memeorandum: President Reaches Out to a Friendly Circle in New Media (Michael Abramowitz/Washington Post)

5:25 AM ET, September 17, 2007

Top Items:

Ex-Judge Is Said to Be Pick At Justice — Democrats Likely To Accept Him as Attorney General — President Bush has selected retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey as his new attorney general, sources said yesterday, moving to install a law-and-order conservative at the Justice Department …

Discussion: Ezra Klein, The Politico, The Atlantic Online, Abovethelaw.com, ScrappleFace, Macsmind, CNN and The Carpetbagger Report

Michael Abramowitz / Washington Post:

President Reaches Out to a Friendly Circle in New Media — The day after his prime-time speech on Iraq, President Bush sat down for a round-table interview not with traditional White House reporters but with bloggers who focus on military issues, including two participating by video link from Baghdad.

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Defense Tech and Mudville Gazette

New York Times:

Bush to Name Ex-Judge as Successor to Gonzales — President Bush has decided to nominate Michael B. Mukasey, a former federal judge from New York who has presided over some high-profile terrorism trials, as his next attorney general and is expected to announce the selection Monday …

Philip Shenon / New York Times:

Bush Expected to Name Judge as Gonzales's Successor — President Bush appeared to back away from a possible confirmation battle with the Senate and is close to announcing the nomination of a retired federal judge from New York who is widely respected by Democrats to replace Alberto R. Gonzales …

SilentPatriot / Crooks and Liars:
Sen. Hagel on Real Time: Petraeus Dog and Pony Show "Dishonest …

Discussion: Macsmind and The Next Hurrah

thinkprogress.org:

Fox censors Sally Field's anti-war speech at Emmy's. — At tonight's Emmy Awards show, the audience cheered Sally Field's acceptance speech, which the recognized mothers of U.S. troops. "Surely this [award] belongs to all the mothers of the world," she stated. "May they be seen, may their work be valued and raised.

Discussion: James Hibberd, Taylor Marsh, DownWithTyranny!, First Draft, TalkLeft and Sister Toldjah

Tomoneil / Los Angeles Times:

Gold Derby by Tom O'Neil — Wow! They censored Sally Field! — "If mothers ruled the world, there wouldn't be any god -" Emmy winner Sally Field said before the Emmycast cut off her sound and pointed the camera away from the stage so viewers would be distracted.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Democratic Daily, Greatscat! and Hullabaloo

Bob Woodward / Washington Post:

Greenspan: Ouster Of Hussein Crucial For Oil Security — Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman, said in an interview that the removal of Saddam Hussein had been "essential" to secure world oil supplies, a point he emphasized to the White House in private conversations before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Discussion: Guardian, The Huffington Post, Economist's View, Tammy Bruce and The Agonist

Tahman Bradley / Political Radar:
Bush vs. Greenspan: White House Fires Back

Discussion: Cliff Schecter, Washington Wire and The Blue State

Ian Welsh / Firedoglake:
No, Greenspan Doesn't Get To Rehabilitate His Reputation

Discussion: The Agonist, bustardblog and Crooks and Liars

Pablo / pw pub:

Good News, Bad News — The good news: — Officials: Shiites Interested in Alliance With American Troops … The bad news: … And what if it just keeps getting better? Why, that would be an unmitigated disaster. For Democrats. For America and Iraq, it would be a wonderful thing.

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
US Gets Sattar Assassin

Discussion: Telegraph and Gateway Pundit

Associated Press:
Officials: Shiites Interested in Alliance With American Troops

Discussion: Multi-National Force and The Long War Journal

Gary Langer / New York Times:

What They're Saying in Anbar Province — IN his address to the nation on Thursday, President Bush singled out progress in Anbar Province as the model for United States success in Iraq. The president's claims echoed those made earlier in the week by Gen. David H. Petraeus …

Discussion: The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Middle Earth Journal, TBogg, The Atlantic Online and Booman Tribune

Damien Cave / New York Times: U.S. Seizes Suspect in Killing of Sunni Sheik

Steve Weizman / Associated Press:

Madonna: I'm an 'ambassador for Judaism' — JERUSALEM - Madonna toasted the Jewish new year with Israeli President Shimon Peres and declared herself an "ambassador for Judaism," local newspapers reported Sunday. — The singer, who is not Jewish, arrived in Israel Wednesday on the eve …

Discussion: Yourish.com and AMERICAN DIGEST

Michael Barone / Real Clear Politics:

The Overlawyered War — "Never in the history of the United States had lawyers had such extraordinary influence over war policy as they did after 9/11." Those are the words of Jack Goldsmith, the Harvard law professor who was one of those lawyers, as head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel in 2003 and 2004.

CNN:

Police: No bail for O.J. after robbery arrest — LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) — Former football star O.J. Simpson will be held without bail after his arrest on robbery and assault charges, police announced late Sunday. — Simpson is accused of having directed several other men in an alleged armed robbery …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, E! Online, Ed Driscoll.com, Tammy Bruce, the talking dog, TMZ.com, The Moderate Voice, Shakespeare's Sister and Scared Monkeys

Bruce Smith / Associated Press:

McCain: I'm a Baptist — HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has long identified himself as an Episcopalian, said this weekend that he is a Baptist and has been for years. — Campaigning in this conservative, predominantly Baptist state …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!

David Freddoso / The Corner:

They're Still Voting Out There In Michigan — Democrats in Michigan's state House are determined to squeeze more out of the state's dry-lemon economy, but they can't convince enough of their own to vote for it. They have been voting on a tax increase since 2 pm on Friday — that's 51 hours of straight legislative boredom.