Top Items:
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Will It Work in the White House? — In 142 stark pages, the Iraq Study Group report makes an impassioned plea for bipartisan consensus on the most divisive foreign policy issue of this generation. Without President Bush, that cannot happen. — The commissioners gave a nod to Mr. Bush …
Discussion:
Balkinization, Washington Post, CNN, The Horse's Mouth, CBS News, Kiko's House and The Moderate Voice
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William M. Arkin / Early Warning:
Not What the American or Iraqi People Want — For all the hype, the Iraq Study Group offers two fundamental recommendations that the President might and might even be able to implement: The Group calls for the United States to engage Iraq's neighbors, specifically Iran and Syria.
New York Times:
Bush Expresses Caution on Key Points in Iraq Panel's Report — President Bush moved quickly on Thursday to distance himself from the central recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group: pulling back all combat brigades over the next 15 months and direct talks with Iran and Syria.
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
In Theater of War, It's Iraq Study Group's Turn to Take the Stage — Minutes after the Iraq Study Group placed an improvised explosive device beneath the Bush administration's Iraq policy yesterday, panel member Lawrence Eagleburger was asked how President Bush reacted to the recommendations.
Deb Riechmann / Associated Press:
Bush: To win in Iraq, beat extremists — WASHINGTON - President Bush, admitting that "it's bad in Iraq," acknowledged Thursday that the United States needs a new approach in the unpopular war and promised to unveil details in an upcoming speech. — Bush said he was disappointed in the progress in Iraq …
Aaron Klein / WorldNetDaily:
Terrorists rejoicing over new Iraq 'plan' — Reaction to Study Group: 'Allah and his angels' responsible, 'era of Islam and of jihad' declared — JERUSALEM - A high level U.S. commission's recommendations for an eventual withdrawal from Iraq and for dialogue with Iran and Syria proves …
Niles Lathem / New York Post:
IRAQ 'APPEASE' SQUEEZE ON W. — * PANEL KISSES UP TO IRAN & SYRIA — * PLAN WOULD PULL TROOPS OUT IN '08 — What do you think of the report's recommendations? Click the discussion board link below the photo to post your comments. — WASHINGTON - The Iraq Study Group report delivered …
Discussion:
The Raw Story, Hot Air, alicublog, INDCJournal, Don Surber, Wizbang, A Blog For All, Wake up America, New York Sun and Gateway Pundit
Frederick W. Kagan / NY Daily News:
Asking for chaos — Iraq Study Group fails the big test: how to quell the violence
Asking for chaos — Iraq Study Group fails the big test: how to quell the violence
Discussion:
Andrew Sullivan
Fox News:
NEW MEXICO GOV. BILL RICHARDSON: 'I AM RUNNING' IN 2008 — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is expected to formally file papers to form a presidential exploratory committee in January. But today he told FOX News "I am running," as he described the professional and personal experiences that he believes have prepared him for the job.
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White House:
President Bush Meets with British Prime Minister Tony Blair — Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building — PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all. Please be seated. I just had a good visit with Prime Minister Tony Blair. I appreciate you coming back, Mr. Prime Minister.
Discussion:
Think Progress, Firedoglake, Townhall.com Blog's …, Taylor Marsh, First Draft, Obsidian Wings, Wonkette and The Carpetbagger Report
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Cillizzac / The Fix:
McCain Continues to Win Over Bush Insiders — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) continues to recruit top GOP political operatives in expectation of a presidential run. According to a source close to the McCain operation, the candidate has lined up Terry Nelson to serve as campaign manager …
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Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Cheney's Grandchild Will Have Two Mommies — Conservatives Upset at Prospect of 'Fatherless' Cheney Child — Mary Cheney, the vice president's openly gay daughter and political adviser, has revealed today that she is pregnant, bringing good news to the vice president's family …
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Associated Press:
US Congress struggles to break final logjam before adjourning — WASHINGTON: The bipartisan drive to bring the 109th session of Congress to an end slowed as the lawmakers struggled with the finale, a catchall bill covering everything from tax breaks for college tuition to normal trade relations with Vietnam.
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St. Petersburg Times:
Dean: Dems should keep out Buchanan — WASHINGTON - Republican Vern Buchanan might be the official winner in a messy Sarasota-area congressional race, but Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean says the Democratic-controlled Congress should not seat Buchanan without another election.
Salah Nasrawi / Associated Press:
Saudis reportedly funding Iraqi Sunnis — CAIRO, Egypt - Private Saudi citizens are giving millions of dollars to Sunni insurgents in Iraq and much of the money is used to buy weapons, including shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles, according to key Iraqi officials and others familiar with the flow of cash.
Austan Goolsbee / New York Times:
Lean Left? Lean Right? News Media May Take Their Cues From Customers — When Matt Lauer declared on the "Today" show last week that NBC would start referring to the conflict in Iraq as a "civil war," he inadvertently started his own civil war within the news media.
Discussion:
CBS News, Beat the Press, Media Blog, Ezra Klein, Iowa Voice, BuzzMachine, JustOneMinute and Economist's View
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
Specter gets the chance to set things right — When the Military Commissions Act, which among other things suspended habeas corpus for suspected terrorists, went to the Senate floor in September, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) voiced some relatively passive concerns.
New York Times:
Cherry-Picking Campaign Promises — Weeks before they take majority control of the Capitol, the Democrats are reported to be wriggling out of one of their most important campaign vows: to repair Congressional oversight of the nation's intelligence agencies.
Extreme Mortman:
Top Ten Funniest Political Moments Of 2006 — Try to name the funniest moments in politics this year, and you'll immediately think of violent assaults with deadly, hilarious weapons. Yes, this was the year that politics met broad physical humor. And crime. Lots and lots of crime.
Discussion:
Blogometer
Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:
Is It January Yet? — Not that I want to rush right past Christmas morning at our house or anything (because, really, The Peanut is at the perfect age this year where the whole tree and lights and Santa are magic, and that is a LOT of fun)...but I've spent a little time trying to figure …
John Heilprin / Associated Press:
EPA may drop lead air pollution limits — WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation's biggest clean-air accomplishments. — Battery makers, lead smelters, refiners all have lobbied …
Media Matters for America:
Meet the new boss... Now that the Baker-Hamilton Commission is ending this country's long national acid trip, I am struck by the fact that, save possibly Donald Rumsfeld and Christopher Hitchens, no one's intellect, analysis, and honesty have been more profoundly undermined by the results …