memeorandum: Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans (Robert Pear/New York Times)

Why Is This GOP Strategist Smiling? — The day had been full of ominous warnings. Polls showed the Republicans on the losing side of almost every issue and the 2008 presidential race — and now they're forced to defend a controversial veto of a popular children's health bill.

Discussion: Salon and Blue Crab Boulevard

Robert Pear / New York Times:

Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans — Tens of thousands of Medicare recipients have been victims of deceptive sales tactics and had claims improperly denied by private insurers that run the system's huge new drug benefit program and offer other private insurance options encouraged …

Discussion: Liberty Street, cab drollery, AMERICAblog and Liberal Values

Peter Baker / Washington Post:

An Exit Toward Soul-Searching — As Bush Staffers Leave, Questions About Legacy Abound — It had been four days since Meghan O'Sullivan left her job at the White House. Just four days since she gave up her Secret Service pass, her classified hard drive and her entree to the president.

Discussion: The Newshoggers

New York Times:

On Torture and American Values — Once upon a time, it was the United States that urged all nations to obey the letter and the spirit of international treaties and protect human rights and liberties. American leaders denounced secret prisons where people were held without charges, tortured and killed.

Discussion: Chris Dodd National Blog, Jules Crittenden, Liberal Values and Raising Kaine

Frank Rich / New York Times:

Nobody Knows the Lynchings He's Seen — WHAT'S the difference between a low-tech lynching and a high-tech lynching? A high-tech lynching brings a tenured job on the Supreme Court and a $1.5 million book deal. A low-tech lynching, not so much. — Pity Clarence Thomas.

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy and Bark Bark Woof Woof

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

I Did Do It — O.K., folks, you want the truth? — The whole truth and nothing but? — After all this time, you're still dying to see the mystery solved? — Fine. I did it. Everything A. said — let's just use the initial because it's still hard for me to speak the name of my victim and tormentor — was true.

Simon Jenkins / Times of London:

Muslim medical students get picky — Some Muslim medical students are refusing to attend lectures or answer exam questions on alcohol-related or sexually transmitted diseases because they claim it offends their religious beliefs. — Some trainee doctors say learning to treat the diseases conflicts …

Discussion: normblog and Betsy's Page

Jonah Goldberg / New York Post:

BUM RUSH — HOW THE DEMS PLAN TO TAKE DOWN THEIR REAL OPPONENTS: RUSH AND O'REILLY — In the parable of the million monkeys banging on typewriters for a million years, the reward is supposed to be the complete works of Shakespeare. But have you heard the parable of the million interns?

Discussion: protein wisdom, The Corner, Macsmind, PrairiePundit, Blue Crab Boulevard, Let Freedom Ring and Gateway Pundit

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Iraq Embassy Cost Rises $144 Million Amid Project Delays — Planning, Workmanship Cited as Problems — The massive U.S. embassy under construction in Baghdad could cost $144 million more than projected and will open months behind schedule because of poor planning, shoddy workmanship …

Discussion: Connecting.the.Dots, Prairie Weather, Taylor Marsh and TalkLeft

Scoop Shachtman / Drink-soaked Trotskyite Popinjays …:

The snidely liberals won't watch your back — When Salman Rushdie was under threat, following the publication of Satanic Verses, the UK government moved to provide him protection - despite his habit of making critical comments about the UK. Not everyone was so keen about Salman though.

Mark Sherman / Associated Press:

Bush, Texas at odds over death case — WASHINGTON - To put it bluntly, Texas wants President Bush to get out of the way of the state's plan to execute a Mexican for the brutal killing of two teenage girls. — Bush, who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas …

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

Charge It to My Kids — Every so often a quote comes out of the Bush administration that leaves you asking: Am I crazy or are they? I had one of those moments last week when Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, was asked about a proposal by some Congressional Democrats to levy …

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, PrairiePundit and Angry Bear

Frank Eltman / Associated Press:

Immigration arrests spark controversy from coast to coast — GARDEN CITY. N.Y. - Long Island officials complained loudly this week about a series of immigration raids, accusing federal agents of a "cowboy mentality" that could have put local police in harm's way.

Discussion: ImmigrationProf Blog

Jamiecnn / CNN Political Ticker:

Virginia congresswoman dies — WASHINGTON (CNN) — U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., died Saturday after battling breast cancer, according to a statement released by her office. She was 57. — Davis died at her Gloucester, Va., home. She was first diagnosed with cancer in 2005 …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!

John Bresnahan / The Politico: Rep. Jo Ann Davis dies of breast cancer

Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Virginia's Rep. Jo Ann Davis succumbs to cancer

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister