memeorandum: The GOP accepts no presidential dissent (The Roanoke Times)

5:20 PM ET, November 28, 2007

Top Items:

Giuliani billed obscure agencies for trips — As New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Spin Cycle, Booman Tribune, Think Progress, Majikthise, The Washington Note, The Agitator and The Carpetbagger Report

John R. Wilke / Wall Street Journal:

Head of Rove Inquiry in Hot Seat Himself — Bloch Used Private Company, — Geeks on Call, to Delete Files — On His Office Computer — WASHINGTON — The head of the federal agency investigating Karl Rove's White House political operation is facing allegations that he improperly …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Salon, The Newshoggers, The American Street, The Impolitic, Wonkette, On Deadline, Shakespeare's Sister, Corrente, The Swamp, The Next Hurrah, Suitably Flip, Prairie Weather and Think Progress

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:

Today's Must Read — It's just not enough that a number of administration officials have been investigated for malfeasance; the Bush Administration takes it the extra mile. The man who's charged with investigating some of that malfeasance is himself under investigation. And he's clearly no slouch at malfeasance.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Threat Level, Talking Points Memo and CANNONFIRE

Byron York / The Corner:

South Carolina Poll: Mitt, Huck Up, Rudy Cratering, Race Super-Volatile — Greetings from Clemson, South Carolina, where John McCain is scheduled to make an appearance this morning before heading to Florida for the YouTube debate. — But the big news here is a new Palmetto Poll …

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, Power Line, Comments from Left Field, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, DownWithTyranny!, PrairiePundit and Pollster.com

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

Why (and How) Huckabee Can Win Iowa — The rise of Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee in the Iowa polls over the past month reveals (yet again) the incredible level of fluidity that exists in the GOP nomination fight. — The latest Washington Post-ABC News survey and a series …

Discussion: The Anonymous Liberal, Southern Political Report, Power Line, Political Machine and Democratic Strategist

Associated Press:

GOP will demand 'oath' of February primary voters — RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — If you're planning to vote in Virginia's February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty. — The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request …

Discussion: The Newshoggers, The Opinionator, The Carpetbagger Report, Shakespeare's Sister, Wonkette and TPM Election Central

The Roanoke Times:
The GOP accepts no presidential dissent

Discussion: Salon

Sarah Lai Stirland / Wired News:

CNN-YouTube Debate Producer Doubts the Wisdom of the Crowd — As Republican presidential contenders brace for Wednesday's CNN-YouTube debate, the executive in charge of the event is unapologetic about his decision to put mainstream journalists in charge of deciding which user-contributed YouTube videos …

Discussion: Think Progress, CNN, Suitably Flip, Pajamas Media, Wall Street Journal, National Review, michellemalkin.com, ScrappleFace, First Draft, techPresident, TownHall Blog and TIME: Swampland

Garrett M. Graff / The Politico:
The GOP and 'the Internets'

Discussion: Personal Democracy Forum, Threat Level and Cheat Seeking Missiles

Democratic National Committee:
DNC Launches FlipperTV

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, The Caucus, Riehl World View and BitsBlog

National Review:

NRO Exclusive: Mansoor Ijaz Details His Exchange With Romney — I spoke with Mansoor Ijaz — author of a Christian Science Monitor op-ed asserting that Mitt Romney said he would not consider Muslims to work in his Cabinet — yesterday, and we conducted the following interview by e-mail.

Discussion: Blogometer, Hot Air, TownHall Blog and eyeon08.com

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Another Witness Confirms Romney's No-Muslims Comment

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, National Review, Taylor Marsh, Political Machine, race42008.com, The Carpetbagger Report and AMERICAblog

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Hillary And Obama Campaigns At War Over Bill's Iraq Comments — Bill Clinton's surprising claim yesterday that he opposed the Iraq war "from the beginning" has ignited a kind of research war between the Hillary and Obama campaigns, with both sides digging deep into the public record …

Discussion: Political Punch, Ben Smith's Blogs, Eschaton and The Atlantic Online

Patrick Healy / New York Times:
Bill Clinton Flatly Asserts He Opposed War at Start

Pakistan Daily Times:

PCO may be withdrawn within days: AG — * Qayyum says president's oath and general elections will be under 1973 Constitution — ISLAMABAD: Attorney General (AG) of Pakistan Malik Muhammad Qayyum said on Tuesday that the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) would be lifted "very soon".

Discussion: Captain's Quarters

Bill Roggio / Weekly Standard: Musharraf's Power Grab

Faiz / Think Progress:

John Ashcroft: I'm Willing To Be Waterboarded — Last night, former Attorney General John Ashcroft delivered an address on national security at the University of Colorado. The event was marked by heated protests. About 20 student protesters wearing "shirts with 'shame' written on the backs …

Discussion: Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, The Huffington Post, NYT, Wonkette and Firedoglake

CNN:

Teacher charged in teddy bear case — KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) — A British teacher arrested in Sudan after allowing her class to name a teddy bear "Mohammed" has been charged by authorities with offending religion, British officials say. — Gillian Gibbons, 54, is being held by police …

Discussion: Fox News, The Impolitic, FP Passport and Daily Pundit

Reuters:

Venezuela Chavez: CNN may be instigating my murder — CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday CNN may have been instigating his murder when the U.S. TV network showed a photograph of him with a label underneath that read "Who killed him?"

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, NewsBusters.org, Assorted Babble, Babalu Blog, JammieWearingFool, michellemalkin.com and Hot Air

Logan Murphy / Crooks and Liars:

Turley: "It Is Rather Clear That What The President Ordered Was A Federal Crime" — The Bush administration has been using the "state secrets" defense in order to have federal law suits challenging their illegal eavesdropping programs thrown out of court. So far, they have been successful …

Gateway Pundit:

BUSTED!!.... ANOTHER BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY!!! — LAY THIS BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY TO REST... Reportedly, on Sunday 11 close family members of Jordanian-based Baathist reporter Dia al-Kawwaz, who runs the online anti-Iraq newspaper Shabeqat Akhbar al-Iraq, were slaughtered in Baghdad.

Discussion: BBC, Agence France Presse, Reporters Without Borders, The Jawa Report, NewsBusters.org and Hot Air

Kevin G. Hall / McClatchy Washington Bureau:

Democrats' health plans echo Nixon's failed GOP proposal — WASHINGTON — Even before Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton unveiled her new health-care plan, Republicans attacked it as socialized medicine. They neglected to mention, however, that her plan bears a striking resemblance …

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, The Newshoggers and The American Street