Top Items:
New York Times:
Clintons Move to Tamp Down Criticism From Blacks About Recent Comments — WASHINGTON — The Clinton campaign moved Friday to try to quell a potentially damaging reaction to recent comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that have drawn criticism from African-Americans …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, The Politico, Booman Tribune, TIME: Swampland, Political Machine, Outside The Beltway, News Hounds, Jules Crittenden, Connecting.the.Dots, Macsmind, TPM Election Central, American Street, The Gun Toting Liberal™, Bookworm Room, Althouse, Irish Trojan in Tennessee and Marc Ambinder
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Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Edwards Will Face a Moment of Truth After South Carolina Primary — John Edwards is the forgotten man in the race for the Democratic nomination, but he's not an inconsequential candidate. — Edwards, the angry populist of Iowa who may become a Southern-fried Democrat as the South Carolina primary unfolds …
Sam Roberts / New York Times:
Obama Giving Clinton a Race in Her Backyard — With Senator Barack Obama vowing to challenge Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on her home turf, the Democratic presidential primary in New York on Feb. 5 is shaping up as the state's most competitive since 1992, when Bill Clinton took up a rival's mantra …
Kathleen Hennessey / Associated Press:
Obama vows to help struggling homeowners — LAS VEGAS - Barack Obama, his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination bolstered by endorsements, told a cheering union hall on Friday that he would provide relief for homeowners struggling to make mortgage payments and deliver tax cuts to the middle-class.
The Caucus:
Bill Clinton Tries to Tamp Down ‘Fairy-Tale’ Remark About Obama — The Clinton campaign moved Friday to try to quell a potentially damaging backlash over recent comments by Bill and Hillary Clinton that have drawn criticism from African-Americans just as the presidential primary campaign …
CNN:
SC's Republican governor praises Obama candidacy — (CNN) - The Republican governor of South Carolina wrote an op-ed in the state's largest paper Friday in which he spoke admiringly of Democratic candidate Barack Obama's candidacy, and urged voters to think about the significance …
Qassim Abdul-Zahra / Associated Press:
Iraq to reinstate Saddam party followers — BAGHDAD - Iraq's parliament voted Saturday to give jobs back to thousands of former supporters of Saddam Hussein's Baath party who were fired after the U.S. invasion in 2003. — The long-delayed bill is the first of several major changes …
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Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
De-Baathification Reform Law Passes In Iraqi Parliament — Note: I'm leaving this post on top for the morning; newer posts are below. — Those who claim that the surge strategy in Iraq has paid no dividends because it hasn't met Congressional benchmarks may wish to skip to the next post.
Discussion:
Redstate
Navy Times:
‘Filipino Monkey’ may be behind radio threats, ship drivers say — The threatening radio transmission heard at the end of a video showing harassing maneuvers by Iranian patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz may have come from a locally famous heckler known among ship drivers as the “Filipino Monkey.”
Discussion:
New York Times, American Street, SWJ Blog, Emptywheel, CANNONFIRE, Slate and Middle Earth Journal
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Caroline B. Glick / Townhall.com:
George in Jihadland — US President George W. Bush arrived in Israel at the start of an eight-day tour of the Middle East at an interesting moment. In the lead-up to his trip, enemy forces, of both the terrorist and statxe variety, clarified their strategic outlook and the scope of their ambitions.
Discussion:
Power Line
Rudyg / Stumper:
Blumenthal On the Boil — Sidney Blumenthal plays hardball. A longtime confidante and adviser to the Clintons, he has zealously defended them through any number of scandal investigations. Along the way, Blumenthal has shown an affinity for the sharp counterattack.
New York Times:
Bush and Congress Seen Pushing for Stimulus Plan — WASHINGTON — The Bush administration and Congressional leaders, increasingly concerned about a possible recession, are moving closer to agreeing that an economic stimulus package is needed soon, Washington officials said Friday.
James Vicini / Reuters:
U.S. appeals court dismisses Guantanamo torture suit — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that four former Guantanamo prisoners, all British citizens, have no right to sue top Pentagon officials and military officers for torture, abuse and violations of their religious rights.
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Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Baghdad Embassy Is Called A Fire Risk — ‘Serious’ Problems Were Ignored, Says State Dept. Official — The firefighting system in the massive $736 million embassy complex in Baghdad has potential safety problems that top U.S. officials dismissed in their rush to declare construction largely completed …
Discussion:
Prairie Weather
Economist:
Up in the air — America wants change; it just can't work out what sort of change — IF A week is famously a long time in British politics, five days can be an eternity in America. On January 3rd Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton by roughly 17,000 votes, out of around 220,000 cast …
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Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Democrats See Enthusiasm Gap in Their Favor — It used to be the credibility gap that afflicted politicians. Now Republicans and Democrats are peering over the edge of the enthusiasm gap. — The term doesn't refer to the chasm between how politicians see themselves and their actual public standing.
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
TAKING A DEEP BREATH — It is remarkable, or perhaps it's not so remarkable, how rapidly this punching match over race has escalated between the Clinton and Obama camps. Even calling it that is perhaps controversial in itself. — I'm discussing this with you because it's quickly become …
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