memeorandum: Reconstruction Official on Iraqi Billions: "What Difference Does It Make?" (Paul Kiel/TPMmuckraker)

8:55 PM ET, February 6, 2007

Top Items:

Eric Gorski / Denver Post:

Haggard says he's not gay — The Rev. Ted Haggard emerged from three weeks of intensive counseling convinced he is "completely heterosexual" and told an oversight board that his sexual contact with men was limited to his accuser. — That is according to one of the disgraced pastor's overseers …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, The Daily Dish, Taylor Marsh, The Carpetbagger Report, Hot Air, Don Surber and CorrenteWire

Associated Press:

Haggard now "completely heterosexual" — DENVER - One of four ministers who oversaw three weeks of intensive counseling for the Rev. Ted Haggard said the disgraced minister emerged convinced that he is "completely heterosexual." — Haggard also said his sexual contact with men was limited …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Unqualified Offerings

David S. Broder / Washington Post:

The Other Democrats Weigh In — The good news for the nation's Democrats is that neither of the supposed front-runners for the party's 2008 presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, stole the show when all 10 of the likely contenders spoke last weekend to the Democratic National Committee.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, The Agonist, PerishtheThought and ArchPundit

Oliver Willis:

David Broder Libels Democrats — David Broder, the most insider of Washington insiders, perpetuates a lie and smears the Democratic party in "reporting" on this past weekend's meeting of the DNC. … That's just a boldfaced lie by Broder, no two ways about it.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Liberal Values, TIME, AMERICAblog, TAPPED, skippy the bush kangaroo, Hullabaloo, Seeing the Forest and Daily Kos

Roger Simon / The Politico:
Obama, Clinton May Skip Early Debates

Discussion: Hotline On Call, Oval Office 2008 and TIME: Swampland

Pajamas Media:

FLASH: OPERATION BAGHDAD HAS STARTED! — US Army soldiers from the 5-20 Infantry Division take up positions to provide cover for fellow soldiers as part of the launch of Operation Arrowhead Strike Six in the Shaab neighbourhood of northern Baghdad. — EXCLUSIVE From PJM Baghdad Editor Omar @ Iraq the Model @ 11:00 AM, PST

Discussion: Confederate Yankee

Omar / IRAQ THE MODEL:
Operation Baghdad Has Started!

Discussion: Redstate and alphabet city

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Arab TV: Operations in Baghdad have begun; Update: 2,000 U.S …

Discussion: alphabet city

Neil A. Lewis / New York Times:

Libby's Grand Jury Tapes Are Heard in Court — Prosecutors in the perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. on Monday played audio tapes in which Mr. Libby was heard testifying under oath before a grand jury that he had not discussed the identity of a Central Intelligence Agency operative …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, TPMmuckraker, CBS News, Law Blog and Washington Post

Swopa / Firedoglake:
Libby Live: Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Three

Discussion: JustOneMinute and Booman Tribune

Washington Post:
Libby Says Cheney 'Disturbed' by Wilson's Claims

Discussion: The Daily Dish

Arianna Huffington / The Huffington Post:

My Six-Point Reaction to Joe Klein's Seven-Point Response — I agree with Joe Klein's assessment that there are "far more important things going on in the world" than a clarification of his position on the war in Iraq. But I can't resist reacting to his seven-point response to my post on him:

Joe Klein / TIME: Swampland:

Slow News Day? — Arianna Huffington, the doyenne of the Hollywood left, has taken time from her busy schedule to attack me for something I said on Meet the Press three years ago. Since this lone quote has become an article of faith among the take-no-prisoners left, let me respond: — 1. Yes, I said it.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Political Animal, The Daily Dish and Eschaton

cbn.com:

FRC President: Giuliani 'Far Outside the Mainstream of Conservative Thought' — This just in to The Brody File. I received the following response from Tony Perkins on what he thinks about Rudy Giuliani's chances to be the next President of the United States. Let me put it this way: he's not thrilled.

Discussion: Hotline On Call, TIME, The Carpetbagger Report, DownWithTyranny!, CNN Political Ticker and Barone Blog

Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Rudy Giuliani's compatibility with the Republican Christian base

Discussion: Hullabaloo, The Corner, Power Line, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Moderate Voice and Whiskey Fire

Christine Hauser / New York Times:

Astronaut Charged With Attempted Kidnapping — A NASA astronaut who drove hundreds of miles to confront a romantic rival, wearing diapers on the journey so that she would not have to stop to use the restroom, appeared in court today after being arrested on attempted kidnapping and other charges.

Discussion: Slog, Scared Monkeys and Feministe

Mike Schneider / Associated Press:
Astronaut Charged With Murder Attemp

Discussion: La Shawn Barber's Corner and The Corner

Edward N. Luttwak / New York Times:

To Help Iraq, Let It Fend for Itself — THE sooner President Bush can get his extra troops for a "surge" in Iraq, the sooner he will be able to announce that all American troops are coming home because of the inevitable failure of the Iraqi government to "live up to its side of the bargain."

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Daily Dish, FP Passport and Middle Earth Journal

New York Times:
In Public View, Saudis Counter Iran in Region

Discussion: TPMmuckraker and Thomas P.M. Barnett

William M. Arkin / Early Warning:

Demonization and Responsibility — I've been making my way through the mail and online comments I've received in response to my columns last week. — The many e-mails I've gotten privately from people serving in the military are, not surprisingly, the most respectful and reflective.

Discussion: Power Line, Winds of Change.NET, Daily Pundit, Done With Mirrors, Little Green Footballs, Ace of Spades HQ and Ed Driscoll.com

Brian C. Ledbetter / snapped shot:

Glorious Jihadi Linkage — Wow, in what's sure to be a first for the history of Snapped Shot, I'm, well, proud to announce that one of the photographs in our cache has officially been included in an online article over at al Jazeera, the Voice of the Jihadis.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:

Reconstruction Official on Iraqi Billions: "What Difference Does It Make?" — What happened to billions in Iraqi funds that were overseen by the Coalition Provisional Authority? That's not "important," according to David Oliver, the former Director of Management and Budget of the agency.

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, The Carpetbagger Report and Hullabaloo

ABCNEWS:

Exclusive: Duke Lacrosse Grand Jurors Speak Out — Grand Juror Says "Would Have Made a Different Decision" If he Knew What he Knows Now — In the spring, a grand jury in Durham, N.C., indicted three Duke University lacrosse players on charges of rape, sexual offense and kidnapping of an exotic dancer.

Discussion: Durham-in-Wonderland, Scared Monkeys and TalkLeft