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.
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 …
Michael Barone / Barone Blog:
Roll call on military tribunals
Roll call on military tribunals
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Seattle Times, Townhall.com Blog's …, Macsmind, Let Freedom Ring and Hit and Run
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 …
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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
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
Mark / CNN Political Ticker:
Lott: Bush barely mentioned Iraq in meeting with Senate Republicans — From CNN's Ted Barrett — WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush barely mentioned the war in Iraq when he met with Republican senators behind closed doors in the Capitol Thursday morning and was not asked about the course of the war …
Discussion:
Shakespeare's Sister, Think Progress, Wonkette, The Debate Link, The Moderate Voice, The Agonist and Majikthise
Larry Womack / The Raw Story:
Congressman accused of sending 'sick' emails to 16 year old boy — A Congressman has been accused of sending questionable emails to a sixteen-year old Capitol page, RAW STORY has learned. — Reports circulated on the Internet earlier this week, indicating that in private emails …
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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 …
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.
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.
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 …
Zeid Ral-Hussein / New York Times:
Why I Should Run the U.N. — The United Nations selects its next secretary general this fall through a series of straw polls. The third of these — the most decisive to date — will be held today. In the vote, the 15 members of the Security Council "encourage," "discourage" or venture "no opinion" on each of the candidates.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Jim Abrams / bradenton.com:
House approves Iran Freedom Support Act — WASHINGTON - The House voted Thursday to impose mandatory sanctions on entities that provide goods or services for Iran's weapons programs. The vote came as U.S diplomats continued to press the U.N. Security Council to penalize Tehran if it fails to end its uranium enrichment program.
The Nation:
Suppressing the Vote — With Election Day around the corner, and concerns about another voting debacle of Florida 2000-proportions running high (especially given problems at primaries this year in Maryland, Ohio, Illinois and several other states) - Republicans in Congress are on the job …
Leslie Miller / Associated Press:
Burns jokes about Italian-Americans — WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. Conrad Burns (news, bio, voting record), who has gotten into hot water before for comments seen as disparaging various groups, joshingly remarked Thursday on the number of Italian-Americans at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Agence France Presse:
UN, Israeli tanks in brief face-off in south Lebanon — MARWAHEEN, Lebanon (AFP) - UN and Israeli tanks have been involved in a brief face-off on a road in southern Lebanon where the Israeli army has been setting up checkpoints. — Four French Leclerc tanks with UN peacekeepers moved …
Discussion:
Snapped Shot