Top Items:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Banned Techniques Yielded ‘High Value Information,’ Memo Says — WASHINGTON - President Obama's national intelligence director told colleagues in a private memo last week that the harsh interrogation techniques banned by the White House did produce significant information that helped the nation in its struggle with terrorists.
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CNSNews:
CIA Confirms: Waterboarding 9/11 Mastermind Led to Info that Aborted 9/11-Style Attack on Los Angeles — (CNSNews.com) - The Central Intelligence Agency told CNSNews.com today that it stands by the assertion made in a May 30, 2005 Justice Department memo that the use of “enhanced techniques” …
Discussion:
BBC, Gateway Pundit, RedState, Flopping Aces, Pat Dollard, PoliGazette, Macsmind, NewsBusters.org, Jules Crittenden and Pundit & Pundette
New York Times:
Obama Open to Inquiry in Interrogation Abuses — WASHINGTON — President Obama on Tuesday left open the door to creating a bipartisan commission that would investigate the Bush administration's use of harsh interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects, and he did not rule out taking action …
Discussion:
The Politico, Washington Post, Political Punch, CBS News, Politics and Critical Thinking, Fox News, The Plum Line, Right Wing News, Salon, Chris Floyd Online, DownWithTyranny!, Political Machine, Hot Air, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Shakesville, Newshoggers.com, RedState, PERRspectives, Think Progress and PoliGazette
New York Times:
In Adopting Harsh Tactics, No Inquiry Into Their Past Use — WASHINGTON — The program began with Central Intelligence Agency leaders in the grip of an alluring idea: They could get tough in terrorist interrogations without risking legal trouble by adopting a set of methods used on Americans during military training.
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Source: Despite Claim, Cheney Didn't Really Ask CIA To Release Torture Intelligence — Did Dick Cheney really “formally” ask the CIA to release reams of intelligence allegedly showing that the torture program worked, as Cheney claimed last night on Fox News?
Discussion:
Emptywheel, Talking Points Memo, Salon, The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly and New York Magazine
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
CIA: We stand behind our actions — and the results — With Barack Obama releasing the OLC memos and branding them as all but criminal and leaving the door open to prosecutions connected to the interrogation of Al-Qaeda terrorists, one might expect the CIA to retreat from its earlier defense of its actions.
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Fox News:
Analysts Question Legality of Targeting Lawyers in ‘Torture’ Inquiry
Analysts Question Legality of Targeting Lawyers in ‘Torture’ Inquiry
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Philip Zelikow / Shadow Government:
The OLC “torture memos”: thoughts from a dissenter
The OLC “torture memos”: thoughts from a dissenter
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The American Scene, The Daily Dish, The Anonymous Liberal and Hullabaloo
Jerry Markon / Washington Post:
Prosecutors Considering Dropping Espionage Charges Against Former AIPAC Lobbyists — Review Comes Amid Reports That Rep. Harman Was Overheard on Wiretaps Agreeing to Seek Lenient Treatment for Them — Federal prosecutors are considering whether to drop the charges against two former pro …
RELATED:
CNN:
Rep. calls alleged wiretap ‘abuse of power’ — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A key Democrat who reportedly was overheard on a National Security Agency wiretap discussing a deal with a suspected Israeli agent has called the wiretap an “abuse of power.” — Rep. Jane Harman, D-California …
NPR:
Harman ‘Outraged’ Over Alleged Wiretapping
Harman ‘Outraged’ Over Alleged Wiretapping
Discussion:
Daily Kos, TPMMuckraker, Mondoweiss, Gawker, MyDD, The Huffington Post and The Plum Line
David Weigel / The Washington Independent:
Civil War Raging in Right-Wing Blogosphere — Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, jazz musician and Web designer Charles Johnson has devoted his blog, Little Green Footballs, to exposing Muslim extremism in and outside the United States. His targets have included the Council …
Discussion:
Gates of Vienna, Little Green Footballs, The Other McCain, Liberty Street, Sadly, No! and American Power
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THIESSEN RATIONALIZES MUSLIM TORTURE... Just 48 hours after President Obama was inaugurated, former Bush chief speechwriter Marc Thiessen said Obama “is already proving to be the most dangerous man ever to occupy the Oval Office.” With a record like this, it's probably unwise to expect …
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Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Mark Thiessen: It Was Torture
Mark Thiessen: It Was Torture
Discussion:
Power Line, OxBlog, The Moderate Voice, Patterico's Pontifications, Wonk Room and Comments from Left Field
Mickey Kaus / Kausfiles:
Why Hillary Is President — You know those figures that Hillary Clinton strategist Mark Penn used in his WSJ column, the ones that seemed like BS? … Well, they were BS! Room 8 notes that Penn a) assumed that all bloggers saying they'd like to make money are actually making money.
