Top Items:
William Branigin / Washington Post:
Senate Republicans Block Floor Vote on Iraq Resolution — Senate Republicans today blocked a floor vote on a House-passed resolution that expresses disapproval of President Bush's plan to send thousands of additional U.S. troops to Iraq, as a procedural motion to cut off debate on the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed.
Discussion:
The Reaction, the talking dog, Austin Bay Blog, TalkLeft, Prairie Weather and alphabet city
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Associated Press:
SENATE GRIDLOCKED ON IRAQ TROOP BUILDUP — Feb. 16: Sgt. John Guerra, 21, from Dallas, Tex., walks with his platoon from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team during a patrol in Iraq. — WASHINGTON — The Senate gridlocked on the Iraq war in a sharply worded showdown on Saturday …
CNN:
Senate won't vote on rebuke of troop buildup … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Senate Democrats failed to garner the necessary 60 votes they needed to consider a nonbinding resolution that opposes President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq. — The vote was 56-34, with seven Republicans crossing …
N. Todd Pritsky / Dohiyi Mir:
It Is A Victory — Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and atom bombs:
It Is A Victory — Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and atom bombs:
Washington Post:
Not the 'Real Vote' — REP. JOHN MURTHA (D-Pa.) has a message for anyone who spent the week following the House of Representatives' marathon debate on Iraq: You've been distracted by a sideshow. "We have to be careful that people don't think this is the vote," the 74-year-old congressman …
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New York Times:
On to the Hard Part on Iraq — President Bush lost touch long ago with Iraq's political reality — not to mention Americans' anguish and disbelief at his mismanagement of the war. So we welcome the House of Representatives' long-overdue attempt to shake some sense into Mr. Bush …
Don Vito / The Smoking Gun:
Rudy Giuliani: No Free Speech — Lucrative contract depicts GOP hopeful as image-conscious diva — We've previously posted the tour riders of Dick Cheney and John Kerry, but those two pols look like pikers compared to the high-rolling, diva-like Rudolph Giuliani, wannabe Republican presidential candidate.
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David Saltonstall / NY Daily News:
Rudy's inner diva is outed — Demands private jet, fancy hotel — and 100G — to give speech, sez Web site — Move over, J.Lo. There's a new diva on the scene - and his name is Rudy Giuliani. — At least that's the impression given by a copy of the basic contract the former mayor …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
At least he didn't specify which M&Ms were to be removed from his dressing room
At least he didn't specify which M&Ms were to be removed from his dressing room
Discussion:
The Right's Field
Patrick Healy / New York Times:
Antiwar Anger at '02 Vote on Iraq Follows Clinton — One of the most important decisions that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton made about her bid for the presidency came late last year when she ended a debate in her camp over whether she should repudiate her 2002 vote authorizing military action in Iraq.
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Don Surber, Booman Tribune, Hot Air, culturekitchen, Riehl World View, Daily Pundit and Liberty Street
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Joe / AMERICAblog:
Forget Iraq. McCain wants to be the anti-sex candidate. He's preaching abstinence now. — fark it! Oh, this is rich. John McCain can't make the votes on Iraq — the dominant issue of these times. No, McCain has more pressing matters on his plate. He's too busy working on his no-sex agenda.
Discussion:
The Real McCain
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Victoria Toensing / Washington Post:
Trial in Error — Could someone please explain to me why Scooter Libby is the only person on trial in the Valerie Plame leak investigation? — Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald charged Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff with perjury on the theory that Libby had a nefarious reason …
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Washington Post:
Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility — Behind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole.
NewDonkey.com:
Dissent and Wars of Choice — There's been a lot of buzz around the blogosphere about a phony Abraham Lincoln quote that Bush Iraq War supporters keep throwing out there (most recently senior House GOPer Don Young of Alaska), suggesting that dissenters in Congress during wartime are "saboteurs" …
Pajamas Media:
BAGHDAD TODAY: A REPORT FROM THE CITY — "The Surge is showing signs of success. The progress made so far invites hope and optimism, but it's still too early to celebrate." Omar Fadhil, PJM's editor in Iraq files this report. — Since the multiple bombings in Shroja market district on the 12th …
Discussion:
QandO
Russell Roberts / Los Angeles Times:
Workers are fine with fewer unions — Wealth and productivity have soared while union membership has declined. — LABOR UNIONS' importance in the workplace has fallen steadily since 1950, when roughly a third of American workers were unionized. Today, that number is well below 10% in the private sector.