Top Items:
Dick Morris / The Hill:
Bush will have to pull out of Iraq, or face historical obliteration — Are they traitors or prophets, these Republicans who have jumped ship and called for Bush to begin pulling out of Iraq — Sens. George Voinovich (Ohio), Richard Lugar (Ind.), John Warner (Va.), and Pete Domenici (N.M.)?
Discussion:
USA Today, TIME: Swampland, Riehl World View, The Influence Peddler, PSoTD and Associated Press
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Bob Geiger:
Republicans Kill Webb's Troop-Protection Amendment — We didn't need any further proof that Congressional Republicans really don't give a damn about the troops or their families but we just got it in the United States Senate anyway. — Just moments ago, Senate Republicans succeeded …
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Los Angeles Times, Left in the West, Blue Girl, Red State and Think Progress
White House:
President Bush Unveils Renovated Press Briefing Room — Fact Sheet: The 2007 Renovation of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room — Life in the White House - The Press Briefing Room — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I like a good, short introduction. (Laughter.) — Q — (inaudible) —
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Dan Froomkin / Washington Post:
Mock the Press — At this morning's ribbon-cutting for the newly renovated White House Briefing Room, President Bush dropped in just long enough to rub reporters' noses in his cheerful refusal to take them seriously. — There would be no answering questions about the war …
Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
Former Bush Aide Will Answer Some Questions — Sara Taylor, the former White House political director, has agreed to answer some questions as a "willing and cooperative private citizen," during testimony about the United States attorney firings last year when she appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee later today.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Washington Post, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, The Next Hurrah, TalkLeft, If I Ran the Zoo and Shakesville
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Jesse Lee / The Gavel:
Miers' Attorney Says She Will Not Attend Hearing — Today, attorney George T. Manning, representing former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, rescinded his prior confirmation that Ms. Miers would attend the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on Thursday in response to a subpoena …
Discussion:
Balkinization, Think Progress, TPMmuckraker, The Carpetbagger Report, Balloon Juice, Shakesville and The Raw Story
Thomas Watkins / Associated Press:
Officer Advises Against Trial for Marine — SAN DIEGO (AP) - The government's case against a Marine accused of fatally shooting Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha lacks sufficient evidence to go to a court-martial and should be dropped, a hearing officer determined.
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Associated Press:
Marine Investigator Recommends Dropping Charges in Haditha Killings — SAN DIEGO — An investigating officer has recommended dismissing murder charges against a U.S. Marine accused in the slayings of three Iraqi men in a squad action that killed 24 civilians in the town of Haditha, according to a report.
Discussion:
Let Freedom Ring, Cox & Forkum, QandO, Gateway Pundit, The Strata-Sphere, Sister Toldjah, Blogs for Bush and UrbanGrounds
Stephen Biddle / Washington Post:
Iraq: Go Deep or Get Out — The president's shaky political consensus for the surge in Iraq is in danger of collapsing after the recent defections of prominent Senate Republicans such as Richard Lugar (Ind.), Pete Domenici (N.M.) and George Voinovich (Ohio).
Discussion:
Think Progress, Boston Herald, The Atlantic Online, The Corner, The Carpetbagger Report, Corrente and American Footprints
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RADAR:
MCCAIN UNRAVELED BY 'GAY SWEATERS'? — SWEAT THE TECHNIQUE McCain (Photos: Getty Images) — In the final days of his imploding candidacy, John McCain has taken a page out of Richard Nixon's play book, finding increasingly bizarre explanations for his political failures.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Fix, The Bilerico Project, David E's Fablog, Shakesville, WTF Is It Now??, Wonkette, Hot Air and New York Times
Jesse Lee / The Gavel:
Chairman Thompson Responds to Chertoff's "Gut Feeling" — Yesterday Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was reported to have made the following remarks: — Homeland Security chief warns of 'increased risk' — E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune - July 11, 2007
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E.A. Torriero / Chicago Tribune:
Homeland Security chief warns of 'increased risk'
Homeland Security chief warns of 'increased risk'
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, All Spin Zone, Salon, Associated Press, Washington Post and Outside The Beltway
Queerty:
GRAVEL PISSED OVER HRC DISS — NON-PROFIT EXCLUDES CANDIDATE FROM GAY DEBATE — Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel has "steam coming out my ears" after the Human Rights Campaign and Logo neglected to invite him to their groundbreaking gay debates.
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Kimberly Kagan / Opinion Journal:
Moving Forward in Iraq — The "surge" is working. Will Washington allow the current progress to continue? — In Washington perception is often mistaken for reality. And as Congress prepares for a fresh debate on Iraq, the perception many members have is that the new strategy has already failed.
US News:
Political Bulletin — Bush Beseeches GOP To Back "Surge" — Traveling in Ohio, President Bush yesterday firmly defended his Iraq policy, urging Congress not to take action until after progress reports scheduled for September. However, media reports this morning suggest Bush and his Administration are fighting a losing battle.
Discussion:
Think Progress, About Conservative Politics, PoliBlog (TM), The Hill, Time, DownWithTyranny! and Cliff Schecter
Michael Yon:
Al-Qaeda on the Run: Feasting on the Moveable Beast — "No al Qaeda Zone": Hefty Buhriz Policeman smoking in public. — The last major mission I did while in Baqubah in early 2005 was into Buhriz. That mission had begun with our artillery firing some 155mm shots into a palm grove on the banks of the Diyala River.
Harry Potter / CNN:
ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES — Pizza-Bomber Suspects; Iraq: Reality Check; Tracking War Money; Ex-Surgeon General Censored; McCain Campaign Shakeup; Political Sex Scandals — THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. — ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone.
Jackie Kucinich / The Hill:
Boehner calls anti-surge GOP senators 'wimps' — Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) called for comity Wednesday during a meeting of the Republican Conference after House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) referred to Senate colleagues who have begun to favor a change in course in Iraq as "wimps."