memeorandum: Hayden Says CIA Videotapes Destroyed (Pamela Hess/wtopnews.com)

3:13 AM ET, December 7, 2007

Top Items:

C.I.A. Destroyed Tapes of Interrogations — The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Al Qaeda operatives in the agency's custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about the C.I.A's secret detention program …

Discussion: The Blotter, Emptywheel, Balkinization, Right Wing Nut House, JURIST, TalkLeft, The Heretik, Macsmind, TPMmuckraker, ACSBlog, Truthdig, Taylor Marsh and The Democratic Daily

Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:

This Is A Banana Republic — What defines such a republic? How about an executive that ignores the rule of law, commits war-crimes and then destroys the actual evidence? Today's bombshell is that the CIA has done just that with respect to tapes made recording the torture of enemy combatants.

Discussion: Buck Naked Politics

Pamela Hess / wtopnews.com:
Hayden Says CIA Videotapes Destroyed

Discussion: Emptywheel

Cernig / The Newshoggers: CIA Destroys Torture Evidence

Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:

"A Common Creed Of Moral Convictions" — Mitt Romney's "Faith in America" speech was simply magnificent, and anyone who denies it is not to be trusted as an analyst. On every level it was a masterpiece. The staging and Romney's delivery, the eclipse of all other candidates it caused …

Discussion: Article VI Blog, National Review Online, Riehl World View, Redstate, American Prospect, Democratic Strategist, The Corner, The Carpetbagger Report, Balkinization, Power Line, The Heretik, Captain's Quarters, The Atlantic Online, The Sundries Shack, PoliGazette, michellemalkin.com, Newsweek and RealClearPolitics

David Frum:
That Dog Won't Hunt — Sorry to dissent from my colleagues …

Discussion: New York Times, The Atlantic Online, TBogg, Weekly Standard, Hot Air, Roger Ailes, TownHall Blog, Grasping Reality …, Firedoglake and Riehl World View

Hugh Hewitt / TownHall Blog:
Romney's —Objectively— Great, Great Day

Discussion: Hot Air

Mitt Romney For President News:
Governor Mitt Romney's "Faith In America" Address

San Francisco Chronicle:

SF radio personality Bernie Ward indicted on child porn charges — (12-06) 15:29 PST San Francisco - — Bernie Ward, a popular liberal San Francisco radio talk show host and former Catholic priest, has been indicted on federal child pornography charges, authorities said today.

Discussion: The Radio Equalizer, IMAO.US, Macsmind, Clayton Cramer's BLOG, Wake up America and JammieWearingFool

Patrick O'Connor / The Politico:

Two GOP congresswomen quit Page Board — Two Republicans on the House Page Board resigned Thursday because the House clerk failed to notify them of two incidents involving high school-age students, including shoplifting charges and improper sexual conduct. — Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite …

Discussion: Wonkette

Mary Ann Akers / The Sleuth:

Another Sexually Charged House Page Scandal — So much for reform of the House page program in the wake of the Mark Foley scandal. House teenage pages are so wild and unsupervised that two GOP members of Congress have resigned from the House Page Board, protesting that they were not informed …

Discussion: Don Surber and The Strata-Sphere

National Review:

Huckabee: Force Behind My Rise in Polls Is 'Not Human' — First Mrs. Huckabee: … Comparing effective use of campaign funds to a miracle? Cringe. Well, it's just the candidate's wife, it's not like Huckabee would say something like... Wow. Huckabee's been endorsed by both Chuck Norris AND Jesus Christ.

Discussion: Think Progress, MyDD, Stop The ACLU, Riehl World View, Daily Pundit, Outside The Beltway, protein wisdom, The Democratic Daily, Liberal Values and Betsy's Page

Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:

God Wants Me As President — His surge in the polls is caused by the same forces that allowed Jesus to feed the five thousand. Well: what else is he going to believe?

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister, The Reaction and PoliBlog (TM)

CNN Political Ticker:

Senate's presidential contenders may face a tough choice — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may put some of the Democratic presidential candidates in awkward spot this weekend. — The Nevada Democrat told reporters Thursday he will schedule a Senate vote on the Energy Bill this Saturday.

Discussion: New York Times, The Crypt's Blogs and Blue Crab Boulevard

New York Times:
Senate Passes Bill to Block Tax Increase

Discussion: The RBC, The Swamp and The Agonist

MSNBC:

Did Morgan Spurlock find Osama bin Laden? — 15 minutes of footage shown at film fest sparks bidding war, speculation — Rumors are flying that filmmaker Morgan Spurlock of "Super Size Me" fame may have done what the United States government has failed to do for the last six years — find Osama bin Laden.

Discussion: Debbie Schlussel, Weekly Standard and Firedoglake

Richard Simon / Los Angeles Times:

House passes a sweeping energy bill — Fuel efficiency would increase and alternative sources would expand. The measure faces a tough road in the Senate. — WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday approved the biggest increase in vehicle fuel-economy standards since gasoline cost less …

Discussion: Open Left, Wonkette, Left in the West and Daily Kos

CNN:
House approves raising fuel economy standards

Discussion: Wired Science and Gristmill

Matt / Think Progress:

Bush gives out wrong mortgage hotline phone number. — During his speech today announcing his plan "to ease the mortgage crisis for consumers, President Bush accidentally gave out the wrong number for his new "Hope Now Hotline" that worried homeowners are encouraged to call for assistance.

Discussion: Associated Press, Daily Kos and My Two Sense

CNN Political Ticker:
Bush gives out wrong hotline number

Discussion: Corrente, The Swamp, First Draft, Sadly, No! and Associated Press

Chris Isidore / CNNMoney.com:

Foreclosures reach record high — Lenders report sharp rise in foreclosures along with the highest level ever of homeowners seriously late in payments, and warned worst is still ahead. — NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The rate of homeowners going into foreclosure or falling dangerously behind …

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Monthly, Corrente and The Big Picture

John Sweeney / The Huffington Post:
The Mortgage Crisis: Just Stop It

Discussion: AFL-CIO Weblog

Logan Murphy / Crooks and Liars:

Countdown Special Comment: The NIE Reflects An "Unhinged, Irrational Chicken Little Of A President" — Far more scary than the nuclear threat presented by Iran, the NIE report released this week reveals a more domestic threat to the republic: … Transcripts below the fold

Dan / Riehl World View:

Helen Thomas On Blogs: Dangerous — It appears Public Eye at CBS has plucked a gem from an interview with Helen Thomas at HuffPo I imagine few Right-siders read. It's a real laugher if you've followed Thomas at all, particularly her pronouncements as regards America killing civilians in Iraq.

Discussion: CBS News, TigerHawk and The Sundries Shack