September 28, 2007
New Vote On Iran Sanctions Delayed
UPDATED.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not go out of her way to hide her disappointment at the latest setback in U.S. efforts to clamp down further on Iran.
"The international community has to have a greater sense of urgency about some of these issues," she said, speaking to reporters at the U.N. this afternoon. "We have two unanimous Security Council resolutions in place on Iran. We're working on a third, and using that track to try to invigorate the negotiations track." Rice conceded that there was already a "certain level of cooperation in Iran."
Continue reading "New Vote On Iran Sanctions Delayed"
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Asia, Bush Administration, China, Condoleezza Rice, EU, Europe, France, Germany, IAEA, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Terrorism, U.K., U.N.
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Nude Gingrich: A Second Life Story
UPDATED.
Looks like Newt Gingrich is the latest potential '08 politician to get swept up, up and away by the Second Life craze.
Tech Daily Dose reports that Gingrich's town hall appearance in the "online fantasy world" yesterday was besmirched by the appearance of a virtual streaker. Or, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution so delicately put it, "a lovely young digital lady, who arrived moments before her clothes did."
Hmm, not sure how that's going to play with the conservative base Gingrich is trying to court as he weighs a potential White House bid. (Twig Tomorrow, an official with the Metaverse Mod Squad, which moderated the virtual event on Thursday, disputes media reports that the avatar appeared nude).
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Race & The GOP: Six Out Of 10 Ain't Bad
The highly anticipated season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" opened
with --
Oops, wrong post.
In case you missed it, and you probably did, there was a Republican presidential debate last night at Morgan State University in Baltimore. As with the Democrats' turn in June, radio and talk-show host Tavis Smiley was on hand to host the All-American Presidential Forum on PBS before a mostly black audience on the historically black campus.
What was different this time around? The four empty podiums on stage.
Out of the belief that the gains made by the GOP under President Bush's leadership have been hopelessly eroded (by President Bush's leadership), or the belief that with independents out of reach, their socially conservative, mostly white base is more crucial than ever, front-runners Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson skipped the event.
The six candidates chasing them were smart enough to take advantage.
Continue reading "Race & The GOP: Six Out Of 10 Ain't Bad"
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Earlybird Roundup: Student Loans Overhauled; Debt Ceiling Raised
Administration. President Bush yesterday signed a student loan bill that will provide $20 billion in federal money to college students and is being compared in scope to the G.I. Bill.
Congress. The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill yesterday, as well as a bill that would increase the federal government's debt ceiling.
Iraq. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today rejected a Senate-backed plan to decentralize the Iraqi government and partition the country.
Military. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday he would likely approve the acceleration of a plan to expand the active-duty Army that Bush OK'd earlier this year.
World. More people were killed during another day of protests in Myanmar, as international pressure on the military junta continues to mount.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
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Senate OKs SCHIP; Post-Veto Strategies Kick In
The Senate's 67-29 vote yesterday on a bill to add $35 billion to the State Children's Health Insurance Program will officially allow it to be lobbed down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, only to have it bounce back with a veto stamp.
But that volley will probably wait until next week. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Congress might hold onto the bill over the weekend. White House spokesman Tony Fratto said yesterday that President Bush will veto the bill with little fanfare once he receives it.
Depending on the timing of those two actions, Hoyer said the House could hold a veto override vote later in the week. The Senate's 67 yes votes are enough to stave off a veto, but the House's 265-159 vote on Wednesday fell short of a veto-proof margin.
Continue reading "Senate OKs SCHIP; Post-Veto Strategies Kick In"
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September 27, 2007
Edwards Opts In For Public Financing
The Democrats' perpetual No. 3, former Sen. John Edwards, put a little oomph into his campaign this afternoon when he announced that he would accept federal matching funds for the primaries -- and the limitations that go with them.
An Edwards campaign adviser told The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder that the influx of cash means three big players will go into the primaries: "Before we did this, there were only two campaigns [Barack Obama's and Hillary Rodham Clinton's] who thought they'd be around before the primaries with about $20M or $30M on hand. Now, we're going to be right there with them. We're going to have between $18M and $21M on hand now. That'll give us a huge boost."
After a town hall forum in Conway, N.H., last night, Edwards defended his choice to ask for public financing this far into the campaign, saying he wasn't concerned about state campaign finance limits.
"One thing that's clear is that we have plenty of money to compete," he said.
Ambinder has more on the pros and cons of Edwards' decision, as well as the official statement from his campaign that challenges Clinton to follow his lead.
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Who's Afraid Of Tavis Smiley?
Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson are, apparently.
The leading Republican presidential candidates cited "scheduling conflicts" as their reason for skipping tonight's All-American Presidential Forum on PBS.
"I'm puzzled by their decision. I can't speak for them. I think it's a mistake," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich earlier this week.
President Bush also weighed in on the matter last week: "My advice to whoever will be our nominee is to reach out to the African-American community as well as other communities, because I believe we've got a very strong record when it comes to" issues affecting them.
Continue reading "Who's Afraid Of Tavis Smiley?"
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The N.H. Democratic Debate: Blurring The Lines Of Distinction
The longer the seemingly endless presidential primary season drags on, the more it's beginning to look like there's not much, substantively or ideologically, to distinguish the top tier of Democratic contenders.
Indeed, front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton more or less admitted in her numerous television appearances over the weekend that she and her fellow Democrats were united on the subject of universal health care, and that her much-vaunted plan wasn't even all that different from those proposed by John Edwards and Barack Obama.
And when it comes to the issue most voters claim is the most important to them -- the war in Iraq -- last night's Democratic debate in New Hampshire further blurred the lines of distinction among the top three. Debate moderator Tim Russert of NBC News pulled no punches, kicking off the event with a specific and pointed question for all the candidates: Will you pledge to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of your first term in January 2013?
The answer from Clinton, Edwards and Obama was a resounding "no," which suggests that all three of them now have at least one eye on the general election, not on winning over anti-war activists and the left-wing netroots.
Continue reading "The N.H. Democratic Debate: Blurring The Lines Of Distinction"
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Eric Carmen Has 'Hungry Eyes' For The Gate
Remember 1970s blue-eyed soul singer Eric Carmen? We did, in a report on President Bush last week that led with this: "Instead of 'Hail to the Chief,' President Bush might take his final walk out of the White House to the tune of the Eric Carmen ballad 'All By Myself.'"
Turns out that post made its way to Carmen, who was nice enough to e-mail us about it.
I will happily grant the sync license for Mr Bush's White House exit walk. Hell, I'll even go sing it.
Regards,
Eric Carmen
In January 2009, please remind us to invite Mr. Carmen to D.C. and take him up on his offer.
Posted at 3:28 PM
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Where's John Ashcroft? Part Deux
We've asked it before and we're asking it again: Where in the world is former Attorney General John Ashcroft?
Very busy, his people say, and apparently too busy to give his version of that mysterious bedside visit to the press. Humph.
Actually, Ashcroft did speak to the press today, but on a completely unrelated matter. He appeared at a press conference in New Jersey to talk about a federal investigation into five hip and knee surgical implant companies found to have bribed surgeons into using their products. The companies have agreed to hefty fines and monitoring under an agreement that allows them to avoid criminal prosecution, and Ashcroft will be the independent monitor for Indiana-based Zimmer, Inc.
Continue reading "Where's John Ashcroft? Part Deux"
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Reunited, And It Feels So Not Awkward
In 1992, the young and handsome duo of Bill Clinton and Al Gore achieved something close to rock-star status. Fifteen years later, they're more famous and beloved than ever, thanks to their work on humanitarian and environmental causes.
Yesterday, a grayer Clinton and, uh, more big-boned Gore teamed up for the third annual Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York City (video). The dynamic twosome had parted ways since leaving the White House, thanks to a certain intern and failed presidential bid. It seems both may have put the past behind them.
"I'm very proud that he's continued in this fight," Clinton said, after talking about losing the battle to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
"First of all, I'm proud of what you're doing... and thank you for your leadership on all of these issues," Gore responded, beaming warmly.
Continue reading "Reunited, And It Feels So Not Awkward"
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Monasteries Raided In Second Day Of Myanmar Crackdown
Myanmar's ruling military government raided at least two monasteries yesterday, the New York Times reports, beating and arresting dozens of Buddhist monks that have been trying to push the junta toward democracy in recent weeks.
Frustrated by the robe-clad monks, who have stayed at the helm of vocal protests for more than a month, the junta seems to have lost its patience. The military dictatorship's response to the pro-democracy movement had initially been more muted than the harsh responses to similar protests in the past. But over the last two days, the military has fired into crowds, sprayed temples with tear gas and beaten monks and other protesters as it tries to rein in the demonstrations.
Today, the military police sparred with a huge crowd at a temple in Yangon, the country's largest city, before issuing an ultimatum warning of "extreme action" that cleared the streets.
Continue reading "Monasteries Raided In Second Day Of Myanmar Crackdown"
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Juan Williams: Bill O'Reilly Not A Racist
UPDATED.
We meant to go up with something on the Bill O'Reilly controversy du jour on Tuesday, but more pressing news did not permit. The Lede beat us to it: "Mr. Reilly [sic] is guilty of being sheltered, old-fashioned and possibly exhibiting a casual racism." Maybe. We decided to put the question to his sparring partner in the now-infamous interview, NPR's Juan Williams.
Williams, a prominent political journalist who is also black, is the liberal counterpoint on "FOX News Sunday." We reached him by phone on Tuesday, and asked if he thought O'Reilly was a racist. His answer was, "No."
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Earlybird Roundup: Canadian Border, Patriot Act, Korea Talks
Congress. The U.S.-Canada border can easily be breached by a smuggler trying to get radioactive material or other contraband into the country, according to a GAO report to be presented to Congress today.
Courts. Key provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act were ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge in Oregon yesterday, on the grounds that they allowed surveillance of U.S. citizens without a demonstration of probable cause.
Iraq. At least 50 people were killed yesterday in a new surge of violence.
United Nations. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki addressed the General Assembly yesterday, noting that terrorists are targeting the "new Iraq" and urging member nations to support the reconciliation process.
World. Six-party talks on North Korea began today, with U.S. negotiators hoping to set targets for the total dismantling of its nuclear program.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
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September 26, 2007
Craig Changes Mind Again About Resigning
Idaho Sen. Larry Craig is apparently backtracking on his decision to resign on Sept. 30. In a statement from his office, he said, "Today was a major step in the legal effort to clear my name. The court has not issued a ruling on my motion to withdraw my guilty plea. For now, I will continue my work in the United States Senate for Idaho."
Craig appeared before a Minnesota court today to request judicial review of his guilty plea to disorderly conduct following a sex sting in an airport restroom. The judge adjourned the case until at least next week, citing his caseload.
See The Gate's previous posts on why Craig may win his bid to reverse his plea here and here.
Posted at 5:01 PM
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Bush: 'Childrens Do Learn'
President Bush has done it again.
The misspeaker in chief was promoting his No Child Left Behind educational testing program in New York City, with first lady Laura Bush, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at his side.
Referring to a new National Assessment of Educational Progress, Bush said, "As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured." You won't find that gaffe in the White House transcript, though; the Washington Post reports that it's been corrected to "children."
While campaigning for the job he currently holds, Bush famously wondered aloud, "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"
This got us to thinking that Bush's verbal gaffes make him a disturbingly good candidate for the confounding LOL phenomenon. Turns out others agree.
Posted at 4:44 PM
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Bush & Karzai Tout Security Gains In Afghanistan
When President Bush met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the United Nations today to discuss the security situation in that country, the meeting was bolstered by the news that coalition forces had killed about 160 Taliban insurgents in two separate battles yesterday. Only one foreign soldier was felled in the clashes, the U.S.-led coalition announced. The Taliban disputed those numbers, calling them propaganda, Reuters reports.
In New York this morning, Bush and Karzai "discussed drug-fighting operations, the battle against al-Qaida and the Taliban and the development of energy using Afghanistan's natural resources," AP reports.
"Afghanistan has indeed made progress," Karzai said, as Bush reassured the Afghan president that "you've got strong friends here." Bush went on to say that he expects "progress" to continue in Afghanistan, despite the resurgence of the Taliban and the escalating drug trade there.
Agence France-Presse has more on the meeting, and Bloomberg News reports on the U.N.'s call for negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Posted at 4:19 PM
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Senate Approves Biden's Plan To Partition Iraq
When the Democratic presidential candidates gather in New Hampshire tonight for yet another debate, don't be surprised if Joseph Biden walks on stage with an extra spring in his step. The Delaware senator just scored a fairly significant victory on the issue that has dominated his campaign: Iraq's political future.
Today, the Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment "calling for creation of a federal system of government in Iraq with regions divided along ethnic lines," CongressDaily reports. The measure, sponsored by Biden, marks the first Democratic amendment calling for a change in Bush's war policy to clear Senate negotiations of the defense authorization bill. And it passed with a bipartisan, 75-23 majority.
Continue reading "Senate Approves Biden's Plan To Partition Iraq"
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DOD Team To Investigate Security Contractors
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered a Pentagon investigation of security contractors in Iraq after a deadly gunfight involving Blackwater employees raised questions about oversight of foreign contractors in Iraq.
AP reports that in a briefing today, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the initial round of answers to Gates' questions about the military's relationship with private contractors has "not been satisfactory" and that he is seeking a deeper probe into the matter.
Although he would not elaborate on the specifics of Gates' dissatisfaction with the investigation thus far, Morrell did say that a five-person team has already been sent to Iraq and "will talk to all the key players" there, including top U.S. commanders Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno. The team is expected to report back to Gates by the end of the week.
Continue reading "DOD Team To Investigate Security Contractors"
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Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, House, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Robert Gates
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U.N. General Assembly: Like Last Year, Only Worse
The astute Brits at the Economist called it.
By granting so many interviews to curious American journalists and agreeing to take questions from college students at Columbia, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made sure that this year's meeting of the U.N. General Assembly would revolve around him. It helps that his BFF in these parts, Venezuelan firebrand Hugo Chavez, sat this one out, which means Ahmadinejad's "no gays in Iran" statement remains the craziest (and most sinister) thing said all week.
Ahmadinejad put on his "serious" face (no smiling) yesterday when he delivered his U.S.-centric speech before the General Assembly. The American delegation didn't bother to stick around for its entirety, such was its predictability. If this scenario reminds you of last year's meeting at the U.N., it should. The bottom line for the Security Council has been no nuclear material for Iran, period. Yesterday, Ahmadinejad ensured that the U.N. will act to shut him down, one way or another.
Continue reading "U.N. General Assembly: Like Last Year, Only Worse"
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Earlybird Roundup: Rice & Blackwater, Iraq Assassinations
Congress. A House committee chairman accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday of trying to interfere with the investigation into the Blackwater USA security firm.
Iraq. Sunni insurgents have started a campaign to kill Iraqi officials and leaders; 40 policemen have already been attacked or killed.
Administration. President Bush will meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai today, seeking answers on security problems and the drug trade.
World. Police cracked down on marching Buddhist monks during another day of protests in Myanmar.
Courts. Lawyers for Sen. Larry Craig will try to convince a Minneapolis judge today that the senator made a mistake when he pleaded guilty to charges after a sex sting in an airport bathroom.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:51 AM
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Tentative GM-UAW Deal Ends Two-Day Strike
General Motors and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative deal early this morning to end a massive national strike that brought the Detroit-based automaker to a halt for two days. Plants will be up and running again today as thousands of unionized employees head back to work.
The four-year contract agreement still needs to be ratified by UAW members and its details are sketchy, but the Wall Street Journal (subscription) reports that the deal includes "a historic restructuring of GM's obligations for UAW retiree health care." According to a GM press release, the agreement establishes "an independent retiree health care trust" for the approximately 74,000 unionized GM workers.
"This agreement helps us close the fundamental competitive gaps that exist in our business," GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in the release.
"'We're proud of this tentative agreement," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger also said in a statement, "and we look forward to getting into the field and discussing it with our membership."
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press have full coverage of the labor negotiations and the tentative agreement.
Posted at 7:50 AM
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September 25, 2007
Voter ID Case To Be Decided Before Election '08
Among the cases granted cert [PDF] by the Supreme Court today is a highly anticipated appeal concerning one of the strictest voter ID laws in the land.
Petitioners in the consolidated case, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board and Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita, are appealing the decisions of two lower courts to uphold the 2005 law, which requires would-be voters to present government-issued photo identification. The court will be asked to decide, probably in oral arguments early next year, whether the law infringes on Indianans' right to vote.
This case will settle a patchwork of conflicting laws popping up in the states, a welcome relief as the very act of voting becomes ever more complicated in certain places. But voting rights advocates opposing ID requirements could well find themselves wishing the case hadn't been brought just yet.
Continue reading "Voter ID Case To Be Decided Before Election '08"
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Dems Reaping Financial Benefits Of Anti-Bush Sentiment
Play it again, Eric.
Last week, The Gate reported that President Bush was looking increasingly lonely, both in Washington and on the world stage. Looks like you can add the campaign trail to the list of unwelcome places for the president, as well.
Bush's approval ratings have teetered a bit lately, but they're still in the low-to-mid 30s (and in some cases the 20s) according to most national polls. So it comes as no surprise when AP puts out an analytical piece headlined, "Bush Unwelcome on the Trail," even though the president called himself a "strong asset" to GOP candidates in a press conference last week.
Indeed, while the Republican presidential candidates (not counting a few lower-tier contrarians) are careful not to criticize Bush in front of GOP crowds, they are loathe to volunteer his name or heap praise on him unprovoked. They are far more likely to rail against the current leadership -- both in Washington and in the Republican Party -- and present themselves as agents of change, much like their Democratic counterparts have been trying to do.
But is it already too late? Bloomberg News reported last week that the Bush backlash may be hitting '08 Republicans where it hurts most: their pocketbooks.
Continue reading "Dems Reaping Financial Benefits Of Anti-Bush Sentiment"
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Reed vs. Romney: The Pun-less Ad War
Sick of the controversy over MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad? (And no, it hasn't died yet). For a distraction, check out the new ad war between the Mitt Romney campaign and Slate's Bruce Reed.
Reed, a former Clinton administration adviser and head of the Democratic Leadership Council, is miffed that "Team Mitt" has rebuffed his entry into the campaign's Create Your Own Ad! contest. In August, the Boston Globe characterized the contest as "the latest example of how the 2008 presidential candidates are using the Internet to engage supporters in unprecedented ways." But it looks like it's also turning out to be the latest example of campaigns not recognizing how little control they have over their own Web efforts.
By Reed's account, his entry into the race, a video called "Way!" that pokes fun at Romney's vision of "family values," is the most beloved according to viewers, who are supposed to be determining the outcome of the contest. But when the finalists were announced, "Way!" was nowhere to be found, prompting Reed to cry foul: "Our fearless leader promised us online democracy, not a Soviet-style election run by totalitarian Mittistas."
"Way!" isn't the only entry from Slate, which seems to have it in for Romney. A longer, better-produced parody from the online magazine is available here. Meanwhile, there's still time to weigh in on the real finalists here. The winner will have his or her entry aired on TV as part of Romney's prolific ad campaign.
Posted at 3:10 PM
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Bush's Other Legacy On Display At U.N.
President Bush called on the U.N. General Assembly to renew its focus on human rights, as he reminded increasingly distant member nations of America's outsized role in humanitarian work around the globe.
Placing the spotlight on the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Bush told the audience, "The nations in this chamber have our differences. Yet there are some areas where we can all agree."
The president ticked off a laundry list of ills, some of them ancient, still plaguing the globe, from malaria to HIV/AIDS, starvation to closed markets, impositions on the freedom of speech and assembly, and "tyranny and violence."
The Universal Declaration is not being upheld, Bush said, "when innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and fear" or "when millions of children starve to death or die from a mosquito bite."
"Changing these underlying conditions is what the declaration calls the work of underlying freedom," he said.
Bush then turned his attention to the representatives of Myanmar.
Continue reading "Bush's Other Legacy On Display At U.N."
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Asia, Bill Clinton, Bush Administration, China, Climate Change, HIV/AIDS, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, President Bush, Russia, Terrorism, U.N.
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SCOTUS To Take Up Lethal Injections
The Supreme Court has agreed to review the constitutionality of executions performed by lethal injection, in a challenge stemming from two death row cases in Kentucky. Lawyers for convicted murderers Ralph Baze and Thomas Clyde Bowling claim that lethal injection amounts to cruel and unusual punishment prohibited in the Bill of Rights.
Baze's execution was originally scheduled for tonight. Earlier this month, however, the Kentucky Supreme Court stepped in and halted it for reasons unrelated to the constitutionality of lethal injections. Baze was convicted of murdering a sheriff and his deputy in 1992, and Bowling was convicted of shooting and killing a couple after a car crash in 1990.
Both men sued the state of Kentucky in 2004. Neither one is challenging his sentence before the court.
Continue reading "SCOTUS To Take Up Lethal Injections"
Posted at 12:15 PM
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Suicide Bombing Targets Iraqi Reconciliation Effort
The relative quiet that had befallen Iraq during this holy month of Ramadan was broken when a series of bombings left dozens of people dead and scores wounded over the past 24 hours.
Agence France-Presse reports that the death toll currently stands at 37 from several attacks, including a suicide bombing in a village mosque in Baquba, a city north of Baghdad; a double car bombing outside a bank in Baghdad; and a suicide bombing outside the police headquarters in the southern city of Basra.
The Baquba attack last night came as local Sunni and Shiite officials taking part in a political reconciliation meeting were breaking their daily Ramadan fast for an evening meal that was designed to show unity among the two Muslim groups.
Continue reading "Suicide Bombing Targets Iraqi Reconciliation Effort"
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Fukuda Becomes New Japanese PM
After the abrupt resignation of Shinzo Abe earlier this month, Japan's Parliament yesterday confirmed the new leader of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, Yasuo Fukuda, as the country's prime minister.
At 71, Fukuda is Japan's oldest prime minister in over a decade -- in contrast to Abe, who at 52 was the youngest ever to hold the office. Fukuda is also part of a dynasty: His father, Takeo Fukuda, served as prime minister from 1976 to 1978.
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Earlybird Roundup: Myanmar Sanctions, Chao Subpoena
United Nations. President Bush will address the General Assembly today, announcing sanctions against Myanmar and discussing literacy, poverty and development in Africa.
United Nations II. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on world leaders to take "unprecedented action" against global warming at a conference yesterday.
Administration. A House panel subpoenaed documents relating to the Utah mine collapse from Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
Congress. The Senate yesterday approved a bill allocating $23 billion for water resource projects.
Iraq. A suicide bomber killed at least 25 people at a meeting between Sunni and Shiite leaders in Baquba.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:47 AM
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September 24, 2007
ICYMI: Another Potentially Crazy World Leader At Columbia
According to Columbia's campus newspaper's special Ahmadineblog, the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, was also speaking on campus today. Berdymukhammedov was the practically appointed successor of Saparmurat Niyazov, whose photo you will find in the dictionary under "delusional megalomaniac."
Niyazov, who preferred to be known as Turkmenbashi, or Leader of All Turkmen, ruled his impoverished underlings with an iron fist. The tiny, energy-rich Eurasian nation is littered with giant portraits and extravagant statues of Turkmenbashi. According to an unforgettable profile in the New Yorker last year, doctors take the Hippocratic oath in the name of Turkmenbashi, and the month of January was renamed Turkmenbashi. Turkmenbashi's image appears on the currency as well as on the national vodka. His book, "Ruhnama," or "Book of the Soul," was required daily reading for children and adults alike.
The cult of fear this president for life instituted is so pervasive, visiting reporters describe the country as a kind of deranged Disneyland. Human rights are practically nonexistent, and citizens live in constant fear of the authorities.
Continue reading "ICYMI: Another Potentially Crazy World Leader At Columbia"
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Liveblogging Ahmadinejad's Columbia University Speech
3:40. That's all for our liveblog coverage of Ahmadinejad's speech. Here are some questions to follow up on:
1) Will President Bollinger be called out for intellectual dishonesty after that introduction? At least one faculty member, professor of Iranian studies Hamid Dabashi, thought it hypocritical for Bollinger to invite Ahmadinejad to speak and then yell at him before he did.
2) How many prominent audiences does one Islamofascist dictator deserve? What Ahmadinejad had to say today wasn't that different from what he said to the Council of Foreign Relations last year, where experts on Iran and not students grilled him pretty hard on his positions on Israel, record on human rights, and so on. Speaking on CNN, Dabashi said, "In my own classes, I [will] have to undo what has been done today in order to continue their education."
We really can't blame the world for wanting to hear more from Ahmadinejad, though, not with the threat of a war with that country hanging over our heads. The central paradox of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is it's meant to strengthen the King Abdullah IIs and Fouad Sinioras. Instead, the influence of the Ahmadinejads appears to be growing.
3:12. On FOX, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton. We didn't have time to transcribe, but here's the unsurprising gist: This visit was a stupid idea, our national security has been compromised, we've legitimized Ahmadinejad in the eyes of the world, they're going to attack us now.
3:11. On MSNBC, former U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson, also a Democratic presidential candidate: "He's clearly here on a propaganda trip."
3:09. God bless Shepard Smith: "If you thought Ahmadinejad wasn't going to make news today, you were mistaken. Iran has no homosexuals."
Continue reading "Liveblogging Ahmadinejad's Columbia University Speech"
Posted at 4:00 PM
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UAW Calls Strike As Deal Hits Impasse
UPDATED.
As promised, about 73,000 unionized workers walked off the job at several General Motors plants nationwide this morning when the automaker and the United Auto Workers failed to settle contract disagreements by an 11 a.m. deadline set earlier by union leaders. "The work stoppage represented the first significant contract-related GM labor strike since 1984, when the UAW struck 25 facilities for 13 days," the Wall Street Journal (subscription) reports.
It wasn't immediately clear exactly why GM and UAW officials could not come to an agreement in time to avoid the walkout.
"The company walked right up to the deadline like they really didn't care," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said at a press conference this afternoon, placing the blame squarely at the feet of GM negotiators. "We will be going back to the bargaining table today.... We expect that the company would move rather expeditiously on the open issues," he continued.
In a statement released prior to the walkout, GM announced: "The bargaining involves complex, difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. work force and the long-term viability of the company. We are fully committed to working with the UAW to develop solutions together to address the competitive challenges facing General Motors."
Continue reading "UAW Calls Strike As Deal Hits Impasse"
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This Charming Man: Ahmadinejad & The U.N.
Another opening of the U.N. General Assembly, another chance for America's foes to take a whack at President Bush on a world stage.
The star of this year's production is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His visit to Columbia University and his request to visit Ground Zero (did anybody really think there was any chance that would happen?) have ensured that the theme of this week's convention, global warming, will be eclipsed by an entirely different kind of heat.
So why the fuss now, when Ahmadinejad's audience before the Council of Foreign Relations last year generated so much less controversy? Easy -- we're going to war in Iran.
Not really. (We think.) The jaw-jaw over taking Iran's nuclear facilities out by force has ratcheted beyond a level many thought possible, given the U.S. entanglements in Iraq.
But anyone who caught Ahmadinejad's squinty-eyed, non-response responses on "60 Minutes" last night probably has a clue into why the West finds this charismatic leader so very maddening.
Continue reading "This Charming Man: Ahmadinejad & The U.N."
Posted at 1:40 PM
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Bush & Congress Face Off Over Appropriations & SCHIP
President Bush waved the threat of substantial tax increases over the heads of the American public during a news conference today, saying that the Democrats' new budget requests would demand more money in federal revenue.
The Democrats are asking for $22 billion in extra spending, Bush said, and Congress hasn't sent any of the bills to his desk. All 12 measures have been passed by the House but haven't yet made it to conference; the Senate will have five finished by next week if it passes the Defense appropriations bill.
"I don't think the American people should be denied those services because Congress can't get its work done," he said, urging Congress to pass a "clean continuing resolution" so that spending could stay consistent while the new bills are hammered out.
Continue reading "Bush & Congress Face Off Over Appropriations & SCHIP"
Posted at 10:55 AM
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Florida Dems Approve Jan. 29 Primary
Florida Democrats sent a message to Howard Dean yesterday: It's our party, and we'll vote when we want to.
In officially bumping their presidential primary date up to Jan. 29, Florida Dems rebuffed the Democratic National Committee chairman's threats that they'd lost all their seats at the party's nominating convention next summer.
"We make this election matter. Not the D.N.C., not the delegates, not the candidates, but Florida Democrats like you and me voting together," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman wrote in an e-mail. "We make it count.... The nation will be paying attention, and Florida Democrats will have a major impact in determining who the next President of the United States of America will be."
Continue reading "Florida Dems Approve Jan. 29 Primary"
Posted at 9:36 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Spending Bills, Iran-Iraq Border, Blackwater
Congress. Legislators are likely to push annual federal spending bills through Congress this week, but President Bush has promised to veto most of them.
Iran. In protest of the arrest of an Iranian commerce official, Iran closed its border with Iraqi Kurdistan today.
Iraq. Officials will wait for the outcome of a joint U.S.-Iraqi investigation into the Blackwater USA shootings before deciding what steps to take against the company.
Administration. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that Syria could attend a November conference on the Middle East in Washington.
United Nations. Ahead of this week's U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York City, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said diplomats are engaged in "the most intense" period of diplomacy in the group's history.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:38 AM
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September 21, 2007
Former Mexican President Takes Jabs At 'Cocky' Bush
Instead of "Hail to the Chief," President Bush might take his final walk out of the White House to the tune of the Eric Carmen ballad "All By Myself."
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox is the latest public figure to talk smack about his former amigo in a new book.
In "Revolution of Hope," due out next month, Fox calls Bush "the cockiest guy I have ever met in my life," according to early reports in the Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report. That's not the meanest dig Fox takes. (Isn't cocky the fuel of American politics, anyway?) In a quip bordering on schoolyard taunt, Fox calls the president "a windshield cowboy." Ouch.
Continue reading "Former Mexican President Takes Jabs At 'Cocky' Bush"
Posted at 5:06 PM
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Alaska Back In Play Thanks To Stevens & Young
And the hits just keep on coming for the Republican Party.
The FBI has tapes of telephone conversations between Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens and a businessman convicted of bribing lawmakers, AP reports. Bill Allen, a longtime friend and political supporter of Stevens, agreed to record his phone calls to the senator after pleading guilty to bribery and agreeing to cooperate with the feds in this sprawling political corruption scandal.
Allen is the founder of VECO, an Alaskan energy firm. In an ongoing bribery trial of another politician, former Alaska House Speaker Pete Kott, Allen testified that his company paid to renovate Stevens' home and that his employees did the work. Stevens insists that he and his wife paid for the renovation themselves. A former employee also testified that VECO employees were paid by the company to work on Stevens' campaigns -- a possible violation of election law.
Details of the phone conversations haven't been made public, so there's no evidence yet to indicate how snugly Stevens and Allen were in bed together. Even so, the bribery trial and FBI investigation of both Stevens and his son, Ben, are casting a shadow on the GOP, so much so that the state's Republican governor, Sarah Palin, is calling for Ben Stevens to resign from his post as Alaska representative on the Republican National Committee.
According to Allen, VECO paid off the younger Stevens while he was a state senator. The elder Stevens, meanwhile, has a reputation for intimidating Senate colleagues and directing a flood of federal dollars for projects in his sparsely populated state. Stevens is already a favorite target of fiscal conservative critics like John McCain. Looks like he'll soon be a target of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as well.
Continue reading "Alaska Back In Play Thanks To Stevens & Young"
Posted at 4:20 PM
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Cribs & Lunch Pails Spark New 'Made In China' Concerns
The latest round of recalled goods again centers around children's products made in China. This time, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling about 1 million Simplicity baby cribs because of design flaws that can lead to the entrapment or suffocation of infants. At least three children have died and seven have been trapped by the drop side of Simplicity cribs, which are manufactured in China.
The Chicago Tribune, which will publish its investigation into the April 2005 death of 9-month-old Liam Johns this weekend, attributes the recall to its reporting on the matter. "More than two years after the child died, following the paper's inquiries, the CPSC sent an investigator earlier this week to finally retrieve the crib and examine its flaws," the Tribune reports today. "Three days later, the agency announced the massive recall."
The CPSC Web site has details on the specific models being recalled.
And in an unrelated story today, public health officials in California are recalling 300,000 canvas lunch boxes, also made in China, which the state has given away for free over the past three years to promote healthy eating habits. At least some of the lunch boxes are believed to contain harmful levels of lead, the California Department of Public Health said Thursday.
The two latest recalls come after a spate of recent scares over the safety of Chinese-made food products and toys have increased public scrutiny of imports from China.
Posted at 3:27 PM
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Blackwater Returns Amid Questions About Private Contractors
UPDATED.
Blackwater USA, the private security contractor involved in a Baghdad shooting incident last weekend, is reportedly going back to work as normal this weekend.
Activity from the company had been suspended after an incident Sunday, during which U.S. and Iraqi officials agree that eight or more Iraqi civilians were killed by Blackwater guards who were trying to protect a diplomatic convoy. But that's where the stories diverge: U.S. officials claim the guards were responding to an attack on the convoy. (An American report is still pending, and officials are refusing to comment until the investigation is complete.)
The Iraqi government, on the other hand, claims the attack was unprovoked. In a new report on the incident, which the New York Times obtained yesterday, Iraq's Ministry of Interior says guards immediately began firing on a car that drove through a signal to stop in Baghdad's Nisour Square.
Continue reading "Blackwater Returns Amid Questions About Private Contractors"
Posted at 2:33 PM
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Do Not Call... Ever
It's dinner time. The phone rings. You get up from the table to answer it, but the person on the other end can't even pronounce your name right. No, it can't be. It's... a telemarketer!
For many Americans, this nightmare ended four years ago, when the Federal Trade Commission began allowing citizens to enter their phone numbers in a national Do Not Call registry. But what many people might not know is that the list is not permanent. Numbers placed on the registry will be dropped from the list after the first five years, meaning the first lucky citizens to make their phones off-limits to telemarketers when the service was launched in June 2003 will have to re-register to keep from fielding annoying calls once again.
Continue reading "Do Not Call... Ever"
Posted at 2:31 PM
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Another Gotcha Moment For Giuliani Camp
First, he didn't know how much a gallon of milk costs. Now, his homeland security adviser is being accused of disparaging Muslim Americans.
On Wednesday, the Politico reported that Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said in an interview, “We have, unfortunately... too many mosques in this country."
King later complained that his remarks were taken out of context. Politico has since posted video of the interview to let readers decide, and it appears that King may be right -- sort of.
Continue reading "Another Gotcha Moment For Giuliani Camp"
Posted at 11:28 AM
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U.S. & Israel Shared Intel On Syrian Nuke Target
North Korea was connected to a suspected nuclear facility in Syria that the Israeli military bombed earlier this month, and the Israeli government alerted President Bush before the strike, according to a story in the Washington Post this morning.
U.S. officials were "deeply troubled" by the idea that the North Koreans were helping a country affiliated with Iran, a potential nuclear threat, the Post continues, but "the White House opted against an immediate response because of concerns it would undermine long-running negotiations aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program."
"Ultimately, however, the United States is believed to have provided Israel with some corroboration of the original intelligence before Israel proceeded with the raid, which hit the Syrian facility in the dead of night to minimize possible casualties," sources told the Post.
Continue reading "U.S. & Israel Shared Intel On Syrian Nuke Target"
Posted at 8:54 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: SCHIP Veto, Delaware Shooting, Belgium Split
Administration. President Bush yesterday reiterated his threat to nix the recently passed legislation on children's health insurance, but there may be enough Senate votes to override a veto.
Congress. Following the House's lead, the Senate last night passed a bill to overhaul the FDA.
Nation. Two students were shot this morning at Delaware State University.
Politics. The Justice Department formally charged Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu yesterday with violating election laws and committing fraud.
World. Rifts in the Belgian government have prompted calls for the country to be partitioned into two separate entities.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:49 AM
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Senate Soundly Rejects Iraq Troop Pullout, Funding Cutoff
Senate Democrats lost a long-shot bid yesterday to end the Iraq war, when the first of two amendments to the FY08 defense authorization bill setting deadlines for troop withdrawal fell far short of the 60 votes necessary for passage.
The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., received support from only 28 senators -- one fewer vote than a similar measure attracted in May.
The language, which appealed to the Senate's most avid anti-war Democrats, would have required the Bush administration to withdraw all but a small number of U.S. troops from Iraq by June 30.
Continue reading " Senate Soundly Rejects Iraq Troop Pullout, Funding Cutoff"
Posted at 8:32 AM
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September 20, 2007
Jena Puts Race Back In The Headlines... For Now
CNN anchors Kyra Phillips and Tony Harris have been waxing poetic about the state of race relations today from Jena, La., where thousands, possibly tens of thousands, have gathered to protest criminal charges brought against seven black teens who jumped a white classmate last year.
This latest national Rodney King moment reminds us of the early days of the Duke lacrosse rape case, which inspired intense soul-searching about the state of race relations in this country that quickly came to a halt once it became clear the accusations were a whole lot of bunk. The New York Times, a primary driver of the race narrative in that story, never revisited the issue in its subsequent reporting (though the ombudsman did) after the charges were dropped and DA Mike Nifong was stripped of all credibility.
The Jena case may have its own dodgy prosecutor. The LaSalle Parish District Attorney, Reed Walters, initiated the national outcry over this case when he charged the seven high school students -- including three minors -- with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit second-degree murder. Given the facts, his effort to lock the teens up until they reach middle age seems both patently foolish and grossly punitive. Walters eventually scaled back the charges to aggravated battery, but the damage was done.
Enter Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
Continue reading "Jena Puts Race Back In The Headlines... For Now"
Posted at 6:30 PM
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Rudy Giuliani: Too Sexy For This Campaign?
Maybe it's the adrenaline rush of being one of the front-runners in the presidential race, or maybe all that "Mayor of the World" talk just went to his head, but at a campaign stop in England today (are the Brits voting on Super Tuesday now, too?), Rudy Giuliani claimed to be "one of the four or five best known Americans in the world."
It was a bold assertion for a man whose appearance at a "posh London hotel" appeared to be eclipsed by the presence of actor Dustin Hoffman, "who was on a separate visit," according to AP.
Despite the throng of fans lining up for a glimpse of Hoffman, "The Graduate" star didn't even make Giuliani's short list. When pressed to provide other examples of the top five famous Americans, the former New York City mayor couldn't get past "Bill Clinton... Hillary..." before being "whisked away for another engagement." That's probably a good thing. If Giuliani were being honest, he'd probably name Oprah Winfrey next, and we all know she's not on his side in the White House race.
Continue reading "Rudy Giuliani: Too Sexy For This Campaign?"
Posted at 4:27 PM
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Bush Riffs On Iran, MoveOn And 'Missing' Rumsfeld
Proving yet again that his lame-duck status is the media's gain, President Bush treated the White House press corps to a freewheeling Q&A session this morning, in which the explainer in chief talked about the threat of war with Iran, that MoveOn ad, the GOP's record on race relations -- and even his feelings.
Before taking questions, though, the president scolded Democrats for failing to promptly renew a federal health insurance program for low-income children. "Unfortunately, instead of working with the administration to enact this funding increase to children's health care, Democrats have passed a bill they know will be vetoed."
Congressional negotiators are working to reconcile the House and Senate bills under threat of veto from Bush for provisions that raise the income ceiling for eligibility.
"One of the [Democratic] leaders said a veto would be a victory," Bush said, visibly irked. He was referring to Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who said this week that a White House veto of final SCHIP legislation might be read as opposition to insuring poor children, which would be a "political victory" for Democrats.
Bush said that he has backed SCHIP since his days as governor of Texas, but that he opposed offering federally funded health care to children from families earning $80,000. The income ceiling is actually not that high in either the Senate or House bills, though some states are permitted to issue waivers to families earning around that much. Democrats want to roll back a policy introduced by the White House last summer that prohibits SCHIP coverage for households earning two and a half times the poverty level, or $51,625 for a family of four. They contend that private insurance is prohibitively expensive for some middle-income households.
The president also said he opposed all new taxes, including the cigarette tax hike that would help fund SCHIP. "There's no need to raise taxes. I believe this is a step toward federalization of health care," Bush said. "Their proposal is beyond the scope of the program."
Continue reading "Bush Riffs On Iran, MoveOn And 'Missing' Rumsfeld"
Posted at 11:23 AM
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Bin Laden Threatens Musharraf In New Tape
UPDATED.
Osama bin Laden, the elusive leader of al-Qaida who has come out of the woodwork in recent weeks, reportedly urges Pakistanis to rebel against their leader, President Pervez Musharraf, in a new recording released today.
Bin Laden's appeal for Musharraf's removal is in response to the killing of a rebel cleric during a government raid on his mosque in Islamabad last July.
The storming of the Red Mosque "demonstrated Musharraf's insistence on continuing his loyalty, submissiveness and aid to America against the Muslims ... and makes armed rebellion against him and removing him obligatory,'' bin Laden said in the message.
Meanwhile, the al-Qaida terrorist organization has also released a new video message "in which bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, boasted that the United States was being defeated in Afghanistan, Iraq and other fronts" and "promised more fighting in Afghanistan, North Africa and Sudan's Darfur region." AP has details of the video.
Continue reading "Bin Laden Threatens Musharraf In New Tape"
Posted at 11:12 AM
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House Approves FDA Overhaul, Senate Expected To Follow
The House yesterday overwhelmingly passed FDA overhaul and user fee legislation that represented a compromise with the Senate, and the Senate was expected to follow suit today.
The bill, approved 405-7, included several compromises to push the legislation through by the end of the week so the FDA could avoid having to send out layoff notices to employees whose salaries would be affected if the user fee programs expired Sept. 30.
See CongressDailyAM (subscription) for the full story.
Posted at 10:21 AM
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Ahmadinejad Denied Ground Zero Visit
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won't get up close to the World Trade Center site when he visits New York City for a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly next week. Aides to the controversial Iranian president had requested that he be allowed to go to the site to lay a wreath in memory of the 2,700 victims of the 9/11 attacks.
White House hopefuls didn't miss the chance to pan the idea. Republican Rudy Giuliani, who was the city's mayor at the time of the attacks, issued a statement calling the idea of a visit "outrageous" and listing Ahmadinejad's connections to Osama bin Laden, insurgents in Iraq and pursuit of nuclear weapons.
At a campaign event in Florida, fellow Republican Mitt Romney expressed a similar sentiment: "Can you imagine the audacity, the shocking nerve, the chutzpah to suggest he would visit Ground Zero, the handiwork of terrorists of the very kind he supports?" New York Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton also called the idea "unacceptable."
But their protests were superfluous: According to city police, the request was denied because no one is allowed that close to the site. Ongoing construction means safety concerns for visitors.
Continue reading "Ahmadinejad Denied Ground Zero Visit"
Posted at 7:55 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Rx Drugs, Johanns' Exit
Congress. The House yesterday passed a bill, nearly unanimously, that would grant the FDA more powers over prescription drugs.
Administration. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns is expected to announce his resignation today so that he can run for the Nebraska Senate seat being vacated by Chuck Hagel (R).
Iraq. The target date for U.S. troops to fully hand over security to the Iraqis has been pushed back again, this time until July at the earliest.
Middle East. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called for an upcoming Mideast conference "to be substantive and advance the cause of a Palestinian state."
World. Amid opposition from China, Taiwan was denied U.N. membership for the 15th time.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 7:51 AM
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September 19, 2007
Webb Amendment Restricting Length Of Deployments Defeated
UPDATED.
A bill sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that would have put strict limits on the duration of troop deployments garnered 56 votes in a voice vote this afternoon, four short of the 60 needed to reach cloture.
The legislation, an amendment to the defense authorization bill, had provided a glimmer of hope for war opponents one day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, citing Republican intransigence, nixed a bipartisan effort to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq.
The legislation would have given troops serving in Iraq at least as much time stateside as they spend on their combat tours. It was defeated in a cloture vote in July but had since resurfaced as the Democrats' last hope of changing course in Iraq -- and ducking the anger of anti-war voters.
Continue reading "Webb Amendment Restricting Length Of Deployments Defeated"
Posted at 6:23 PM
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Rather Sues CBS For $70 Million
More than two years after being forced out as anchor of the "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather remains (to borrow one of his Texas colloquialisms) "madder than a rained-on rooster."
The New York Times is reporting that Rather has filed suit today against his former employers to the tune of $70 million. He claims that the network robbed him of his allotted airtime on "60 Minutes" and made him a "scapegoat" in the controversy surrounding a now-discredited 2004 report on that program which suggested that President Bush shirked his National Guard service.
CBS appointed an independent panel headed by former Attorney General Richard Thornburgh to investigate the news division's conduct in broadcasting the story. Rather insists that the ensuing report was "biased" and was designed to hang him out to dry in order to "pacify the White House," but, the Times notes, "the formal complaint presents virtually no direct evidence to that effect."
Stay tuned. If this suit makes it to court, the trial could be "nasty enough to gag a buzzard."
See the full Thornburgh report here [PDF], and catch up with Rather in his new, lower-profile gig at HDNet.
Posted at 5:40 PM
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Bring Us The Body... Of Case Law
A bloc of 42 Republicans -- and Joe Lieberman -- have rejected a vote on an amendment that would restore habeas corpus rights to terrorism suspects. (See reports on how the vote went down here, here and here.)
The Senate rejection leaves the question of constitutionality to the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to weigh this matter in the coming term anyway. Several of the justices -- quite possibly a majority -- are disturbed that the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 strips terror suspects of the right to appeal their detention.
This most fundamental of rights may only be suspended during invasion or insurrection, per the U.S. Constitution, no matter if the accused is a foreigner or a citizen. The further we get away from the 9/11 attacks -- the very reason for this shadowy system of justice -- the more uncomfortable the justices seem about the entire military detention process. Several have struggled with the squishy boundaries of what the "war on terror" even means. This may explain the court's unprecedented June reversal of its own decision not to hear the petitions of two prisoners challenging their detentions.
Continue reading "Bring Us The Body... Of Case Law"
Posted at 4:11 PM
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Arlen Specter, Bush Administration, Congress, Constitution, Detainees, President Bush, Senate, Supreme Court, Terrorism
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ICYMI: The Carrie Bradshaw Take On HRC
Last month, "The Daily Show" aimed its critical (and hilarious) microscope at one of the most annoying recurrent themes of the 2008 presidential race: the relative "blackness" of Barack Obama. But thanks to Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid for the Democratic nomination, there's another "vexing" question the national media just won't stop asking: Is America ready for a woman president? Last night, Samantha Bee gave this conundrum the Carrie Bradshaw treatment.
Armed with the "Sex and the City" character's signature stock of cigarettes, cosmopolitans and ill-conceived metaphors, Bee sought answers (and shopping advice, natch) from National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy ("Women can do anything that men can do!"), conservative columnist La Shawn Barber ("Women are the weaker sex!") and self-described pick-up artist Mystery ("First impression -- black nails?"). And just for good measure, SATC's Kim Cattrall made a special appearance as the voice of reason.
Bee's "report" on America's readiness for a woman in the Oval Office can be viewed here.
Posted at 2:30 PM
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Car Bomb Kills Anti-Syrian Pol In Beirut
UPDATED.
A car bomb in a Christian suburb of Beirut killed a prominent anti-Syrian lawmaker today, in what is now regarded as an assassination.
Antoine Ghanem, a member of the Christian Phalange party, died in the attack along with several others. BBC News and AP have confirmed at least six deaths in addition to Ghanem, and at least 20 people were wounded by the powerful car bomb. News footage showed several vehicles ripped apart and burning. Damage to nearby buildings extended to the top floors.
Ghanem's death marks the eighth assassination of an anti-Syrian political figure since 2005, and comes six days before a divisive presidential vote in the Parliament, AP reports. The BBC News reports that Ghanem "was a member of the governing 14 March Movement and his death has reduced the bloc's majority in the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies to just two." It is believed that pro-Syrian forces have been picking off political foes in that body to reduce the ruling party's majority.
Continue reading "Car Bomb Kills Anti-Syrian Pol In Beirut"
Posted at 2:12 PM
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Musharraf To Leave Military Regardless Of Election Outcome
A senior member of Pervez Musharraf's ruling party has clarified that the Pakistani leader will be leaving his post as head of the military regardless of whether he is re-elected president this fall. Earlier this week, a lawyer for Musharraf said the president would only relinquish his military role if he won re-election, a statement that was met with swift and harsh protest from Musharraf's political and legal opponents.
"There's no going back for General Musharraf. Irrespective of whatever happens in his elections, he has decided to retire from the military," Mushahid Hussain, secretary-general of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League -- Quaid-e-Azam, said today. "There are no two ways about this.”
The clarification is considered a concession to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, with whom Musharraf has reportedly been working on a power-sharing deal. Today, the Economist parses the uncertainties of that deal amid Pakistan's ongoing political turmoil.
Posted at 11:52 AM
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Report: Johanns To Quit For Senate Run
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will resign and run for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, the Lincoln Journal Star reported today. Johanns, a former governor of that state, will seek the Republican nomination for the seat now held by Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who is retiring at the end of the session. A formal announcement of Johanns' Senate run is expected next week, the newspaper reported, citing a source close to Johanns.
Less than two weeks after Hagel announced his decision to retire, the GOP race for his seat is already getting crowded. Former Omaha Mayor and U.S. Rep. Hal Daub, state Attorney General Jon Bruning and businessman Pat Flynn have also thrown their hats in the ring.
See this afternoon's CongressDailyPM (subscription) for more details on Johanns' plans.
-CongressDaily
Posted at 11:35 AM
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Negotiators Reach Deal On SCHIP Bill
Negotiators are putting the finishing touches on children's healthcare legislation, with lawmakers agreeing to a slightly modified version of the Senate's more modest State Children's Health Insurance Program bill.
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., predicted Tuesday that the Senate would be required to take a second vote on its package because of changes that the House will make when it votes on an SCHIP reauthorization next week.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., who helped write the Senate package, said Senate negotiators have agreed to "a couple of minor" changes to the Senate bill sought by House members, "but nothing that gets away from the basic principles."
Senate negotiators have rejected House requests to cover young adults up to 21 years old and legal immigrants, Rockefeller said.
Continue reading "Negotiators Reach Deal On SCHIP Bill"
Posted at 10:17 AM
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State Dept. Watchdog Becomes Focus Of Contracting Probe
Rep. Henry Waxman is sounding the alarm about another Bush administration official: the inspector general at the State Department, Howard Krongard, who Waxman contends interfered with investigations into contract fraud in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In a letter yesterday, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee accused Krongard of failing to look into allegations of fraud and abuse in an attempt to avoid embarrassing the administration.
"One consistent element in these allegations is that you believe your foremost mission is to support the Bush Administration, especially with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than act as an independent and objective check on waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of U.S. taxpayers," the letter reads. "Your strong affinity with State Department leadership and your partisan political ties have led you to halt investigations, censor reports and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies."
In a written statement, Krongard stated that he hadn't read the letter, but that media reports suggested it was "replete with inaccuracies including those made by persons with their own agendas."
Continue reading "State Dept. Watchdog Becomes Focus Of Contracting Probe"
Posted at 9:02 AM
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Bush Administration, Congress, House
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Earlybird Roundup: Iraq Plan, Wiretapping, Blackwater
Congress. Democrats announced yesterday that they'd forgo their efforts to pull troops out of Iraq by next spring and focus instead on a June 2008 withdrawal with a hard deadline.
Administration. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell told a House committee yesterday that the NSA hasn't wiretapped Americans' phones without court-issued warrants since at least February.
Iraq. An Iraqi government report claims that Blackwater USA security guards and helicopters were not ambushed, as the company reported, but instead fired at a car after its driver failed to stop. The Ministry of Defense says 20 Iraqis were killed.
Economy. The dollar hit a record low against the euro yesterday after the Fed's interest-rate cut.
World. Police arrested the top living leader of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia today.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:58 AM
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D.C. Voting Rights Bill Defeated
UPDATED.
A death knell sounded for the D.C. voting rights bill yesterday in the Senate, when the cloture motion that would have moved the bill forward failed to pass by three votes.
The bill is unlikely to come up for a vote again this year or next year. Yesterday marked the first time that D.C. voting rights had been considered by the full Senate since 1978, when a constitutional amendment was passed only to be defeated seven years later when just 16 states approved its ratification.
Another shot at an amendment may be the next step for voting rights advocates. Virginia Sen. John Warner, who voted against yesterday's measure, said he did so because he is drafting a new amendment that would overcome objections from the current legislation's detractors -- including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the White House -- who claim D.C. residents aren't entitled to vote because the Constitution specifies that "People of the several States" should elect House members, and the District is not technically a state.
Continue reading "D.C. Voting Rights Bill Defeated"
Posted at 7:30 AM
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September 18, 2007
In Case You Missed It...
... we're going to war with Iran. France is on board, too. (With us, not Iran.)
What?
The surreality of global relations this week is enough to make us wonder if we're trapped inside one of John Bolton's fevered dreams. Let's untangle this web of crazy carefully, lest all our heads collectively explode.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is now seeking to assure allies that his country will "negotiate, negotiate, negotiate" before resorting to the option of war with Iran. On Sunday, the socialist ignited a firestorm when he told an interviewer, "We must prepare for the worst," adding, "The worst, sir, is war."
Kouchner said that France was "preparing" itself for the prospect of war in the event efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear program were unsuccessful.
En route to a meeting with his counterpart in Moscow today, Kouchner sought to dial back his earlier remarks. "I do not want it said that I'm a warmonger. My message was one of peace, serious and determined," he told traveling reporters. Later, he blamed the media for running wild with what he'd said on Sunday. "As usual with journalists, they take one phrase and you don't know what came after," he said on a Russian radio talk show.
That's fair. Then again, maybe France picked a really bad time to propose Germany dump its historical baggage and dive into the nukes business.
Continue reading "In Case You Missed It..."
Posted at 6:30 PM
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Asia, Bush Administration, China, Europe, France, Germany, Iran, Middle East, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Syria, Terrorism, U.K., U.N.
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Craig Returns To The Capitol
Sen. Larry Craig is back on the job today for the first time since news of his bathroom sex sting broke, leading to a back-and-forth struggle over whether he will retire next year. For now, Craig is attempting to withdraw his guilty plea to disorderly conduct charges in a Minnesota court. He's already resigned from his committee posts, and says he will stick to his original plan to retire on Sept. 30.
Late-night talk show hosts and political pundits are having fun [fast-forward to 1:48] at the Idaho Republican's expense. But, today Craig reminded reporters that "I'm a serving United States senator from Idaho" who is back to do his job.
Following news of Craig's guilty plea, his GOP colleagues quickly distanced themselves from the accused philanderer. Today, most ducked questions about the prodigal senator, although one, John Thune, remarked that Craig was showing "moxie." Craig attended the GOP lunch today, putting to bed earlier reports indicating he might be shut out.
Continue reading "Craig Returns To The Capitol"
Posted at 4:11 PM
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Congress, Crime, Larry Craig, Senate
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Petraeus & Crocker Take Report To U.K.
After a grueling week of testimony, interviews and close public scrutiny in their home country, the top U.S. military and diplomatic officials in Iraq flew to the United Kingdom to face an even tougher crowd.
Even though Britain's contribution in manpower and money to the war in Iraq has been far less than America's, resentment over the war and its costs arguably runs deeper across the pond. Tensions have grown worse since the departure of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, a staunch supporter of President Bush's foreign policies, and the pullout of nearly all British troops from Basra, their last stronghold in Iraq.
But in talks with new Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, U.S. Gen. David Petraeus had nothing but praise for the British armed services and their dedication to the fight in Iraq.
Continue reading "Petraeus & Crocker Take Report To U.K."
Posted at 2:15 PM
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David Petraeus, Europe, Gordon Brown, Iraq, Military, U.K.
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Bye-Bye, TimesSelect
We did it!
OK, maybe not. Nonetheless, there will be much cheering come midnight tonight when the New York Times finally scraps its unpopular experiment with paid content, TimesSelect. Readers and columnists alike balked when the company announced two years ago that non-subscribers would be charged $49.95 a year for access to the online columns of Tom Friedman, David Brooks and Maureen Dowd et al. As widely predicted, online readers used to consuming the Times for free did not jump at the chance to cough up bucks for the opinion columns.
According to New York Times Co., the decision to make its columnists available to all was a response to the changing online content environment. The Web site receives more indirect readers than readers who go directly to NYTimes.com, and the company saw "opportunities for more page views and increased advertising revenue."
Soon before TimesSelect went up, Slate's Timothy Noah conducted an online survey of how much readers would pay for the Times' columnists. Let's just say some were more popular than others.
PaidContent.org has a writeup of the Times Co.'s decision. There is much rejoicing in the blogosphere. Henry Blodget thinks the decision is financially savvy, but Recovering Journalist has mixed feelings.
Posted at 10:57 AM
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Economy, Media, New York Times Co.
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Musharraf To Scrap Army Title If Re-Elected
UPDATED.
A lawyer for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told that country's Supreme Court yesterday that the military leader will leave his post as army chief if he is re-elected president when his current term expires this fall. The move could pave the way for a power-sharing agreement with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, whose Pakistan People's Party has stipulated that Musharraf step down from his military role as part of the deal.
But the announcement from Musharraf's lawyer, Sharfuddin Pirzada, has already drawn sharp criticism from Musharraf's opposition in Parliament. Bhutto "called the proposal unconstitutional and undemocratic, and threatened a mass resignation of its MPs unless the government took more steps towards national reconciliation," the London Guardian reports.
The opposition party's negative reaction to Musharraf's apparent concession stems from its belief that he should wait to seek re-election by Parliament after next year's legislative elections. Opponents are still contesting the 2002 elections that yielded the current crop of lawmakers that will be tasked with re-electing Musharraf if he seeks a vote next month.
Continue reading "Musharraf To Scrap Army Title If Re-Elected"
Posted at 10:27 AM
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Asia, Pakistan
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McConnell Moves To Block D.C. Vote Bill
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell set himself firmly in the path of the D.C. Voting Rights Act yesterday, calling the measure unconstitutional and paving the way for a long battle ahead. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scheduled a cloture motion for the bill, which would grant the District of Columbia a full voting member of the House, for this afternoon.
On the Senate floor yesterday, McConnell said that "every resident of a state... is entitled under the Constitution to congressional representation. Yet no similar representation is accorded to the residents of areas that are not so designated," CongressDailyAM (subscription) reports.
The cloture measure needs 60 votes to pass. A Washington Post editorial tallied up the numbers yesterday, coming up with definite yeas from five Republican senators as well as all 51 Democrats and independents. High-profile Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine are among the Republicans supporting the measure, but McConnell's hard-line stance against the bill could dissuade other members of the GOP from joining them.
Continue reading "McConnell Moves To Block D.C. Vote Bill"
Posted at 9:43 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Mukasey Hearings, SCHIP Progress, Middle East
Administration. Senate Democrats threatened to hold up the confirmation of attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey until the Bush administration hands over documents requested by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Congress. Negotiators in the House and Senate neared a deal last night to expand the children's health insurance program by $35 billion.
Terrorism. The trial of the charity group Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, charged with being an arm of Hamas and aiding terrorists, is nearing its conclusion.
World. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Jerusalem tomorrow, hoping to encourage talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Nation. In the spring, Pope Benedict will take his first trip to the U.S. to visit New York and other cities on the East Coast.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:20 AM
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September 17, 2007
Blackwater Incident Highlights U.S. Dependence On Contractors
One question immediately comes to mind following the Iraqi government's decision to give U.S. contractor Blackwater USA the boot: Can they do that?
Iraq's government is pretty much sovereign in name only, despite what anyone says, because of its existential dependency on the United States. The U.S. relies heavily on contractors like the North Carolina-based Blackwater, which provides security for American diplomats there, including Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
If the U.S. wants those services continued, the trick will be to dissuade the Iraqis from revoking Blackwater's contract without appearing to have bullied them into a reversal.
Continue reading "Blackwater Incident Highlights U.S. Dependence On Contractors"
Posted at 5:04 PM
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Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, David Petraeus, Iraq, Middle East, Military
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Alan Keyes Takes GOP Field Up To 11
Meet the newest GOP candidate for president! No, not Fred Thompson (he's old news now, silly). Newt Gingrich, you ask? Not yet -- he's still just thinking about it. No, we're talking about former State Department official and frequent candidate Alan Keyes.
Whether out of dissatisfaction with the field thus far or the hankering for a rematch with Barack Obama, Keyes made his bid official last Friday when he filed an official statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.
"The more I thought about it and prayed over it, the more it seemed to me that the one thing I've always been called to do is just raise the standard -- not to worry about anything else, but to make sure that, clearly articulated, there is the sense of this national standard of our allegiance to God and His authority that has been the foundation stone of our nation's life," Keyes told talk-radio host Janet Parshall in explaining his decision to run.
Continue reading "Alan Keyes Takes GOP Field Up To 11"
Posted at 3:04 PM
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Alan Keyes, Campaigns, Republicans, WH 2008
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Bush Nominates Mukasey For Attorney General, Still Sore Over Gonzales
UPDATED.
As expected, President Bush formally announced his nomination of retired federal judge Michael Mukasey to take the helm at the Department of Justice -- but not without an indirect jab at his critics over the resignation of the previous attorney general, Alberto Gonzales.
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn this morning, Bush said, "When [Mukasey] takes his place at the Justice Department, he will succeed another fine judge." Recalling Gonzales' resume as a Texas Supreme Court judge, White House counsel and AG, Bush continued, "This honorable and decent man has served with distinction."
If that was a message to Gonzales' many critics in the Beltway, the president then narrowed his remarks to critics on Capitol Hill. "The attorney general takes on an important responsibility for the country. It is vital that the position be confirmed quickly. I urge the Senate to confirm Judge Mukasey promptly," he said.
Continue reading "Bush Nominates Mukasey For Attorney General, Still Sore Over Gonzales"
Posted at 12:48 PM
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Alberto Gonzales, Arlen Specter, Attorney Scandal, Bush Administration, Congress, President Bush, Senate, Terrorism
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Earlybird Roundup: Iran, Interest Rates, Children's Insurance
Iran. The London Telegraph reports that "senior American intelligence and defence officials believe that" President Bush "and his inner circle are taking steps to place America on the path to war with Iran."
Washington. In a new memoir, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan asserts that the Iraq war is "largely about oil." He clarified that statement in an interview with the Washington Post's Bob Woodward published today.
Economy. The Federal Reserve Board seems ready to cut interest rates for the first time in more than four years.
Congress. A bill on children's health insurance looks likely to pass the House and Senate but faces a veto threat from the White House.
Iraq. Defense Secretary Robert Gates predicted yesterday that the U.S. would remain engaged in Iraq for a "protracted period" of time.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:04 AM
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Iran Fumes Over France's Nuke Warning
Iran is set to be the focus of discussions at both a Moscow meeting and the annual IAEA summit today, but a flare-up from French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner already has Iran on the defensive.
Kouchner commented that if Tehran possessed a nuclear weapon, it would pose a "real danger for the whole world," and the EU should prepare sanctions aimed at Iran's nuclear program even if the U.N. isn't ready to do so. Sanctions against Iran will be discussed among the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council in talks set for Friday.
Iran's official media responded angrily to Kouchner's comments, accusing the French government of wanting to "copy the White House" and French President Nicolas Sarkozy of taking on "an American skin."
Agence France-Presse has more on today's story, and The Gate has recent coverage of the international community's evolving attitudes toward sanctions against Iran.
Posted at 8:18 AM
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Europe, France, Iran, Middle East
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September 14, 2007
Bush's Iraq: The Future Is Now
The closest most Americans get to a frontline view of the war are the accounts of journalists on the ground. Increasingly, reporters are having trouble keeping their anger and frustration over the state of affairs in Iraq below the surface.
Last night, CNN's Michael Ware could not contain his disbelief after President Bush's address to the nation on the war.
"My first impression is -- wow," Ware responded after host Anderson Cooper asked for reaction to the speech. "It's one thing to return to the status quo, to the situation we had nine months ago with 130,000 U.S. troops stuck here for the foreseeable future. It's another thing to perpetuate the myth" of a stabilized Iraq.
The Aussie native proceeded to swiftly rebut some claims the president made during his prime-time address. "Let me go down this list of what the president said. That 'if America were to be driven out of Iraq, extremists of all strains would be emboldened.' They are now. 'Al-Qaida could gain new recruits and new sanctuaries.' They have that now. 'Iran would benefit from the chaos and be encouraged in its efforts to gain nuclear weapons and dominate the region.' It is now. 'Iraq could face a humanitarian nightmare.' It does now. And that 'we would leave our children to face a far more dangerous world.' That's happening now. That's 'wow.'" (Here's the YouTube video.)
Ware, for you cable news haters, was Time magazine's Baghdad bureau chief before joining CNN in June 2006, smack-dab in the middle of the raging insurgency that nearly engulfed the entire country.
Continue reading "Bush's Iraq: The Future Is Now"
Posted at 6:19 PM
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David Petraeus, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Terrorism
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Shaheen Announces Bid For Rematch With Sununu In N.H.
Former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen announced today she will run for the seat held by Republican Sen. John Sununu next year, giving Senate Democrats their second high-profile candidate in as many days.
Effective today, Shaheen said she is resigning as director of Harvard University's Institute of Politics. "I've stepped down from my position at the Kennedy School of Government because we have major problems facing this country, and there is an urgent need for real change in Washington," Shaheen said in a statement. "We've proven in New Hampshire that we can work together to get things done. I want to take that common-sense approach to Washington and help get this country moving in the right direction."
Her husband Bill Shaheen told CongressDaily that the former governor will make a formal announcement at their home in Madbury, N.H., Sunday afternoon. He said the campaign would focus on such issues as the Iraq war, stem cell research and health care.
Continue reading "Shaheen Announces Bid For Rematch With Sununu In N.H."
Posted at 5:25 PM
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Gonzales Makes Quiet Exit
Democrats (and some Republicans) have been calling for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' departure from the Justice Department for the last nine months. Today, they finally got their wish. Gonzales appeared before his colleagues one last time this afternoon before taking leave of an agency which he has been accused of steering seriously off-course.
Many in Washington were convinced that Gonzales would attempt to serve out his term, despite the repeated calls for his head. However, the AG surprised political insiders and those at his department with a resignation announcement in late August. According to the Washington Post, those close to Gonzales say that it seems as though a weight has been lifted from his shoulders since he decided to step down.
Continue reading "Gonzales Makes Quiet Exit"
Posted at 3:55 PM
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Alberto Gonzales, Bush Administration
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WH: Iraq Meeting Half Its Benchmarks Of Progress
Last night, President Bush told the American people that the surge is working and that, as a result, "Iraq's national leaders are getting some things done." The White House followed up that assessment with a report [PDF] today showing that Iraqi leaders have made "satisfactory progress" toward achieving nine out of 18 benchmarks of progress established by Congress -- that's one more benchmark than they had met as of July [PDF], according to the White House.
Despite Bush's words of praise for Iraq's security forces and political leaders in his address last night, the report indicates their work is, at best, only halfway done. "The government has not met its own legislative benchmarks," Bush acknowledged last night, "and in my meetings with Iraqi leaders, I have made it clear that they must."
Continue reading "WH: Iraq Meeting Half Its Benchmarks Of Progress"
Posted at 3:12 PM
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Gingrich Still Weighing '08 Bid
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich still refuses to rule out a run for the White House in 2008. In the meantime, he seems content to size up the existing candidates.
In an interview with National Journal's Linda Douglass, Gingrich says none of the Republican contenders have "begun to define a fundamentally different future." That's a problem: The odds of a Democratic victory are 80-20, he says, though he's careful to point out that circumstances could change dramatically between now and the first primaries.
For more of Gingrich's thoughts on the 2008 candidates and what his political future holds, see Douglass' interview, free to non-subscribers.
Posted at 2:35 PM
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Newt Gingrich, WH 2008
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Report: Germany Wavers, U.S. Revives Iran Planning
About a month ago, we wondered why White House officials were leaking word that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps was to be designated a terrorist organization. Looks like we may have an answer.
Reuters reports that the leak may have been a hawkish attempt to goad the State Department into taking a tougher line on Tehran. The White House alleges Iran is arming and funding Shiite insurgents in Iraq, compounding existing frustration over Iran's nuclear ambitions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has mostly laughed off U.N. economic sanctions aimed at his uranium enrichment program.
Now, there are indications the sanctions process may have hit a roadblock.
Continue reading "Report: Germany Wavers, U.S. Revives Iran Planning"
Posted at 11:41 AM
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Asia, Bush Administration, China, EU, Europe, France, Germany, IAEA, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, President Bush, Russia, Terrorism, U.N.
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Earlybird Roundup: Benchmark Report, Gonzales' Last Day, Darfur Cease-Fire
Iraq. A new White House report set to be released today will reportedly show "slim progress" on key political and security benchmarks.
Administration. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales officially leaves his post at the Department of Justice today. He will deliver a departing speech at 3 p.m. EDT.
Nation. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) told President Bush this week that he would ignore the federal rules governing the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Darfur. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir signaled he was ready to embrace a cease-fire ahead of peace talks to be held next month in Libya.
Russia. Legislators have confirmed President Vladimir Putin's appointment of Viktor Zubkov to be the new prime minister.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:03 AM
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Bush: Aiming For 'Return On Success' In Iraq
As expected, President Bush faced the nation in a televised address last night and announced he was endorsing the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, for a gradual reduction of U.S. forces there during the first half of next year.
"The principle guiding my decisions on troop levels in Iraq is 'return on success.' The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home," Bush said. "And in all we do, I will ensure that our commanders on the ground have the troops and flexibility they need to defeat the enemy." The V-word ("victory") was notably missing from his speech.
Continue reading "Bush: Aiming For 'Return On Success' In Iraq"
Posted at 7:24 AM
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Bush Administration, Congress, David Petraeus, Iraq, Military, President Bush
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September 13, 2007
McConnell Revises Statement On Anti-Terror Law
Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell is backtracking from comments he made earlier this week about the role a new surveillance law played in the unraveling of an alleged terrorist plot in Germany last week.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Monday, McConnell told senators that a new law granting the federal government the authority to eavesdrop on terrorism suspects helped lead to the arrests of three men in Germany last week who were allegedly plotting to bomb U.S. interests in that country.
McConnell made the claim in response to a question from Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman (I/D). But almost immediately after he did, other government officials and intelligence experts began questioning its veracity. McConnell reportedly called Lieberman to withdraw his claim on Tuesday, and yesterday he clarified his position in a statement [PDF].
Continue reading "McConnell Revises Statement On Anti-Terror Law"
Posted at 4:00 PM
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Mike McConnell, Terrorism
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Sunni Leader And U.S. Ally Killed In Iraq
A key Sunni leader who cooperated with the U.S. was killed by insurgents in Iraq today. AP reports that Sheik Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha and two of his personal bodyguards died when a roadside bomb exploded near his home in Ramadi, capital of Iraq's Anbar province.
Abu Risha was the leader of the Anbar Salvation Council, also called the "Anbar Awakening," an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that have joined with American forces and the Iraqi government in an effort to reclaim the overwhelmingly Sunni province from al-Qaida in Iraq. The group has helped restore peace and order to Anbar, once considered by the U.S. to be firmly in the hands of the insurgency.
The group has been heralded by supporters of the war as an example of success in Iraq and a role model for the rest of the country. Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, testifying this week before Congress, frequently cited Anbar as evidence of a new bottom-up reconciliation process that they hope will spread to other provinces.
Continue reading "Sunni Leader And U.S. Ally Killed In Iraq"
Posted at 1:27 PM
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Bush Administration, Iraq, Middle East, Military, President Bush, Terrorism
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The NRSC's Quickie Reaction To Warner
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is already up with the by-now perfunctory oppo Web site and YouTube video in a hurry-up bid to portray former Gov. Mark Warner, D-Va., as a promise-breaking tax lover. Republicans are deeply worried about the seat that is being vacated by Senate lion John Warner, who will retire after five terms.
A Democrat winning Warner's seat would confirm Virginia's conversion from reliably red to purplish blue. That's not the least of the NRSC's troubles, though. The 2008 Senate race is bound to revive memories of the embarrassing flameout of Republican George Allen in 2006. The one-time presidential contender was undone by what we now consider the entrée of the YouTube Moment in electoral politics.
Allen's seat is now occupied by Democrat Jim Webb. Warner is highly popular in his state, and was himself considered White House material once upon a time. The NRSC has been anticipating his announcement for some time, and a committee spokesman confirmed that the oppo Web site had been built and ready to go before Warner's campaign announcement earlier today. Expect to see both parties pour cash upon cash into this race.
(Image from www.dontmarkwarner.com)
Posted at 11:03 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Dems Shift Iraq Strategy; More Quakes Hit Indonesia
Congress. Democratic leaders are shifting their strategy to the center in an effort to have a larger say in Iraq war policy.
Administration. Ahead of President Bush's address on Iraq policy tonight, the administration is issuing new warnings about the threat posed by Iran.
Iraq. Efforts to reach an agreement on how to share oil revenues among Iraq's disparate political groups appear to be failing.
World. A fourth earthquake hit Indonesia today but did not spark new tsunami warnings.
Nation. Governors are lobbying for more federal action to help curb global warming.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:58 AM
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Mark Warner To Announce Senate Run
Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, will announce today that he will run for the Senate in 2008, a source close to the decision planning said yesterday. The source said Warner will declare his candidacy by circulating an e-mail and posting the announcement on the Internet.
Warner, a popular centrist, gives Democrats a top-tier candidate for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. John Warner. Mark Warner, who is not related to the incumbent, opted not to run for president in 2008 and unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Warner in 1996. He had also been weighing another run for governor in 2009.
Rep. Tom Davis and former Gov. Jim Gilmore are the leading Republican contenders for the seat, but are not expected to declare their intentions until after Virginia's state and local elections in November.
See CongressDaily (subscription) for more details on Warner and two other top Democrats planning possible 2008 Senate bids.
-CongressDaily
Posted at 8:10 AM
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September 12, 2007
Not An Open-Ended Commitment. Just Really Bloody Long.
President Bush is expected to confirm tomorrow night that he will follow Gen. David Petraeus' and Ambassador Ryan Crocker's recommendations for the Iraq war. Get ready for a long, hard slog through this political season.
The dominant feeling on the Hill today is that after an agonizingly long five months of waiting for the Petraeus-Crocker report to arrive, nothing has changed with regard to a way out of Iraq. The "surge" strategy is working, lawmakers were told, but only in part. The missing link is national political reconciliation, and we still don't know how to get there. In summary: Give us more time.
Not good enough, appears to be the conclusion of most Democrats and even some Republicans. Their objection is twofold.
Continue reading "Not An Open-Ended Commitment. Just Really Bloody Long."
Posted at 7:53 PM
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Bush Administration, Congress, Constitution, David Petraeus, Iraq, Middle East, Military, President Bush
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Gonzales May Be Out, But Has The Battle Just Begun?
UPDATED.
Remember Alberto Gonzales?
The attorney general hasn't left office yet, but ever since he handed in his resignation to President Bush, the furor over his handling of the attorney-firings scandal and a National Security Agency surveillance program has largely subsided, thanks to more recent news from Larry Craig and David Petraeus.
That doesn't mean congressional Democrats are going to drop their beefs with the Justice Department. On the contrary, Roll Call reported (subscription) earlier this week that "even if Bush nominates an otherwise noncontroversial attorney general," sources from both sides of the aisle "don't expect a speedy confirmation." The Democratic leadership is expected to press the administration for more information regarding ongoing DOJ investigations before considering Bush's nominee.
Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected out of hand one of the White House's rumored top choices to replace Gonzales, former Solicitor General Ted Olson. "I intend to do everything I can to prevent him from being confirmed as the next attorney general," Reid said in a statement. "Clearly if you made a list of consensus nominees, Olson wouldn’t appear on that list," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., told the New York Times yesterday.
Continue reading "Gonzales May Be Out, But Has The Battle Just Begun?"
Posted at 5:33 PM
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Alberto Gonzales, Attorney Scandal, Bush Administration, Charles Schumer, Congress, President Bush, Senate
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Vitter's Dirty Laundry Airs... Again
Maybe it was his appearance during yesterday's high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill, but all of the sudden Sen. David Vitter's personal woes are back in the spotlight after his initial implication in the D.C. Madam scandal all but faded from the collective Beltway memory.
Hustler publisher Larry Flynt called a press conference yesterday to once again accuse the Louisiana Republican of paying for sex with a New Orleans prostitute in 1999. The former call girl at the center of those allegations, Wendy Ellis, appeared with Flynt at yesterday's briefing.
At the time of their alleged trysts, Ellis went by the name "Leah." She told reporters that Vitter ended their business arrangement when she proposed taking the relationship to a more personal level. "I said, 'My real name is Wendy,' and he said, 'Oh my God.' That was the last time I saw him through the escort service." Vitter's wife's name is also Wendy.
Continue reading "Vitter's Dirty Laundry Airs... Again"
Posted at 2:45 PM
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Tony Snow Holds Final WH Press Briefing
White House press secretary Tony Snow gave his final televised press briefing today.
Snow, 52, has enjoyed a warmer relationship with the press corps than either of his predecessors, Scott McClellan or Ari Fleischer. As a former journalist, he's displayed an understanding of the needs of the press, and the consensus in the White House press corps is that he's just a very likable guy.
"I love these briefings and I'm really going to miss them," Snow told the room as he opened the 12:30 session. Snow, who is battling a second round of cancer, added, "Life will continue, including for me."
Snow's departure is not unusual for an administration official at this juncture in a president's second term. The former "FOX News Sunday" host also hinted earlier that he would have to remedy the steep pay cut that came with his job, presumably because of his three young children.
Continue reading "Tony Snow Holds Final WH Press Briefing"
Posted at 1:38 PM
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A U.S. Mission Shift In Iraq?
In his testimony before House and Senate panels this week, Army Gen. David Petraeus urged a deliberative approach for shifting security responsibilities to the nascent Iraqi army, but it is not clear he will have the last word on timing.
Some top military and civilian officials are privately advocating that the Iraqis be given greater control over the primary U.S. mission in Iraq -- securing the population from insurgent and sectarian attacks -- on a faster timetable than Petraeus appears ready to embrace, reports Elaine M. Grossman of Global Security Newswire.
Grossman's article on a potential U.S. mission change in Iraq is available at NationalJournal.com for free. And in today's Poll Track (subscription), a new survey reveals Americans are resistant to a rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Photo: Liz Lynch
Posted at 12:58 PM
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Putin's Pick Sparks Guessing Game
Russia analysts are scratching their heads over President Vladimir Putin's unexpected appointment of Viktor Zubkov as prime minister. The office of the prime minister may as well be symbolic for what little power it holds, yet Zubkov is a close friend of Putin's.
There's speculation that Zubkov's elevation from head of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, which eyes money-laundering in the banking system, signals he is viewed as a possible successor. But that's an odd choice for Putin, as Zubkov is not very well-known and has no ties to the KGB (from which Putin hails) or other security-related services.
Putin named Zubkov as his pick almost immediately after the current PM, Mikhail Fradkov, resigned, thus triggering dissolution of the government. "Fradkov said he was resigning to give Mr Putin 'full freedom of decision including staff decisions'; most observers reckon that the president had that already," the Economist notes.
Continue reading "Putin's Pick Sparks Guessing Game"
Posted at 10:42 AM
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Abe Steps Down As Japanese PM
After only a year in office, Shinzo Abe abruptly announced his resignation as Japan's prime minister yesterday.
"Senior officials said health was a factor in the decision but Abe said a new prime minister would be better placed to resolve a deadlock over extending a controversial mission to support U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan," Reuters reports.
At 52, Abe was the youngest prime minister in Japan's recent history-- and the first one born after World War II. His year in office was beset by political scandals and turmoil; his party is set to choose a new prime minister next week.
The Wall Street Journal has a timeline of Abe's year in office, and the Economist and the Japan Times have more on the story.
(Photo: Josie Duckett/State Department)
Posted at 10:31 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Indonesian Earthquake, AG Pick, Disaster Plan
World. A strong earthquake measuring 7.9 hit southern Indonesia today, triggering a small tsunami. A tsunami watch has been issued for all Indian Ocean areas.
Administration. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., discouraged the Bush administration from choosing its rumored front-runner to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general: former Solicitor General Ted Olson.
Washington. State and local officials slammed a new disaster-response plan put forth by the Bush administration yesterday, saying it wasn't detailed enough and didn't offer a clear chain of command.
Congress. The Senate passed a measure last night that would ban Mexican trucks from U.S. highways.
Iraq. A cholera epidemic has infected up to 7,000 people in northern Iraq and is threatening to spread to Baghdad within weeks.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:03 AM
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Bush To Back Drawdown Plan
AP reported late yesterday that President Bush planned to endorse Gen. David Petraeus' recommendation of a gradual withdrawal of up to 30,000 troops during the first half of next year. The plan would bring U.S. troop levels down to pre-surge levels by summer 2008.
Bush's enactment of the plan would be contingent upon events on the ground, specifically the continued success of the surge as reported by Petraeus in his testimony before Congress this week. The president plans to announce his intentions in a 15-minute televised address at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday. The White House will also present a written status report on the surge on Friday.
This morning, the Washington Post reports that Bush's support of Petraeus' recommendation is already drawing fire from congressional Democrats and some Republicans who are seeking a more rapid withdrawal from Iraq.
Posted at 8:01 AM
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September 11, 2007
Liveblogging The Other Senate Iraq Report Hearing
[Senate Foreign Relations hearing] [Joint House hearing]
End note. March is the new September. Petraeus has made it crystal clear he's not discussing an ultimate drawdown until that month next year. Reid and Pelosi have promised a super-charged challenge to Bush, which he is expected to ignore or squash. For now, it doesn't look like we'll get the GOP insurrection Democrats have been praying for, and we'll know for sure soon enough. Check back tomorrow for reaction from the White House and Hill. Good night.
7:33. Crocker on the spending: "It's something we have to do, because we don't have enough people in the State Department, and they [private contractors] do it very well."
7:28. The former auditor says the amount of U.S. money spent in one month in Iraq could buy health insurance for 800,000 American children. Expect to see more of that stat this election cycle.
7:22. McCaskill also wants to send Tony Soprano to Baghdad. Crocker responds, "We can facilitate. We can pressure to some degree. Ultimately, national reconciliation has to be an Iraqi process." He continues with words that both hurt and help him: "This is a long, slow, hard grind, that could become easier" in the improved security environment.
7:19. Oh thank God. McCaskill's back.
7:17. Oh golly. Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, who hasn't gotten to ask questions yet, and Chairman Levin are both away for a vote. The committee is going to wait for them, and in the meantime Warner is asking follow-up questions. This really is starting to get torturous.
7:07. A parachute for fence-sitters, courtesy of Crocker. Frustrated Republicans, including Tennessee's Bob Corker it seems, want to know why U.S. officials don't simply strong-arm Iraqi politicians, Tony Soprano-style. Crocker's testimony indicates he doesn't buy into this approach, which possibly hands certain Republicans looking for a credible way to break with the administration a means to do so.
Continue reading "Liveblogging The Other Senate Iraq Report Hearing"
Posted at 7:50 PM
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Bush Administration, Campaigns, Congress, David Petraeus, Democrats, Donald Rumsfeld, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Iran, Iraq, John McCain, Middle East, Military, President Bush, Republicans, Senate, WH 2008
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Senate Lunch Chatter: Stances On Iraq Harden
On the anniversary of 9/11, the talk in the halls outside the Senate weekly caucus lunches centered on the future of the war in Iraq. Sandwiched between hearings before the Foreign Relations Committee and Armed Services Committee in which Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker asked for more time for U.S. forces in Iraq, the lunch chatter revealed a general hardening of positions on each side of the aisle.
Democrats stuck to their calls for a timeline for withdrawal, albeit one that could have a goal rather than a deadline for the drawdown of troops to a much lower level for limited purposes. Republicans said they were inclined to stick with Petraeus' plans. A few senators, such as Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, talked up possible bipartisan compromises, but Gordon Smith, R-Ore., said a road to a bipartisan agreement looked rocky.
Continue reading "Senate Lunch Chatter: Stances On Iraq Harden"
Posted at 2:20 PM
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9/11 Victims Remembered At Events Around The Country
The Gate reported yesterday on the relative lack of commemorative spirit on this sixth anniversary of 9/11. However, the events of that day continue to evoke powerful memories for many Americans, particularly those directly affected by the attacks in New York and Washington and Pennsylvania. Events were held in each of those states this morning to commemorate those who lost their lives six years ago.
New York City. Events here differed from the previous five anniversaries. Due to construction at Ground Zero, the official memorial service was held in nearby Zuccotti Park. Bells tolled at the moments when the two World Trade Center towers were struck and collapsed. Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered remarks before a crowd of emergency workers who were at Ground Zero on the day of the attacks and read out the names of the 2,750 people who perished there.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been criticized by some for attending the event this year while running for the GOP nomination for president, but he has been in New York on all six anniversaries and his remarks today were brief and non-controversial. Democratic presidential candidate and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was also in attendance.
Continue reading "9/11 Victims Remembered At Events Around The Country"
Posted at 2:15 PM
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The Petraeus Report: How's It Playing In Baghdad?
In the coming days and weeks, Washington (and Iowa and New Hampshire) will no doubt be abuzz with reactions to the Iraq status report being delivered by Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Capitol Hill this week. But American politicians and policy wonks aren't the only ones hanging on the officials' every word. Iraqis, too, are watching.
Following yesterday's testimony in the House, AP and Agence France Presse informally surveyed some Iraqis for their reactions.
The results ranged from the hopeful ("The government will improve when the Americans stays to monitor the political and military process in order for Iraq to reach peaceful shores") to the disappointed ("I don't think this will change anything in our country because the Americans will never leave Iraq") to the downright snarky ("If the Americans can't make their own microphones work, how can they may things work in Iraq?").
Reuters, meanwhile, reports on the reaction of Iraqi leaders in Baghdad, who expressed hope that "in the near future... our need will be diminished for the multinational forces to conduct direct combat operations."
Posted at 2:10 PM
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David Petraeus, Iraq, Military
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Liveblogging The Senate Iraq Report Hearing
[Senate Armed Services hearing] [Joint House hearing]
1:59. John McCain and Susan Collins are filing in for the Armed Services hearing. C-SPAN expects this round to last about as long. Good lord -- forget the sandwich Biden advised, get these gentlemen an IV. We're going to follow the Armed Services hearing in a new post, and will only report anything new-ish that happens there.
1:56. Biden wrapping up. He lays praise on them before concluding that without details on the final drawdown, there's nothing new here. Good bet many of his fellow panelists feel the same way.
1:53. Happily, he closes with a question nearly everyone in the military wants answered re the deployment schedule. In case anyone's forgotten, the rationale for staying in Iraq seems to have gotten gradually farther away from a national self-interest; meanwhile, American troops are serving repeat and longer tours with less time at home.
Continue reading "Liveblogging The Senate Iraq Report Hearing"
Posted at 2:00 PM
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Barack Obama, Bush Administration, Campaigns, Christopher Dodd, David Petraeus, Democrats, Iraq, Joseph Biden, Middle East, Military, President Bush, WH 2008
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Polls Reveal The Lingering Scars Of 9/11
It was a much drearier Tuesday morning in the Northeast today than it was six years ago, but once again Americans awoke to the horrific images of commercial airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This time, of course, it was a replay.
While the sixth anniversary of 9/11 appears to herald the most visible return to normalcy since the attacks occurred, new surveys show they have left an indelible mark on the nation's psyche. And while most Americans say they have not made permanent changes to their individual lifestyles since Sept. 11, 2001, they continue to feel that the nation is at risk of another attack.
See today's Poll Track (subscription) for new numbers on terrorism and the 9/11 anniversary from CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Gallup/USA Today and Zogby pollsters.
