memeorandum: Counterterror chief on al-Qaida's plans (Newsweek)

2:05 PM ET, August 28, 2007

Top Items:

Men's room arrest reopens questions about Sen. Larry Craig — Idaho senator pleads guilty to disorderly conduct after incident at Minnesota airport that echoes previous allegation of homosexual conduct. — Sen. Larry Craig, who in May told the Idaho Statesman he had never engaged in homosexual acts …

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:

WHAT DID SEN. CRAIG ACTUALLY DO? — We've had lots of back and forth discussion here internally about what conduct by Sen. Craig in that Minneapolis airport restroom was actually illegal. We've posted the arrest report, so take a look and reach your own conclusions. — Leering stares, foot tapping, a lingering presence.

Discussion: The American Street, IntoxiNation, HorsesAss.Org, The Atlantic Online and The Volokh Conspiracy

Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:
Senator Craig Should Resign

Brody Mullins / Wall Street Journal:

Big Source of Clinton's Cash Is an Unlikely Address — Family's Donations — Closely Track Those — Of Top Fund-Raiser — DALY CITY, Calif. — One of the biggest sources of political donations to Hillary Rodham Clinton is a tiny, lime-green bungalow that lies under the flight path from San Francisco International Airport.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, protein wisdom, Hot Air, Don Surber, Macsmind, NYT, The Swamp, TIME, The American Pundit, JammieWearingFool, Donklephant, MSNBC, Seeing the Forest, The Influence Peddler, The American Mind, Fausta's blog and TPMCafe blogs

Jmapes / OregonLive.com:

Vancouverites vent at Baird — For more than three hours Monday night, Rep. Brian Baird was verbally flogged by hundreds of his constituents for no longer supporting the quick withdrawal of troops from Iraq. — More than 500 people packed a high school auditorium in Vancouver while another 175 or so were unable to get inside.

Discussion: Think Progress and Wake up America

Jonah Spangenthal-Lee / Slog:
Report from Vancouver, Washington: Rep. Baird Gets Blasted

Discussion: Associated Press, Open Left, Northwest Progressive … and DownWithTyranny!

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
Brian Baird Gets an Earful

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Oregonian: Crowd pounds Baird's Iraq stance

Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:

House to Hold Hearings on Two New Reports on Iraq — The House will hold hearings next week on two key reports assessing political and military conditions in Iraq, jump-starting the debate over President Bush's strategy even before long-awaited testimony by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus …

Discussion: Think Progress, Democrats.com and The Raw Story

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

THE PETRAEUS REPORT....The Washington Post reports that Gen. David Petraeus managed to get the recent intelligence assessment of Iraq toned down: … This reminds me of something. I don't remember if I've ever blogged about this before, but until recently my guess was that Petraeus's September report to Congress would be pretty sober.

Discussion: democracyarsenal.org and The Atlantic Online

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
Today's Must Read

Discussion: MoJoBlog, The Newshoggers, The Carpetbagger Report, RADAMISTO, Firedoglake, Brilliant at Breakfast and Democratic National Committee

Faiz / Think Progress:

Former H.W. Bush justice appointee 'looking very good.' — NBC reports the latest speculation on Gonzales' successor: "Per a source close to the White House, ex-Deputy Attorney General George J. Terwilliger III is 'looking very good' to replace Alberto Gonzales.

Discussion: MSNBC, The Sideshow and Democrats.com

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Gonzales Dug His Own Grave, and Many Are Happy to Dance on It

Discussion: Law Blog, Think Progress and TIME

Los Angeles Times:
For Bush, opportunity in loss

Discussion: Newsweek, Slate, Taylor Marsh, Crooks and Liars, New York Times, The Next Hurrah, Washington Monthly, The Heretik, Corrente and New York Times

Newsweek:

Counterterror chief on al-Qaida's plans — The head of the National Counterterrorism Center speaks out on Al Qaeda's plans, America's readiness—and the nature of the war on terror. — Retired Vice Admiral John Scott Redd, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, says …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Heading Right, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Hot Air, Dr. Sanity and Liberty Pundit

