memeorandum: I Did Do It — O.K., folks, you want the truth? (Maureen Dowd/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

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, The Heretik, Liberal Values and Raising Kaine

Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:

Democrats to Offer New Surveillance Rules — Bill Aims to Meet Privacy and Security Concerns; Fierce Debate Is Expected — House Democrats plan to introduce a bill this week that would let a secret court issue one-year "umbrella" warrants to allow the government to intercept e-mails …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and The Next Hurrah

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

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, Althouse 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 …

Mark Silva / The Swamp:

Old party soldier takes sides: Fighting then and now — Hard to believe your eyes, but there he was looking thinner, frailer and all of his 85 years old. — George McGovern, with some effort but nattily-dressed, made his way across an Iowa stage littered with hay bales …

Discussion: The Politico

Satyam / Think Progress:

Novak: Senate Conservatives Knew About Craig's 'Weird Conduct,' 'Didn't Do Anything About It' — On Bloomberg Television today, right-wing pundit Robert Novak revealed that "sources in the Senate" have told him that Senate conservatives had prior knowledge about Sen. Larry Craig's (R-ID) …

Discussion: Eschaton, Pam's House Blend and Cliff Schecter

Mark Silva / The Swamp:

Virginia's Rep. Jo Ann Davis succumbs to cancer — Rep. Jo Ann Davis, Virginia's first female Republican member of Congress, died today after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 57. — Davis, an outspoken social conservative and staunch advocate for Navy shipbuilding …

Discussion: The Politico and Shakespeare's Sister

Jamiecnn / CNN Political Ticker:
Virginia congresswoman dies

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!