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6:05 AM ET, February 1, 2007

Top Items:

Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins dies at 62 — Best-selling author, sharp-witted Texas liberal succumbs to breast cancer — Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins poses for a portrait at her home Sept. 22 in Austin, Texas. She died Wednesday at 62 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Discussion: Associated Press, The Left Coaster, skippy the bush kangaroo, Liberal Values, SteveAudio, The Democratic Daily, The Agonist, Outside The Beltway and Lifelike Pundits

John Moritz / Dallas Star-Telegram:

Columnist Molly Ivins dies — AUSTIN — Molly Ivins, whose biting columns mixed liberal populism with an irreverent Texas wit, died at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at her home in Austin after an up-and-down battle with breast cancer she had waged for seven years. She was 62.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Dean's World, The Sideshow, Booman Tribune, The Mahablog, The American Street, On Deadline, My Left Nutmeg, Liberty Street, Romenesko and Pharyngula

Joe Holley / Washington Post:
Columnist Molly Ivins, 62; Poked Fun at the Powerful

Discussion: Gun Toting Liberal ™ and democracyarsenal.org

New York Times:

Chirac Unfazed by Nuclear Iran, Then Backtracks — President Jacques Chirac said this week that if Iran had one or two nuclear weapons, it would not pose a big danger, and that if Iran were to launch a nuclear weapon against a country like Israel, it would lead to the immediate destruction of Tehran.

Discussion: Kesher Talk, Andrew Sullivan and Atlas Shrugs

CNN:

Al-Maliki: Iraq won't be battleground for U.S., Iran … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraq's prime minister said Wednesday he's sure Iran is behind some attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and he won't allow his country to be a battleground for the two nations. — "We have told the Iranians and the Americans …

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Larisa Alexandrovna's …, DownWithTyranny!, alphabet city, Wonkette and Gay Patriot

New York Times:

Bullying Iran — Given America's bitter experience in Iraq, one would think that President Bush could finally figure out that threats and brute force aren't a substitute for a reasoned strategy. But Mr. Bush is at it again, this time trying to bully Iran into stopping its meddling inside Iraq.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and The Political Pit Bull

Associated Press:

U.S.-Iran tensions could trigger war — BAGHDAD, Iraq - Citing Iranian involvement with Iraqi militias and Tehran's nuclear ambitions, the Bush administration has shifted to offense in its confrontation with Iran — building up the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf and promising more aggressive moves …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Jules Crittenden, The Anonymous Liberal, NO QUARTER and The Democratic Daily

The Age:
US warns Iran to stay away from Iraq

Discussion: Reuters, The Huffington Post and Informed Comment

Pundit Review Radio / BLACKFIVE:

A hearty F*** You to William Arkin — Update: Marc Danziger, the Armed Liberal over at Winds of change is much less hyperbolic about Arkin than I am and check on Fuzzy Bear's stuff too. — Apologies for the F bombs bursting in air, but...well just read on.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Riehl World View, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Blue Crab Boulevard, Andrew Olmsted dot com, Gun Toting Liberal ™, Wizbang and Instapundit.com

Hindrocket / Power Line:

THE PERIL OF NEWSPAPER BLOGS... ...is that a reporter might say what he actually thinks before an editor catches up with him and makes him stop. A case in point: William Arkin writes on "national and homeland security" for the Washington Post. Yesterday morning, in his blog titled Early Warning …

Discussion: Redstate, Hang Right Politics and BLACKFIVE

Michelle Malkin:

WaPo math: Troops=mercenaries — Here's Washington Post national security reporter/blogger William Arkin's screed against NBC's report, which quoted troops who want Americans to support their mission. An excerpt from Arkin's unhinged diatribe: … Is he auditioning for a Daily Kos diarist spot?

Discussion: Flopping Aces

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
WaPo blogger to U.S. troops: Be thankful we don't spit on you, mercenaries

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ and The Sundries Shack

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

A Biden Problem: Foot in Mouth — After Announcing Presidential Bid, Biden Slammed for Obama Remarks — Senator Joe Biden, D-Del., the loquacious chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who launched his presidential campaign today, may be experiencing an ailment not entirely unknown to him: foot in mouth disease.

Discussion: The Reaction, TAPPED, Balloon Juice, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES and The Caucus

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Biden Unwraps His Bid for '08 With an Oops!

Discussion: Washington Post, AMERICAblog, Booman Tribune and Jon Swift

Jason Horowitz / New York Observer:
Biden Unbound: Lays Into Clinton, Obama, Edwards

Discussion: The Politico, Hot Air, newsjournal.com, New York Times, The Jawa Report, Redstate, The Caucus, Political Animal, The Right Angle, CNN Political Ticker, GregsOpinion.com, Macsmind, The Corner and Transterrestrial Musings

David Gregory / MSNBC:
Sen. Biden apologizes for remarks on Obama

Discussion: The New Republic, Captain's Quarters, The Swamp, Think Progress and Liberal Values

WCVB-TV:

TV Network Takes Responsibility For 'Hoax Devices' — BOSTON — Turner Broadcasting plans to take responsibility for the "hoax devices" that were found at several locations in and around Boston Wednesday that forced police bomb units to scramble throughout the area.

Discussion: On Deadline and Reason Magazine

Ken Maguire / Associated Press:

Boston publicity ploy leads to 2 arrests — BOSTON - Several illuminated electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable cartoon. Most of the devices depict a character giving the finger.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway

CBS4Boston:

Devices Part Of Cartoon Marketing Campaign — (WBZ) BOSTON The suspicious devices which forced bomb units to scramble across Boston today were actually magnetic lights that are part of a marketing campaign for a television cartoon. — The reports forced the temporary shutdowns of Interstate 93 …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Little Green Footballs, Sadly, No!, Blue Crab Boulevard, Nitpicker and The News Blog

Washington Post:

Senators Unite On Challenge to Bush's Troop Plan — Revised Warner Language That Protects Funds Is Embraced for Bipartisan Appeal — Democratic and Republican opponents of President Bush's troop-buildup plan joined forces last night behind the nonbinding resolution with the broadest bipartisan backing …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Taylor Marsh, DownWithTyranny! and Daily Kos

Anne Flaherty / Associated Press:

Senate foes of troop buildup join forces — WASHINGTON - Two senators, a Republican and a Democrat, leading separate efforts to put Congress on record against President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq joined forces Wednesday, agreeing on a nonbinding resolution that would oppose the plan and potentially embarrass the White House.

Discussion: Think Progress, New York Times, Donklephant, AMERICAblog, BobGeiger.com, The Left Coaster and Middle Earth Journal

Rob Hotakainen / Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Franken tells DFLers he's running for Senate — WASHINGTON - Comedian and radio talk show host Al Franken has begun calling Democratic members of Congress and prominent DFLers to tell them he will definitely challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in 2008, the Star Tribune has learned.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Wizbang and Ace of Spades HQ

Akersm / The Sleuth:

Obama's Grudge Factor — These are chilly days on Capitol Hill ... and on the campaign trail for Fox News journalists — at least when they're anywhere near Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). — Sources tell The Sleuth that the Obama camp has "frozen out" Fox News reporters and producers in the wake …

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Firedoglake, Taylor Marsh, Political Insider, MyDD, blackprof.com, NewsBusters.org, Liberal Values, FishBowlDC, The Democratic Daily, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Daily Kos and Romenesko

Sky News:

Terror Plot: Ninth Arrest — A ninth suspect has been arrested by police investigating an alleged Iraq-style kidnapping and beheading plot in the UK. — It follows the detention of eight people at addresses in Birmingham earlier. — Assistant Chief Constable David Shaw, of West Midlands Police …

Discussion: Associated Press, The Sun, Pajamas Media, The Political Pit Bull, On Deadline, Andrew Sullivan, The Belmont Club, Blue Crab Boulevard, Ace of Spades HQ, Hang Right Politics, Power Line, Daimnation! and Wizbang

Patricia Cohen / New York Times:

Essay Linking Liberal Jews and Anti-Semitism Sparks a Furor — The American Jewish Committee, an ardent defender of Israel, is known for speaking out against anti-Semitism, but this conservative advocacy group has recently stirred up a bitter and emotional debate with a new target: liberal Jews.

Discussion: democracyarsenal.org, Matthew Yglesias, protein wisdom, Democracy Project, TAPPED and Atlas Shrugs

Julian E. Barnes / Los Angeles Times:

Air Force's role in Iraq could grow — More flights are likely along the Iranian border, sources say. — WASHINGTON — The Air Force is preparing for an expanded role in Iraq that could include aggressive new tactics designed to deter Iranian assistance to Iraqi militants, senior Pentagon officials said.

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Lawyers, Guns and Money and TPMCafe blogs