Top Items:
Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:
Will Rove Testify? — The president's political guru—and counselor Dan Bartlett—have been subpoenaed by Scooter Libby's lawyers. What it means for the most-watched trial in Washington—and who's next on the witness stand. — Rove watching President Bush fly off to Camp David last Saturday
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, Macsmind, The Carpetbagger Report, The News Blog and Wonkette
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Slate:
Dispatches From the Scooter Libby Trial — 9:23 a.m.: Scooter Libby arrives, walks up the courtroom aisle, and, before taking his seat at the defense table, gives a quick smile and nod to his wife in the front row. As we're waiting for the judge to arrive and call us to order, I glance around.
Discussion:
The New Republic
Digby / Hullabaloo:
Strawberries — So, the big news emerging from the Libby trial so far is that Dick Cheney was so obsessively Queeglike about Joseph Wilson that he was even writing out talking points for his little dog Scooter to yap at reporters. — As predicted, this trial has also been fascinating …
Ragnar / The Jawa Report:
Liveblogging the 'Conservative Summit' — UPDATES below the fold. — I'm spending this weekend in D.C. at the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit. They've managed to pull together a 'who's who' of the conservative political scene, and I'm looking forward to the show.
RELATED:
Deacon / Power Line:
Friday night summitry — National Review kicked off its conservative summit tonight before a very full house. I'll see if I can get an official head count tomorrow, but in the meantime I can report that the ballroom for tonight's session was packed. Before and after the session …
Damon Darlin / New York Times:
A Contrarian View: Save Less, Retire With Enough — Could it be possible that you are saving too much for your retirement? — Such an idea would fly in the face of almost every exhortation to a nation of spendthrifts that saving more is an imperative. After all, even as people are living longer …
Larry Johnson / NO QUARTER:
A Growing Military Credibility Gap? — Today brought sad news that someone with the U.S. military Multi National Force—Iraq (MNF-I) lied about an attack on U.S. soldiers in the Shia-controlled city of Karabala on Saturday, 20 January 2007. The initial story released to the press stated:
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Bill Roggio / The Fourth Rail:
The Karbala attack and the IRGC — Qods Force logo. Click image to view. — The Iranians may be responsible the conducting the attack that resulted in the murder of five American soldiers in Karbala — On January 20th, a team of twelve men disguised as U.S. soldiers entered …
Ian Austen / New York Times:
Canada Reaches Settlement With Torture Victim — Maher Arar, the Canadian software engineer who was detained by American officials in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was kept captive for nearly a year and regularly tortured, will receive more than 10.5 million Canadian dollars …
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New York Post:
ATROCITY IN KARBALA — Those who insist so loudly on following Geneva Conventions rules regarding captured terrorists need to take a long, hard look at the latest atrocity in Iraq, news of which broke yesterday. — Four U.S. soldiers, one of them a New Yorker, were captured …
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Video: Gates says the anti-surge resolution "emboldens the enemy" — If you haven't signed the pledge yet, now's your chance. — Update: Mitch McConnell: "This is it." — Update: CNN's got a copy of the early draft of McCain's resolution. Bet-hedging with an eye to 2008 or grudging compromise …
Discussion:
Dr. Sanity, CNN Political Ticker, Wizbang, Riehl World View, Don Surber and Blue Crab Boulevard
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Garry Wills / New York Times:
At Ease, Mr. President — WE hear constantly now about "our commander in chief." The word has become a synonym for "president." It is said that we "elect a commander in chief." It is asked whether this or that candidate is "worthy to be our commander in chief." — But the president is not our commander in chief.
Kieran Healy / Crooked Timber:
Last Best Gifts in the NYT — My book, Last Best Gifts: Altruism and the Market for Human Blood and Organs, is reviewed this weekend by Virginia Postrel in the New York Times. Obviously, I'm delighted: Virginia's review is generous and perceptive, and in many ways it's hard to think of a better choice of reviewer.
Alastair Macdonald / Reuters:
Bomb kills 15, Bush critic Pelosi visits Baghdad — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb killed 15 people and wounded 55 in the second attack in as many months on Baghdad's much-loved Friday pet fair, the latest in a string of bombings at the city's markets that have killed over 150 this week.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars
Washington Post:
Venezuela's Satellites — A year of elections has left democracy and free markets flourishing in most of Latin America. Pity the exceptions. — AREMARKABLE year of democracy in Latin America has left the region generally stronger. Presidential elections were held in 11 countries in the past 13 months …
Sfarber / the talking dog:
TD Blog Interview with Stephen Grey — Stephen Grey is an award-winning investigative journalist, based in London, who has contributed to the New York Times, 60 Minutes, CNN, Newsweek, the BBC and many international publications. He is the author of "Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program".
Washington Post:
In Race for Iowa, Clinton Has to Make Up Ground — With Caucus a Year Away, Polls Show She's Behind in the State — When New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton arrives here for her first presidential campaign events this weekend, she will encounter unfamiliar terrain …
TRex / Firedoglake:
Late Nite FDL: Belief — I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm not a John Mayer fan. But this song keeps coming on the radio in the car at just the right times. Maybe it's something in the lazy, heavy-lidded arc of the guitar riff. Maybe it's the resignation and weariness tinged with hope in the lyrics.
Discussion:
SteveAudio
Thomas Ferraro / Reuters:
Bush accepts Republican House resolution on Iraq — CAMBRIDGE, Maryland (Reuters) - President George W. Bush met privately with House Republicans on Friday and agreed to an alternative resolution to set "benchmarks" for progress in his plan to send more troops to Iraq, party officials said.
Matt Browner Hamlin / rightsfield.com:
McCain Asks His Supporters To Set His Agenda — This is remarkable. Presumptive nominee John McCain has no announced platform and rather than running on the issues that he cares about, he has solicited his email list with a poll which he will use to base his agenda.
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Kenneth P. Vogel / The Politico:
Amid Question of Flip-flopping, McCain to Back Reform Bill
Amid Question of Flip-flopping, McCain to Back Reform Bill
Discussion:
Election Law