Top Items:
White House:
Initial Benchmark Assessment Report — This report to Congress is submitted consistent with Section 1314 of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110-28) (the "Act"). It includes an assessment …
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Christine Hauser / New York Times:
Report on Iraq Sees Progress; Bush Rejects Troop Pullout — With the release this morning of a White House report finding some progress on political and security goals in Iraq, President Bush said today that it was premature and "not the real debate" to be talking now about a withdrawal of American troops.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Salon, FP Passport, WorkingForChange, AfterDowningStreet.org and The Atlantic Online
Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
IRAQ UPDATE....Non-insane conservative James Joyner has read the White House's latest assessment of the war in Iraq and is distinctly unimpressed: … Click the link if you, too, want to be fair. I'm not in the mood. — Actually, I think things are considerably worse than James suggests.
Discussion:
Eschaton
Zzaki / Political Punch:
What about the Iraqis? — From today's press conference with the Senate Democratic leaders. — I tried to get an answer to what I blogged earlier today. — I did not succeed. — TAPPER: Senator Reid, what do you say to critics who say, "Look, the Senate voted, including two of you up on the stage …
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James Hohmann / Dallas Morning News:
Nobel laureate calls for removal of Bush — Irish peace activist's speech at Dallas event gets standing ovation — Nobel Peace Prize winner Betty Williams came from Ireland to Texas to declare that President Bush should be impeached. — In a keynote speech at the International Women's Peace Conference …
Thomas B. Edsall / Huffington Post:
Thompson Waffles On Pro-Choice Lobbying Past — Fred Thompson has effectively admitted in an interview with Sean Hannity that he did lobby in behalf of a pro-abortion rights group. — Hannity served up a chest-high, 25 mph softball: — "They have attacked you, they have attacked your family …
Discussion:
bustardblog, Los Angeles Times, The Carpetbagger Report, The RBC, The Atlantic Online and Power Line
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
Fred Thompson backs off lobbying denial
Fred Thompson backs off lobbying denial
Discussion:
Dick Polman's American Debate
David Sirota / The Huffington Post:
As States Lead On Health Care, D.C. Elites Say Only D.C. Elites Can Save America — Only in Washington, D.C. can people look at data, success and advances in America's states, and still insist that only the Beltway's Wise Old Men, Serious Policy Experts, Self-Described Political Gurus …
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Tom Goldstein / SCOTUSblog:
The Democratic (Not So) Short List — Tom Goldstein prepared this post with extensive research and input from summer associate Jonathan Eisenman and assistance from Adam Chandler, as well as very helpful thoughts and advice from others on potential nominees.
Rasmussen Reports:
Poll: 19% Consider Troop Surge a Success — Just 19% of American voters believe that the U.S. troop surge in Iraq was a success. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 43% of voters consider the surge a failure. Twenty-four percent (24%) say it's too soon to tell while 15% are not sure.
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Justin Rood Reports / The Blotter:
McCain Official Busted on Sex Charge — Justin Rood Reports: — An official with the John McCain presidential campaign was arrested for allegedly soliciting oral sex from a policeman in Florida yesterday. — Bob Allen, a member of the Florida House of Representatives …
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Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:
The Presser — He's arguing he didn't decide to go to war; Saddam did. He's saying he agrees with his Republican critics. He's blaming the generals for all the combat decisions that have made this war a failure. His blaming Tommy Franks specifically for the troop levels was particularly piquant.
Sen. Mike Gravel / The Huffington Post:
Why I Wasn't Invited to the Debate on Gay Issues — Yesterday the Human Rights Campaign announced that it will not invite me to the first-ever presidential debate on gay issues because I didn't raise enough money. To say that I'm shocked is an understatement.
CindySheehan / Daily Kos:
I have been "warned" — I can't post here anymore because my potential run for Congress — is not on the Democratic ticket. — I have been deeply grateful for all of your support over the years. — Your love and kindness helped me through lots of sleepless nights — at Camp Casey '05.
Discussion:
Blue Crab Boulevard, Riehl World View, Booman Tribune, IMAO, Little Green Footballs, The Jawa Report and Ian Schwartz
Washington Post:
Wishful Thinking on Iraq — IT SEEMS like just weeks ago, because it was, that Congress approved funding for the war in Iraq and instructed Gen. David H. Petraeus to report back on the war's progress in September. Now, for reasons having more to do with American politics than with Iraqi reality, September isn't soon enough.
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
McCain's Iowa Team Hit By Resignations — The news just keeps getting worse for Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign. — Today, Ed Failor and Karen Slifka — two prominent Iowa Republican activists — resigned from the campaign. — In an e-mail Failor said he and Slifka …
Washington Post:
This Is No Place to Break the Rules — After 22 years covering the White House, NBC's Steve Handelsman thought he knew the ins and outs of the West Wing. But a misstep — actually, about 10 steps — resulted in an unusual suspension of his press pass for three weeks.
Discussion:
USA Today