Top Items:
White House:
Press Briefing by Tony Snow — MR. SNOW: Good morning. Good to see you all. Couple of notes, first on the President's day. The President had his normal briefings in the morning. At 10:30 a.m. he'll have a visit with wounded military personnel at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Discussion:
CREW, Power Line, Crooks and Liars, FRAMESHOP, JURIST, Corrente, Daily Kos and First Draft
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Dan Froomkin / Washington Post:
Obstruction of Justice, Continued — During the course of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's trial for obstruction of justice and perjury, we learned a lot about his bosses. — Incremental discoveries that didn't garner major headlines nevertheless added to what we know — and can reasonably surmise …
Matt Apuzzo / Associated Press:
White House won't rule out Libby pardon — WASHINGTON - The White House on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon for former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. But spokesman Tony Snow said, for now, President Bush is satisfied with his decision to commute Libby's 2 1/2-year prison sentence.
Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:
Keith Olbermann's Special Comment: You ceased to be the President of the United States — Keith Olbermann delivers arguably his most pointed and most powerful Special Comment yet on the ramifications of Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence. — Download (4244) | Play (4736) Download (1756) |
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Keith Olbermann / MSNBC:
Bush, Cheney should resign — 'I didn't vote for him, but he's my president, and I hope he does a good job.' — Special Comment: Bush, Cheney should resign — July 3: Keith Olbermann questions Bush's actions in commuting the sentence of Scooter Libby. — Countdown — SPECIAL COMMENT
Discussion:
The Garlic, Thought Theater, The Reaction, Brilliant at Breakfast, Pam's House Blend and Suzie-Q
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Commuting Prison Term Is Implicit Critique of Sentencing Standards — In commuting I. Lewis Libby Jr.'s 30-month prison sentence on Monday, President Bush drew on the same array of arguments about the federal sentencing system often made by defense lawyers — and routinely and strenuously opposed by his own Justice Department.
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Alan Dershowitz / The Huffington Post:
Playing Politics with Libby — The outcry against President Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence is misplaced. President Bush acted hours after the U.S. Court of Appeals denied Libby bail pending appeal. That judicial decision was entirely political.
Mike Glover / Associated Press:
Clinton slams Bush over Libby maneuver — KEOKUK, Iowa - Democratic presidential contender Hillary Rodham Clinton drew a distinction between President Bush's decision to commute the sentence of White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby — which she has harshly criticized — and her husband's 140 pardons in his closing hours in office.
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Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Romney and Giuliani Trail Democrats in Fund-Raising — Two more Republican presidential candidates disclosed new fund-raising totals today that underscored the tough political environment for their party and the big money advantage that the Democrats have built so far.
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Associated Press:
Kidnapped BBC reporter released — Reporter Alan Johnston says it's 'fantastic' to be free — GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - British reporter Alan Johnston, looking pale and tired, was released Wednesday after nearly four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip and said it was "fantastic" to be free after an "appalling" ordeal.
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Macer Hall / Daily Express:
BROWN: DON'T SAY TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS — Gordon Brown has banned ministers from using the word "Muslim" in connection with the terrorism crisis. — The Prime Minister has also instructed his team - including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith - that the phrase "war on terror" is to be dropped.
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Digby / Hullabaloo:
Impeachment — Has there ever been a president who deserved it more? I don't think so. Looking at this as someone who believes that until we hold them accountable for their crimes, these zombie crooks will keep doing this over and over again until our country is unrecognizable, my instinct is to scream it from the rafters.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, TalkLeft, Democrats.com, The Mahablog, My Left Wing, The Reaction, Seeing the Forest, DownWithTyranny! and Firedoglake
Michael Yon:
Update on "Bless the Beasts and Children" — Since the publication of "Bless the Beasts and Children" many questions have arisen: some of which I can and will answer here, and some whose answers lie elsewhere. — Today, late afternoon on 3 July in Baqubah, Colonel Hiduit from 2nd Brigade 5th Iraqi Army …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Power Line, Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, Danger Room, INSTAPUTZ, Solomonia, protein wisdom, Hot Air, Pajamas Media and NewsBusters.org
T. Christian Miller / Los Angeles Times:
Private contractors outnumber U.S. troops in Iraq — New U.S. data show how heavily the Bush administration has relied on corporations to carry out the occupation of the war-torn nation. — The number of U.S.-paid private contractors in Iraq now exceeds that of American combat troops …
The Corner:
Libby in Da House — The House Judiciary Committee has officially announced its plans for a hearing into President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison term. — The hearing will take place next Wednesday morning; titled "The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials."
Associated Press:
Judge dismisses 'New York Times' lawsuit — NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a New York Times lawsuit against the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, saying classified documents the newspaper was seeking under the Freedom of Information Act were properly withheld.
Wall Street Journal:
In Strategy Shift, Gates Envisions Iraq Troop Cuts — Pullback Is Deemed Key — To Forging a Consensus — On Long-Haul Plans — WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates and some allies in the Bush administration are seeking to build bipartisan political support for a long-term U.S. presence …