Top Items:
Roger Simon / The Politico:
GOP to rebrand Dems as ‘socialists’ — A member of the Republican National Committee told me Tuesday that when the RNC meets in an extraordinary special session next week, it will approve a resolution rebranding Democrats as the “Democrat Socialist Party.” — When I asked if such a resolution …
RELATED:
Deirdre Walsh / CNN:
Source: Aide told Pelosi about waterboarding — CNN Congressional Producer — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A source close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now confirms that Pelosi was told in February 2003 by her intelligence aide, Michael Sheehy, that waterboarding was actually used on CIA detainee Abu Zubaydah.
RELATED:
Manu Raju / The Politico:
Democrats: CIA is out to get us — Democrats charged Tuesday that the CIA has released documents about congressional briefings on harsh interrogation techniques in order to deflect attention and blame away from itself. — “I think there is so much embarrassment in some quarters [of the CIA] …
Discussion:
Agence France Presse, Politics Daily, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Hill, JustOneMinute, Fox News, Patterico's Pontifications, Roll Call, Washington Times, Commentary, Gateway Pundit, PoliGazette, San Francisco Chronicle, The Strata-Sphere, Flopping Aces, Raw Story, Blue Crab Boulevard, Riehl World View and The Rhetorican
Jessica Brady / Roll Call:
Reid: Johnsen Doesn't Have Votes for DOJ Post — As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moves to ease a backlog of executive branch nominations, he suggested on Tuesday that he does not have the votes to bring up President Barack Obama's pick to run the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel.
Discussion:
Christy Hardin Smith, Salon, Hullabaloo, They gave us a republic, MyDD, Washington Monthly, RedState and TPMDC
RELATED:
Steven R. Hurst / Associated Press:
Analysis: Cheney attacks may not help GOP — WASHINGTON (AP) — To the chagrin, perhaps, of Republicans looking to rebuild the tattered party, Dick Cheney has grabbed the spotlight. — The recurring theme of the once-reclusive and largely unpopular former vice president …
RELATED:
Kathleen Parker / Washington Post:
Barack Obama, Wanda Sykes and the Politics of Humorlessness — There's nothing un-funnier than Saturday night's jokes reviewed by the caffeinated light of Monday morning. — Which is why we probably shouldn't quarterback a comedian over coffee when she was performing for a crowd primed on cocktails.
RELATED:
Camille Paglia / Salon:
Radio rage — The assassination jokes and “liberal” conspiracy theories on talk radio could be an ominous sign of things to come. Plus: Madonna vs. Daniela, gay men's favorite divas, a charming TV show for kids and more. — In John Frankenheimer's taut 1964 film, “Seven Days in May,” …
Les Christie / CNNMoney.com:
Foreclosures: ‘April was a shocker’ — A record number of foreclosure filings took place during April, but the number of repossessions fell 11%. — NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Foreclosures in April exceeded even March's blistering pace with a record 342,000 homes receiving notices of default …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Officials Knew of AIG Bonuses Months Before Firestorm — As American International Group chief executive Edward M. Liddy returns to Washington to face Congress today, new details are emerging about how long federal officials were aware of the company's recent bonus payments to its executives …
Aaron Blake / The Hill:
Whoops: Utah official accidentally tweets Senate bid — Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R) inadvertently tipped his hand Tuesday that he'll enter the primary against Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) in 2010, falling victim to the very technology another primary candidate used to enter the race on purpose.
RELATED:
Todd J. Zywicki / Wall Street Journal:
Chrysler and the Rule of Law — The Founders put the contracts clause in the Constitution for a reason. — Printer — Friendly — The rule of law, not of men — an ideal tracing back to the ancient Greeks and well-known to our Founding Fathers — is the animating principle of the American experiment.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Eyes Bank Pay Overhaul — Administration in Early Talks on Ways to Curb Compensation Across Finance — WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has begun serious talks about how it can change compensation practices across the financial-services industry, including at companies …
Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
Not one dime to the NRSC — If you have Facebook, I encourage you to join the group. — You know, I can slightly understand the NRSC getting into the Chaffee race, though it was a stupid waste and mismanagement of funds. — I can kind of understand them getting behind Specter.
Richard Pérez-Peña / New York Times:
Ire Over a Columnist, an Author of Torture Memos — When The Philadelphia Inquirer hired as its new opinion columnist, John C. Yoo, an author of the Bush administration's widely criticized legal memos on harsh interrogation techniques, it was probably inevitable that the decision would draw complaints.
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Grasping Reality …, Balloon Juice and Philly.com
Biz / Twitter Blog:
Small Settings Update — We've updated the Notices section of Settings to better reflect how folks are using Twitter regarding replies. Based on usage patterns and feedback, we've learned most people want to see when someone they follow replies to another person they follow—it's a good way to stay in the loop.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Mashable!, kottke.org, Guardian, TechCrunch, JoeTrippi.com and culturekitchen
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
N.Y. Assembly Passes Gay Marriage Bill — ALBANY — The State Assembly approved legislation on Tuesday night that would make New York the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage — a pivotal vote that shifts the debate to the State Senate, where gay rights advocates and conservative groups alike are redoubling their efforts.
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The massive expansion of America's “Hard Left” — Jesse Ventura was on CNN with Larry King on Monday night and this exchange occurred, illustrating how simple, clear and definitively non-partisan is the case for investigations and prosecutions for those who ordered torture (video below):
Carrie Johnson / Washington Post:
Former Official: Treatment of Terror Suspects a ‘Collective Failure’ — Former State Department counselor Philip Zelikow told the first congressional panel convened to address allegations of torture that the Bush administration officials engaged in a “collective failure” on detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists.
Discussion:
The Cable
Hillel Italie / Associated Press:
Palin has book deal, memoir to come next year — NEW YORK - You knew it was coming: Sarah Palin is ready to tell her side, agreeing to publish a memoir with HarperCollins. The book comes out in Spring 2010 — the year she is up for re-election. — “There's been so much written …
New York Times:
Records Show Billions Withdrawn Before Madoff Arrest — About $12 billion was pulled out of accounts at Bernard L. Madoff's firm in 2008, according to several people briefed on an analysis of Mr. Madoff's business records. — About $6 billion, or half, was taken out in just the three months …
Greg Hengler / Townhall.com:
‘Angels & Demons’ Star: 'There's No Anti-Catholicism or Anti-Christianity In The Movie At All' — Let's just say I know Ewan McGregor: He's a good guy; very good guy. The sharpest guy in the room he is not. Consequently, I will play his defense attorney: Ewan is innocent based on his innocence.
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org
WCBS-TV:
FDA Blasts General Mills Over Cheerios Claim — Cereal Makers Scolded Because Claim Of Lowering Cholesterol 10 Percent In Month Makes It A “Drug” — Company Fires Back: This Is About Language, Not Science — NEW YORK (CBS) ― The Food and Drug Administration scolded the makers …
Michael D. Shear / Washington Post:
White House Indicates ‘Great Concern’ About Releasing Photos of Detainee Abuse — The Obama administration signaled yesterday that it may be rethinking its promise to release several dozen photos depicting abuse or alleged abuse of detainees held in U.S. custody abroad.