Top Items:
Washington Post:
In Obama's Inner Circle, Debate Over Memos' Release Was Intense — Some Feared That a Partisan Outcry Could Obstruct Larger Agenda — As President Obama met with top advisers on the evening of April 15, he faced one of the sharpest policy divides of his young administration.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, The Daily Dish, Think Progress, Hot Air, The Politico, NY Daily News and FP Passport
RELATED:
New York Times:
Obama Resisting Push for Interrogation Panel — WASHINGTON — The White House and the Democratic leadership in the Senate signaled on Thursday that they would block for now any effort to establish an independent commission to investigate the Bush administration's approval of harsh interrogation techniques.
Washington Post:
Obama Rejects Truth Panel — Commission Would Have Investigated Abuses in Terrorism Fight — President Obama rebuffed calls for a commission to investigate alleged abuses under the Bush administration in fighting terrorism, telling congressional leaders at a White House meeting yesterday …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Unemployed, Unapologetic and Unrestrained: It's Cheney Unbound — WASHINGTON — On the mornings he is in town, Dick Cheney wakes up at 6, climbs into his black sport utility vehicle and drives himself to a Starbucks near his McLean, Va., home. He returns with a pair of grande skim lattes …
New York Times:
Gonzales Said to Have Intervened on Wiretap — WASHINGTON — The director of the Central Intelligence Agency concluded in late 2005 that a conversation picked up on a government wiretap was serious enough to require notifying Congressional leaders that Representative Jane Harman …
RELATED:
Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:
Pelosi briefed on waterboarding in '02 [UPDATED] — Nancy Pelosi denies knowing U.S. officials used waterboarding — but GOP operatives are pointing to a 2007 Washington Post story which describes an hour-long 2002 briefing in which Pelosi was told about enhanced interrogation techniques in graphic detail.
Discussion:
Emptywheel, The Western Experience, Scared Monkeys, Gateway Pundit, Right Pundits, Commentary, Reason, Flopping Aces, Don Surber and Fox News
Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:
Pelosi: I didn't know about use of waterboarding
Pelosi: I didn't know about use of waterboarding
Discussion:
RedState, Jules Crittenden, Atlas Shrugs, Gateway Pundit, JustOneMinute, The New Ledger, Erick's blog, Macsmind and Capitol Briefing
Rasmussen Reports:
Election 2010: Pennsylvania Republican Senate Primary — Pennsylvania Senate Primary: Toomey 51% Specter 30% — Incumbent Senator Arlen Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey by 21 points in an early look at Pennsylvania's 2010 Republican Primary. Fifty-one percent (51%) …
RELATED:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Reclaiming America's Soul — “Nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past.” So declared President Obama, after his commendable decision to release the legal memos that his predecessor used to justify torture. Some people in the political and media establishments have echoed his position.
John Leo / Wall Street Journal:
A Limited Love of Liberty — A former ACLU board member says that the organization has lost its way. — When the American Civil Liberties Union comes under attack, the salvos are often launched from the right. The ACLU, after all, is as enthusiastic about protecting the interests of feminists …
Washington Post:
Pakistani Taliban Pull Back to Swat Stronghold — Taliban extremist forces, facing threats of an army assault and a flurry of criticism from Pakistani officials, began withdrawing Friday from a district in northwest Pakistan they had occupied for the past week.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, PrairiePundit, Connecting.the.Dots, Time and New York Times
RELATED:
www.washingtonexaminer.com:
Chris Matthews changes book title Jon Stewart mocked — Could the interview Chris Matthews called “the worst he's ever had” have something to do with his decision to change the title of his most recent book before its paperback edition is released? — In 2007, the “Hardball” host went on …
Turcopolier / Sic Semper Tyrannis:
Nuremberg and American Exceptionalism — The egregious Chris Matthews is a real “tough guy” in interviewing “guests” until they begin to compare American actions to those of various unclean regimes in recent history. His childlike belief in the uniqueness of the United States and its status as the …
Michael Sneed / Chicago Sun Times:
Bill Daley decides against Senate bid, being ambassador to China — Seeking seat would've pitted mayor's brother against Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias — Scoopsville . . . Former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley is opting off a political fast track. — •
Chris Bowers / Open Left:
Republicans Threaten To Become Bigger A**holes — If Democrats provide cheaper and more accessible health care to Americans, Republicans have promised to publicly turn themselves into the biggest partisan a**holes of the last forty years. — Seriously. That is the actual political …
Susan Ferrechio / www.washingtonexaminer.com:
To get votes, Waxman offers cap-and-trade breaks — In exchange for votes to pass a controversial global warming package, Democratic leaders are offering some lawmakers generous emission “allowances” to protect their districts from the economic pain of pollution restrictions.
Cliff May / The Corner:
News Bulletin — A Corner exclusive: How many times have you read and heard in the mainstream media that terrorists were waterboarded more than 180 times? It turns out that's not true. What is? According to two sources, both of them very well-informed and reliable (but preferring to remain anonymous) …
Lisa de Moraes / Washington Post:
Obama May Sweep Aside TV Schedule — President Obama might take an additional $9 million to $10 million out of the purse of the broadcast TV industry when he stages another of his news conferences next week to talk about his efforts to bail out the banking and automotive industries.
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Palin sets up defense fund — Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) announced the creation of a legal defense fund Friday to help pay down legal debts stemming from a series of ethics complaints. — The Alaska Fund Trust will be run by longtime Palin friend and Wasilla native Kristan Cole.
Martin Crutsinger / Associated Press:
Jobs, housing data undermine recovery hopes — Jobless claims rise while homes sales drop; recession may be slowing but recovery far off — Apple Inc. - , eBay Inc. - , PNC Financial Services Group Inc. — WASHINGTON (AP) — Worse-than-expected news on unemployment …
USA Today:
Poll: Public thinks highly of Obama — WASHINGTON — President Obama's opening months in the Oval Office have fortified his standing with the American public, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, giving him political capital for battles ahead. — As his 100th day as president approaches next Wednesday …
Discussion:
The Note, The Politico, Public Policy Polling, Democracy in America, Real Clear Politics and The Page
Jeralyn / TalkLeft:
Obama DOJ Seeks to Restrict Defendant's Right to Lawyer During Questioning — More true colors? — The Justice Department is asking the Supreme Court to overrule Michigan v. Jackson, the 1986 Supreme Court decision that held that if police may not interrogate a defendant after the right …
Discussion:
Associated Press
Fox News:
Defense Department to Release Photos Showing Detainee Treatment in Iraq, Afghanistan — The Department of Defense announced late Thursday that at least 44 photos depicting treatment of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan will be released. — FOXNews.com — The Department of Defense …
Washington Post:
U.S. Forced Bank Board To Carry Out Merrill Deal — In Inquiry Into Merger, Cuomo Details Pressure On Bank of America — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and former Treasury secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. threatened to remove the management and board of Bank of America if it backed …
Discussion:
DISSENTING JUSTICE
Wall Street Journal:
Chrysler Near Bankruptcy Filing — Chapter 11 Seen Even if Deal Is Struck With Lenders; Fiat in Alliance Talks With GM — Chrysler LLC is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, whether or not it reaches a deal with its lenders or forges an alliance with Fiat SpA …