Top Items:
Ben Smith / The Politico:
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 Huffington Post, The Carpetbagger Report, Washington Monthly, TalkLeft, Daily Kos, Washington Wire, TownHall Blog, Political Machine, The Trail, Reason Magazine, Whiskey Fire, Betsy's Page, Majikthise, NewsBusters.org, Taylor Marsh, The Atlantic Online, bustardblog, Booman Tribune, Wonkette, The Washington Note, All Spin Zone, MyDD, The American Street, DownWithTyranny!, race42008.com, Hullabaloo, Spin Cycle, Los Angeles Times, The Agitator, Attytood, Political Radar, Boston Globe, Riehl World View, Hotline On Call, The Democratic Daily, Salon, LewRockwell.com Blog, Trailhead, skippy the bush kangaroo, Truthdig, Liberal Values and Oliver Willis
RELATED:
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Politico: Rudy hid security expenses for visits to Judi in obscure city agency budgets? Update: Rudy campaign launches internal probe — The actual story here kind of sneaks up on you. At first you think they're charging him with having siphoned off taxpayer money to pay for personal trips with then-mistress Judi Nathan.
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
Let's Play Gotcha At The YouTube Debate...Or Not — Nicholas Von Hoffman writes about the embarrassing and unprofessional Russert/Williams Democratic Debate tag team of two weeks ago: … And then there's tonight's Republican YouTube debate: … The majority of Americans believe that women …
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Politico: Giuliani Hid Security Detail Payments for Mistress Visits — It's not much of a mystery why Bernie Kerik and Rudy Giuliani got along so well. They both showed a certain ingenuity when it came to leveraging New York City resources for trysts. — Kerik, of course, had his 9/11 love nest.
Michelle Malkin:
Liveblogging the CNN/YouTube debate: "Edginess," "elbows, "eh. " Update: Romney's the Energizer candidate — *Debate vid highlights/lowlights will be here. So, who won? — Quick and dirty reaction: Romney looked strong and energetic, with one stumble on the Bible question.
RELATED:
Ron Fournier / Associated Press:
ON DEADLINE: "Good Bill" vs "Bad Bill" — DES MOINES, Iowa - As only he can do, Bill Clinton packed campaign venues across eastern Iowa and awed Democratic voters with a compelling case for his wife's candidacy. He was unscripted, in-depth and generous. — He also was long-winded, misleading and self-absorbed.
RELATED:
Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:
Obama Scoffs at Clinton War Claim — ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., scoffed Wednesday at former President Bill Clinton's recent claim that he opposed the Iraq war from the very beginning. — "Well if he did," Obama said on a conference call with reporters, "I don't think most of us have heard about it."
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, Sister Toldjah, The Page, Wizbang, Interesting Times and Ben Smith's Blogs
David Freddoso / The Corner:
Totally Bizarre And Out of Line — This is deeply troubling: … I would feel differently if this were a private, party-funded event to pick the nominee — in that case, they can make you stand on your head for all I care. But Virginia has an open primary that is funded by the government.
Discussion:
Washington Post
RELATED:
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 …
Jim Tankersley / The Swamp:
Edwards floats anti-lobbyist (and Clinton) pledge — Pledges have become quite the rage in politics over the last decade or so — Grover Norquist's no-tax-increase pledge most famously — but usually it's candidates who sign them. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards turned …
RELATED:
Martin Kady II / The Crypt's Blogs:
Lott's brother in law Scruggs indicted on bribery charges — Sen. Trent Lott's brother-in-law, Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, a high profile trial lawyer best known for suing big tobacco and insurance companies, has been indicted on bribery charges. — Several media outlets are reporting …
Discussion:
The Next Hurrah
RELATED:
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:
JammieWearingFool, Blue Crab Boulevard, Redstate, Captain's Quarters, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, Babalu Blog and Assorted Babble
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, Say Anything, Wonkette, NYT, The Huffington Post, TIME: Swampland, Truthdig and Big Head DC
Jonathan Martin / Jonathan Martin's Blogs:
Rudy on guns — Rudy seems to be getting some tough questions tonight, including one about his past support for gun licensing. — "What I believe is we have to be very aggressive about the gun laws that exist," he said. — Which I guess is his way of saying he no longer supports licensing.
Discussion:
TownHall Blog