Top Items:
Yaakov Katz / Jerusalem Post:
IDF captures airstrip, gains foothold east of Rafah — Israeli fighter jets struck the northern Gaza Strip around 2 p.m. Wednesday, firing missiles at open areas. The strike is part of the army's "pressure pot" tactic, meant to turn up pressure on Gaza by placement of troops and weapons fire with a minimum of casualties.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Power Line, Israel Matzav, Yourish.com, Liberty and Justice, Security Watchtower and Kesher Talk
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Aussie Dave / Israellycool:
Operation Summer Rains — Before dawn today, IDF tanks and troops went into Gaza. Their mission is clear: to secure the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. As National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio: … According to an army source …
Ibrahim Barzak / Associated Press:
Israelis keep pressure on Palestinians
Israelis keep pressure on Palestinians
Discussion:
All Things Beautiful, Blogs of War, Mia Culpa, Left I on the News, Counterterrorism Blog, Truthdig and Sister Toldjah
BBC:
Hamas resist Israel recognition
Hamas resist Israel recognition
Discussion:
Atlas Shrugs, A Blog For All, Israel Matzav, FP Passport, PoliBlog, USS Neverdock, ThreatsWatch.Org and It Shines For All
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
Piling On the New York Times With a Scoop — Story on Secret Program Further Rouses Critics — President Bush calls the conduct of the New York Times "disgraceful." Vice President Cheney objects to the paper having won a Pulitzer Prize. A Republican congressman wants the Times prosecuted.
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The Hill:
GOP bill targets NY Times — House Republican leaders are expected to introduce a resolution today condemning The New York Times for publishing a story last week that exposed government monitoring of banking records. — The resolution is expected to condemn the leak and publication …
New York Times:
Patriotism and the Press — Over the last year, The New York Times has twice published reports about secret antiterrorism programs being run by the Bush administration. Both times, critics have claimed that the paper was being unpatriotic or even aiding the terrorists.
Gina Holland / Associated Press:
Court Nixes Part of Texas Political Map — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld most of the Republican-boosting Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay but threw out part, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority voting rights.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, The Carpetbagger Report, Right Wing Nut House, Majikthise, Decision '08 and First Draft
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Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Decisions: No ruling on Hamdan; partisan gerrymander claim rejected — (NOTE: The Chief Justice announced that the Court will issue remaining decisions in the Term at 10 a.m. Thursday. The two still-undecided cases are the war crimes tribunal case (Hamdan v. Rumsfeld) …
Discussion:
Burnt Orange Report, Off the Kuff, Election Law, How Appealing, The Agonist, Eye on Williamson and Lawyers, Guns and Money
Kate Zernike / New York Times:
Bush's Use of Authority Riles Senator — WASHINGTON, June 27 — Senators on the Judiciary Committee accused President Bush of an "unprecedented" and "astonishing" power grab on Tuesday for making use of a device that gave him the authority to revise or ignore more than 750 laws enacted since he became president.
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Charlie Savage / Boston Globe:
Senator considers suit over Bush law challenge — WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Arlen Specter, said yesterday that he is ``seriously considering" filing legislation to give Congress legal standing to sue President Bush over his use of signing statements to reserve the right to bypass laws.
Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:
Bush's Challenges of Laws He Signed Is Criticized
Bush's Challenges of Laws He Signed Is Criticized
Discussion:
Bench Memos …
Charles Babington / Washington Post:
Senate Rejects Flag Desecration Amendment — The Senate rejected by a single vote yesterday an effort to amend the Constitution to allow Congress to ban desecration of the American flag, after a two-day debate freighted with political calculations and sharp disputes over the limits of free speech.
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Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Not Quite the Banner Day One Might Have Hoped For
Not Quite the Banner Day One Might Have Hoped For
Discussion:
David Corn, The Carpetbagger Report, Balloon Juice, The Glittering Eye, Marc Cooper and Associated Press
Brock Vergakis / Associated Press:
U.S. Rep. Cannon wins Republican primary — SALT LAKE CITY - U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon (news, bio, voting record) said his solid victory in Utah's Republican primary is good news for President Bush and those seeking a consensus on immigration policy this year.
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Glen Warchol / sltrib.com:
Incumbent wins easily as Jacob's immigration challenge fizzles
Incumbent wins easily as Jacob's immigration challenge fizzles
Discussion:
CNN, CQPolitics.com, The Strata-Sphere, The Heretik, Hit and Run, The Corner on National … and The RCP Blog
David Espo / Associated Press:
Obama: Democrats Must Court Evangelicals — WASHINGTON — Sen. Barack Obama chastised fellow Democrats on Wednesday for failing to "acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people," and said the party must compete for the support of evangelicals and other churchgoing Americans.
Jennifer Loven / Associated Press:
Bush jogs with wounded soldier — WASHINGTON - President Bush took a jog Tuesday with a soldier who lost part of both legs in Iraq, following through on a bedside promise even the president had doubts about at the time. — Despite a slight drizzle, Bush and Staff Sgt. Christian Bagge took …
David Espo / Associated Press:
House GOP to focus on abortion, guns — WASHINGTON - House Republicans intend to hold votes this summer and fall touching on abortion, guns, religion and other priority issues for social conservatives, part of an attempt to improve the party's prospects in the midterm elections.
CNN:
Senator seeks tax on pimps, prostitutes — Grassley: 'It's a no-brainer to have the IRS go after sex traffickers' — NEW YORK (CNN) — Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is hoping to stamp out the sex trade by taxing pimps and prostitutes, then jailing them when they don't pay.