Top Items:
Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
Congress launches into new Iraq debate — WASHINGTON - The House erupted in impassioned election-year debate over the Iraq war on Thursday, Republicans defending the conflict as key to winning the global struggle against terrorism while Democrats excoriated President Bush and his policies.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Don Surber, Macsmind, CALIFORNIA YANKEE, Flopping Aces, Shakespeare's Sister and The Heretik
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New York Times:
Senate Rejects Call for Iraq Withdrawal — WASHINGTON, June 15 — The Senate overwhelmingly rejected a call this afternoon for withdrawal of most American combat troops from Iraq by the end of the year as debates in both houses of Congress mixed high emotion with calculated maneuvering.In the House …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
After Iraq Visit, an Upbeat Bush Urges Patience
After Iraq Visit, an Upbeat Bush Urges Patience
Discussion:
Wonkette
Fred Barbash / Washington Post:
Court Backs No-Knock Search — A divided Supreme Court ruled today that evidence can be used against a defendant even when seized in violation of a long-standing rule requiring a knock on the door before executing a search warrant. — The 5-4 decision, written by Justice Antonin Scalia …
Discussion:
The Washington Monthly, Legal Fiction, Booman Tribune, Crooked Timber, Amygdala and OrinKerr.com
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Associated Press:
Police don't have to knock, justices say — Alito's vote breaks 4-4 tie in police search case — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that police armed with a warrant can barge into homes and seize evidence even if they don't knock, a huge government victory that was decided by President Bush's new justices.
Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Analysis: Exclusionary rule in trouble? — The Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling on Thursday in the Michigan "knock-and-announce" case raises significant new questions about how sturdy the "exclusionary rule" is as a remedy for constitutional violations by police — especially, but not solely, Fourth Amendment violations.
Discussion:
Instapundit.com, Donklephant, Cato Institute, OrinKerr.com, Dean's World, TheAgitator.com and Sentencing Law and Policy
Washington Post:
Maliki Aide Who Discussed Amnesty Leaves Job — Premier Disavows Remarks; Egyptian Seen Replacing Zarqawi — BAGHDAD, June 15 — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office on Thursday accepted the resignation of an aide who had told a reporter that Maliki was considering a limited amnesty …
Discussion:
Unqualified Offerings, The Left Coaster, Middle Earth Journal, Eschaton and Blue Crab Boulevard
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Lolita C. Baldor / Associated Press:
American deaths in Iraq reach 2,500 mark — WASHINGTON - American deaths since the invasion of Iraq have reached 2,500, marking a grim milestone in the wake of recent events that President Bush hopes will reverse the war's unpopularity at home. — The latest death was announced as Congress …
CNN:
Rep. Jefferson loses Democratic caucus vote — Black Caucus leader cites racial unfairness — WASHINGTON (CNN) — With members of the Congressional Black Caucus crying double standard, House Democrats met behind closed doors Thursday and voted to strip Rep. William Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee.
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David Espo / Associated Press:
House Dems strip Jefferson of assignment — WASHINGTON - House Democrats, determined to make an election-year point about ethics, voted 99-58 Thursday night to strip Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) of his committee assignment while a federal bribery investigation runs its course.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
Alexis Debat Reports / The Blotter:
Zarqawi Replacement: Trained Professional — Alexis Debat Reports: — The mystery man identified by U.S. authorities as the successor to Abu Musab al Zarqawi is an Egyptian with close ties to Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man, Jordanian intelligence officials tell ABC News.
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Christine Hauser / New York Times:
U.S. Identifies Successor to Zarqawi
U.S. Identifies Successor to Zarqawi
Discussion:
Associated Press, AMERICAN FUTURE, A Blog For All, Flopping Aces, Blue Crab Boulevard and Macsmind
Larry Johnson / NO QUARTER:
Sacrificing Our Troops on the Altar of Republican Politics — Leave it to the Porcine Draft Dodger—Karl Rove—to impugn the character of combat veterans. Can't blame him for trotting out the same playbook that worked so well in 2004 against the candidacy of John Kerry. If it worked once it should work again.
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Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:
Bush Apologizes to L.A. Times Reporter — President Bush, who often teases members of the White House press corps, apologized Wednesday after he poked fun at a reporter for wearing sunglasses without realizing they were needed for vision loss. — The exchange occurred at a news conference in the Rose Garden.
Discussion:
Wonkette, NewsHog, The RCP Blog, Power Line, Associated Press, ed fitzgerald's unfutz, Fact-esque and Daily Pundit
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Hotline On Call:
Dean V. DSCC Over Lieberman — Jim Dean, bro of the DNC chair and head of Democracy for America, is hopping mad at the DSCC and Chuck Schumer. — We reported yesterday that Schumer pointedly declined to rule out supporting Lieberman even if Lieberman's allies were to mount an independent bid on his behalf.
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Hilary Sargent / Senate Majority Project:
Great Moments in Senate Fashion — Rick Santorum (R-PA) pulls off the tricky Great-Gatsby-meets-My-Little- Pony look.
Discussion:
Wonkette
crooksandliars.com:
A Watershed Moment: Media Use Coulter to Suggest Blogs Are Impotent — Anybody who watched Ann Coulter's June 14th appearance on the Tonight Show had to realize that it was a watershed moment in the war between the establishment media and the progressive netroots, a community fresh off the successful YearlyKos convention.
Richard Morin / Washington Post:
What's Black and White and Red All Over? — More ink equals more blood, claim two economists who say that newspaper coverage of terrorist incidents leads directly to more attacks. — It's a macabre example of win-win in what economists call a "common-interest game," say Bruno S. Frey …
Discussion:
Right Wing News, PrairiePundit, Dr. Sanity, Riehl World View, Secular Blasphemy, azerbic, Outside The Beltway, Public Eye, Hot Air, BrothersJudd Blog, Instapundit.com, Media Blog on National …, Oliver Willis, The Corner on National …, Blue Crab Boulevard, small dead animals, Dean's World and NewsBusters.org
White House:
Press Briefing by Tony Snow — MR. SNOW: All right. First let me begin with a statement by the President on the passage of H.R. 4939, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for the war on terror, Hurricane Katrina recovery and other purposes. — "I applaud those members of Congress …