Top Items:
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
A Man of Seasonal Principles — You'll notice Barack Obama is now wearing a flag pin. Again. During the primary campaign, he refused to, explaining that he'd worn one after Sept. 11 but then stopped because it “became a substitute for, I think, true patriotism.”
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Rove's Third Term — Al Gore never claimed that he invented the Internet. Howard Dean didn't scream. Hillary Clinton didn't say she was staying in the race because Barack Obama might be assassinated. And Wesley Clark didn't impugn John McCain's military service.
Discussion:
Think Progress, Buck Naked Politics, The Carpetbagger Report, The Sideshow and Brilliant at Breakfast
New York Times:
New and Not Improved — Senator Barack Obama stirred his legions of supporters, and raised our hopes, promising to change the old order of things. He spoke with passion about breaking out of the partisan mold of bickering and catering to special pleaders, promised to end President Bush's abuses …
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
PLEASE, PLEASE, REPORTERS WITH BRAINS — I spent most of today in bed with some kind of nasty cold. So I only caught up on any news this evening. And I must confess to being little short of astounded by the avalanche of press BS I'm reading on Barack Obama's position on Iraq.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, NY Daily News, The Carpetbagger Report, Marc Ambinder, Matthew Yglesias and Democrats.com
CNN:
Former Sen. Jesse Helms dies — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, a North Carolina Republican who became an icon to conservatives, died Friday at the age of 86, a senior congressional source said. — The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank …
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Faiz / Think Progress:
Former Sen. Jesse Helms passes away. — Jesse Helms, a North Carolina Republican known as “Senator No,” died today at the age of 86. Helms left the Senate in 2003 after serving five terms. The Heritage Foundation credits Helms with establishing “the conservative movement and became …
Steven A. Holmes / New York Times:
Jesse Helms, Conservative Force in the Senate, Dies at 86
Jesse Helms, Conservative Force in the Senate, Dies at 86
Discussion:
DownWithTyranny!, The Corner, The American Scene, Gawker, The Caucus and Lawyers, Guns and Money
Associated Press:
Bush heckled at new citizen ceremony — President heckled during event at Thomas Jefferson's former home — CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia - President Bush invoked the memory of Thomas Jefferson Friday in welcoming new U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony at Monticello, saying “I'll be proud to call you a fellow American.”
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
The Economy? Words Fail Me. — Think you're worried about the economy? Phillip Swagel is a wreck. — The assistant Treasury secretary for economic policy, Swagel came out for his monthly economic briefing yesterday, 90 minutes after the Labor Department reported that the country …
Deb Riechmann / Associated Press:
White House says ruling could free detainees in US — WASHINGTON - The White House said Thursday that dangerous detainees at Guantanamo Bay could end up walking Main Street U.S.A. as a result of last month's Supreme Court ruling about detainees' legal rights.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, New York Times, PBD, William K. Wolfrum, AMERICAblog News and The Progress Report
Daily Mail:
Schoolboys punished with detention for refusing to kneel in class and pray to Allah — Two schoolboys were given detention after refusing to kneel down and ‘pray to Allah’ during a religious education lesson. — Parents were outraged that the two boys from year seven (11 to 12-year-olds) …
Aditya Chakrabortty / Guardian:
Biofuels are prime cause of food crisis - leaked report — Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% — far more than previously estimated — according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by the Guardian. The damning unpublished assessment is based on the most detailed analysis …
Discussion:
Marc Ambinder, The Mahatma X Files, The Corner, Truthdig, Reason Magazine, The Lede and Marginal Revolution
Bob / BobKrumm.com:
How did you spend Independence Day? — BAGHDAD - How are you spending your 4th of July holiday? While most Americans probably slept, 1,215 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines raised their right hands and committed to a combined 5,500 years of additional service during the largest reenlistment ceremony …