memeorandum: Iraq spending bill stalls in Senate (Martin Kady II/The Politico)

2:45 PM ET, November 16, 2007

Top Items:

The Democratic Debate — The following is a transcript of the Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, as provided by the Federal News Service. — PARTICIPANTS: — FORMER SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC) — SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL) — MODERATORS: — WOLF BLITZER, CNN — CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker, Dick Polman's American Debate, A Tiny Revolution, Shakespeare's Sister, The Carpetbagger Report, Brendan Nyhan, Sister Toldjah, Outside The Beltway, Lonewacko and LiberalOasis

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

Democratic Debate: Winners and Losers — Last night was a tale of two debates. — The first 15 minutes of the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas featured clashes between the top three candidates — Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards — over Social Security, Iran and telling the truth.

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Played for a Sucker — Lately, Barack Obama has been saying that major action is needed to avert what he keeps calling a "crisis" in Social Security — most recently in an interview with The National Journal. Progressives who fought hard and successfully against the Bush administration's attempt …

Discussion: Eschaton, Cafe Hayek, Greg Mankiw's Blog, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Comments from Left Field, EdCone.com, Los Angeles Times, NewsBusters.org, Prairie Weather, Viking Pundit, theneweditor.com, Blue Crab Boulevard, Open Left and Democratic Strategist

The Atlantic Online:

Between Friends — Thinking about Wolf Blitzer's atrocious performance as moderator and Tim Russert's slicker, better-executed version of the same BS at the previous Democratic debate, is one reminder that at least one reason the GOP contenders haven't gotten this kind of roasting is that I feel …

Discussion: The New Republic and RealClearPolitics

CNN:

Clinton punches back at rivals' attacks — LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) — Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton fought back at criticism from some of her presidential rivals Thursday night, decrying what she termed mudslinging and defending her record against the charge that she avoids taking firm positions on controversial issues.

Discussion: New York Times, Reno Gazette-Journal …, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Des Moines Register, WILLisms.com, Gothamist, Fraters Libertas and Taylor Marsh

Roger Simon / The Politico:
Diamonds and Pearls for Hillary

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Las Vegas Sun Politics, New York Sun and HillaryClinton.com

Douglas Burns / Iowa Independent:
Obama Exposes Regional Difference With Clinton As Debate Turns For Him

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Commentary, The Caucus and Pajamas Media

The Atlantic Online:
Questions — As ever, it's really striking to observe …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, The Newshoggers, BuzzFlash.org, Democratic Strategist, The Carpetbagger Report, democracyarsenal.org and Reason Magazine

Michael Scherer / Salon:
What you missed while watching the "Project Runway" premiere

Discussion: New York Times, The Fix, American Prospect, Pirate's Cove, Washington Wire, Prairie Weather, The Huffington Post and Bark Bark Woof Woof

Anne Flaherty / Associated Press:

Democrats unable to bring troops home — WASHINGTON - Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats remain unable to pass legislation ordering troops home from Iraq. — Frustrated by Republican roadblocks, Democrats now plan to sit on President Bush's $196 billion request …

Discussion: Election Central, Reuters, AMERICAblog, michellemalkin.com, Taylor Marsh, Salon, Wake up America, Stop The ACLU, Macsmind, The American Street, Gateway Pundit, The Carpetbagger Report, Booman Tribune, Democrats.com, CNN and Los Angeles Times

New York Times:

In Contempt — White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and Harriet Miers, the former White House counsel, showed their utter disregard for Congress, the Constitution and the American people when they defied Congressional subpoenas in the United States attorneys scandal.

Discussion: Comments from Left Field and Daily Kos

Brian Faughnan / Weekly Standard:
Murtha Shows Dem Duplicity on Iraq; Dems Play with Fire

Discussion: GovExec.com and DefenseLINK

James Risen / New York Times:
Panel Drops Immunity From Eavesdropping Bill

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Newshoggers, Washington Post, Left in the West, Wonkette, The Swamp, Comments from Left Field, At-Largely, Captain's Quarters, The Carpetbagger Report, TigerHawk, Lean Left, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Obsidian Wings, Brilliant at Breakfast, Chris Dodd National Blog and Election Central

The Atlantic Online:

