Top Items:
New York Times:
Congress Erupts in Partisan Fight Over War in Iraq — WASHINGTON, June 15 — The House and the Senate engaged in angry, intensely partisan debate on Thursday over the war in Iraq, as Republicans sought to rally support for the Bush administration's policies and exploit Democratic divisions …
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Associated Press:
Divided House rejects Iraq pullout date — WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Friday rejected a timetable for pulling U.S. forces out of Iraq, culminating a fiercely partisan debate between Republicans and Democrats feeling the public's apprehension about war and the onrushing midterm campaign season.
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 …
Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
House GOP to set up vote on Iraq pullout — WASHINGTON - House Republicans engineered an election-year debate on Iraq to show support for U.S. troops and force lawmakers, particularly Democrats, to take a position on withdrawing American forces from a conflict that is in its fourth year.
Kate Zernike / New York Times:
Democrats Vote to Force Jefferson Aside — WASHINGTON, June 15 — House Democrats voted on Thursday night to strip a Louisiana congressman of a key committee position as they tried to avoid any taint of scandal in a year when they want to ride accusations of Republican corruption to election victories.
Discussion:
The Left Coaster, The Carpetbagger Report, The Reality-Based Community and PrairiePundit
Washington Post:
Parties Face Off Over Iraq War in 11-Hour Debate — Congress plunged into a wide-ranging debate over the origins and conduct of the war in Iraq yesterday, with each party excoriating the other for alleged weakness and complacency about the stakes involved. — As the Pentagon announced …
Gina Holland / Associated Press:
Top court upholds no-knock police search — WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court made it easier Thursday for police to barge into homes and seize evidence without knocking or waiting, a sign of the court's new conservatism with Samuel Alito on board. — The court, on a 5-4 vote …
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Michael Barone / Opinion Journal:
Vietnam, Watergate and Rove — Left-wing nostalgia dies hard, but can it survive the events of this week? — It has been a tough 10 days for those who see current events through the prisms of Vietnam and Watergate. First, the Democrats failed to win a breakthrough victory …
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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Shailagh Murray / Washington Post:
Party Urges Jefferson To Leave Committee
Party Urges Jefferson To Leave Committee
Discussion:
A Blog For All
Sara Kehaulani Goo / Washington Post:
Bill Gates, Version 2.0: Full-Time Philanthropist — Three decades after starting the most influential American technology company, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said yesterday that he plans to step down from day-to-day work at the software giant to focus his energy full …
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Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Who Is to Blame for Grief on a Beach? — It was another one of those pictures that goes instantly around the world. A young Palestinian, wailing in wretched sorrow, grieving over her dead father, stepmother and five siblings who had been killed by an explosion on a Gaza beach. Then came the blame.
John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Only on The Colbert Report: — Only on The Colbert Report: — Westmoreland co-sponsors bill on the Ten Commandments and can't even name them — Colbert was priceless last night. His guest was Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland and I guess he never heard of The Colbert Report before.
StrategyPage:
Al Qaeda in Iraq Died For Our Sins — June 16, 2006: Al Qaeda in Iraq has been virtually wiped out by the loss of an address book. The death of al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi was not as important as the capture of his address book and other planning documents in the wake of the June 7th bombing.
Eriposte / The Left Coaster:
Uranium from Africa: Who forged the bogus Iraq-Niger uranium sale "accord" and why? — I am pleased to report on an important development in the Nigergate story, based in part on collaborative sleuthing with investigative reporter Solomon Hughes from the British publication Private Eye.
Discussion:
The Next Hurrah
Jerusalem Post:
Iran would 'use nuclear defense' — TEHERAN, Iran — Iran's defense minister on Thursday vowed that his country would "use nuclear defense as a potential" if "threatened by any power." — Speaking following a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Hassan Ali Turkmani in Teheran on Thursday …
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:
Power Line, Unqualified Offerings, AMERICAblog, Abu Aardvark, Raising Kaine, First Draft, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Left Coaster and Eschaton
Timothy Egan / New York Times:
'06 Race Focuses on the Suburbs, Inner and Outer — BELLEVUE, Wash., June 15 — In searching for any advantage in this year's Congressional elections, the two parties are focusing with increased intensity on those cul de sac jungles of tenuous political loyalties, the suburbs and exurbs.
Lisa Girion / Los Angeles Times:
U.S. 'Stagflation' Worries Mount — Inflation data and a possible Fed rate hike stir fears of prices rising amid a languishing economy. — With inflation heating up amid the prospect of another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve, some economists said Wednesday they were beginning …