memeorandum: Kerry: MoveOn.org is 'over the top' (CNN Political Ticker)

9:05 PM ET, September 10, 2007

Top Items:

Frank James / The Swamp:

Petraeus 'Betray Us' ad is group's 'shock and awe' — MoveOn.org was looking to get attention and so they have with their full-page New York Times ad in which they slam Gen. David Petraeus, rhyming his name with "betray us." It's the liberal group's version of shock and awe.

CNN Political Ticker:

Kerry: MoveOn.org is 'over the top' — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, criticized MoveOn.org Monday for taking an ad out in The New York Times criticizing Gen. David Petraeus. The general is testifying before Congress today about the situation in Iraq.

Discussion: michellemalkin.com and Wake up America

Think Progress:

REPORT: Petraeus Spent At Least 17 Days In August Flacking For Bush's Escalation — The Washington Post reported this weekend that the White House political office and Gen. David Petraeus' unit have been "hard-wired" together, working jointly to "map out ways of selling the surge."

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Deacon / Power Line:

MOVEON.ORG HITS THE BOTTOM — General Petraeus is now testifying before the House, providing his assessment of the situation in Iraq and making recommendations as to how to proceed. Here is his written testimony. — This morning, the leftist group Moveon.org ran an ad in the New York Times …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, CNN, National Review, Weekly Standard, The Mahablog, Comments From Left Field, Say Anything, Heading Right, HazZzMat and Gateway Pundit

Gaius / Blue Crab Boulevard:

"Until This Moment, Senator, I Think I Never Gauged Your Cruelty Or Recklessness...." — Those were some of the words that are generally credited with beginning the downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The rest of the exchange between McCarthy and Joseph Welch, acting special counsel for the US Army …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Mahablog, Macsmind and The American Mind

CNN Political Ticker:
Thompson calls on Democrats to return MoveOn.org donations

Discussion: Wake up America and Say Anything

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
No More Flack for Iraq

Discussion: Eschaton, Comments From Left Field, Salon, Open Left and DownWithTyranny!

CNN Political Ticker:
Dems join GOP in slamming ad attacking Petraeus

Discussion: Gallup Poll, Hot Air, TPMCafe blogs, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, Weekly Standard and WorkingForChange

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
With Enemies Like This, General Petraeus Gets New Friends

Discussion: The Hill

Think Progress:

Petraeus Falsely Claims That Six Months Ago, 'No One Would Have Forecast' Anbar's Success — Today in his testimony to the House, Gen. David Petraeus cited the reduced violence in the Anbar province as evidence that President Bush's "surge" is working. He added that it would be "premature" …

Discussion: unbossed.com, AMERICAblog, Crooks and Liars, TPMmuckraker, Talking Points Memo, ePluribus Media Community and TalkLeft

Washington Post:
Petraeus Says Objectives in Iraq Are Largely Being Met

Discussion: CFR.org, MoJoBlog, Outside The Beltway, RIGHTWINGSPARKLE and PoliBlog (TM)

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:
The Iraq War Report: Rep. Lantos "We can not take ANY of this …

Discussion: Firedoglake

Ilan Goldenberg / democracyarsenal.org:
New Thread: Petraeus's Testimony Fact Check

Discussion: TPMmuckraker, CANNONFIRE, Shakespeare's Sister, The Gavel, Ezra Klein and Taylor Marsh

Jesse Lee / The Gavel:
House Hearing With Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus

Discussion: On Deadline and Flopping Aces

Austin Bay Blog:

Initial thoughts on Petraeus-Crocker testimony — After three hours of testimony — at times grueling testimony — I've some initial reactions. (As it is, I have to get ready to give a speech this evening.) — My first thought is MoveOn.org lost this political battle — the chumps went an …

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, Instapundit.com and Wake up America

David Stout / New York Times:

Slow Progress Being Made in Iraq, Petraeus Tells Congress — Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American military commander in Iraq, told Congress this afternoon that the United States by next summer should be able to reduce its troop strength there to about 130,000, or what it was before the recent increase.

Discussion: The Van Der Galiën Gazette, MoJoBlog, The Swamp, The Politico, DownWithTyranny!, Washington Post, CNN Political Ticker, PoliBlog (TM) and Comments From Left Field

ABCNEWS:
Day of Reckoning for Bush's Iraq Strategy

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Political Radar, Horses Mouth and The RBC

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

PETRAEUS'S DRAWDOWN....This slide from Gen. David Paraeus's testimony today is a work of art, isn't it? It looks like some kind of timeline for withdrawal, but all it actually says is that we'll withdraw five brigades by next July, something we already know is driven not by strategic considerations …

Discussion: New York Times

John Cole / Balloon Juice:
Look At All the Pretty Colors

Discussion: Washington Monthly and TPMmuckraker

Brian Ross Reports / The Blotter:

Second Bin Laden Tape Expected — Brian Ross Reports: — A second tape from Osama bin Laden was recorded in the same location as the video released last week. — People in the intelligence community who have seen the tape feel it is directly related to the 9/11 anniversary since …

Jonathan Martin / The Politico: Thompson wants 'due process' for Bin Laden

Jim Davenport / Associated Press:
Thompson: Due process for bin Laden

Discussion: Hot Air, The Carpetbagger Report, Stop The ACLU and Daily Pundit

Aaron Blake / The Hill:

Hagel bows out of politics — Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) officially announced Monday that he will not run for a third term and does not plan to run for president in 2008, setting in motion a battle for his Senate seat and leaving anti-war Republicans and independents without one of their candidates of choice in the presidential contest.

Discussion: The Politico, MyDD and Comments From Left Field

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Nebraska Senate Race Shapes Up

Discussion: TIME

The Washington Post / The Trail:

Anti-Thompson Site Connects to Romney Camp — A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind today's launch of a new Web site attacking GOP presidential rival Fred Thompson. — The site, www.phoneyfred.org, paints an unflattering picture of Thompson …

Discussion: race42008.com and The American Mind

The Sun:

Plans to ban plasma TV's — THE Conservatives will propose banning plasma screens and other energy-guzzling electrical goods in a report to be unveiled next week. — The proposals target white goods like fridges and freezers, as well as TVs, personal computers and DVD players that use too much energy or operate on stand-by.

Discussion: Cato-at-liberty and Dean's World

James Joyner / Outside The Beltway:

New Gig — I'm starting a new chapter in my professional career this morning, having been hired as the managing editor for the Atlantic Council of the United States. Over the next few weeks, I'll be working with CEO Fred Kempe and the senior leadership of the Council in relaunching their Web presence.

Discussion: The Impolitic, Blue Crab Boulevard and The American Mind

The Atlantic Online:

Hope: The New Plan — Check out this briefing slide from General Petraeus' presentation: — Basically, the idea is that about nine months from now, we'll be back to the number of troops we had in Iraq about nine months ago. After that, more stuff is supposed to change . . . maybe …

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report and Open Left

Tami Abdollah / Los Angeles Times:

Limits proposed on fast-food restaurants — Health concerns are cited for a proposed moratorium on such eateries in South L.A., which has the city's highest concentration of them. — As America gets fatter, policymakers are seeking creative approaches to legislating health.

Discussion: The Glittering Eye, Don Surber, Wizbang, Say Anything and Cato-at-liberty