memeorandum: The upcoming Socialist Republic of Venezuela (Fausta/Fausta's blog)

9:15 PM ET, January 9, 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 and DownWithTyranny!

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: TPMmuckraker

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: Crooks and Liars and Wonkette

IAN / Hot Air:

Video: Ted Kennedy says Iraq is Bush's Vietnam — Sen. Ted Kennedy handed an irresistible sound bite to the media in his speech to the National Press Club this afternoon, some 32 hours before the president announces his new strategy for Iraq. Christopher Hitchens, an ardent opponent of the Vietnam War …

Discussion: Riehl World View, Macsmind and CNN Political Ticker

Fred Kaplan / Slate:

Mission Impossible — BUSH'S SMART NEW GENERAL CAN'T SAVE IRAQ. — George W. Bush has named a new man to take charge in Iraq as a prelude to his announcement of (allegedly) a new strategy. Will either make any difference? — The new commander, Lt. Gen. (soon to be promoted to simply Gen.) …

Discussion: Washington Post, Decision '08, NewDonkey.com, democracyarsenal.org, Talking Points Memo, the talking dog, Middle Earth Journal, State of the Day and Suburban Guerrilla

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: skippy the bush kangaroo, Swords Crossed and ACSBlog

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

Discussion: Think Progress and Unclaimed Territory

John Dickerson / Slate:
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS HATE THE SURGE. BUT THEY DON'T DARE TRY TO STOP IT.

Discussion: New York Times and DownWithTyranny!

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft:
Congressional War Power and the Iraq "Surge": Can Congress Restrict …

Discussion: The Impolitic, QandO, The Carpetbagger Report and Balkinization

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

Discussion: Fox News

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

The Raw Story:

FLASH: FULL TEXT: KENNEDY INTRODUCES BILL TO BLOCK ESCALATION IN IRAQ — Print page sponsored by Velvet Revolution. — WASHINGTON — In a surprise speech to the National Press Club this afternoon, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) announced he is introducing today legislation that would require Congress …

Discussion: The Mahablog, The Democratic Daily and Needlenose

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

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, Matthew Yglesias, Cafe Hayek, Roger L. Simon, digg, Boing Boing and Pajamas Media

Frank Newport / Gallup Poll:

Public Opposes Troop Surge by 61% to 36% Margin — Support primarily among Republican base — PRINCETON, NJ — President Bush will address the nation Wednesday night, and according to most reports, he will announce plans for a "surge" or escalation in the number of American troops in Iraq.

Discussion: New York Times, Outside The Beltway, Balloon Juice, Taylor Marsh, The Next Hurrah, Liberty Street, The Swamp, The Heretik, Don Surber, Gun Toting Liberal ™, The Moderate Voice, Daily Mail and The Democratic Daily

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Gallup: 61% oppose surge; Update: "Put 'em on the glass"

Discussion: New York Times, Telegraph, Riehl World View and Stop The ACLU

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 …

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

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: Media Matters for America, Confederate Yankee, Power Line, A Blog For All and New York Times

Fausta / Fausta's blog:

The upcoming Socialist Republic of Venezuela — First thing I saw in this morning's news: BBC News video of Chavez's thoroughly expected announcement, "We're heading towards socialism" … Curiously, the BBC reporter, Daniel Schweimler, was in Buenos Aires. According to this chart Caracas is 3,168 miles from Buenos Aires.

Discussion: Venezuela Crisis, Publius Pundit, Associated Press, Blue Crab Boulevard, Club for Growth and QandO

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, A Blog For All and Atlas Shrugs