Top Items:
Juan Cole:
Top Ten Myths about Iraq 2007 — 10. Myth: The US public no longer sees Iraq as a central issue in the 2008 presidential campaign. … 9. Myth: There have been steps toward religious and political reconciliation in Iraq in 2007. Fact: The government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki …
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, Dr. Sanity, Don Surber, Wake up America, The American Street, The Heretik, PBD, PoliGazette, Rising Hegemon and State of the Day
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Michael McAuliff / NY Daily News:
Dem voters no longer fighting battle of Iraq — The successes of President Bush's troop surge in Iraq are quieting things down in another, unexpected place: the Democratic campaign trail in Iowa and New Hampshire. — When asked, voters in the early presidential states all say the war in Iraq is important to them.
Discussion:
Wonkette
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Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Edwards Campaign's Closing Memo — In a new internal memo outlining the campaign's planned message in the final days before the Iowa caucuses, the deputy campaign manager for former senator John Edwards (N.C.) argues that his candidate's middle-class message is working while predicting …
Discussion:
TPM Election Central
Thomas Beaumont / Des Moines Register:
In race's final days, Clinton will emphasize experience
In race's final days, Clinton will emphasize experience
Discussion:
Liberal Values, The Jawa Report, MSNBC, The Carpetbagger Report, Connecting.the.Dots and Stop The ACLU
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Romney symbolizes GOP's problems — It's doubtful that anyone needs any more reasons to explain why Americans are fed up with politics as usual. Nevertheless, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has given us one more. — Apparently when Romney said, “I saw my father march …
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Hillary Edges Out Oprah as Most Admired Woman in '07 — PRINCETON, NJ — For the sixth year in a row, President George W. Bush is the most admired man and Sen. Hillary Clinton the most admired woman in Gallup's annual survey. But neither winner had a very decisive win this year …
Discussion:
The Swamp, Likelihood of Success, The Opinionator, The Trail, You Decide 08!, Dr. Sanity and PoliGazette
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Jack Fowler / The Corner:
Praise for Liberal Fascism — Charles Murray declares: “'It is my argument that American liberalism is a totalitarian political religion,' Jonah Goldberg writes near the beginning of Liberal Fascism. My first reaction was that he is engaging in partisan hyperbole. That turned out to be wrong.
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James Wolcott / James Wolcott's Blog:
The Goldberg Variations — Jonah Goldberg's colleagues …
The Goldberg Variations — Jonah Goldberg's colleagues …
Discussion:
Whiskey Fire
Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:
Challenging Cheney — A National Archives official reveals what the veep wanted to keep classified—and how he tried to challenge the rules — J. William Leonard learned the hard way the perils of questioning Vice President Dick Cheney. The veteran National Archives official challenged claims …
Discussion:
Think Progress, TPMmuckraker, Washington Monthly, D-Day, The Carpetbagger Report, Secrecy News and Cliff Schecter
Dean Barnett / Weekly Standard:
While America Celebrates... Huckabee plunges. — WHEN WE PAID pundits try to provide campaign analysis, we often strain to find historical analogies. Although I'm not asking for sympathy, please understand that it's not easy. There have been only fifty-something presidential campaigns …
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
At 60% of Total, Texas is Bucking Execution Trend — This year's death penalty bombshells — a de facto national moratorium, a state abolition and the smallest number of executions in more than a decade — have masked what may be the most significant and lasting development.
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Matthew Yglesias, The Carpetbagger Report, Wonkette, Big Brass Blog, The Daily Background and Reason Magazine
Miss Mannered / My Left Wing:
Goodbye, Cruel Jews — I did not come to this site to fight in the Jew Wars. — I came to join with MSOC, in her words, to rage against the lying of the right, against injustice and cruelty. Instead, I found injustice, cruelty and hate directed at me. — I left, then, earlier this year …
Club For Growth dot net:
Ad Buy Increased...Again — Club for Growth.Net Increases Ad Buy In Iowa — Again — Washington - Today, Club for Growth.Net increased its advertising buy in Iowa, adding an additional $175,000 to the effort and bringing the total ad buy to $550,000 over three weeks.
Discussion:
The Corner
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Paul Krugman / Slate:
FORGET ABOUT BUSH—AND THE MIDDLE GROUND. — Here's a thought for progressives: Bush isn't the problem. And the next president should not try to be the anti-Bush. — No, I haven't lost my mind. I'm not saying that we should look kindly on the Worst President Ever …
New Hampshire Union Leader:
The Romney backlash: Conservatives are coming home — THERE IS A reason Mitt Romney has not received a single newspaper endorsement in New Hampshire. It's the same reason his poll numbers are dropping. He has not been able to convince the people of this state that he's the conservative he says he is.
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Philip Kennicott / Washington Post:
Sooner or Later, Candidates Will Surely Look Lost — They have become a useful, though very tricky, class of images in this roller-coaster ride of a presidential campaign. Call them the “hangdog” candidate photographs: They capture the politician with eyes downcast, looking tired, stressed.
Jeffrey Ressner / The Politico:
Reliving the Florida recount — One of the most highly anticipated political telefilms being released next year is “Recount,” a fast-paced depiction of the behind-the-scenes drama that took place in Florida during the disputed 2000 Gore-Bush election. — Eager to avoid the last-minute flap …
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Huckabee still gives paid speeches — Breaking with tradition for presidential candidates, Mike Huckabee is continuing to accept paid speaking engagements in the thick of his insurgent presidential campaign, although churches get a break from his usual fee of up to $25,000.