Top Items:
Ben Protess— Propublica / The Politico:
Burris sought death for innocent man — Former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris, embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to replace Barack Obama in the Senate, is no stranger to controversy. — Public fury over the governor's alleged misconduct has masked the once lively debate …
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Ian Welsh / Firedoglake:
Harry Reid's Doing the Right Thing — digg it — I've had my problems with Reid over the years, but he's not in the wrong on Blagojevich and Burris. This is not a racial issue. Long before Burris, a black man, was appointed by a corrupt governor, Reid said he wouldn't allow anyone, anyone, appointed by Blagojevich, to be seated.
Discussion:
Liberty Street
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
Burris and Blago: What Happens Now? — The NYT says that Danny Davis was initially offered Barack Obama's Senate seat on December 24, but he turned it down on Friday the 26th. He did, however, recommend Roland Burris for the position. Blagojevich made the offer on Sunday, and Burris accepted:
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, The Moderate Voice, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, RedState, First Draft, The Caucus and New York Times
Mike Allen / The Politico:Blocking Blago: Senate has Plan B for 90-day delay
Discussion:
Washington Post, Commentary, D-Day, Washington Monthly, Progress Illinois, The Capitol Fax Blog and TPM Election Central
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
AN OCCUPIED NATION AND A THREATENED ONE. — This blog is on a light schedule today and tomorrow due to various New Years related program activities, but it's worth quickly responding to Jonathan Chait's post on Israel and Palestine. Chait makes a common claim, which is that all analysis …
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Ephraim Sneh / Washington Post:
Why Israel Is Bombing Gaza — When demands are made of Israel to halt its military activities in Gaza, a brief historical reminder is in order. — In September 2005, Israel vacated Gaza, dismantled all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and did not leave a shred of a presence there.
New York Post:
SILVER NOW TAKES SHINE TO CAROLINE — Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who last week sharply questioned whether Caroline Kennedy should be appointed to the US Senate, said yesterday he's rethinking his views because he believes Gov. Paterson may soon pick her.
Discussion:
Gothamist, Spin Cycle, The Daily Politics, Political Machine, TIME.com and NY Daily News
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Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
A Caretaker for New York — Looks like David Patterson may just kick the can down the road: … That's probably a decent idea. But I have to say that in my view both the Illinois situation, the Delaware situation, and the New York situation all basically serve to illustrate the over-arching point …
The Politico:
Obama's paparazzi presidency — ABC's Jake Tapper predicted this week that Barack Obama will be “the Britney Spears of 2009.” — Considering that Obama was deemed by some to be the Britney Spears of 2008, it wasn't much of a leap. — But a funny thing happened on the way to the cover of Us Weekly.
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah
Yaakov Katz / Associated Press:
Nizar Rayyan considered successor of Ahmed Yassin — Sheikh Nizar Rayyan, 52, a senior Hamas leader and cleric, was killed along with several others on Thursday when an IAF aircraft dropped a bomb on the eight-story Jabalya apartment building he lived in, the IDF said.
RELATED:
Ynetnews:Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes
Discussion:
BBC, Jerusalem Post, Associated Press, Macsmind, Israellycool, Balloon Juice and Yourish.com
Ernesto Londoño / Washington Post:
At Midnight, U.S. Leaves Republican Palace, Green Zone to Iraqis — The walls of the majestic Republican Palace in Baghdad's Green Zone have been stripped bare. The vaults that secured American cash and classified documents are gone, and the cement blast walls that protected the front entrance were taken down this week.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, New York Times, theheretik.us, Neptunus Lex, Macsmind, Danger Room, Right Wing News, PoliBlog, Booman Tribune and RedState
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Swaraaj Chauhan / The Moderate Voice:
Australia: To Bare Or Not To Bare — Sydney's Bondy Beach is among a few designated beaches in Australia where top-less bathers are permitted to enjoy the sun, sand and the sea. In fact such beaches are a major draw for tourists too!!! But as Australians begin their long summer holidays this year …
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
On Fast Track for Clemency, via the Oval Office — WASHINGTON — In December 2007, the names of about 700 federal prisoners seeking commutations reached President Bush's desk. He rejected all but one. Among the disappointed petitioners was Reed R. Prior, an Iowa man serving a life sentence …
Kyle Hopkins / Anchorage Daily News:
Palin says Johnston is no dropout — HIGH SCHOOL: She says father of her grandson has a job and takes correspondence classes. — khopkins@adn.com — Gov. Sarah Palin spent part of Wednesday countering what she considers inaccurate descriptions of how much education her daughter's fiance has …
Discussion:
La Figa
RELATED:
Sandra Sobieraj Westfall / People.com:Sarah Palin: Bristol & Levi ‘Working Their Butts Off to Parent’
Michelle Malkin:
First hate mail of 2009 — Someone told me about your blog today (michellemalkin.com). I find it hard to believe that someone other than a rich white dude or an old gullible white dude would write the crap that you are. What's wrong with you? — It's an old guy who told me about your site.
Discussion:
The Sundries Shack
New York Times:
Donald E. Westlake, Mystery Writer, Is Dead at 75 — Donald E. Westlake, a prolific, award-winning mystery novelist who pounded out more than 100 books and five screenplays on manual typewriters during his half-century career, died Wednesday night. He was 75.
Associated Press:
Aspen bomb suspect killed self after threats; ‘last will’ sent to Times — ASPEN — A man who left bomb threats and homemade bombs around Aspen on New Year's Eve shot and killed himself in his car a few hours after his threats cleared much of the resort town, Aspen Police said.
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