Top Items:
Susan Saulny / New York Times:
Thompson Declares His Candidacy for President — After months of false starts, staff shake-ups, and questions about the seriousness of his intention to run for president, Fred Thompson rolled out his presidential candidacy this evening with a two-pronged, guerrilla-style entry into the race …
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Captain's Quarters, Macsmind, TIME, The Politico, Los Angeles Times, The Moderate Voice, Right Wing Nut House, MSNBC, Forbes, Associated Press, Tennessee Guerilla Women, The Democratic Daily, CNN Political Ticker, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Washington Times, National Review, PoliBlog (TM), Right Wing News, Flopping Aces, Gateway Pundit, Fred File, Shakespeare's Sister, The Swamp, QandO, Take Our Country Back and Wake up America
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Open thread: Fred announces on Leno; Update: Web announcement video now live; Update: Leno announcement video added — Late night for the big A. If you're staying up for it, feel free to sound off. If you just can't be bothered, Geraghty has a sneak peek at the transcript.
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Roger L. Simon, Instapundit.com, Biased BBC, Infidels Are Cool, IMAO, Riehl World View, Washington Times and Stop The ACLU
National Review:
Fred Thompson on Jay Leno: "I'm running for President of the United States."
Fred Thompson on Jay Leno: "I'm running for President of the United States."
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Reason Magazine, The Politico, Althouse, michellemalkin.com, MoJoBlog, Crooks and Liars, Sister Toldjah and Instapundit.com
Washington Post:
Fred Thompson Makes A Late-Night Late Entry
Fred Thompson Makes A Late-Night Late Entry
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MSNBC, Associated Press, The Carpetbagger Report, New York Post, Democratic National Committee and Redstate
Fox News:
Thompson, Immigration Top Questions at Republican Primary Debate
Thompson, Immigration Top Questions at Republican Primary Debate
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Hot Air, NewsBusters.org, Stop The ACLU, Liberty Pundit, Daily Kos, The Fix and Lonewacko
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Experts Doubt Drop In Violence in Iraq — Military Statistics Called Into Question — The U.S. military's claim that violence has decreased sharply in Iraq in recent months has come under scrutiny from many experts within and outside the government, who contend that some of the underlying statistics …
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Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Jones Report: Iraqi Security Forces Not Ready — Logistical Self-Sufficiency Is at Least Two Years Away — Iraq's Interior Ministry is "dysfunctional," filled with sectarianism and corruption, according to an independent assessment of the Iraqi security forces to be published tomorrow.
CNN:
Tenor Luciano Pavarotti dead at 71 — (CNN) — Famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who appeared on stage with singers as varied as opera star Dame Joan Sutherland, U2's Bono and Liza Minnelli, died Thursday in Italy after suffering from pancreatic cancer, manager Terri Robson said in a statement.
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Khaled Yacoub Oweis / Reuters:
Syria says Israeli jets bomb territory — DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria accused Israel of bombing its territory on Thursday and warned it could respond, but Israel Radio carried a denial there had been an air strike. — The official Syrian news agency said there were no casualties or damage …
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Outside The Beltway
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Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Democrats Newly Willing to Compromise on Iraq — With a mixed picture emerging about progress in Iraq, Senate Democratic leaders are showing a new openness to compromise as they try to attract Republican support for forcing at least modest troop withdrawals in the coming months.
New York Sun:
Petraeus for President? — "Senators and distinguished guests, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to testify in respect of progress in the Battle of Iraq. Before I do however, there are a few things I'd like to get off of my chest. Although your house of Congress confirmed …
Discussion:
Reason Magazine
Sidney Blumenthal / Salon:
Bush knew Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction — Salon exclusive: Two former CIA officers say the president squelched top-secret intelligence, and a briefing by George Tenet, months before invading Iraq. — (Clockwise from top left) Naji Sabri, George W. Bush, Colin Powell and George Tenet.
Squawkbox.tv / riverbendblog.blogspot.com:
Baghdad Burning — ... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend... Leaving Home... Two months ago, the suitcases were packed. My lone, large suitcase sat in my bedroom for nearly six weeks, so full of clothes and personal items, that it took me …
S.A. Miller / Washington Times:
Dems already dismissing Iraq war report — Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, talked with reporters yesterday in Washington. "We know what is going to be in it," he said of the Iraq war report next week. "I expect the Bush report to say, 'The surge is working.
David S. Broder / Washington Post:
The Making of the Front-Runner — As the serious stage of the presidential campaign begins this fall, Hillary Rodham Clinton has clearly established herself in the lead of the race for the Democratic nomination. That makes her the most worthy subject for examination among all the White House prospects.
L. Paul Bremer III / New York Times:
How I Didn't Dismantle Iraq's Army — "The Iraqi Army of the future cannot be an extension of the present army, which has been made into a tool of dictatorship." — Report by the Department of State's Future of Iraq Project, May 2002 — IT has become conventional wisdom that the decision …
Manu Raju / The Hill:
Catching fish, netting earmarks up in Alaska — Sen. Ted Stevens has quietly steered millions of federal dollars to a sportfishing industry group founded by Bob Penney, a longtime friend who helped the Alaska Republican profit from a lucrative land deal, according to public records and officials from the state.
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TPMmuckraker