Top Items:
Mike Soraghan / The Hill:
Internal Dem memo faults party message — Democrats are losing the battle for voters' hearts because the party's message lacks emotional appeal, according to a widely circulated critique of House Democratic communications strategy. — "Our message sounds like an audit report on defense logistics …
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Michelle Malkin:
New Democrat strategy: We must stimulate the amygdalae! — This is high-larious. The Hill reports on an internal Democrat strategy memo complaining that the Democrat Party is too hyper-rational and lacks emotional appeal. — For real. They think "SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILLLLLDREN!" is too bland and accountant-like:
Al Kamen / Washington Post:
FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA — FEMA has truly learned the lessons of Katrina. Even its handling of the media has improved dramatically. For example, as the California wildfires raged Tuesday, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator, had a 1 p.m. news briefing.
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Matt / Think Progress:
FEMA Stages Press Conference: Staff Pose As Journalists And Ask 'Softball' Questions — On Tuesday, while "wildfires raged" in California, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), held a press conference at FEMA's Southwest D.C. offices that was …
Discussion:
Shakespeare's Sister
CNN:
Court orders Wilson freed in controversial sex case — ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — The Georgia Supreme Court on Friday ordered that Genarlow Wilson be released from prison, ruling 4-3 that his sentence for a teen sex conviction was cruel and unusual punishment.
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Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Georgia Supreme Court freeing Genarlow Wilson — The Georgia Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of Genarlow Wilson, the Douglas County teenager who has been serving a controversial 10-year sentence for consensual oral sex. — The court's 4-3 decision upholds a Monroe County judge's ruling …
Discussion:
On Deadline
Scott Shane / New York Times:
Panel to See Papers on Agency's Eavesdropping — The White House on Thursday offered to share secret documents on the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program with the Senate Judiciary Committee, a step toward possible compromise on eavesdropping legislation.
Discussion:
The Swamp, Firedoglake, Balkinization, The Raw Story, The Next Hurrah, Democrats.com, The Heretik and The American Street
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John Bresnahan / The Politico:
Bolten, Miers in Dems' contempt crosshairs — House Democratic leaders have begun privately surveying their members to determine their support for a criminal contempt resolution against White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for shunning congressional subpoenas …
Christopher Hayes / The Nation:
The New Right-Wing Smear Machine — On February 27, 2001, two members of the American Gold Star Mothers, an organization of women who've lost sons or daughters in combat, dropped by the temporary basement offices of the new junior senator from New York, Hillary Clinton.
Bill Schneider / CNN:
Analysis: Obama must show he's ready to rumble — CNN Senior Political Analyst — (CNN) — What can Sen. Barack Obama do to turn the Democratic campaign around? He has to try a different kind of campaign. — No more Mr. Nice Guy. — When the senator from Illinois got into the presidential race …
Discussion:
Lynn Sweet
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John Distaso / New Hampshire Union Leader:
NH primary: Room to breathe? — CONCORD - Secretary of State William Gardner said yesterday that key developments in Iowa and Michigan this week could clear the way for New Hampshire to hold its first-in-the-nation presidential primary in early January, rather than December.
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John Fund / Opinion Journal:
Another Man From Hope — Who is Mike Huckabee? — Republicans have won five of the last seven presidential elections by running candidates who broadly fit the Ronald Reagan model—fiscally conservative, and firmly but not harshly conservative on social issues.
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Democrats, the War and Shays's Rebellion — A poll released yesterday by the Associated Press made it official: Americans are more likely to believe in ghosts (34 percent) than to believe that President Bush is doing a good job with the war in Iraq (29 percent).
Sen. Tom Coburn / The Hill:
Coburn objects to earmarks irrespective of partisanship — Your Oct. 24 article "GOPsenators hunt for Democratic earmarks" implied, mainly through your sources, that my criticism of earmarks is more partisan than my long record indicates. — First, I understand that many senators don't appreciate my efforts to curtail earmarks.
Discussion:
Tapscott's Copy Desk
T. Christian Miller / Los Angeles Times:
Officials balked on '05 Blackwater inquiry — State Department e-mails obtained by ABC News discuss how to deflect a Times reporter's questions about a civilian shooting death. — Even as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended her department's oversight of private security contractors …
Discussion:
The Blotter
Steven Mufson / Washington Post:
Strike on Iran Would Roil Oil Markets, Experts Say — Price Hits Record Close; U.S. Tightens Sanctions — A U.S. military strike against Iran would have dire consequences in petroleum markets, say a variety of oil industry experts, many of whom think the prospect of pandemonium …