Top Items:
Pachacutec / Firedoglake:
Libby Loses Liberty — Walton: As a prelude to my ruling, the fact that I've written lengthy decisions does not suggest I think an issue is close. We are expected to give significant consideration to what we do. My effort is to try to get it right, so this is why I tke my time so length does …
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Pachacutec / Firedoglake:
Sentencing Scooter Live Blog Part I — This morning we have the hearing as to whether or not Scooter Libby will be free on bond pending the outcome of his appeal. — For us lay people, here's the essential legal landscape: — Judge Walton has already said he is disinclined to leave Libby free …
Washington Post:
Judge Won't Delay Libby's Prison Term for Appeal — A federal judge today ordered I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to report to prison within weeks to begin serving a 30-month sentence for lying to federal investigators about his role in disclosing a covert CIA officer's identity to the media.
Discussion:
TalkLeft, DownWithTyranny!, On Deadline, Don Singleton, Wonkette, Watching Those We Chose and Balloon Juice
John Bresnahan / The Politico:
Reid labels military leader 'incompetent' — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "incompetent" during an interview Tuesday with a group of liberal bloggers, a comment that was never reported.
Discussion:
Senator Bill Frist, New York Times, Washington Monthly, protein wisdom, Taylor Marsh, BLACKFIVE, Neptunus Lex, The Carpetbagger Report, Hot Air, Townhall.com, Confederate Yankee, Betsy's Page, Captain's Quarters, ShrinkWrapped, Brian Beutler, Gay Patriot, The Populist, National Review, The Jawa Report, The Strata-Sphere, Don Surber, JammieWearingFool, Instapundit.com, Power Line, Iowa Voice and PoliPundit.com
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Greg Sargent / Election Central:
Politico Story Saying Reid Called Generals "Incompetent" Is Denied — One of the big stories of the day is this front-page piece in The Politico that claims that Harry Reid blasted General Peter Pace as "incompetent" and described General David Petraeus in similar terms on a recent conference call with liberal bloggers.
Discussion:
TalkLeft
David S. Broder / Washington Post:
The Immigration Bill In Harry Reid's Court — It is hard to say who looked worse in the Senate's impasse on immigration legislation — Democrats or Republicans — but the responsibility for reviving that measure clearly rests most heavily on the shoulders of Majority Leader Harry Reid.
New York Times:
Palestinian President Dissolves Government — The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, dissolved the unity government today, dismissing the prime minister, Ismail Haniya of Hamas, and announced the establishment of a temporary emergency government until new elections can be held.
Discussion:
Sigmund, Carl and Alfred, A Blog For All, Israellycool, Israel Matzav, Israpundit and Michael P.F. van der Galiën
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CNN:
Palestinian president fires Hamas-led government … GAZA CITY (CNN) — President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government and declared a state of emergency Thursday after four days of fighting that has left Hamas in control of much of Gaza.
Discussion:
Times of London, Publius Pundit, BBC, Michael P.F. van der Galiën, Harry's Place, Wizbang and Daimnation!
Frank Phillips / Boston Globe:
Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban — A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was defeated today by a joint session of the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 151, eliminating any chance of getting it on the ballot in November 2008. At least 50 votes were needed to advance the measure.
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Ann Scott Tyson / Washington Post:
No Drop in Iraq Violence Seen Since Troop Buildup — Three months into the new U.S. military strategy that has sent tens of thousands of additional troops into Iraq, overall levels of violence in the country have not decreased, as attacks have shifted away from Baghdad and Anbar …
Discussion:
New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Power Line, Think Progress, Outside The Beltway, Informed Comment, IraqSlogger.com, Agence France Presse, Heading Right, The Democratic Daily, The American Mind, The Mahablog, The Populist, Macsmind, The Atlantic Online, BobGeiger.com, Central Sanity, Right Wing Nut House, Angry Bear, The Carpetbagger Report, PoliBlog (TM), The Newshoggers, Jules Crittenden, Captain's Quarters, Comments From Left Field and State of the Day
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New York Times:
Several Mosques Attacked, but Iraq Is Mostly Calm — Left, a file photo from December 2003 shows the two minarets and the Golden Dome of the al-Askari mosque in Samarra. At right, the mosque after the attack on the minarets on Wednesday. The dome was destroyed in a 2006 attack. More Photos >
Roger Friedman / Fox News:
Angelina Jolie's Freedom of Press, on Her Terms — Odds 'n' Ends — Angelina Jolie's Freedom of Press, on Her Terms — Angelina Jolie's true colors came out Wednesday as she promoted a film about freedom of the press and then tried to censor all her interviews.
Discussion:
Don Surber, Captain's Quarters, Wizbang, Boing Boing, Romenesko, alicublog and Iowa Voice
Dan Eggen / Washington Post:
DOJ Investigates if Gonzales Tried to Influence Aide's Testimony — The Justice Department is investigating whether Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales sought to influence the testimony of a departing senior aide during a March meeting in Gonzales's office, according to correspondence released today.
Matt David / The Politico:
McCain and Romney tangle over abortion — McCain's camp is lighting into Romney today, accusing him of still supporting abortion rights at a time when he's previously claimed to have already seen the light. — Romney's camp has punched back quickly, terming the attack "desperate" and reflective of a "faltering" campaign.
Discussion:
eyeon08.com, Patrick Ruffini, race42008.com, Political Punch, Bluey Blog and National Review
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Ezra Klein:
The Political Brain — I'm genuinely not a big fan of advice books for Democrats. Most of them strike me as very little beyond a complicated rationale for why the author's personal position is the only ideology that could construct a crushing majority in this country.
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Obama aide wants Libby pardoned — Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) top lawyer publicly made the case yesterday for a presidential pardon for convicted White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. — Obama general counsel Robert Bauer did not ask his boss, a presidential candidate …
Sharon Weinberger / Danger Room:
G.I.s' Guide to Iraq: "Arabs Reluctant to Accept Responsibility" — A 2003's "Soldier's Guide to the Republic of Iraq," issued by the Army on the eve of the U.S. invasion, tells troops that Arabs see "little virtue in a frank exchange" and are "by American standards... reluctant to accept responsibility."
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker
ABCNEWS:
Edwards to Detail Health Care Plan — Presidential Candidate John Edwards to Announce Details of Health Care Overhaul Plan — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wants to reduce the cost of U.S. health care by removing patents for breakthrough drugs and requiring health insurance companies …
Discussion:
The RBC, Liberal Values, Associated Press, Ezra Klein, The Atlantic Online and Angry Bear
The Raw Story:
Faced with law-breaking Bush official, GOP plays race card — Doan for her part admitted that she didn't believe she was being targeted because she was a black woman. — "I believe this hearing has a completely different agenda that even I probably am not aware of and not experienced about, I think this is a political thing.