Top Items:
New York Times:
Iran Strategy Stirs Debate at White House — A year after President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a new strategy toward Iran, a behind-the-scenes debate has broken out within the administration over whether the approach has any hope of reining in Iran's nuclear program …
Discussion:
The Newshoggers, The Atlantic Online, Middle Earth Journal, Corrente, CANNONFIRE and The Heretik
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Robin Wright / Washington Post:
Iran Curtails Freedom In Throwback to 1979 — Iran is in the midst of a sweeping crackdown that both Iranians and U.S. analysts compare to a cultural revolution in its attempt to steer the oil-rich theocracy back to the rigid strictures of the 1979 revolution.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, The Moderate Voice, Blue Crab Boulevard, Jules Crittenden, TigerHawk and GINA COBB
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The NYT on the administration's "debate" over whether to attack Iran
The NYT on the administration's "debate" over whether to attack Iran
Discussion:
The Newshoggers
Daniel Levy / Prospects for Peace:
What Next on Palestine: Time to Get Real — Hamas is now in control of Gaza after a cruel, if somewhat surprisingly easy, military victory over Fatah. The images coming out of the Palestinian territories have been harsh to say the least and neither side looks good to put it mildly.
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ABCNEWS:
N.C. State Bar: Nifong Guilty of Ethics Violations — Panel Reaches Verdict as Exonerated Duke Players Watch — Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong has been found guilty by the North Carolina State Bar for a battery of ethics violations in the Duke Lacrosse case.
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Steve Fainaru / Washington Post:
Iraq Contractors Face Growing Parallel War — As Security Work Increases, So Do Casualties — BAGHDAD — Private security companies, funded by billions of dollars in U.S. military and State Department contracts, are fighting insurgents on a widening scale in Iraq, enduring daily attacks …
Fox News:
Hispanic Leaders Blast Schwarzenegger's Advice to Turn Off Spanish TV — Some Hispanic leaders lashed out Friday at California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's advice that immigrants should "turn off the Spanish television set" to better learn how to speak English.
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Amanda Marcotte / Pandagon:
Ah-nuld holds forth on the dangers of knowing Spanish — I know the Governator didn't quite mean to encourage the idea that knowing two languages somehow makes you stupider than knowing one, but that's the impression he left with his speech before a convention of Hispanic journalists.
Atrios / Eschaton:
Timmeh — Could The Nation team up with Air America and offer to sponsor a Republican debate please? We'll even let Lionel be involved. — Though, this bit of punditing from the patron saint of — Buffalo was even better:
Discussion:
Think Progress
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Jose Antonio Vargas / Washington Post:
An Also-Ran in the GOP Polls, Ron Paul Is Huge on the Web — On Technorati, which offers a real-time glimpse of the blogosphere, the most frequently searched term this week was "YouTube." — Then comes "Ron Paul." — The presence of the obscure Republican congressman from Texas on a list …
Discussion:
The Newshoggers, Liberal Values, A Blog For All, Reason, The Caucus, Donklephant and Hot Air
Mark Leibovich / New York Times:
Polished and Upbeat, Romney Tries to Connect — WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Mitt Romney loves the word "great." As in, "Have a great day," "Things are going great," "I'm feeling great." Mr. Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, also looks great, sounds great and smells great, like shaving cream.
Discussion:
DownWithTyranny!, Michael P.F. van der Galiën, Daily Kos, The Palmetto Scoop and Balloon Juice
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David Johnston / New York Times:
Another Justice Dept. Official Resigns — Another Justice Department official involved in last year's dismissals of federal prosecutors is resigning, department officials said on Friday. — In this case, the departure of Michael J. Elston, chief of staff to the outgoing deputy attorney general …
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Nico / Think Progress:
Special Counsel Probe Into Rove's Politicization Of Government Advances — The Office of Special Counsel, which has already recommended that GSA chief Lurita Doan be suspended or fired for participating in partisan activities while on the job, is now moving forward with its investigation of nearly 20 other administration agencies.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
CATO....You know, I keep hearing that unlike, say, the Heritage Foundation, the folks at Cato are relatively honest. They've got their ideology just like the rest of us, but they aren't dishonest shills willing to torture the facts any old way that's convenient.
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John Timmer / Ars Technica:
Inability to meet "grand challenges" of physics likely to hurt US competitiveness — The National Academies of Science produces regular reports on the state of scientific research in the US. Their latest effort along these lines has just been released, and the academy has put the spotlight …
Discussion:
Instapundit.com
Laura Rozen / American Prospect:
The group blog of The American Prospect — SHADOW GOVERNMENT IN WAITING. The Bush administration had the American Enterprise Institute as its ideological brain trust and frequent employment agency. The next White House will likely have the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
Tparty / My Left Nutmeg:
Lieberman Smacks Harry Reid, Again — Here's Joe on the Ray and Diane show from yesterday morning (mp3), in just his latest attack on Democrats - and Harry Reid in particular: … This isn't the first time Joe has gone after Reid by reinforcing a right-wing attack. Take this, from April: