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 …
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 …
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
FISA and the President — together again — (updated below - updated again - and again) — Everything I know about the FISA story is contained in this AP article, which I just read, and in this letter from Attorney General Gonzales to Senators Leahy and Specter.
Discussion:
CorrenteWire
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 …
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Climbdown On Warrantless Surveillance (Updated And Bumped)
Climbdown On Warrantless Surveillance (Updated And Bumped)
Discussion:
TalkLeft
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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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
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
Mark Shenk / Bloomberg:
Crude Oil Rises After Failing to Break Through $50 a Barrel — Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) — Crude oil rebounded after failing to break through $50 a barrel in New York as cold weather moved into the Northeast. — Futures approached $50 in early trading today. Below-normal temperatures will cover …
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.
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 …