Top Items:
Frederick W. Kagan / Weekly Standard:
What's Wrong with the GAO Report — Measuring failure—or the failures of measuring. — At first glance—as those who leaked it last week saw—the Government Accountability Office's report on Iraq, released today, paints a dark view of progress and prospects in Iraq.
Discussion:
Comments From Left Field, Flopping Aces, The Newshoggers, The Democratic Daily, Wake up America and TPMmuckraker
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Brian Knowlton / New York Times:
Independent Audit Finds Progress Lacking in Iraq — A report by Congressional auditors issued todayconcludes that "violence remains high" in Iraq amid mixed progress on security and that political reconciliation efforts remain far from sufficient, eight months after President Bush began his troop-increase plan.
Discussion:
The Politico, CNN Political Ticker, The Swamp, The Gun Toting Liberal™, QandO and The Democratic Daily
Faiz / Think Progress:
GAO Chief Suggests Administration Is Cooking The Books On Levels Of Sectarian Violence In Iraq — Gen. David Petraeus has claimed that there has been a 75 percent reduction in sectarian violence. In testimony today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, GAO Comptroller General David Walker …
Faiz / Think Progress:
GAO Report: Daily Attacks Against Iraqis 'Have Remained Unchanged' — The Government Accountability Office has released its congressionally mandated report on the Iraq's progress towards meeting 18 separate security and political benchmarks. The Iraqi government met 3, partially met 4, and did not meet 11 of its 18 benchmarks.
Jeffrey Rosen / New York Times:
Conscience of a Conservative — In the fall of 2003, Jack L. Goldsmith was widely considered one of the brightest stars in the conservative legal firmament. A 40-year-old law professor at the University of Chicago, Goldsmith had established himself, with his friend and fellow law professor John Yoo …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Salon, Mercury Rising, USA Today, Law Blog, Firedoglake, TPMmuckraker, newsrack blog, The Carpetbagger Report, Washington Monthly, Balkinization, The Sideshow, The Raw Story, Daniel W. Drezner, Think Progress, MoJoBlog, The Anonymous Liberal, Central Sanity, The Next Hurrah, The Volokh Conspiracy, Prairie Weather, Obsidian Wings and Liberty Street
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Des Moines Register:
Richardson: Keeping Iowa first is God's will — Sioux City, Ia. — God's will is for Iowa to have the first-in-the-nation caucus, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson told a crowd here today. — "Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons related to the Lord …
Discussion:
The Van Der Galiën Gazette, TPM Election Central, The Democratic Daily, Heading Right, Boston Globe, Comments From Left Field, MyDD, MSNBC, Sister Toldjah, Taylor Marsh, The Sundries Shack, Los Angeles Times, Liberal Values, The Carpetbagger Report, The Moderate Voice, Liberty Pundit, UrbanGrounds, Washington Times, The American Pundit and The American Mind
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Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Edwards and Schweitzer: Perfect Together? — Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) will be introduced by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer later today at a fundraiser in Missoula, according to his campaign. — Sources on both sides were careful to note that Schweitzer's presence at the …
Washington Post:
Fighting for Our Handgun Ban — As mayor and attorney general of the District of Columbia, we were deeply disappointed this year when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared that the District's longstanding handgun ban violates the Second Amendment.
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Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Second Amendment case reaches Court; cross-appeal coming
Second Amendment case reaches Court; cross-appeal coming
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh
Jose Antonio Vargas / Washington Post:
The Most Feared Man on the Hill? — For Gay Blogger, Craig's Resignation Is Just the Latest on His List — Soon, a new name will pop up on Mike Rogers's hit list. — Larry Craig wasn't "the first on my list," the gay blogger says. And the Idaho senator, who announced his resignation Saturday, "won't be the last."
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications, Firedoglake, The Raw Story, CBS News, Feministing, Right Wing Nut House, Comments From Left Field, The Swamp, Personal Democracy Forum, Sister Toldjah, TPM Election Central, NewsBusters.org, Wonkette, Booman Tribune, Macsmind, Suburban Guerrilla and DownWithTyranny!
Michael R. Blood / Associated Press:
Calif. Ballot Proposal's GOP Ties — LOS ANGELES - — Lawyers behind a California ballot proposal that could benefit the 2008 Republican presidential nominee have ties to a Texas homebuilder who financed attacks on Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War record in the 2004 presidential campaign.
Discussion:
The Debate Link
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Nitya / Political Radar:
High School Student to McCain: You're No Leader — ABC News' Bret Hovell and Matt Stuart Report: Senator John McCain had a testy exchange with a high school student in Concord, NH, Tuesday, but one that McCain himself characterized as "what America is supposed to be about."
USA Today:
Iranian shakeup a setback for hardline leader — WASHINGTON — Opponents of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have assumed leadership of two of Iran's top institutions, a shakeup that reflects Western economic pressure on Iran and could lead to a less confrontational foreign policy, particularly on the nuclear issue.
Discussion:
VodkaPundit
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup Poll:
Democrats Express Decided Preference for Change Over Experience — Seventy-three percent favor presidential candidate who strongly desires to change Washington — PRINCETON, NJ — The Democratic presidential nomination could well be decided on the basis of whether Democratic primary …
This Is London:
'NHS SHOULD NOT TREAT THOSE WITH UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLES' SAY TORIES — • Patients who improve their health to be given 'Health Miles' cards to claim free fruit and veg — Patients who refuse to change their unhealthy lifestyles should not be treated by the NHS, the Conservatives said today.
Discussion:
QandO, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, A Blog For All, GINA COBB, Althouse, Blue Crab Boulevard and ProfessorBainbridge.com ®
ABCNEWS:
Time to Head to Congress — Gen. Petraeus Preps for Much-Anticipated Iraq Progress Report — The top military general in Iraq hinted to ABC's Martha Raddatz that next week's much-anticipated report on the status of the troop surge in Iraq would include a recommendation for troop reduction in March …
U.S. Federal Election Commission:
FEC Resolved Two Matters Involving Internet Activity; Applies Media Exemption to Political Blogs — WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission announced today that it has unanimously resolved two complaints alleging that Internet blog activity is subject to Commission regulation …