Top Items:
Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Attack ad decision cost Huck $150K — DES MOINES, Iowa — Mike Huckabee's last-minute decision to pull the plug on an attack ad against Mitt Romney has been the talk of Iowa in recent days. — But it turns out there is more to the story than Huckabee explained at his now-famous, had-to-see-it-to-believe it news conference Monday.
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Human Events:
Iowa Caucuses — Iowa voters tomorrow night will go to their local precinct caucuses to cast their lot with a presidential candidate. The winner is hardly guaranteed his party's nomination — in fact, it's possible that neither Iowa winner will come out as the favorite for the nomination …
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics, Talking Points Memo, The Anchoress, Gateway Pundit and The Campaign Spot
Sridhar Pappu / Washington Post:
As Huckabee Pulls Ad, Rollins, For Once, Must Pull a Punch — DES MOINES — “The negatives feel good,” says Ed Rollins, the onetime wunderkind of the Reagan White House and now, at 64, the national campaign chairman for upstart Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Deign or Reign? — Edith Wessel, an 80-year-old white-haired …
Deign or Reign? — Edith Wessel, an 80-year-old white-haired …
Discussion:
Shakespeare's Sister, Corrente, Lawyers, Guns and Money, bustardblog, Whiskey Fire, MSNBC and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
Matt Apuzzo / Associated Press:
Criminal probe opened over CIA tapes — WASHINGTON - Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed an outside prosecutor Wednesday to lead a criminal investigation into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes. — The CIA acknowledged last month that it destroyed videos …
Discussion:
Emptywheel, The Swamp, The Newshoggers, TPMmuckraker, Balloon Juice, Sweetness & Light, Say Anything, Macsmind, Daily Kos and Cliff Schecter
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New York Times:
Stonewalled by the C.I.A. — MORE than five years ago, Congress and President Bush created the 9/11 commission. The goal was to provide the American people with the fullest possible account of the “facts and circumstances relating to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001” — and to offer recommendations to prevent future attacks.
Marty Lederman / Balkinization:
The CIA Tapes Prosecutor is Neither “Outside” Nor “Special,” Nor “Independent” — Initial reports are that the Attorney General appointed an “outside” counsel to oversee the criminal investigation of the CIA tape destruction. But there's nothing really “outside” about John Durham.
Looseheadprop / Firedoglake:
DOJ Opens Criminal Probe On CIA Tapes Plus Obstruction of Investigation
DOJ Opens Criminal Probe On CIA Tapes Plus Obstruction of Investigation
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Mukasey Taps 30-Year Vet Prosecutor for Tapes Probe
Mukasey Taps 30-Year Vet Prosecutor for Tapes Probe
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
CNN:
Poll: Neck-and-neck in New Hampshire — (CNN) — With six days to go until the New Hampshire primary, there are ties in poll results for the top candidates in both parties. — With roughly a quarter of those polled in both parties saying they won't make up their mind until the election …
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Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Rush: Huck ‘not a conservative’ — Rush Limbaugh devoted a large portion of his first show since the holidays to criticizing Mike Huckabee's candidacy and offering a disapproving bottom-line assessment of the former governor. — “Ladies and gentlemen, Gov. Huckabee, mighty fine man …
Simon / Bloggasm:
Readership of major liberal blogs declined in 2007 while conservative blog readership increased — It has long been understood that the largest liberal blogs have generally produced more web traffic than the largest conservative blogs. But I have noticed a general trend over the past few months …
Peter Robinson / The Corner:
Late-Breaking Surge for Thompson — The latest news from Iowa? According to Zogby's latest—and I quote: “Sen. Fred Thompson...has seen a late-breaking surge." (Rich notes the same poll below.) — What's going on here? My guess is that there are whole lot of Iowa Republicans …
Discussion:
Hot Air
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Swaraaj Chauhan / The Moderate Voice:
Did A Hi-Tech Laser Beam Kill Benazir Bhutto? — Here are two important stories related to Pakistan. First, allegations have surfaced that sophisticated laser beam technology was used to eliminate Benazir Bhutto. Second, Pakistan's general election has been postponed until February 18.
Discussion:
The Australian, Huliq, The Strata-Sphere, Confederate Yankee, Reuters, Fausta's blog and Make Them Accountable
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John Hawkins / Right Wing News:
The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes Of 2007 … Also see, — The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes Of 2006 — The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes For 2005 — The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes For 2004
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
THE OBAMA CLOSE. — On the bright side, Obama's final stump speech is actually pretty good. “We don't need more heat,” he says. “We need more light. I've learned in my life that you can stand firm in your principles while still reaching out to those who might not always agree with you.
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Eli Lake / New York Sun:
Giuliani Will Back a ‘Surge’ in Afghanistan — To Refocus Campaign With New War Strategy — WASHINGTON — Mayor Giuliani will announce a new four-point war strategy in New Hampshire today, an effort to refocus a primary campaign season for Republicans that has centered in recent weeks less …
Michael J. Totten:
A Plan to Kill Everyone — “War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away” - The Rolling Stones, from “Gimme Shelter" — FALLUJAH — A sign on the door leading out of India Company's Combat Operations Center says “Have a Plan to Kill Everyone You Meet.”
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:
FRED THOMPSON: Too sane to be President? Quite possibly. … I think he's right. Thompson is running the kind of campaign — substantive, policy-laden, not based on gimmicks or sound-bites — that pundits and journalists say they want, but he's getting no credit for it from the people who claim that's what they want.