"Diamond v. Pearl" Student Blasts CNN (Updated With CNN Response) — Maria Luisa, the UNLV student who asked Hillary Clinton whether she preferred "diamonds or pearls" at last night's debate wrote on her MySpace page this morning that CNN forced her to ask the frilly question instead …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Eschaton, Hullabaloo, Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, Hot Air, Suburban Guerrilla, Chris Dodd National Blog and Lonewacko

Irenep / Michael Yon:

Come Home … The Dome Under the Cross: Local Muslim and Christian leaders had prepared the church for his arrival. — A Bishop came to St John's Church in Baghdad today, 15 November, where a crowd of locals welcomed him home. They were joined at the service by soldiers from the 2-12 infantry battalion …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Captain's Quarters, TownHall Blog, Wake up America, BLACKFIVE, JammieWearingFool, Hot Air, QandO, VodkaPundit and Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler

Brian Faughnan / Weekly Standard:

Eliot Spitzer's Death Wish — New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has taken a lot of abuse in recent weeks—for his hastily-dropped plan to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens, his quickly-withdrawn plan to tax internet purchases, and his move to speed-up release for violent criminals.

Discussion: Newsday and Right Voices

Fredric U. Dicker / New York Post:
SPITZ VOWS TO PUSH FOR GAY MARRIAGES

Discussion: Redstate, Environmental Republican, JammieWearingFool, A Blog For All, The Daily Politics, Daily. Gay. News., Macsmind and Right Voices

Martin Kady II / The Politico:
Iraq spending bill stalls in Senate

Discussion: New York Times

Marc Santora / New York Times:

McCain Finds Sympathy on Torture Issue — On a bitterly cold morning last week, diners at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Boone, Iowa, were just sitting down for their morning coffee when Senator John McCain entered. Within minutes, Mr. McCain turned to a hot-button topic for which he literally serves …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Des Moines Register, No More Mister Nice Blog and Cliff Schecter

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
McCain seeks probe into anti-Romney ads

Discussion: The Swamp, The Trail and eyeon08.com

Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
NH, Iowa Voters Get Anti-Romney Calls

Discussion: TownHall Blog, The Atlantic Online, Pollster.com, Wonkette, The Carpetbagger Report, Riehl World View, Hot Air and The Politico

Erika Bolstad / Anchorage Daily News:

Stevens blames media for image troubles — INVESTIGATION: Alaska senator hints of retribution after investigation ends. — ebolstad@adn.com — WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens said Thursday he has no fear of a Democratic opponent in next year's election, and he blamed overzealous reporters …

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo: Are We in Stevens' Crosshairs?

John Aravosis / AMERICAblog:

BREAKING: Reid shut downs Bush recess appointments during Thanksgiving — Now who's relevant? A statement from Senator Harry Reid (and more background on this issue here):

Discussion: Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, Firedoglake and State of the Day

USA Today:

Not legal? No Mexican driver's license for you — MEXICO CITY — The question of whether to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants has ignited a national debate in the United States. — Yet in Mexico, the biggest source of immigrants to the USA, there's no debate …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Swamp and Outside The Beltway

Jonathan Garthwaite / TownHall Blog:
Yes or No — Five minutes into the debate... A few minutes later

Discussion: Weekly Standard

New York Times:

Report Raises New Doubts on Iran Nuclear Program — The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report on Thursday that Iran had made new but incomplete disclosures about its past nuclear activities, missing a critical deadline under an agreement with the agency and virtually assuring …

Discussion: FP Passport, The Corner, The Glittering Eye, Macsmind and Guardian

Margaret Drabble / Times of London:
Iran could build atom bomb within one year, says nuclear watchdog

Discussion: The Newshoggers and Washington Post

White House:

President Bush Delivers Remarks at Federalist Society's 25th Annual Gala — Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) So much for the dress code. (Laughter.) I'm honored to be with you. Thanks. I appreciate being with an organization that understands the value …

Discussion: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Corner, ACSBlog, Salon, The Carpetbagger Report, First Draft and The American Street

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:

How Do Republicans Get Away With It? — The NYT has picked up on the McCain "How do we beat the bitch" incident that TPM Election Central first noted earlier in the week, but get a load of the double-triple-reverse psychology that Katharine Seelye's piece employs.

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, New York Times and Democrats.com

Jo Couzens / Sky News:

Controversy Over Eurostar's Shock Skinhead Urinating Advert — An advert depicting a tattooed skinhead urinating into a china teacup is being used to promote tourism to London. — The image is part of a new Eurostar campaign aimed solely at the Belgian market.

Discussion: Betsy's Page