memeorandum: Escalation? It's Not His Decision to Make (Sen. Edward M. Kennedy/The Huffington …)

12:55 AM ET, January 10, 2007

Top Items:

Official: First wave of troops to Iraq by Jan. 31 — Kennedy says Hill must act on surge; move may spark constitutional debate — WASHINGTON - A first wave of additional U.S. troops will go into Iraq before the end of the month under President Bush's new plan, a senior defense official said Tuesday.

Discussion: Wake up America, DownWithTyranny! and State of the Day

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy / The Huffington Post:

Escalation? It's Not His Decision to Make — Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam, and we cannot allow history to repeat itself any longer. Our troops deserve better. We must act now. — Today, I introduced legislation to reclaim the people's right to a full voice in the president's plan to send more troops to Iraq.

Discussion: The Reaction, Macsmind, The Impolitic, PoliBlog (TM), TPMmuckraker and Sister Toldjah

Kate Phillips / The Caucus:

Kennedy: 'George Bush's Vietnam' — Senator Ted Kennedy spoke at the National Press Club this afternoon, detailing a resolution he plans to introduce today that would require Congress to vote on President Bush's anticipated plan to send more troops to Iraq and any additional funding for those troops.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES

Center for American Progress:

Congressional Limitations and Requirements for Military Deployments and Funding — The 110th Congress has an important responsibility to shape the country's national security policy in order to make Americans safer and advance U.S. national security interests more effectively.

Discussion: Nitpicker, Sirotablog, The Carpetbagger Report and Left in the West

CNN:

Kennedy fights 'immense new mistake' of troop surge … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Edward Kennedy launched a pre-emptive strike Tuesday against President Bush's anticipated plans to send more troops to Iraq. — The Massachusetts Democrat introduced legislation to require congressional approval before force levels can be increased.

Discussion: The Fix, Crooks and Liars, The Amboy Times, The Democratic Daily, The Carpetbagger Report, Wonkette, The Huffington Post and New York Times

Senator Edward M Kennedy / Daily Kos:

Escalation: It's Not Up To Him — Update: Video of the speech is now up on The Huffington Post. — I am on my way to the National Press Club in Washington in a few minutes to speak about a new bill. If passed, it will prohibit escalation in Iraq without express Congressional approval of a plan and budget.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Swords Crossed, skippy the bush kangaroo, Liberty Street and ACSBlog

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft:

Congressional War Power and the Iraq "Surge": Can Congress Restrict the Number of Troops in Iraq? — To answer my own question - Yes. But not in the way that is being discussed today by Senator Kennedy: … Of course, as a practical matter, the President can and will veto any such legislation.

Discussion: QandO

IAN / Hot Air: Video: Ted Kennedy says Iraq is Bush's Vietnam

The Raw Story:
FLASH: FULL TEXT: KENNEDY INTRODUCES BILL TO BLOCK ESCALATION IN IRAQ

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, The Mahablog and Needlenose

Alexander Mooney / CNN Political Ticker:
GOP Senator calls Kennedy's Iraq vote requirement a 'good idea'

Discussion: Think Progress and Unclaimed Territory

Randy Hall / CNSNews: Kennedy: Send No New Troops Into 'Cauldron of Civil War'

Judd / Think Progress:
FACT CHECK: Congress Has Repeatedly Placed Limits On Military …

Discussion: Boston Globe, TPMmuckraker, PoliBlog (TM), CorrenteWire and NO QUARTER

John Hendren / KGO-TV:
Kennedy: Iraq Is George Bush's Vietnam

Discussion: MyDD

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Gallup: 61% oppose surge; Update: "Put 'em on the glass" — Including 30% of Republicans. Although if you squint, you can make out some good-ish news: — Gallup plays up how modest the increase in support for a surge has been, but isn't the real story there the remarkable stability …

Discussion: New York Times, Telegraph, Riehl World View, CNN Political Ticker, Wizbang, SevenStripes.com and The Uncooperative Blogger

John Dickerson / Slate:

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS HATE THE SURGE. BUT THEY DON'T DARE TRY TO STOP IT. — Sen. Ted Kennedy is the Senate Democrats' army of one, trying to launch a revolution when they would prefer cordial discussion. Scheduled to discuss health care at the National Press Club …

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard, Decision '08 and DownWithTyranny!

Hindrocket / Power Line:

WE TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO SENATOR MCCAIN — We have disagreed strongly with Senator John McCain on several issues, but have also applauded his unwavering support for a strong national defense and for vigorous prosecution of the global war on terror. When the Senator's staff requested …

Curt / Flopping Aces:

The Latest On Jamil Hussein — I've been in touch with Bill Costlow (the CPATT (Civilian Police Assistance Training Team) representative) since he has been back in-country and I have a few interesting developments on this story. — First, the AP story: … But guess what Bill just confirmed?

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, Confederate Yankee, Media Matters for America, Blue Crab Boulevard, Power Line, A Blog For All and New York Times

Dafydd ab Hugh / Michelle Malkin:
Jamil Hussein - What's In a Name?

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications

Ryan Block / Engadget:

Live from Macworld 2007: Steve Jobs keynote — The game is on! Keep refreshing this page for a steady stream of updates. The keynote should get rolling sometime after 9am PST. — 7:54am - We're here, standing in line waiting to get in. People have been camped out since 9pm last night …

Discussion: Ezra Klein, Boing Boing, Matthew Yglesias, Roger L. Simon, Cafe Hayek and Pajamas Media

Associated Press:

Senator's condition upgraded after brain surgery — WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Tim Johnson's condition has been upgraded from critical to fair, four weeks after he was hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage, his office said Tuesday. — The South Dakota Democrat, who was rushed to the hospital December 13 …

Discussion: Pajamas Media

David Espo / Associated Press:

Bush Judicial Nominees Ask to Withdraw … WASHINGTON (AP) — In a concession to the Senate's new Democratic majority, four of President Bush's appeals court appointees have asked to have their nominations withdrawn, Republican officials said Tuesday. — These officials said that William Haynes …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, Abovethelaw.com and ACSBlog

Bernie / Planck's Constant:

OTA Color of my Blogroll - Woman Honor Thyself — I would like to try something different on Open Trackback Tuesdays: I will pick a blogger from my blogroll and, using the colors of that blogger's weblog, find photographic matches for those colors. An example will illustrate this much better.

Discussion: Right Truth, Wake up America, third world county, Mark My Words, The Random Yak, Rightwing Guy, Woman Honor Thyself, High Desert Wanderer and The HILL Chronicles

New York Post:

ROSIE BLOWS UP AT 'LIAR' BABS — THE tension between "The View" creator Barbara Walters and co-host Rosie O'Donnell, sparked by O'Donnell's feud with Donald Trump, boiled over yesterday morning when the portly comic called Walters "a [bleeping] liar." — The fight started around 8:30 a.m …

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, Gay Patriot and Ace of Spades HQ

David Andreatta / New York Post:

PACE'S DOCU DRAMA — BIGS 'THREATEN' JEWS — Pace University administrators threatened to sic the cops on a Jewish-student club if it went ahead with plans to screen a critically acclaimed film about radical Islam, the head of the group charged yesterday.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Little Green Footballs, Woman Honor Thyself, A Blog For All and Atlas Shrugs