Top Items:
Paul A. Gigot / Wall Street Journal:
'The Mark of Rove' — These are the days of Republican doubt, with President Bush fighting an unpopular war, Congress in opposition hands, and a 2008 presidential field trailing Democrats in nearly every poll. But don't tell that to Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's political alter ego …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, The Atlantic Online, Think Progress, Althouse, Shakespeare's Sister, The Moderate Voice, Captain's Quarters, Reason Magazine, Wonkette, The Next Hurrah, Power Line, Betsy's Page, The American Scene, Firedoglake, Political Punch, Let Freedom Ring, The BRAD BLOG, Wizbang, TIME: Swampland, Outside The Beltway, Tammy Bruce, Political Radar, Patterico's Pontifications, Obsidian Wings, TIME, Donklephant, Fausta's blog and Pam's House Blend
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Wall Street Journal:
Karl Rove to Resign At the End of August — Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime political adviser, is resigning as White House deputy chief of staff effective Aug. 31, and returning to Texas, he said in an interview with Paul Gigot, editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page.
Discussion:
Attytood, Think Progress, The Newshoggers, michellemalkin.com, BBC, Outside The Beltway, Townhall.com, MyDD, Comments From Left Field, The Swamp, MSNBC, The Corner, Middle Earth Journal, the talking dog, Daniel W. Drezner, QandO, No More Mister Nice Blog, On Deadline, Atlantic Free Press, Macsmind, Democrats.com, Examining Presidential …, A Blog For All, Iowa Voice, The Sundries Shack, Blue Crab Boulevard, Jules Crittenden, The Glittering Eye, Seeing the Forest, The Democratic Daily, UrbanGrounds and Gateway Pundit
Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
Karl Rove, Top Strategist, Is Leaving the White House — Karl Rove, the political adviser who masterminded President George W. Bush's two winning presidential campaigns, is resigning, the White House confirmed today. — In an interview published this morning in The Wall Street Journal …
CNN:
Karl Rove to leave White House — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Karl Rove, President Bush's senior political adviser, will voluntarily step down from his White House post at the end of the month, senior administration officials said Monday. — "Obviously it's a big loss to us, said deputy White House press secretary Dana Perino. "
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Crooks and Liars, Hot Air, Happy Furry Puppy Story … and The Bilerico Project
Washington Post:
Karl Rove, Adviser to President Bush, to Quit — Karl Rove, chief architect of the Bush presidency and the premier Republican strategist of the last decade, will step down as White House deputy chief of staff Aug. 31. — Rove revealed his plans to the Wall Street Journal …
The Politico:
Analysis: Rove bows out despised and deified — Karl Rove will leave George Bush's side this month one of the most controversial political figures in living memory. — The verdict on his legacy will be similarly conflicted: He can claim credit for political victories of historic proportions …
Emptywheel / The Next Hurrah:
My Guesses on Why Rove Resigned — By now you've heard the news: Rove is stepping down. So here's my treatment of possible reasons why he's leaving, in reverse order of their likelihood: — Time with the Family — As he said to the WSJ, he wants to spend more time with this family.
Discussion:
The Lede, Prairie Weather, DownWithTyranny!, The Atlantic Online, Lawyers, Guns and Money and Open Left
Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés / The Moderate Voice: Karl Rove Resigning: 'The Symbolic Quit' (for the family's sake)
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Tommy Thompson Is First Victim of Iowa Straw Poll — Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson dropped out of the race for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination tonight, a day after he finished a disappointing sixth in the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa. — "I have no regrets about running," Thompson said in a statement released by his campaign.
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Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
For a Joke-Telling Candidate, a Second-Place Finish
For a Joke-Telling Candidate, a Second-Place Finish
Discussion:
The Hill, Rocky Mountain News, CNN, Althouse, No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune and LiberalOasis
USA Today:
Major attacks decline in Iraq — The number of truck bombs and other large al-Qaeda-style attacks in Iraq have declined nearly 50% since the United States started increasing troop levels in Iraq about six months ago, according to the U.S. military command in Iraq.
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Herschel Smith / The Captain's Journal:
The Rise of the JAM — Jaish al Mahdi (JAM) essentially …
The Rise of the JAM — Jaish al Mahdi (JAM) essentially …
Discussion:
Power Line
CNN Political Ticker:
CNN's GOP debate set for Nov. 28 — DES MOINES (CNN) - The Republican Party of Florida, CNN and YouTube will announce Monday that the organizations' Republican presidential debate will be held on Nov. 28, two months before Sunshine State voters hold their gateway primary into "Super Tuesday."
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
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MSNBC:
'Meet the Press' transcript for Aug. 12, 2007 — MR. DAVID GREGORY: Our issues this Sunday: the future of the Democratic Party. On a week when the Democratic presidential field courted key elements of the liberal base, there is an intensifying debate within the party about the strategy for success in '08.
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Strategist, Brendan Nyhan, News Hounds, Daily Kos and Crooks and Liars
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Robert D. Novak / Washington Post:
House of Corruption? — With the midnight hour approaching on Saturday, Aug. 4, near the end of a marathon session, Democratic and Republican leaders alike wanted to pass the defense appropriations bill quickly and start their summer recess. But Republican Rep. Jeff Flake's stubborn adherence …
New York Times:
Wrong Way Out of Iraq — As Americans argue about how to bring the troops home from Iraq, British forces are already partway out the door. Four years ago, there were some 30,000 British ground troops in southern Iraq. By the end of this summer, there will be 5,000. None will be based in urban areas.
City Journal:
The Coming Urban Terror — Systems disruption, networked gangs, and bioweapons — For the first time in history, announced researchers this May, a majority of the world's population is living in urban environments. Cities—efficient hubs connecting international flows of people, energy …
Discussion:
QandO