Top Items:
David Espo / Associated Press:
Romney Tactics Seem Good News for McCain — WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major boost for John McCain, Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney signaled Wednesday he's not ready to commit to a costly campaign in the states holding primaries and caucuses next week.
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Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Romney falls into McCain trap on Iraq — SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - In the final GOP debate before Super Tuesday, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain of Arizona bickered over a laundry list of past and present positions, most notably whether Romney backed a time-table for withdrawing troops for Iraq.
Daniel Casse / Commentary:
The Man Who Blew It — Tonight was Mitt Romney's last stand. He blew it. The conservative antipathy towards McCain involves real issues: his indefensible support of campaign finance reform, his opposition to Bush tax cuts, his throwaway lines attacking corporations, and so on.
Discussion:
The Campaign Spot
William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
A Bush Rally — Can he close strong in 2008? — The Associated Press reported last week that a left-wing group, Americans United for Change, plans to spend $8.5 million to ensure that President Bush's public approval rating doesn't improve in his final year in office.
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New York Times:
An Ex-President, a Mining Deal and a Big Donor — Late on Sept. 6, 2005, a private plane carrying the Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra touched down in Almaty, a ruggedly picturesque city in southeast Kazakhstan. Several hundred miles to the west a fortune awaited …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, The Corner, Fausta's blog, Blue Crab Boulevard, Truthdig, The Huffington Post and The RBC
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Mukasey's radical worldview is now the norm — Yesterday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, featuring day-long testimony from Attorney General Michael Mukasey, was extraordinary for only one reason: for our country, what happened in the hearing is now completely ordinary.
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Kim Sengupta / The Independent:
Sentenced to death: Afghan who dared to read about women's rights — A young man, a student of journalism, is sentenced to death by an Islamic court for downloading a report from the internet. The sentence is then upheld by the country's rulers. This is Afghanistan …
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New York Times:
Republican Debate in Simi Valley, Calif. — The following is a transcript of the Republican presidential debate in Simi Valley, Calif., as provided by the Federal News Service and CNN. — PARTICIPANTS: — FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY
Mark Steyn / The Corner:
President McCain — Well, Kathryn, since most of the gang seems to have turned in early (too demoralized to opine?), I might as well chip in. I'm getting a bit tired of Senator McCain's anti-business shtick. The line about serving “for patriotism, not for profit” is pathetic.
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Jennifer Rubin / New York Observer:
What Will Rush, Hugh Say if McCain Wins? — Rush Limbaugh. — Certain conservative opinion makers are not pleased. — Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt, much of the roster at the National Review and many (but certainly not all) of their more conservative talk radio and blogger colleagues …
Dana Priest / Washington Post:
Soldier Suicides at Record Level — Increase Linked to Long Wars, Lack of Army Resources — Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, a psychiatric outpatient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who was waiting for the Army to decide whether to court-martial her for endangering another soldier and turning …
Karl / protein wisdom:
McCain Derangement Syndrome: A reply to Roger L. Simon — Roger L. Simon, whose blog I usually enjoy, makes some serious errors today: … Put me in the same boat as Elder as to the woman who purportedly denied McCain was a war hero, but Simon manages to start from faulty premises and work …
CNN:
Transcript of GOP debate at Reagan Library — This is the transcript of the GOP debate at the Reagan Library Wednesday January 30. — (CNN) — ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: The first question is actually a question that will go to all of you, but I'll start with Governor Romney.
Discussion:
michellemalkin.com, MSNBC, Vox Baby, Dick Polman's American Debate, Angry Bear, Publius Endures, Gristmill and Fausta's blog
ABCNEWS:
Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions — Tapes Reviewed by ABC News Show Clinton As a Loyal Company Woman — In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
Robert D. Novak / Washington Post:
Is McCain a Conservative? — As John McCain neared his momentous primary election victory in Florida after a ferocious campaign questioning his conservative credentials, right-wingers buzzed over word that he had privately suggested that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was too conservative.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
Kristin Jensen / Bloomberg:
Nader Says He's Considering a New White House Run — Jan. 30 (Bloomberg) — Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate who ran for president in 2000 and 2004, said he is considering another bid for the White House because he believes the current contenders aren't standing up enough to corporate interests.