memeorandum: FREE SCOOTER LIBBY (New York Post)

4:10 PM ET, March 7, 2007

Top Items:

The Libby Verdict — The serious consequences of a pointless Washington scandal — THE CONVICTION of I. Lewis Libby on charges of perjury, making false statements and obstruction of justice was grounded in strong evidence and what appeared to be careful deliberation by a jury.

Opinion Journal:

The Libby Travesty — Mr. Bush owes the former aide a pardon, and an apology. — The word "guilty" had barely crossed the airwaves yesterday in the perjury case of Scooter Libby before critics were calling it proof that President Bush "lied us into war" and demanding that Dick Cheney be strung up next.

Al Kamen / Washington Post:

Guess Libby's Pardon Date, Win a T-Shirt — The verdict is in! Now it's time for the In the Loop Pardon Scooter Contest! Yes, simply pick the date that President Bush will pardon Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who, according to federal sentencing guidelines …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, DownWithTyranny! and TIME: Swampland

New York Post:
FREE SCOOTER LIBBY

Discussion: Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, The Right Angle and Cliff Schecter

Kevin Drum / Political Animal:
JUST ANOTHER THIRD RATE BURGLARY....Shorter Washington Post …

Discussion: The RBC

American Thinker:
I Call for Justice — In this week's episode of Rome …

Discussion: Right Wing Nut House, Macsmind and Kesher Talk

New York Times:
A Libby Verdict — There will be a great deal written …

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Media Matters Counterspin

Discussion: protein wisdom, Redstate and Overtaken

Faiz / Think Progress:
Washington Post Editorial Board Spits Out Baseless Right-Wing …

Discussion: The Mahablog and Donklephant

Associated Press:

Evangelical leader says Giuliani's divorce a problem … NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — A Southern Baptist leader said Tuesday that evangelical voters might tolerate a divorced presidential candidate, but they have deep doubts about GOP hopeful Rudy Giuliani, who has been married three times.

Discussion: Daily Kos, Outside The Beltway and Eschaton

Ralph Z. Hallow / Washington Times:

McCain seeks independents' primary votes — Sen. John McCain's campaign is mounting a stealth effort to change Republican presidential nomination rules in California to allow independents to vote in the Feb. 5 primary, party and campaign officials in the state have told The Washington Times.

Discussion: The Caucus and Political Muscle

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup Poll:
Giuliani Solidifies Lead in Republican Nomination Poll

Discussion: Pollster

Abraham Rabinovich / The Australian:

Iranian general 'seeking asylum in US' — A RETIRED Iranian general who went missing in Turkey last month has defected and sought asylum in the US, according to a well-connected Arabic newspaper published in London. — The newspaper, al-Shark al-Awsat, cited "high-profile" …

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, QandO and Wizbang

Pajamas Media:

PANIC IN TEHRAN — The disappearance and possible defection of former Iranian deputy defense minister Ali Reza Asgari has the Iranian government deeply worried — and for good reason. — Meir Javedanfar, an expert on Iran and co-author of an upcoming book on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reports.

Discussion: Hot Air, Michael P.F. van der Galiën and Ace of Spades HQ

Alberto R. Gonzales / USA Today:

They lost my confidence — Attorneys' dismissals were related to performance, not to politics. — As any employer or manager knows, the handling of personnel matters — especially the termination of employees — is one of the most challenging tasks in any business.

Discussion: Real Cities, The Carpetbagger Report, The American Street, The Left Coaster, The Heretik and State of the Day

David Johnston / New York Times:
Prosecutors Describe Contacts From Higher Up

Discussion: abqtrib.com and On Deadline

Seattle Times:
McKay goes down fighting

Discussion: TPMmuckraker, NO QUARTER, Think Progress and Daily Kos

The Raw Story:

Soviet-era compound in northern Poland was site of secret CIA interrogation, detentions — US, Britain asked Poland to join clandestine program — POLAND — The CIA operated an interrogation and short-term detention facility for suspected terrorists within a Polish intelligence training school …

Discussion: Michael P.F. van der Galiën, Democrats.com, NewsHog and TalkLeft

Josh White / Washington Post:

Dole, Shalala to Lead Troop-Care Panel — Bipartisan Commission Will Evaluate Treatment, From Battlefield to Civilian Life — President Bush yesterday named former senator Robert J. Dole and former secretary of health and human services Donna E. Shalala to co-chair a bipartisan commission …

Discussion: BobGeiger.com, The Caucus, DownWithTyranny!, CNN Political Ticker and Going to the Mat

Reuters:

Burqa-clad Taliban leader caught as NATO attacks — KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan soldiers have captured a Taliban leader who tried to flee a security operation in the south dressed in a burqa, NATO said on Wednesday. — Tuesday's capture in Kandahar province came as NATO launched a major offensive …

Discussion: QandO, The Jawa Report and Polimom Says

Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:

Harsh Words Die Hard on the Web — Law Students Feel Lasting Effects of Anonymous Attacks — She graduated Phi Beta Kappa, has published in top legal journals and completed internships at leading institutions in her field. So when the Yale law student interviewed with 16 firms for a job this summer …

Discussion: Majikthise, Feministe, Althouse, Techdirt and The BLT

Associated Press:

Boston woman sues for child-rearing costs after failed abortion — BOSTON —A Boston woman who gave birth after a failed abortion has filed a lawsuit against two doctors and Planned Parenthood seeking the costs of raising her child. — The complaint was filed by Jennifer Raper, 45 …

Discussion: Redstate and The Corner

Linda Greenhouse / New York Times:

As to the Direction of the Roberts Court: The Jury Is Still Out — Over the Presidents' Day weekend, Douglas W. Kmiec went to a popular legal Web site, Findlaw.com, to post his thoughts on the Supreme Court at midterm. — Mr. Kmiec, a law professor at Pepperdine University …

Discussion: Abovethelaw.com and The BLT

Reuters:

Wired Iraqi man triggers scare at L.A. airport — LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An Iraqi national wearing wires and concealing a magnet inside his rectum triggered a security scare at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday but officials said he posed no apparent threat.