memeorandum: Dan Rather stands by his story (Sidney Blumenthal/Salon)

10:20 PM ET, September 27, 2007

Top Items:

Limbaugh: Service members who support U.S. withdrawal are "phony soldiers" — During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq "phony soldiers." He made the comment while discussing …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, AMERICAblog, Macsmind, Hullabaloo, Chuck Adkins, Done With Mirrors and Unqualified Offerings

Jon Soltz / The Huffington Post:

So I'm a "Phony Soldier," Rush? — As Media Matters reported today, Rush Limbaugh, on his show said that those troops who come home and want to get America out of the middle of the religious civil war in Iraq are "phony soldiers." I'd love for you, Rush, to have me on your show and tell that to me to my face.

Discussion: Calitics, DownWithTyranny!, Brilliant at Breakfast, Think Progress, Take Our Country Back and Rook's Rant

Faiz / Think Progress:

A Challenge For Lawmakers Who Voted To Attack MoveOn Ad: Will They Now Condemn Limbaugh? — On September 20, 72 Senators voted for the highly politicized, "bait and switch" resolution that condemned a newspaper ad by MoveOn.org. The amendment, offered by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) …

Discussion: The Huffington Post and Daily Kos

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Democrats Blast Limbaugh For Saying That Antiwar Troops Are "Phony Soldiers"

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Corrente, Shakespeare's Sister and Oliver Willis

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:
Limbaugh: Troops Supporting US Withdrawal "Phony Soldiers" UPDATED

Discussion: Cliff Schecter and Daily Kos

Horses Mouth:
Newsflash: Rush Limbaugh just described soldiers who are in favor …

Discussion: The Gavel and TPM Election Central

CNN:

Edwards eyes $105M from public kitty — ABOARD THE CNN ELECTION EXPRESS, New Hampshire (CNN) — Former Sen. John Edwards Thursday said he will accept public financing for his presidential campaign, and challenged his chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, to follow his lead.

Discussion: The Newshoggers, The Caucus, Daily Kos, Right Voices, Liberal Values, Roger L. Simon, TPM Election Central, Oliver Willis, TIME: Swampland and The Politico

The Atlantic Online:

Why Did Edwards Do This? Pros and Cons — Advisers to Sen. John Edwards argued that the decision to opt in to the public finance system will boost the campaign's coffers before the primaries, but conceded that the campaign's fundraising to date had not met their expectations.

Discussion: The Politico, MyDD and Open Left

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Romney hits Dems on gay issue

Discussion: Mitt Romney For President News, New York Times, The New Republic, The Hill, All Spin Zone, Comments From Left Field, Making Light, Taylor Marsh, JustOneMinute, NY Daily News and Stop The ACLU

Jim Tankersley / The Swamp:
Edwards will take matching funds, if...

Discussion: The Politico and CNN Political Ticker

Gavin M. / Sadly, No!:

Foto Funnies Pt. II — From Little Green Footballs, 9/21/07: — Above: Screen-capture of LGF post — That's a reprinted press release from David Horowitz's FrontPageMag. The text reads, "The photo accompanying this article, which shows a teenage girl buried before being stoned to death …

CNN:

Kids' health bill passes despite veto threat — WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Senate voted 67-29 Thursday night to expand the State Children's Health Insurance program by up to 4 million children, a measure President Bush has vowed to veto. — The bipartisan House and Senate deal …

David S. Broder / Washington Post:

Following Bush Over a Cliff — The spectacle Tuesday of 151 House Republicans voting in lock step with the White House against expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was one of the more remarkable sights of the year. Rarely do you see so many politicians putting their careers in jeopardy.

Discussion: Think Progress, Talking Points Memo, NO QUARTER, MyDD, Daily Kos, Firedoglake and The Sideshow

DownWithTyranny!:

WHY DID VERIZON REALLY AX NARL'S TEXT MESSAGING? MEET TOM TAUKE, ANTI-CHOICE FANATIC AND VERIZON EXECUTIVE VP — Verizon claims it was— oops!— all a great big misunderstanding; they meant no harm and it was certainly nonpartisan. Big mistakey-poo. Sorry, sorry, sorry; you can trust us.

Discussion: Boing Boing, Open Left, The Atlantic Online, My Left Nutmeg, WorkingForChange, The Huffington Post and Cliff Schecter

Brookings Institute:

Can't Win with 'Em, Can't Go To War without 'Em: Private Military Contractors and Counterinsurgency — Foreign Policy at Brookings, Policy Paper #4, September 2007 — Executive Summary — The recent incident involving Blackwater contractors in Iraq has brought to light a series …

Discussion: The Blotter, Middle Earth Journal and New York Times

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING CONTRACTORS . . .

Discussion: Danger Room and Taylor Marsh

Amanda / Think Progress:

Matthews To Dodd: 'Do You Find It Difficult To Debate A Woman?' — During last night's post-Democratic presidential debate analysis, MSNBC host Chris Matthews was hung up on the fact there is a woman running for president. After questioning Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) about Sen. Hillary Clinton's …

Discussion: Media Matters for America, MSNBC, Huffington Post, The Carpetbagger Report and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES

Sidney Blumenthal / Salon:

Dan Rather stands by his story — His lawsuit will attempt to show that CBS tried to suppress the report on Bush's National Guard Service and the Abu Ghraib abuses. — Dan Rather talks on the Fox News show "Your World" about the state of television news, June 12, 2007.

Discussion: Firedoglake, CommonDreams.org and Flopping Aces

Jo Piazza / NY Daily News:

Singles will check out eligible candidates at Obama rally — Looking for a date for Friday night? Want someone to read thepoliticker.com with and talk to about Eliot Spitzer's fiscal policy late into the night? — Like-minded city singles are looking to tonight's Barack Obama rally …

Discussion: The Swamp, The American Princess, Gawker and Comment Central

Washington Wire:

Barney Frank Takes Up Fight — for Republicans — David Rogers reports on Congress. — It doesn't happen often, but a Democratic chairman today joined House Republicans in protesting a Democratic-backed rule that limited floor amendments to a flood-insurance bill.

Discussion: The Influence Peddler and Right Voices

Greg Simmons / Fox News:

Washington, D.C., Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Cindy Sheehan — WASHINGTON — A bench warrant was issued Thursday for antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, who did not appear for arraignment Thursday in a Washington, D.C., courtroom to face charges related to her Sept. 10 disorderly conduct arrest on Capitol Hill.