March 31, 2006
3/31: All Together Now
Today's hottest topic is the release of freelance journalist Jill Carroll, perhaps because the story features a convergance of some of bloggers' favorite pastimes: debating success in Iraq; discussing the Muslim culture divide; and bashing MSM outlets. Some on the right became suspicious and downright hostile toward Carroll after hearing her speak well of her captors, and even after seeing her wardrobe. Others on the right and most on the left react with joy, followed by shock at the way the right was reacting.
Elsewhere, there's some follow-up on Mohammed cartoon front, with a movement afoot to pressure Borders into carrying a magazine that features said images. Also, a new story in National Journal raises our Plame antennae. And, what's this about anniversaries?
Early on, news of Jill Carroll's release was welcomed with relief, and perhaps excitement that her captors realized their tactics weren't working. Guest blogging for Michelle Malkin, Allahpundit calls it "Excellent news." Nathan Goulding: "Whatever the real reason for her release, one thing is clear: This is a victory. Whether her captors feared for their lives, or whether they simply saw the pointlessness of their despicable actions, they gave up." Stop The ACLU: "Details of why she was released are unknown, but the main thing is that she is alive and healthy. We wish the best for her and her family!"
But as video footage was released, sentiment on the right began to change. Little Green Footballs tries to dissect the Carroll tapes. "Note that even after her release, Carroll maintained that she had been treated well by her captors -- so it would appear that this journalist for the Christian Science Monitor made these anti-American comments voluntarily." 
Allahpundit updates: "In fairness to Carroll, a lot of people would say a lot of things they didn't mean in those circumstances. Let's see whether she defends it now. Assuming, that is, that anyone in the media bothers to ask her." But Debbie Schlussel doesn't think these comments were pressured: "Why are so many people who claim to be patriotic Americans so overjoyed that Jill Carroll was freed, yet hardly a peep when American contractors and others were freed? ... Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she HATES AMERICA and our Mid-East policy. And, oh yeah, she HATES ISRAEL, too." Jonah Goldberg: "It would be nice to hear her say something remotely critical of her captors, particularly about the fact that they murdered her translator in cold blood. I'm very glad she's alive, but I'm getting a very bad vibe." Also at The Corner, John Podehertz writes: "It's wonderful that she's free, but after watching someone who was a hostage for three months say on television she was well-treated because she wasn't beaten or killed -- while being dressed in the garb of a modest Muslim woman rather than the non-Muslim woman she actually is -- I expect there will be some Stockholm Syndrome talk in the coming days." UNCoRRELATED: "Apparently the insurgents are realizing the American left are their allies in restoring the glorious regime of Saddam Hussein."
The Counterterrorism Blog: "Her future writings are going to tell the world more about the reasons behind the kidnapping." JAWA Report: "It's quite sickening some of the answers she gives, but understandable under the circumstances. But, before you accuse Jill of being a victim of Stockholm Syndrome, keep in mind that she was under duress." John Hinderaker directs his ire at the media: "To anyone who saw the videos in which she pleaded for her life, her mental distress was obvious. ... No doubt, in saying that she had been 'well treated,' Ms. Carroll was mostly trying to assure her friends and family that her physical condition was OK. That's obviously appropriate. But let's not encourage a lot of warm feelings toward the murderous thugs who kidnapped Carroll, shot her translator, and may well have received a ransom to let her go."
The left is a bit surprised at all the fuss. Firedoglake: "The woman has been free for less than a day, and the wingnut attack brigade has already geared up to paint her as being mental." Judd at ThinkProgress: "It is totally inappropriate to assume that her description of how she was treated is motivated by anything other than a desire to tell the truth." A New World: "It's as if these people expected her to throw on some fatigues and wrap herself in a mission accomplished banner."
Once again, National Journal's Murray Waas has a story involving Karl Rove and the WMD debate. Waas' latest story spurs a blogswarm about the Valerie Plame affair. Waas reports: Rove warned WH staff that if it were disclosed that Bush had been told that some of his pre-Iraq evidence may not be legitimate, it would hurt the pres' re-election hopes. The aluminum tubes SOTU claim was found to be on shaky ground after a review of intelligence by now-NSA Stephen Hadley. Josh Marshall adds: "While I and reporters from CBS were working on this story through 2004 it was clear that folks on the Hill would agree to talk and then suddenly un-agree when they got the call from the White House. The White House worked doggedly at almost every turn to get the story killed or delayed beyond the election, which they of course did." And Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) writes at Huffington Post that he wants the Hadley memo released.
Steve Soto: "Eriposte has already reported here at TLC that Bush was told about concerns within his own administration about the 'tubes=centrifuges' assertions months ago." He adds: "Democrats need to focus on Bush's declaration to Congress and show that Bush knowingly lied to Congress to start the war in March 2003." The Next Hurrah: "Thanks to Waas, we now know that in October 2002, a briefer came in and said, 'Mr. President, you're making claims the Intelligence Community doesn't agree on.'" Joe Gandelman: "Each week there seems a new entry in the drip-drip-drip of stories that are virtual cautionary notes to take assertions from this administration with a big chunk of salt."
But Legal Fiction has a hard time believing the story will have an impact. "If this story actually did change anyone's mind, it's going to be hard for me to take that person seriously. If it's taken you until spring of 2006 to come around on the nuclear program, well, I'm sorry, but you've got problems. ... Of course, there's something to be said for punishing the conduct of so casually disregarding the lives of our soldiers and their families that you can't tell them the truth about the threat they're so bravely willing to die to protect us against. But again, what's the point? It's not going to change anything about Iraq." Norwegianity: "Someday Fitzgerald will get to go to trial and when he does George Bush had best pray there won't be a Democratic Congress in place to start impeachment hearings."
JYLLANDS-POSTEN: Closing The Borders
As we reported yesterday, a decision by a large bookselling chain not to carry the 4-5/06 issue of Free Inquiry Magazine because it portrays cartoons that inspired violent riots throughout the Muslim world has consumed the conservative blogosphere. The bookseller claimed they wouldn't carry the magazine because the safety and security of the company's employees and customers might be threatened. The Bidinotto Blog, in an open letter to Borders and their affiliate, Waldenbooks, sums up the feelings of just about every blogger out there: "Your company's craven policy of capitulation in the face of the mere hypothetical threat of terrorism is absolutely appalling -- a complete moral abdication that only encourages those threatening our rights and liberties." Little Green Footballs has become the clearinghouse for bloggers writing about the matter, and the site publishes a letter from a Borders employee who reveals more about the company's perceived fear of angering the Muslim community. Infidel Bloggers Alliance comments on the letter. INDC: "It's one thing to cave in to threats to save your own skin. Though not particularly noble, it's at least understandable. But to cave in when there's a distinct lack of violence in the area in question, now that takes a pretty amazing lack of intenstinal fortitude to pull off." Others commenting on the matter: John In Carolina, American Thinker, Ed Driscoll, Dynamist Blog, Clayton Cramer, Dean's World, Andrew Sullivan, Samizdata, American Diva and Tim Blair.
Kesher Talk reveals that Barnes & Noble may be the next chain to refuse the magazine. PSoTD is one lefty blog that defends Borders' actions, and thinks even Free Inquiry will come out on top: "Borders has given Free Inquiry magazine more promotion than they probably get in a year with this action, so more good than harm has come to them as well." Gates of Vienna notes that Borders has just signed a deal to open stores in -- where else? -- the UAE.
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: The Hundred-Year Law
MA's high court ruled 3/30 that same-sex couples from other states cannot travel to MA to legally get married. CBS News reports. Magpie offers a comprehensive breakdown of the two 6-1 decisions handed down by the court, which apparently hinged on a 1913 law about marriage reciprocity with other states. Suburban Guerilla questions that '13 law. Indiana Law Blog is the post for aspiring attys to read. Lefty Pam's House Blend calls it "a blow to civil equality for now."
Expose the Left has video of Pelosi holding a "Real Security" sign upside down. California Conservative: "We're feeling safer already."
Meanwhile, Captain's Quarters continues dissecting Dems' nat'l security plan, saying they'd "starve the National Security Agency in a fit of pique over the work performed by the agency in terrorist surveillance."
IN THE STATES: King Barack In The Connecticut Yankees' Court
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) keynoted the CT Jefferson Jackson Bailey dinner 3/30 and loaned some support to Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT), who's facing a primary challenge from businessman Ned Lamont (D). The Hartford Courant reports. Atrios notes that one of Obama's speechwriters may have thrown a little jab at Lieberman in Obama's speech. California Yankee notes the audience's less-than-ecstatic response to Lieberman's speech. And The Agonist is disappointed in Obama for his support of Lieberman.
WashingtonPost.com's Cillizzareports that VA Sen candidate/ex-Navy Sec./ex-GOPer James Webb (D) has thus far "assiduously courted the liberal blogosphere." Cillizza calls Webb the first candidate with backing from the Netroots with a chance to win, and that got some on the left reminding Cillizza of the roles played by bloggers in other races. The Agonist sums up.
The VA Sen race continues to get a lot of blogger attention, as MyDD's Jonathan Singer sat down for an interview with lobbyist/Dem activist Harris Miller (D) earlier this week.
Captain's Quarters notes that folks on Capitol Hill are starting to have second thoughts about changes made at the behest of the 9/11 Commission. The House Intel Cmte is threatening to withhold funding until NID John Negroponte can justify increases in staff, etc. "Anyone who looked at this document with any careful scrutiny could see that the solution promised more bureaucracy and never addressed the real issues in communication and coordination. We had ten people on this panel who represented bureaucracies their entire lives; when one only owns a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, and this is a perfect example of that wise proverb."
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Happy Birthday, Mr. Blogometer...
