Top Items:
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Edwards to Suspend Campaign — John Edwards is suspending his campaign for President, and may drop out completely, because his wife has suffered a recurrence of the cancer that sickened her in 2004, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, an Edwards friend told The Politico.
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Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Edwards and Wife Plan News Conference — John Edwards, the North Carolina Democrat making a second bid for the presidency, announced late Wednesday night that he would hold a news conference Thursday, a day after he and his wife, Elizabeth, visited Mrs. Edwards' doctor to assess her health following her recovery from breast cancer.
New York Times:
Edwards Plans Announcement With His Wife — John Edwards, the North Carolina Democrat making a second bid for the presidency, called a news conference for Thursday to discuss the future of his campaign, a day after he and his wife, Elizabeth, visited Mrs. Edwards's doctor to assess her recovery from a bout of breast cancer.
Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:
Prosecutor Says Bush Appointees Interfered With Tobacco Case — The leader of the Justice Department team that prosecuted a landmark lawsuit against tobacco companies said yesterday that Bush administration political appointees repeatedly ordered her to take steps that weakened the government's racketeering case.
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Maura Dolan / Los Angeles Times:
Bush loyalist among fired U.S. attorneys — Threatened controversy over a poor evaluation of federal prosecutor Kevin Ryan in San Francisco derailed plans to retain him. — SAN FRANCISCO — The "company man" hired and fired by the Bush administration as U.S. attorney in San Francisco …
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Today's Must Read — It's almost too perfect. The only U.S. attorney fired by the administration in December who undeniably had performance issues was begrudingly added to the list at the last minute — and only then because of a federal judge's threat that he would go to Congress with complaints about the prosecutor's performance.
USA Today:
3 fired prosecutors were in top 10 for convictions, federal data show — Justice Department spokesman says rankings skewed — WASHINGTON — Three of the eight federal prosecutors ousted by the Justice Department as poor performers ranked in the top 10 for prosecutions and convictions …
Washington Post:
Political Spectacle — THE WHITE HOUSE and congressional Democrats have drawn deep lines in the sand over who will testify, and how, as Congress investigates the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys. The stubbornness and overheated rhetoric on both sides threaten an unnecessary constitutional crisis …
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Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
House Democrats Weigh Plan for Iraq Withdrawal — Representative Dan Boren is a Democrat, but after visiting Iraq last week he announced a decision that puts him at odds with his party's leaders: he intends to vote against their plan to set a deadline for troops to leave Iraq.
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Robert D. Novak / Washington Post:
Was She Covert? — Republican Rep. Peter Hoekstra could hardly believe what he heard on television Friday as he watched a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. Rep. Henry Waxman, the Democratic committee chairman, said his statement had been approved by the CIA director, Michael Hayden.
Think Progress:
Boxer Slams Down Inhofe's Global Warming Filibuster: 'You Don't Make The Rules Anymore' … Blog for Our Future has a round-up of bloggers' reactions to Gore's testimony.
Discussion:
Gristmill, epw.senate.gov, News Hounds, My Left Wing, The Intersection, BlondeSense, The Sideshow, Hoffmania! and CorrenteWire
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Sidney Blumenthal / Salon:
What Bush is hiding — In the U.S. attorney scandal, Alberto Gonzales gave orders, but he also took them — from Karl Rove, who plotted to turn the federal criminal justice system into the Republican Holy Office of the Inquisition. — Alberto Gonzales, right, and Karl Rove at the Jan. 31 …
Ahmed Rashid / Washington Post:
Musharraf at the Exit — LAHORE, Pakistan — In the rapidly unfolding crisis in Pakistan, no matter what happens to President Pervez Musharraf — whether he survives politically or not — he is a lame duck. He is unable to rein in Talibanization in Pakistan or guide the country toward a more democratic future.
Jim Kuhnhenn / Associated Press:
Mystery creator of anti-Clinton ad ID'd — WASHINGTON - The mystery creator of the Orwellian YouTube ad against Hillary Rodham Clinton is a Democratic operative who worked for a digital consulting firm with ties to rival Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record).
Discussion:
The Swamp, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Power Line, Ed Driscoll.com and Blue Crab Boulevard
Anthony Man / Sun-Sentinel:
Florida moves to wipe out clout of smaller states with Jan. 29 presidential primary — Tallahassee - Hoping to muscle Florida into a pre-eminent role in picking next year's Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, the state House voted Wednesday to leapfrog almost all the other states …
Kirk Johnson / New York Times:
In Utah, an Opponent of the 'Culture of Obedience' — SALT LAKE CITY — Rocky Anderson may not be the most liberal mayor in America. But here in the most conservative state, he might as well be. — Just being himself is enough to galvanize, divide or enrage people who have followed …
Arthur Bright / Christian Science Monitor:
Pro-Taliban tribesmen battle Al Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan — Two days of fighting have left at least 58 dead in the South Waziristan region. — In the Pakistani region of South Waziristan, fierce fighting between pro-Taliban tribesmen and Al-Qaeda-linked Uzbek militants has left at least 58 dead.
Discussion:
Austin Bay, Mudville Gazette, American Footprints, Captain's Quarters and Jules Crittenden
New York Times:
Congress's Challenge on Iraq — The House of Representatives now has a chance to lead the nation toward a wiser, more responsible Iraq policy. It is scheduled to vote this week on whether to impose benchmarks for much-needed political progress on the Iraqi government …