Top Items:
Dan Eggen / Washington Post:
Secret Court to Govern Wiretapping Plan — The Justice Department announced today that the National Security Agency's controversial warrantless surveillance program has been placed under the authority of a secret surveillance court, marking an abrupt change in approach by the Bush administration after more than a year of heated debate.
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New York Times:
Court to Oversee U.S. Wiretapping in Terror Cases — The Bush administration, in a surprise reversal, said on Wednesday that it had agreed to give a secret court jurisdiction over the National Security Agency's wiretapping program and would end its practice of eavesdropping without warrants on Americans suspected of ties to terrorists.
James Vicini / Reuters:
Bush won't reauthorize eavesdropping — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush has decided not to renew a program of domestic spying on terrorism suspects, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said on Wednesday, ending an law-enforcement tactic criticized for infringing on civil liberties.
David Stout / New York Times:
White House Says Judiciary Will Monitor Spy Program — The Bush administration, in what appears to be a concession to its critics, said today it will allow an independent court to monitor its warrantless electronic-eavesdropping program. — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told the leaders …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Big Lizards, The Volokh Conspiracy, Reason Magazine and JustOneMinute
Justin Rood / TPMmuckraker:
Gonzales: NSA Wiretapping Now Subject to Court Approval — The National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program will be subject to court approval, according to a new letter from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to lawmakers. — The NSA program, dubbed the "Terrorist Surveillance Program …
White House:
Press Briefing by Tony Snow — White House Conference Center Briefing Room — MR. SNOW: Good afternoon. Questions. — Q Can you tell us a little more about the meetings? I understand the President met with some Republicans who have already been to the White House. — MR. SNOW: I don't think so.
Lara Jakes Jordan / Associated Press:
Secret court to govern wiretapping plan — WASHINGTON - The Justice Department, easing a Bush administration policy, said Wednesday it has decided to give an independent body authority to monitor the government's controversial domestic spying program. — In a letter to the leaders …
Discussion:
Liberal Values
Washington Post:
Libby Jury Selection Seen as Challenge — To see just how small a town Washington really is, drop in on jury selection at the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, where nearly every candidate so far seems to have some connection to the players or events surrounding the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity.
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Neil A. Lewis / New York Times:
Potential Jurors Queried on Views of Bush Administration — The perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. began Tuesday with his lawyers trying to eliminate as jurors anyone who might have strongly negative feelings about the Bush administration in general and Vice President Dick Cheney in particular.
Hardball / Hardblogger:
Libby jury selection: Bad day for elite schools, journalist reaches 2nd round
Libby jury selection: Bad day for elite schools, journalist reaches 2nd round
Discussion:
Firedoglake
Washington Post:
Dodd Introduces Bill to Cap U.S. Troops in Iraq — Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) announced legislation today capping the number of troops in Iraq at roughly 130,000, saying that lawmakers should take an up-or-down vote on President Bush's plan to send additional troops to the country …
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Sabrina Tavernise / New York Times:
Shiite Fighters Arrested in Crackdown, Iraq Says — Facing intense pressure from the Bush administration to show progress in securing Iraq, senior Iraqi officials announced Wednesday that they had moved against the country's most powerful Shiite militia, arresting several dozen senior members in the past few weeks.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
CBS News - Couric & Co.:
Katie: A Woman At The Table — One week ago, Katie sat down for a briefing at the White House, and noticed something unusual. — Last Wednesday, President Bush gave his address to the country about "the new way forward" for Iraq, and lots of journalists—including me, of course—were in Washington to cover it.
knbc.nbcweatherplus.com:
Snow Falls In West LA, Malibu — CHP To Escort Motorists Through Icy Grapevine — SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Snow fell on the palm trees of West Los Angeles and Malibu Wednesday afternoon as Jack Frost visited the Southland again. — Images: Malibu, West LA Snow — Video
Andrew Moylan / Government Bytes:
Senate Trying to Block Yet Another Important Reform — A Senate source tells me that Harry Reid is again attempting to block an important fiscal reform. Senator Judd Gregg's line-item veto amendment stands in the Reid crosshairs now. He has threatened to make it a "long weekend" …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway, The Corner, Club for Growth, Instapundit.com, Power Line, The Influence Peddler and PoliPundit.com
KC Johnson / Durham-in-Wonderland:
The (Rump) Group of 88 Strikes Again — Two hundred ninety-five days after issuing their statement, the Group of 88 has re-emerged, in a defiant statement posted yesterday. — Operating under the moniker Concerned (of Being Sued) Duke Faculty, the 88 is now 87.
Discussion:
Althouse, La Shawn Barber's Corner, StephenBainbridge.com, Dr. Melissa Clouthier, Don Surber, LieStoppers and Bitsblog
Greg Sargent / electioncentral.tpmcafe.com:
Obama's Turn: Says He'll Introduce Iraq Legislation Calling For Phased Withdrawal — Barely moments after Hillary Clinton concluded her press conference this afternoon calling for a "cap" on the number of troops in Iraq, Barack Obama's office sent out a statement saying that he, too, would be introducing his own Iraq legislation.
Ezra HaLevi / Arutz Sheva:
Exclusive: Jimmy Carter Interceded on Behalf of Nazi SS Guard — A former U.S. Justice Department official disclosed to Arutz-7 that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's advocacy extended beyond the Palestinians, when he interceded on behalf of a Nazi SS man.
Digby / Hullabaloo:
Preventive Quagmire — Kevin explains further his position on the rightness and wrongness of liberal hawks and doves and makes a lot of sense. But on one point, I have to disagree completely: … Preventive war is based on the idea that an enemy (presumably) is preparing to do something …