Yesterday marked the 1st birthday of The Hotline's Blogometer. It's healthy, walking on two feet and eating solid foods now, but it's still not sleeping through the night. Come to think of it, it might never. If you feel nostalgic, check out the very first edition. Seriously, we hope you've enjoyed the first year of what we once called "an experiment," our attempt to condense the entire blogosphere into something you can read. A particular note of thanks to the recently-departed William Beutler, who got us off the ground.
On a similar note, happy 2nd birthday to Air America Radio, the popcorn for liberals, the fodder for conservatives, and the vehicle for Al Franken's '08 MN Sen bid. DailyKos pays tribute.
LEST WE FORGET: Three-Stage High-Five
For those of you who remember the simple joys of making Walter Payton burst through a hole while avoiding diving tacklers, then rushing the quarterback with Mike Singletary -- yes, we're talking about Tecmo Bowl -- we've got a website for you. Console Classix offers just about every original Nintendo game we can remember, all for free. It's a great way to waste an afternoon. Or several. And while none of us are from Chicago, you all know the Bears were the best team in that game.
And this? This is just strange.
In the FISA section of our 3/30 edition, we identified Kevin Drum as a righty. He assures us that he's still "planted firmly on the left."
Questions, comments, reservations? Drop us a line at blogometer@nationaljournal.com.
Posted by at 12:21 PM
March 30, 2006
3/30: The Undapped
Bloggers can be bitter, and today's edition is chock full of "I told you so" references to predictions they made months ago over warrantless wiretapping. Also, a blogger gets booted from a top blog, and he wants to know why. And finally, still no dap from the MSM as more bloggers come forward claiming their material has been lifted by the AP and others without so much as a hat tip.
Elsewhere, Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) found herself in a Cheney-like blogswarm after punching a Capitol Police officer. The left, meanwhile, slams a CA-50 candidate for misrepresenting a photo that he claimed showed a tranquil Baghdad. And there's some debate about Dems' new nat'l security strategy.
EAVESDROPPING: That Clicking Sound Is Just The Microphone, We Assure You
Yesterday's testimony by five former FISA judges before the Senate Jud Cmte sparked a considerable flare-up in the ongoing debate over Pres. Bush's wiretapping program. The debate starts with MSM coverage of the matter, as many noted the discrepancy in tones between articles reporting testimony from the Washington Times and the New York Times. Power Line is first among them: "New York Times reporter Eric Lichtblau has a considerable career investment (and, I suspect, an ideological investment as well) in the idea that the NSA program is illegal." Power Line also links to a full transcript of the hearing. Captain Ed calls the NYT's story a "serious misrepresentation." Confederate Yankee, Jeff Gannon, Don Surber, NRO's Media Blog, JustOneMinute, ProteinWisdom, AJ Strata, Macsmind.
Commentary on the right about the actual testimony comes complete with much back-patting. Everyone, it seems, predicted exactly what the FISA judges would say several months ago. Confederate Yankee goes with the Washington Times' version and thinks the FISA judges came down on Bush's side. Don Surber agrees, and takes this message away from the hearings: "What the president did was perfectly legal." Captain Ed takes a slightly different view: "The judges confirm that the matter is far from settled, and in fact told Congress that they don't have the jurisdiction to make the judgment." Moderate Charging RINO thinks the judges didn't absolve the admin of anything: "I continue to see no compelling evidence that end-running FISA is necessarily the best way to get the job done." Kevin Drum observes, of Judge Harold Baker's assertion that the pres. is bound to follow the law "like everyone else": "Bound by the law like anyone else?!? That's treason talk."
From the left, yesterday's testimony sparked renewed interest in Sen. Russ Feingold's (D-WI) push to censure Bush. Huffington Post's Cenk Uygur, questioning attacks on Feingold as acting for political purposes: "Is there anything more brazenly political than the way President Bush has used 9/11 as a bludgeoning stick against his political opponents?" AMERICAblog hints at censure, or more: "Congress can't and won't deal with the simple fact that Bush broke the law. To paraphrase Judge Baker, since the president ignored the law, he should be in legal peril." The Heretik focused on the five jurists' testimony: "From the secret court comes news the judges will not secrete themselves away. It's no secret the secret judges are more than a little annoyed with the way George Bush has turned national security into a secret club and they're not in. So they are out in public talking about things George Bush doesn't want talked about at all." The Carpetbagger Report shakes his head: "I know it's pre-9/11 thinking to believe the president is bound by the law 'like everyone else,' but maybe there are still a few members of the Senate who are inclined to agree." Decision '08 reports on two competing pieces of legislation that "are battling it out to see which will be the first to explicitly legalize Bush's NSA surveillance." Finally, Ron Coleman notes the long and involved history of one of the judges who testified yesterday, Allan Kornblum, who's described in some news accounts as the "author" of the original FISA law back in '78.
IRAQ: Vacation Photos From Iraq? