memeorandum: Observations from the Trenches in Maine (Jesse Connolly/The Huffington Post)

11:15 AM ET, November 14, 2009

Top Items:

A Return to American Justice — Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. took a bold and principled step on Friday toward repairing the damage wrought by former President George W. Bush with his decision to discard the nation's well-established systems of civilian and military justice in the treatment …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Room for Debate, NewsBusters.org, Infidels Are Cool, The Moderate Voice and ProPublica

Wall Street Journal:

KSM Hits Manhattan—Again — Eric Holder's decision to move a trial on war crimes to American soil is morally confused, dangerous and political to a fault. — Printer — Friendly — Coming soon to a civilian courtroom blocks from Ground Zero: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the four other al Qaeda planners of 9/11.

Discussion: At-Largely, RedState and The Huffington Post

Philip Klein / AmSpecBlog:

Mukasey Blasts Pre-9/11 Mentality in KSM Decision — Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who as a judge presided over a trial stemming from the first attack on the World Trade Center, on Friday warned that the Obama administration's decision to bring Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed …

Discussion: Stop The ACLU, Power Line, Hot Air and JustOneMinute

New York Times:

9/11 Trial Poses Unparalleled Legal Obstacles for Both Sides — WASHINGTON — How do you defend one of the most notorious terrorist figures in history? — One step, legal analysts say, may be to ask for a change of venue. — Khalid Shaikh Mohammed's lawyers, whoever they are …

Discussion: POWIP

Carrie Johnson / Washington Post:

For Holder, much wrestling over decision — Eric H. Holder Jr. called his order Friday to send the suspected plotters of the Sept. 11 attacks to trial in Manhattan “the toughest decision I've had to make as attorney general.” But what the nation's chief law enforcement officer did not lay bare …

Discussion: Stop The ACLU and Betsy's Page

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Detainees to get “the-state-always-wins” system of “justice”

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Fafblog, the talking dog, Firedoglake, Hot Air, The Opinionator, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, Unqualified Offerings, Washington Post, Michelle Malkin and New York Times

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Bloomberg: We Should Try 9/11 Terrorists Near Site Of Attacks

Discussion: IntoxiNation

Associated Press:

FACT CHECK: Palin's Book Goes Rogue on Some Facts — WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Palin's new book reprises familiar claims from the 2008 presidential campaign that haven't become any truer over time. Ignoring substantial parts of her record if not the facts, she depicts herself as a frugal traveler …

Discussion: Power Line, Pam's House Blend, The Corner on National …, Lance Mannion, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Macsmind, Jules Crittenden, Lawyers, Guns and Money and The Moderate Voice

Andy Barr / The Politico:

McCain camp: Book ‘petty and pathetic’ — Top aides to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign hit back at Sarah Palin Friday, after news reports revealed that the former vice presidential nominee's soon-to-be-released book criticizes the campaign's press strategy.

Discussion: CNN, Riehl World View, The Page, msnbc.com and Hot Air

Peter Wallsten / Wall Street Journal: Palin Book Tour Builds on Web Strategy

Washington Wire:
Sarah Palin to Visit Fort Hood

Discussion: The Hill, Texas for Sarah Palin and No More Mister Nice Blog

Scott / Power Line:

Why is this man bowing? — We criticized Barack Obama when he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia. Americans do not bow to royalty. When the royal is the ruling tyrant of a despotic regime, the wrong is compounded. Obama's bowing to the King was deeply offensive.

Discussion: Macsmind

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:

How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow — How low will the new American president go for the world's royalty? — This photo will get Democrat President Obama a lot of approving nods in Japan this weekend, especially among the older generation of Japanese …

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, Hot Air and Sister Toldjah

Mike Allen / The Politico:

'America's first Pacific president' — TOKYO — Trying to reassure allies and rivals, President Barack Obama billed himself Saturday as “America's first Pacific president,” promising the nations of Asia “a new era of engagement with the world based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, The Swamp and American Power

New Orleans Times-Picayune:

William Jefferson sentenced to 13 years in prison … Former Rep. William Jefferson was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for his conviction on 11 counts of public corruption in a case in which he famously hid $90,000 in his freezer. — U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III delivered …

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Scared Monkeys, IntoxiNation, TalkLeft, Macsmind and MyDD

David Stout / New York Times: Sentence of 13 Years for Ex-Louisiana Congressman

Dionne Searcey / Wall Street Journal: Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years

John Bresnahan / The Politico: Jefferson gets 13 years in prison

Manu Raju / The Politico:

Hutchison won't resign Senate seat — Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) is expected to announce today that she will not resign her Senate seat - as had been expected — while she campaigns for governor, according to two sources familiar with the situation. — Get alerted every time your favorite reporter posts a story

Discussion: The Page, Scorecard's Blog and Swing State Project

Jay Root / Associated Press:
Hutchison won't resign seat before Texas primary

Discussion: Dallas Morning News

R.G. Ratcliffe / Houston Chronicle:
Hutchison decision to stay in Senate not affecting White's bid

Discussion: Politics Daily and The Moderate Voice

The Hill:
Hutchison won't resign Senate seat before gubernatorial primary

Discussion: The Note and GOP 12

Richard Kerbaj / Times of London:

Muslims must quit British Forces, says Iranian envoy Abdolhossein Moezi — The Iranian Supreme Leader's representative in Britain has told Muslim servicemen and women to quit the Armed Forces, saying that their involvement in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars is forbidden by Islam.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Jihad Watch

Cara Anna / Associated Press:

Chinese greet ‘Oba Mao’ with flaming statue, fakes — BEIJING (AP) - The Chinese have learned English from his speeches and celebrated the way he rolls up his sleeves. Now President Barack Obama is finally coming, and he's being greeted with “Oba Mao” T-shirts and a statue of him that bursts into flames.

Discussion: POWIP and Left Coast Rebel

JSOnline:

Barrett plans to run for governor — Milwaukee mayor will end months of speculation with announcement, expected Sunday — By Daniel Bice of the Journal Sentinel — Mayor Tom Barrett will announce this weekend that he is running for governor, the Journal Sentinel has learned.

Discussion: Scorecard's Blog and Swing State Project

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Video: MSNBC uses faked photos to goof on Palin, of course — Skip ahead to 1:00 and then 2:00 if you can't stomach the whole clip. The images of her in the black miniskirt and the American-flag bikini started floating around the 'Net mere days after she joined the ticket last year …

Discussion: The Note

Jesse Connolly / The Huffington Post:

Observations from the Trenches in Maine — While it's difficult and, one might suggest, even slightly irresponsible to weigh in on our marriage equality loss so soon, it's also tough to sit on the sidelines while others make sweeping proclamations or conclusions, usually hundreds or thousands of miles away from Maine.

Discussion: AMERICAblog Gay and Open Left

David Thompson:

Go Barefoot for Gaia — In the following BBC clip, lifted from today's ephemera, the sculptor and artistic luminary Antony Gormley shares his wisdom on matters ecological. “Dispense with your socks,” says he. “This is a time of global warming. Through our feet we can begin to feel it.”

Discussion: Moonbattery and Biased BBC