Associated Press:

President Ahmadinejad Says Iran Ready to Fill Power Vacuum in Iraq — TEHRAN, Iran — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Tuesday that a power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and said that Iran was ready to help fill the gap. — "The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Hot Air, Jihad Watch, Wake up America, QandO and Harry's Place

Elaine Sciolino / New York Times:
French Leader Raises Possibility of Force in Iran

Discussion: Roger L. Simon

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

MORNING RANT....In the LA Times today, L.J. Williamson is upset that part-time cafeteria workers in Los Angeles schools want the district to provide them with healthcare benefits: … I would happily pay for universal healthcare just so I never had to read an op-ed like this again.

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister

L.J. Williamson / Los Angeles Times:
Part-timers vs. hungry kids

Discussion: Ezra Klein

The Smoking Gun:

U.S. Senator Gets Flushed — Cops: Republican Larry Craig sought Minnesota airport toilet tryst — Here's the Minnesota police report memorializing the June 11 arrest of U.S. Senator Larry Craig in an airport bathroom. The Idaho Republican was nabbed in a men's restroom …

Discussion: The Hill and Blue Mass. Group

Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Sen. Craig: Pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charge

Discussion: The Hill

Confederate Yankee:

Bad Reporting After Bad — We've been over—and debunked—this story before: … As conclusively proved by interviewing three ammunition manufacturers last week, the military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan have little or nothing to do with police ammunition shortages in the United States.

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard and Flopping Aces

Candace Rondeaux / Washington Post:
Police Feel Wartime Pinch on Ammo

Discussion: QandO, Argghhh!, The Sundries Shack and Outside The Beltway

Susie Bright / 10 Zen Monkeys:

The D.C. Madam Speaks! — Deborah Jeane Palfrey was an experienced madam — that is to say, an escort service manager. A brothel-keeper whose customers at least chose a different path than Senator Larry Craig — they never had to solicit sex in airport bathrooms.

Discussion: The Agitator

David Freddoso / The Corner:

Republican Repression? Not likely. — Why is it that Republicans — Craig, Mark Foley, and David Vitter — are the ones who keep getting caught in sex scandals nowadays? Yes, there are always Democrats with lurid stories — the Jim McGreeveys, Gary Harts and Barney Franks of the world …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online

Robert E. Rector / Heritage Foundation:

How Poor Are America's Poor? Examining the "Plague" of Poverty in America — Poverty is an important and emotional issue. Last year, the Census Bureau released its annual report on poverty in the United States declaring that there were 37 million poor persons living in this country in 2005 …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Associated Press, Gateway Pundit and Redstate

Hindrocket / Power Line:

MSNBC, CNBC REFUSE TO RUN PRO-WAR ADS — We wrote here about the television commercials that Freedom's Watch has produced, featuring veterans and their families, that urge Congress and the public to continue supporting the Iraq war. The commercials are well done, and convey the simple message …

Discussion: LeatherPenguin

CNN:

Taliban: Korean hostages to be released — SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) — South Korean negotiators in Afghanistan have reached a deal with Taliban militants holding 19 South Korean Christian aid workers for over a month, a presidential spokesman in Seoul said Tuesday.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, michellemalkin.com, Associated Press, Wizbang and The American Pundit

Cal Thomas / Real Clear Politics:

England is Vanishing — "There'll Always Be an England" — popular World War II song. — BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND — Perhaps there will not always be an England. An exodus unprecedented in modern times, coupled with a record influx of foreigners, is threatening to erode the character …

Discussion: Moonbattery

GottaLaff / Cliff Schecter:

Lieberman as next Attorney General? — That's what Marjorie Cohn is saying on The Thom Hartmann Show. The talk started a few hours ago, from what they're saying. (not that it didn't occur to any of us earlier, but it's going around now) Per Cohn: — It would stop the Senate investigations dead in their tracks.

Discussion: Booman Tribune