Top Items:
William Branigin / Washington Post:
Senate Narrowly Rejects Detainee Bill Provision — The Senate today narrowly rejected a measure that would have allowed suspected terrorists to challenge their detention in federal court, as the body moved closer to passing a White House-backed bill to authorize special military tribunals …
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Associated Press:
Senate Passes Detainee Bill Sought by Bush — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday endorsed President Bush's plans to prosecute and interrogate terror suspects, all but sealing congressional approval for legislation that Republicans intend to use on the campaign trail to assert their toughness on terrorism.
Bruce Ackerman / Los Angeles Times:
The White House Warden — Congress may give the president the power to lock up almost anyone he thinks is a terror threat. — BURIED IN THE complex Senate compromise on detainee treatment is a real shocker, reaching far beyond the legal struggles about foreign terrorist suspects in the Guantanamo Bay fortress.
Discussion:
Salon, The Agonist, Suburban Guerrilla, Booman Tribune, Eschaton and Unclaimed Territory
Jennifer Loven / Associated Press:
Bush Criticizes Democrats on Terror War — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - President Bush suggested Thursday that Democrats don't have the stomach to fight the war on terror, battling back in the election-season clamor over administration intelligence showing terrorism spreading.
Discussion:
Don Surber
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
George Bush's vast new powers of detention and interrogation — Final passage of the torture/detention bill was 65-34. Without necessarily planning in advance to do so, I live-blogged the Senate proceedings here (if you're going to subject yourself to something as unpleasant as watching U.S. Senators …
Roll Call:
House Report Details 485 Contacts Between Abramoff Team and White House Officials — Hundreds of contacts between top White House officials and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates "raise serious questions about the legality and actions" of those officials, according …
Discussion:
The Reaction, CNN Political Ticker, Democratic Underground, The Democratic Daily and Suburban Guerrilla
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Philip Shenon / New York Times:
Report Links White House and Lobbyist — A bipartisan Congressional report documents hundreds of contacts between White House officials and the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partners, including at least 10 direct contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Karl Rove, the president's chief political strategist.
George Stephanopoulos / ABCNEWS: White House-Abramoff Contacts More Extensive Than Thought, Report Says
The Blotter:
Sixteen-Year-Old Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman — Rhonda Schwartz and Maddy Sauer Report: — A 16-year-old male congressional page concerned about the appropriateness of an e-mail exchange with a congressman alerted Capitol Hill staffers to the communication.
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Johnny Dollar / Olbermann Watch:
COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN - SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 — "COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN" (8:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. ET) — Topics/Guests: — ELECTION POLITICS: Richard Wolffe, Newsweek; Lawrence O'Donnell, Democrat political analyst — THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT: Chris Hedges
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New York Times:
Iraqi Journalists Add Laws to List of Dangers — BAGHDAD — Ahmed al-Karbouli, a reporter for Baghdadiya TV in the violent city of Ramadi, did his best to ignore the death threats, right up until six armed men drilled him with bullets after midday prayers. — He was the fourth journalist killed …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
David Corn:
This Is What Waterboarding Looks Like — As Congress has debated legislation that would set up military tribunals and govern the questioning of suspected terrorists (whom the Bush administration would like to be able to detain indefinitely), at issue has been what interrogation techniques …
Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
House approves warrantless wiretap law — WASHINGTON - The House approved a bill Thursday that would grant legal status to President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program with new restrictions. Republicans called it a test before the election of whether Democrats want to fight or coddle terrorists.
Senator Bill Frist:
Secure Fence Act to Pass Senate — In a post 9/11 world, border security is a matter of national security. Securing our borders is not an insurmountable problem ... but it has been a problem that too many have been willing to ignore for too long. — While our borders are still inexcusably porous …
Discussion:
Blue Crab Boulevard
New York Times:
For Kazakh Leader's Visit, U.S. Seeks a Balance — When Vice President Dick Cheney came to this oil-rich Central Asian nation this spring he expressed admiration for what he called its "political development." Yet just a day before his visit began, the authoritarian government effectively shut …
The Star-Ledger / nj-community:
Menendez Dumps Key Adviser Caught On Tape Seeking 'Favors' — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's closest political adviser was secretly recorded seven years ago boasting of political power and urging a Hudson county contractor to hire somone as a favor to Menendez, according to a transcript obtained by The Star-Ledger.
Dana Blanton / Fox News:
MORE VOTERS BLAME BUSH FOR FAILURE TO CATCH BIN LADEN — NEW YORK — By an 11-point margin, voters would give the edge to Democrats over Republicans if the congressional election were held today, yet slightly more Americans think the country would be safer from terrorism if Republicans keep control of Congress.