Top Items:
Siobhan Gorman / Baltimore Sun:
NSA killed system that sifted phone data legally … WASHINGTON // The National Security Agency developed a pilot program in the late 1990s that would have enabled it to gather and analyze massive amounts of communications data without running afoul of privacy laws.
Discussion:
The Washington Monthly, Liberty and Justice, Amygdala, Lean Left, Hullabaloo, Wot Is It Good 4 and Daniel W. Drezner
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Washington Post:
Lawmakers Reexamine Hayden — CIA Pick's Involvement in Wiretap Program Raises Questions — In hearings today on President Bush's choice to head the CIA, senators will face an array of questions, loose ends and seeming contradictions about the administration's domestic surveillance techniques.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, The Left Coaster, Wonkette, The American Street, AMERICAblog and Just a Bump in the Beltway
New York Times:
U.S. Focused on Obtaining Long-Distance Phone Data, Company Officials Indicate — Government efforts to obtain data from the nation's largest phone companies for a national security database appear to have focused on long-distance carriers, not local ones, statements by company officials indicate.
Scott Shane / New York Times:
C.I.A. Pick Dazzles Many, but Critics See Mixed Résumé — WASHINGTON, May 17 — A year ago, when Gen. Michael V. Hayden last sought Senate confirmation to a new job, protecting Americans' privacy from the global eavesdropping system he had overseen for six years …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute
New York Times:
Wider Briefing for Lawmakers on Spy Efforts — WASHINGTON, May 17 — Classified briefings provided to lawmakers on Wednesday about a controversial domestic eavesdropping program have smoothed what might have been a contentious path toward confirmation for Gen. Michael V. Hayden as director …
MSNBC:
Lawmaker: Marines killed Iraqis 'in cold blood' — Navy conducting war crimes probe into November violence in Haditha — A video provided to Reuters in March by Hamourabi, a human rights group, shows covered bodies, which Hamourabi says are of 15 civilians shot to death by Marines in Haditha in November.
Discussion:
Flopping Aces, TBogg, The Left Coaster, Hullabaloo, Rantingprofs, Super Fun Power Hour, The Carpetbagger Report, The Democratic Daily Blog, BTC News, Chickenhawk Express, Running Scared, Varifrank, Macsmind, Right Voices, Democrat Taylor Marsh …, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Shakespeare's Sister, THE NEWS BLOG, The Reality-Based Community, Pharyngula, The Moderate Voice, Daily Kos and AMERICAblog
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Michelle Malkin:
JOHN MURTHA HANGS THE MARINES — Expose the Left has the video of Rep. Murtha's verdict first, trial later condemnation of the US Marines. Here's the partial transcript: … The investigation into the incident at Haditha is not complete. Knight Ridder reports: … NBC News: … Hugh Hewitt:
Discussion:
Agence France Presse, Unclaimed Territory, Blue Crab Boulevard, BLACKFIVE, Booman Tribune, In the Bullpen and Legal Fiction
John Conyers Jr / Washington Post:
No Rush to Impeachment — As Republicans have become increasingly nervous about whether they will be able to maintain control of the House in the midterm elections, they have resorted to the straw-man strategy of identifying a parade of horrors to come if Democrats gain the majority.
Peggy Noonan / Opinion Journal:
Out of Touch — What the president's immigration speech and "The DaVinci Code" have in common. — What was missing in the president's approach the other night was the expression, or suggestion, of context. The context was a crisis that had gone unanswered as it has built …
Discussion:
Shakespeare's Sister, Riehl World View, The Carpetbagger Report, Lawyers, Guns and Money and alicublog
William Triplett / Variety:
Tony Snow at the White House — Possibly through Inauguration Day 2009, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Running time: 40 MIN. — In the often surreal world of the televised press briefing, the media don't stand a chance against a nice guy, and judging by his first performance …
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George F. Will / Washington Post:
Who Isn't A 'Values Voter'? — An aggressively annoying new phrase in America's political lexicon is "values voters." It is used proudly by social conservatives, and carelessly by the media to denote such conservatives. — This phrase diminishes our understanding of politics.
Fox News:
Senate Votes to Build 370 Miles of Fence Along Border With Mexico — WASHINGTON — Heeding conservative demands to shore up the southern U.S. border to prevent illegal immigrants from freely crossing into the country, the Senate voted Wednesday to build 370 miles of triple-layered fence
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Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Seeking to Control Borders, Bush Turns to Big Military Contractors — WASHINGTON, May 17 — The quick fix may involve sending in the National Guard. But to really patch up the broken border, President Bush is preparing to turn to a familiar administration partner: the nation's giant military contractors.
wsbtv.com:
McKinney Sponsors Bill Honoring Capitol Police — WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who could face criminal charges for allegedly punching a Capitol police officer in Washington, D.C., has signed on as a co-sponsor of a House bill formally honoring Capitol Police officers.
Washington Post:
Anti-Incumbent Voters Sent Messages Tuesday — Pennsylvania voters dumped two Republican leaders in the state Senate and scared a GOP member of Congress, while Oregon voters sent a warning they are unhappy with the Democratic governor. — Cumulatively, the results Tuesday were the latest signals …
New York Times:
And if It's a Boy, Will It Be Lleh? — Chances are you don't have any friends named Nevaeh. Chances are today's toddlers will. — In 1999, there were only eight newborn American girls named Nevaeh. Last year, it was the 70th-most-popular name for baby girls, ahead of Sara, Vanessa and Amanda.
Discussion:
Althouse
Ali Akbar Dareini / Associated Press:
Iran Rejects European Nuclear Incentives — TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president mocked a package of incentives to suspend uranium enrichment, saying Wednesday they were like giving up gold for chocolate — defiance that appeared certain to complicate U.S. efforts to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.