arguably the world's toughest movie crowd: critics at the Cannes Film Festival.
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David Germain / Associated Press:
Albinos Condemn 'Da Vinci' Assassin
Albinos Condemn 'Da Vinci' Assassin
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
Washington Post:
Immigration Proposals Pass Test In Senate — Guest-Worker And Citizenship Provisions Survive — A fragile Senate coalition backing a broad overhaul of the nation's immigration laws survived its first legislative test yesterday, beating back efforts to gut provisions to grant millions …
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Holly Bailey / Newsweek:
The Riddle of Rove — As the presidential adviser's legal situation remains uncertain, Beltway pundits seek clues about his state of mind-and body. — Larry Downing / Reuters — Rove: Less combative than usual? — May 15, 2006 - For a dreary Monday morning in Washington, it was an impressive crowd.
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Alessandra Stanley / New York Times:
At White House Briefing, Polish Replaces Testiness
At White House Briefing, Polish Replaces Testiness
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, appletree, Poynter Online and The Liberal Avenger
Roger Clegg / Opinion Journal:
Disinvited — The EEOC cancels a meeting rather than listen to criticism. — Last month, I received an invitation to testify before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about affirmative action and diversity in U.S. companies. The testimony was scheduled for today …
Andrew Taylor / Associated Press:
Senate readies vote on $70B tax cut — MAY. 11 1:13 P.M. ET President Bush and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill anticipated a long-sought election year victory Thursday as senators debated a bill awarding tax relief to investors and 15 million taxpayers with above-average incomes.
Discussion:
David Sirota
Chris Bowers / MyDD:
We Will All Win, Eventually — Today, in just three divisions (precincts) available to me, Kevin and I pulled over 100 votes. With only 27-01, 27-02, and 27-23 reporting, we have reached roughly 110 votes. And that is only three divisions (precincts). We won, and we won huge.
TCS Daily:
The Parent Trap — Not long ago we worried about baby booms and overpopulation. Now some people are worrying about a "Global Baby Bust." Writing in Foreign Affairs, Phillip Longman says it's mostly because of economics: … He's clearly right about the economics.
Khaled Abu Toameh / Jerusalem Post:
Aksa Brigades threatens US, Europe — The Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, on Monday threatened to strike at US and European interests in response to international sanctions on the Palestinian Authority. — The threat, the first of its kind, came as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas …
Kathy Matheson / Associated Press:
Foster Quotes Eminem at Penn Graduation — PHILADELPHIA - You can add rapping to the list of Jodie Foster's talents. The Oscar-winning actress spoke Monday at the University of Pennsylvania's commencement ceremonies, ending her address with the chorus of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from …
Greg Bluestein / Associated Press:
Judge Strikes Down Ga. Ban on Gay Marriage — ATLANTA - A judge has struck down Georgia's ban on same-sex marriages, saying a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that limits ballot questions to a single subject.
Discussion:
Feministe
John Hawkins / Human Events:
Tackling a Handful of Immigration Myths, Misnomers and Red Herrings — There's no topic hotter in the body politic right now than immigration. — Everywhere you turn, especially in the blogosphere, somebody has an opinion. So, since illegal immigration is the topic du jour …