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Ian / Overruled:
It Begins — Noted global warming denier James Inhofe, who once insisted that the United States base its foreign policy on the book of Genesis, announced on the Senate floor yesterday that he will filibuster the nomination of Judge David Hamilton to the Seventh Circuit.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Think Progress, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, DownWithTyranny! and TPMDC
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ABCNEWS:
RFK Jr. Blasts Obama as ‘Indentured Servant’ to Coal Industry — Critics Say Clean Coal Is a Boondoggle; ‘Clean Coal Is a Dirty Lie’ — “Clean coal is a dirty lie,” says environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who calls President Barack Obama and other politicians who commit taxpayer money to develop it …
RELATED:
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Robert Kennedy: Obama “indentured servant” to coal industry
Robert Kennedy: Obama “indentured servant” to coal industry
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Dr. Sanity:
THE POLIITICAL LEFT: UNITED IN HATE WITH AMERICA'S FOES — Cliff May reminds us that there is a reason why the political left in this country has made common cause with Militant Islamists: … In the few short months that the dedicated leftist Barack Obama has been in the White House …
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Just Out — Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse predicted on MSNBC the release of a DOJ report on torture memos is imminent, and the report will be “devastating.” — A poll of New York state voters shows that 59% support legalizing gay marriage. — Calling out the DOJ for “gross abuse of power,” …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Alexander Mooney / CNN:
McCain demands White House apology — (CNN) - A recent report from the Department of Homeland Security is downright “insulting” to veterans, Arizona Sen. John McCain said Monday. — In an interview on FOX News, the Vietnam veteran and former Republican presidential candidate …
John Cook / Gawker:
Matt Drudge Goes Into Hiding — Days after Matt Drudge popped up to tell New York magazine about how he doesn't enjoy having sex with men, The New Republic looks into his descent into Howard Hughes-like isolation. — As Gabriel Sherman puts it, Drudge fears the media …
Discussion:
New York Magazine
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
McCain facing 2010 primary — Social conservatives tolerated John McCain as the party's nominee, but never trusted him, and he now appears to be facing a serious primary from the right in Arizona next year. — Chris Simcox, the founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and a prominent figure …
Discussion:
Politics and Critical Thinking, PoliGazette, Salon, Hot Air, Democracy in America and CBS News
Brian Knowlton / New York Times:
Report Gives New Detail on Approval of Brutal Techniques — WASHINGTON — A newly declassified Congressional report released Tuesday outlined the most detailed evidence yet that the military's use of harsh interrogation methods on terrorism suspects was approved at high levels of the Bush administration.
Bernie Becker / The Caucus:
Presidents 42 and 43 Team Up for a Chat — Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are headed up north for a little friendly back-and-forth. — The two will appear at the Metro Toronto Convention Center on May 29, in their first public appearance together since Mr. Bush left office in January.
Discussion:
Connecting.the.Dots
Lionel / The Huffington Post:
What Would You Not Do to Stop a Nuke? — Assume, arguendo, this hypothetical. — It is Inauguration day. President Obama is about to be sworn is as 44. Virtually everyone in federal office is there. Congressmen, Senators, the Supremes, the new cabinet. Get the picture?
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
More Miss California: I oppose bailouts and welfare — Skip ahead to 2:00. Dude. She's one of us. — Actually, don't skip ahead. This clip's even better than the “Today” segment, especially when she talks about what went through her mind when she was asked the question at the pageant.
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Obama Signs Volunteer Bill With Nod to Kennedy Era — WASHINGTON — President Obama on Tuesday became the latest Democratic president to emulate John F. Kennedy's call for national service as he signed legislation to triple the size of the Americorps program and called on Americans to volunteer time to improve their communities.
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Into the Dark — A long time reader chimes in ... It sort of baffles me too. I think a lot of people just fooled themselves about Cheney's politics. But I've had enough people (with sufficient proximity to speak with some authority) say things like this that I think it's possible …
Susan Moeller / The Huffington Post:
Media Literacy 101: The Ethics of Photoshopping a Shirtless Obama — The web is buzzing about The Washingtonian magazine's choice to put a paparazzi photo of a buff and shirtless President Obama on the cover of its May issue. — The frenzy of comments about The Washingtonian's decision …
Gene Healy / Cato Institute:
Of Course It Was Torture — This article appeared in the DC Examiner on April 20, 2009. … On Thursday, the Obama administration released previously classified memos detailing interrogation techniques used against enemy prisoners. In the memos, Bush administration lawyers assured the CIA …
Discussion:
Upturned Earth
Steve Connor / The Independent:
Fertility expert: ‘I can clone a human being’ — Controversial doctor filmed creating embryos before injecting them into wombs of women wanting cloned babies — A controversial fertility doctor claimed yesterday to have cloned 14 human embryos and transferred 11 of them into the wombs …