Plus: Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's decision to revisit Ground Zero for today's memorial services is not as controversial to most Americans as it is to some New Yorkers, the Gallup/USA poll shows. CBS News/New York Times also has numbers on the GOP front-runner's persona as the anti-terrorism candidate.
Posted at 11:32 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Bin Laden Tape, 9/11 Anniversary
Terrorism. On the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a new video shows Osama bin Laden lauding one of the hijackers.
9/11 anniversary. Victims' families will mark the day near the old World Trade Center site in Manhattan. Members of Congress and the Bush administration are participating in various events; see Earlybird's Today in Washington section (subscription) for details.
World. Turkish police foiled a planned bomb attack in Ankara today.
Pakistan. Lawyers for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will appeal his deportation from Pakistan, which took place almost immediately upon returning to the country yesterday after years in exile.
South Korea. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will make an effort to officially end the Korean War when he visits North Korea next month.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:08 AM
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Craig Files To Withdraw Guilty Plea
It's not over until the lawyers say so: Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, will appeal his guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct during a sex sting in a Minnesota airport restroom. His attorneys turned in the 50-page court filing in Minnesota's Hennepin County District Court yesterday.
According to the papers, Craig says he "panicked" at the thought of the story coming out in the media after he was arrested and "felt compelled to grasp the lifeline offered to him by the police officer, namely that if he were to submit to an interview and plead guilty, then none of the officer's allegations would be made public." Craig was stripped of his committee assignments and, under pressure from the GOP leadership, said he would resign effective Sept. 30.
The Gate has details on Craig's legal options, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the New York Times have more on yesterday's court filings.
Posted at 7:49 AM
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Senate Votes To Boost Bridge Repairs
The Senate voted yesterday to provide an additional $1 billion for bridge repair and maintenance, part of ongoing efforts to prevent future bridge collapses like the one last month in Minneapolis.
The 60-33 vote to bolster bridge-repair funds came during initial debate on a $104.7 billion FY08 Transportation-HUD spending bill. Twelve Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and the Democrats in supporting it.
"Our bridges are deteriorating far faster than our ability to finance their replacement," said Murray, whose amendment boosted overall bridge repair spending in the bill to 25 percent above the current year.
Continue reading "Senate Votes To Boost Bridge Repairs"
Posted at 7:38 AM
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September 10, 2007
Liveblogging The House Iraq Report Hearing
[Senate Foreign Relations hearing] [Senate Armed Services hearing]
6:45. It's over, it's really over. Tomorrow, on the sixth anniversary of 9/11, Petraeus and Crocker are due back on the Hill at 9:30 EDT to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Senate hearing will be shorter than today's (mercifully), and as we said earlier might be a little more uncomfortable for Crocker and Petraeus thanks to the presidential aspirations of Joseph Biden, Christopher Dodd and Barack Obama, who sit on the committee. We'll be following the proceedings. See you tomorrow.
6:42. Calif. Democrat Loretta Sanchez also accuses Petraeus of cherrypicking. Were they saving the hostile committee members for last?
Sanchez does get to a very good question, though: If life is improving in Iraq, why are Iraqis so miserable? She points to a new poll on Iraqis' attitudes, which shows most of them are miserable, frightened and deeply pessimistic about their future. Crocker, whose central thesis is that Iraqis are far too traumatized and so new to democracy that nation-building will be a protracted and messy affair, says he hasn't seen the poll, and doesn't have much of an answer beyond that.
6:31. The blame-the-Iraqis tack some U.S. pols have adopted in recent months has always seemed a little too convenient. Crocker appears to agree. Missouri Republican Todd Akin asks why Petraeus and Crocker haven't been harder on Iraqi politicians today, and Crocker's measured response is among the more credible arguments for keeping the surge going. "A tremendous amount has happened in a very short time," he says of improvements in some provinces. Crocker adds that in some of the newly stabilized regions, Iraqi leaders are working on restoring law and order. More important, they know that their funding comes from Baghdad, and are showing cooperation with the central government as a result, he says.
Continue reading "Liveblogging The House Iraq Report Hearing"
Posted at 6:56 PM
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Al-Qaida, Bush Administration, Congress, David Petraeus, House, Iran, Iraq, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Military, President Bush, Syria, Terrorism
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9/11/2007: The New Normal?
Remember the end-of-irony declaration following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks? In 2004, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter was forced to eat his words and acknowledge, "Americans are by and large obsessed with crummy reality TV, and the lives of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton." (Never mind that his own publication arguably fuels that obsession.)
Nobody expects Americans to drop everything and just be sad every year on Sept. 11. It remains a little jarring, though, to see just how normal life is going to be tomorrow.
Rap rivals 50 Cent and Kanye West both drop their new albums, for instance. This may not have much resonance in the halls of Congress, but just pull aside an intern and ask. The "Fiddy" and Kanye releases are a big deal indeed.
Continue reading "9/11/2007: The New Normal?"
Posted at 11:56 AM
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Terrorism
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The Maverick Candidate Who Might Have Been
Pity that Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel never jumped into the 2008 presidential race. John McCain is the only big-name GOP candidate who talks about the Iraq war in specifics, while Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have been hanging back cautiously in anticipation of today's report from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Surely the Republican nomination contest could have used an injection of skepticism about the war from someone other than Ron Paul, if only for the practice it would provide candidates ahead of the general election matchup.
But Hagel's almost-candidacy never arrived, despite some sly flirting with the political press. Remember that dinner with Mike Bloomberg? Both men were careful not to kiss and tell, so to speak, but then the Nebraska Republican went ahead and strongly hinted to CBS' Bob Schieffer that a Hagel-Bloomberg ticket might be a pretty good idea.
It was all a big tease.
Continue reading "The Maverick Candidate Who Might Have Been"
Posted at 11:25 AM
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Campaigns, Chuck Hagel, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Republicans, Rudy Giuliani, WH 2008
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Petraeus Testimony Unlikely To Yield Surprises
An Iraq-focused week for Congress kicks off today with the first reports from Gen. David Petraeus. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will also head to the Hill this week.
The long-awaited assessments come after the Bush administration asked legislators in May to wait through the summer to cast judgment on the effects of the troop surge. President Bush plans a public address at the end of the week to announce plans for the future in the wake of the reports.
Congressional Democrats have tried to blunt the impact of the current assessment. On FOX News Sunday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., reminded viewers that Petraeus is not "an independent evaluator" and is tied closely to the Bush administration. White House spokesman Tony Fratto hit back, accusing Democrats of letting liberal group MoveOn.org -- which is running an ad in the New York Times today on "General Betray Us" -- "write their talking points."
Continue reading "Petraeus Testimony Unlikely To Yield Surprises"
Posted at 9:00 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Sharif Deportation, Medicare Audit, Bin Laden Threat
Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan today after seven years in exile, only to be immediately deported to Saudi Arabia.
Iran. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the U.N. atomic watchdog, tried to avoid a looming nuclear crisis with Iran by asking the U.N. Security Council to take a "timeout" from sanctions.
Nation. Private companies participating in the Medicare program have been overpaid by tens of millions of dollars and have not been audited by the Bush administration, according to a new GAO report.
Terrorism. Frances Townsend, chief White House security adviser, downplayed the threat of Osama bin Laden Sunday, saying the al-Qaida leader is "virtually impotent."
Washington. Lawyers for Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, will file documents today asking to rescind his guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct after a sex sting in a Minneapolis airport restroom.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:37 AM
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September 07, 2007
Bush Says We're 'Kicking Ass' In Iraq. Discuss.
That the commander in chief and military leaders must keep an upbeat tone about a war in which thousands of Americans have died is understandable. But this particular commander in chief certainly has a way of sticking his foot in it.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, when asked by Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile how the president's recent trip to Iraq went, Bush responded, "We're kicking ass."
Bush, of course, is in Australia for the APEC summit, far from the eyes and ears of Beltway reporters gearing up for next week's Iraq report from General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Whether the U.S. actually is "kicking ass" in Iraq is clearly debatable: Next week, Petraeus and Crocker are expected to validate Bush's "surge" strategy on the heels of two independent reports that find little payoff from efforts to transition Iraq into an independently functional democracy.
Continue reading "Bush Says We're 'Kicking Ass' In Iraq. Discuss."
Posted at 5:00 PM
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Election Reform Goes Back To The Drawing Board
Seven years after the contentious 2000 presidential election prompted federal and state officials to enact sweeping reforms, lawmakers are now considering a return to the traditional paper ballots that yielded all those pesky hanging and pregnant chads in Florida.
Why the backtrack? Most of the reforms that came out of the 2000 fiasco centered on new electronic voting systems that were supposed to solve the problems caused by antiquated paper ballots. But it didn't take long before e-voting began to pose just as many problems -- if not more -- than its pulpy predecessor.
Continue reading "Election Reform Goes Back To The Drawing Board"
Posted at 3:18 PM
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Climate Negotiations Continue At APEC Summit Among Security Concerns
The 19 leaders participating in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney reached a preliminary agreement today on a pact designed to combat global warming.
Australian President John Howard and President Bush vowed to make climate change the focus of this year's APEC summit. However, an agreement between the widely variant nations has been hard to come by, as industrialized and developing countries have squabbled over who should foot the bill for cleaning up the planet.
But several days of negotiation have yielded a bill that all are hoping will prove acceptable. After so much build up, if Bush leaves Australia with nothing signed, it will be viewed as a big defeat.
Continue reading "Climate Negotiations Continue At APEC Summit Among Security Concerns"
Posted at 3:13 PM
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Asia, Climate Change, President Bush
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Texas Attorney Won't Ditch Stinky Tie If Bin Laden Alive
Yesterday morning, we woke up to this news about Bob Flournoy, the Lufkin, Texas, city attorney who's been wearing a red, white and blue necktie since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Flournoy vowed to keep wearing the tie until Osama bin Laden was captured or killed. But six years later, with the trail on the al-Qaida leader gone cold, Flournoy's tie was a tattered and smelly shadow of its original self.
What to do? Leave it to an attorney to come up with an out clause. The elusive terror mastermind was probably dead, Flournoy reasoned. If bin Laden did not prove that he was alive by next Tuesday, Sept. 11, Flournoy would declare him dead and take off his American flag necktie for good.
Looks like Flournoy might be stuck with his fragrant albatross for some time.
Continue reading "Texas Attorney Won't Ditch Stinky Tie If Bin Laden Alive"
Posted at 2:41 PM
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The Luckiest Man In The House
These days, it seems like Congress can't catch a break. But at least one lawmaker on Capitol Hill appears to have Lady Luck on his side. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that James Sensenbrenner, Republican congressman from Wisconsin, just won the lottery... for the third time.
The Kimberly-Clark heir, who's already worth about $11.6 million, won $1,000 from the Wisconsin lottery for the second time this year on Aug. 30. Both prizes came out of the Super 2nd Chance contest, which requires players to mail in losing lottery tickets to be placed in a weekly drawing. Sensenbrenner told the Sentinel he plays about $10 worth of lottery tickets each week.
The congressman's first taste of victory came in 1997, when Sensenbrenner purchased a $2 ticket at a District of Columbia liquor store that yielded $250,000 in prize money.
Posted at 12:11 PM
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Will White House Appeal Judge's Patriot Act Ruling?
Andrew Cohen of the Washington Post's Bench Conference blog thinks so. But a DOJ appeal may actually not be worth it.
U.S. District Court Judge Victor Marrero's ruling [PDF] yesterday strikes a provision in the revised 2005 Patriot Act that allows the government to compel data and records from businesses. The FBI was permitted to forbid those businesses -- Internet service providers, phone companies, etc. -- to object to, or talk about in any way, orders to surrender records. (Judicial review was permitted, but Marrero concludes that the bar for reversal was set unreasonably high.)
That meant those companies had no way of alerting customers that their records were being seized by the feds, nor could they resist handing the records over in the name of protecting customers' privacy. ISPs in particular have vocally objected to this provision; the one that brought the lawsuit is listed as "John Doe."
Marrero found that the gag order violated the businesses' First Amendment rights. That's a fairly easy legislative fix. Congress agrees with DOJ that in some cases, particularly those related to terrorism investigations, it may be necessary to demand records from vendors and order them to keep quiet about it. But lawmakers could rewrite the provision and expand judicial review over this process, placing additional burden on the FBI to show a compelling reason why a gag order is necessary. It's hard to think of a good reason why DOJ would object to that.
Continue reading "Will White House Appeal Judge's Patriot Act Ruling?"
Posted at 11:59 AM
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Alberto Gonzales, Bush Administration, Constitution, Robert Mueller, Terrorism
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Our very own Stuart Taylor is 
We're pleased to report veteran journalist/commentator Ron Brownstein is joining Atlantic Media to take on the role of political director. The Los Angeles Times columnist is actually returning to the National Journal family, having served as a White House correspondent for the magazine in the 1980s.