Top Items:
Richard B. Schmitt / Los Angeles Times:
Inquiry widens into Justice Department hiring — The move follows testimony by a former Gonzales aide that she had considered politics in screening applicants. — WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has broadened an internal investigation into whether aides to Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales …
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker
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New York Times:
Bush Reaffirms His Support for Gonzales — President Bush said Thursday that he would correct any problems uncovered in the investigations of last year's dismissals of federal prosecutors, but he added that nothing had undermined his support for Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.
Hanna Rosin / Washington Post:
The New Establishment — How Evangelicals Became Part of Washington's Fabric
The New Establishment — How Evangelicals Became Part of Washington's Fabric
Discussion:
CorrenteWire
E. J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
See You in September — "Let's grow up, conservatives!" — Barry M. Goldwater's declaration at the 1960 Republican National Convention was designed to quell a rebellion against Richard M. Nixon, whom conservatives saw as selling out to liberals on various platform planks.
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Shailagh Murray / Washington Post:
Congress Passes Deadline-Free War Funding Bill — Congress sent President Bush a new Iraq funding bill yesterday that lacked troop withdrawal deadlines demanded by liberal Democrats, but party leaders vowed it was only a temporary setback in their efforts to bring home American troops.
Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
Clinton, Obama vote 'no' on Iraq bill
Clinton, Obama vote 'no' on Iraq bill
Discussion:
The Politico, The Carpetbagger Report, TIME, Blogs of War, clinton.senate.gov, ScrappleFace, Roger L. Simon, MyDD, Brendan Nyhan and Right Wing News
New York Times:
Shiite Cleric Appears in Iraq After Stay in Iran — The powerful Iraqi cleric Moktada al- Sadr surfaced in his home base of Kufa in southern Iraq today, delivering a sermon in a local mosque after what American intelligence officials called a four-month sojourn in Iran.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
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CNN:
Cleric reappears, bans his army from fighting Iraqis … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, making his first public appearance in four months, on Friday ordered his Mehdi Army militia not to fight with Iraqi police and army forces. — "From time to time …
MSNBC:
NBC: CIA warned of Mideast war risks — Pre-war reports say agency predicted dangers of toppling Saddam's regime — Men place the coffin of an attack victim atop a vehicle in Baghdad on Friday. — NBC News Investigative Unit — In a move sure to raise even more questions about the decision …
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Washington Post:
Books Paint Critical Portraits of Clinton — 2 Biographies Detail Marital Strife and Driving Ambition — Two new books on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York offer fresh and often critical portraits of the Democratic presidential candidate that depict a tortured relationship …
Discussion:
The Politico, MSNBC, New York Times, Associated Press, TIME: Swampland, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Caucus, CBS News, Michael P.F. van der Galiën, National Review, Whiskey Fire, Gideon Rachman, NewsBusters.org, Chicago Tribune, Carry on America, Hotline On Call, On Deadline, Political Mavens, The Atlantic Online, Sister Toldjah, Althouse, Connecting.the.Dots, Wonkette, JammieWearingFool, Macsmind, The BLT and Patterico's Pontifications
IAN / Hot Air:
Video: Boehner gets emotional during Iraq war funding debate — House minority leader John Boehner was brought to the brink of tears this evening during debate in the House over the Iraq spending bill, which eventually passed, 280-142. CNN reports: … Blowback
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New York Times:
Immigration Bill Provisions Gain Wide Support in Poll — As opponents from the right and left challenge an immigration bill before Congress, there is broad support among Americans — Democrats, Republicans and independents alike — for the major provisions in the legislation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
Discussion:
Hot Air, CBS News, National Review, DownWithTyranny!, Donklephant, Iowa Voice, Pollster.com, TalkLeft, Prairie Weather and Truthdig
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Don Surber:
Silence on al-Qaida torture — Yesterday, Matt Drudge broke this story: … The link was to The Smoking Gun, which reported: … What was Amnesty International's reaction? … Yet Amesty International just 3 days ago called for the US to close Guantanamo Bay. — Where did USA Today play the torture book story?
Michael Freund / Jerusalem Post:
Saudis arrest Christian for entering Mecca — Saudi officials have arrested a man in Mecca for being a Christian, saying that the city, which Muslims consider to be holy, is off-limits to non-Muslims. — Nirosh Kamanda, a Sri Lankan Christian, was detained by the Saudi Expatriates Monitoring Committee …
The Daily Howler:
OSTRICH IS STUPID! We libs still have our heads in the sand. We've met Stupid—and Stupid is Us: — PROVING IT ALL WEEK LONG: It's obvious how it's going to go as the press corps pretends to discuss Al Gore's book. Gore has said our discourse is broken—and our pundits are going to rush out to prove it.
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
In the Rose Garden, It Was All Al-Qaeda — Is there no safe haven for President Bush? — It happened midway through his news conference in the Rose Garden yesterday morning, in between his 10th and 11th mentions of al-Qaeda: A bird flew over the president and deposited a wet, white dropping on the upper left sleeve of his jacket.
Fred Kaplan / Slate:
Hyping al-Qaida — BUSH BUNGLES A PRESS CONFERENCE. — If you tuned in at the end of George W. Bush's press conference Thursday morning, just in time to watch him defend the immigration bill, you caught a glimpse of the leader he might have been, the "compassionate conservative" …
Eduardo Porter / New York Times:
More Than Ever, It Pays to Be the Top Executive — Like most companies, Office Depot has long made sure that its chief executive was the highest-paid employee. Ten years ago, the $2.2 million pay package of its chief was more than double that of his No. 2. The fifth-ranked executive received less than one-third.
Ardeshir Arian / Pajamas Media:
Goons of Iran — Iran's Crackdown on "Children of Allah Influenced by International Imperialism" Continues — 3,000 Arrested, 1,200 Automobiles Confiscated, 1,000 Shops Closed, 75,000 Warnings Issued — Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers — The "Elevating Society's Security" …
Discussion:
Michael P.F. van der Galiën