Top Items:
New York Times:
Gonzales Draws Strong Criticism of Prosecutors — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales endured blunt criticism Tuesday from federal prosecutors who questioned the firings of eight United States attorneys, complained that the dismissals had undermined morale and expressed broader grievances …
RELATED:
David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Former Key Aide Testifies Today on Gonzales's Statements — D. Kyle Sampson, point man for the removal of eight United States attorneys, has spent almost seven years at the right hand of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. — And over time, friends and former colleagues say …
New York Times:
E-Mail Shows Rove's Role in Fate of Prosecutors — Almost every Wednesday afternoon, advisers to President Bush gather to strategize about putting his stamp on the federal courts and the United States attorneys' offices. — The group meets in the Roosevelt Room and includes aides …
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
White House OK'ed Sampson Statement on Rove
White House OK'ed Sampson Statement on Rove
Discussion:
Think Progress, Firedoglake, Daily Kos, The Daily Background, Democrats.com and Talking Points Memo
Robin Toner / New York Times:
Democrats Are Building on Unity Over Iraq Pullout — No one has seemed more surprised by the Democrats' success in pushing an exit strategy for Iraq than the Democrats. — Their aggressiveness and unity on a major foreign-policy challenge to the president is a striking change for a party that has …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
The Myth Of Voter Fraud — As Congress probes the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, attention is centering on who knew what, and when. It's just as important to focus on "why," such as the reason given for the firing of at least one of the U.S. attorneys, John McKay of Washington state …
Discussion:
Political Animal
RELATED:
Bob Cusack / The Hill:
Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.
Nico / Think Progress:
Video: Rove raps at correspondents dinner. — At tonight's Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner, Karl Rove said he likes to "tear the tops off of small animals" in his spare time, then rapped about it as "MC Rove." Watch it: — At the same event, President Bush said of the U.S. Attorney scandal …
BBC:
US 'no longer technology king' — The US has lost its position as the world's primary engine of technology innovation, according to a report by the World Economic Forum. — The US is now ranked seventh in the body's league table measuring the impact of technology on the development of nations.
Michael D. Shear / Washington Post:
A 'Law & Order' Presidential Candidate? — "Law & Order" star and former U.S. senator Fred Dalton Thompson is considering a bid for the White House that would test whether Hollywood can once again launch a Republican to the world's premier political stage. — His interest, confirmed …
Katherine Kersten / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Moderate American Muslim gives a challenging response to the six imams — Dr. Zuhdi Jasser of Phoenix was deeply troubled after 9/11. A Muslim, he saw his faith threatened by extremists seeking to hijack it for political ends. "Islam is a spiritual path," he says.
Sky News:
Scottish Firm In The Poo — A Scottish company has been slammed for inviting customers to "send a poo" to an Englishman on St George's Day. — Edinburgh-based firm PostaPoo.com is selling plastic "realistic poo" to send to "your favourite (or least favourite) Englishman" to mark April 23.
Washington Post:
Md. Senate Advances Bill To Dodge Electoral College — Maryland is poised to become the first state to agree to bypass the electoral college and effectively elect U.S. presidents by national popular vote under legislation moving briskly toward the desk of Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Senate's Bold Proposal for Iraq: Sugar Beets and Rural Schools — in the U.S. — Midway through the Senate debate yesterday over the "emergency" spending bill for Iraq, Barbara Boxer rose to speak in favor — of strawberries. — "There's a song called 'Strawberry Fields Forever,' " …
The Jawa Report:
Culture of Corruption: Dianne Feinstein Edition? — HELLO, MSM? Echooooo... According to MetroActive, she resigned quietly (where was the MSM?) in January from a Military Construction Appropriations committee over a conflict of interest involving her husband, tens of millions of dollars in defense and construction contracts, etc.