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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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.
Discussion:
Stop The ACLU
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 …
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
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
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.
Associated Press:
Attorney general says federal jurists should defer to president's will
Attorney general says federal jurists should defer to president's will
Discussion:
TalkLeft, San Diego Union-Tribune, Daily Kos, The Mahablog, The Road to Surfdom, The Impolitic and TBogg
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Climbdown On Warrantless Surveillance
Climbdown On Warrantless Surveillance
Discussion:
The Strata-Sphere
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.
Murray Waas / The Huffington Post:
Exclusive: The Paradox That Is Scooter Libby — "Paradox seems to define I. Lewis Libby Jr." So says a New York Times profile of him last night as his federal trial on five counts of making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice was about to get underway.
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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SilentPatriot / Crooks and Liars:
Colbert Nails Dinesh D'Souza — Colbert was in top form last night when conservative pundit Dinesh D'Souza came on the show to promote his new book, The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. In his latest screed, D'Souza, according to Publishers Weekly's review …
RELATED:
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
Taking cultural editing notes from terrorists
Taking cultural editing notes from terrorists
Discussion:
Right Wing Nut House, Think Progress, No More Mister Nice Blog, Cliff Schecter, NewsMax.com and CANNONFIRE
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.
Rasmussen Reports:
Clinton, Obama in Virtual Tie Among Democrats — Illinois Senator Barack Obama (D) formally announced his plans to run for President and instantly finds himself near the top of the heap. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 401 Likely Democratic Primary Voters finds that 22% favor …
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 …
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.
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
Charles Murray / Opinion Journal:
What's Wrong With Vocational School? — Too many Americans are going to college. — The topic yesterday was education and children in the lower half of the intelligence distribution. Today I turn to the upper half, people with IQs of 100 or higher. Today's simple truth is that far …