Top Items:
Ned Parker / Los Angeles Times:
Saudis' role in Iraq insurgency outlined — Sunni extremists from Saudi Arabia make up half the foreign fighters in Iraq, many suicide bombers, a U.S. official says. — BAGHDAD — Although Bush administration officials have frequently lashed out at Syria and Iran, accusing it of helping insurgents …
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Media Matters for America:
During all-white-male Meet the Press panel, Novak claimed "woman or an African-American" Dem nominee would give GOP "hope" — During a panel discussion of the 2008 presidential election on the July 15 edition of NBC's Meet the Press, syndicated columnist Robert Novak asserted: "Republicans are very pessimistic about 2008.
Discussion:
Angry Bear
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Matt Bai / New York Times:
What Does It Take? — Of all the campaign themes that will emerge leading up to the 2008 primaries, one you probably won't hear a lot about is experience. That's because the candidates who are at the moment best positioned for the nominations of their parties have surprisingly little of it.
Michael M. Rosen / The Politico:
Insufficient funds? — If you read the papers in recent days …
Insufficient funds? — If you read the papers in recent days …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS
Lauren R. Dorgan / Concord Monitor:
Clinton, Romney lead poll — Head-to-head contests pose challenges — July 15. — illary Clinton and Mitt Romney hold the leads in their respective New Hampshire primary races, a new Monitor poll shows. But it's not all good news for the top two: The poll finds each would face thornier challenges …
Discussion:
The Newshoggers, The Atlantic Online, TBogg, Open Left, Liberal Values, MyDD and Taegan Goddard's …
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Louis Uchitelle / New York Times:
The Richest of the Rich, Proud of a New Gilded Age — The tributes to Sanford I. Weill line the walls of the carpeted hallway that leads to his skyscraper office, with its panoramic view of Central Park. A dozen framed magazine covers, their colors as vivid as an Andy Warhol painting, are the most arresting.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Impolitic, Norwegianity, Liberty Street, TalkLeft and The Atlantic Online
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John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Jim Webb rips into Graham for putting political words in our Soldiers' mouths — Lindsay Graham sounded like he was on a pot of coffee, seven Red Bulls and a couple of packs of cigarettes—while being fluent at the Evelyn Wood talking points course. Jim Webb was not thrilled to be sitting next to him.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, The Moderate Voice, Riehl World View, TIME: Swampland, Hullabaloo and FRAMESHOP
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Steven Mufson / Washington Post:
Climate Change Debate Hinges On Economics — Lawmakers Doubt Voters Would Fund Big Carbon Cuts — Here's the good news about climate change: Energy and climate experts say the world already possesses the technological know-how for trimming greenhouse gas emissions enough to slow the perilous rise in the Earth's temperatures.
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Fred Hiatt defends the administration's mild, restrained secrecy — Senior Washington Bush spokesman Fred Hiatt — who also works as the Editorial Page Editor of The Washington Post — shatters conventional wisdom this morning by defending the Bush administration's mild, balanced, and restrained use of government secrecy.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo
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Associated Press:
Ralph Nader says he is considering 2008 presidential run — READING, Pennsylvania (AP) — Consumer advocate Ralph Nader told the Green Party's national convention that he is considering a 2008 presidential run and accused Democrats of trying to shut smaller parties out of the political process.
The Corner:
Seeing bin Laden — As mentioned, there's an Osama cameo floating around. It seems to be from a video shot in 2001 or 2002. If that is correct, then I would draw two conclusions: first, that it is additional confirmation that he is dead. (If he were alive, they could do a new one, right?)
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ABCNEWS:
Thompson Uses Loophole to Avoid Reporting Fundraising — Opponents Claim Ex-Senator In Violation of Campaign Finance Reform Law — Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has avoided revealing his fundraising figures by exploiting a legal loophole whereby he says he is simply "testing the waters" …
Discussion:
race42008.com
Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:
Feel Good, Inc — Is this the future of editorial cartooning? From the Houston Chronicle:
Discussion:
Ezra Klein
Confederate Yankee:
Iranian Missiles Recovered In Iraq [with Photos] — Via MNF-I: … That press release went up yesterday. I got copies of the photographs documenting the scene from MNF-I PAO this morning. — Iranian 107mm rocket captured while aimed at U.S. FOB Hammer in Iraq. (click photo for full size).
Discussion:
BLACKFIVE
Bill Curry / Hartford Courant:
Lieberman: Blind To Folly — In 1979, I was a freshman state senator lucky enough to be seated next to Joe Lieberman. Lucky because he was majority leader and it meant I could chat him up regularly, and lucky because he was funny, kind, decent and smart. — In 1988, Joe went after Lowell Weicker's U.S. Senate seat.
N. Gregory Mankiw / New York Times:
Fair Taxes? Depends What You Mean by 'Fair' — DO the rich pay their fair share in taxes? This is likely to become a defining question during the presidential campaign. — At a recent fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton, the billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett said that rich guys like him weren't paying enough.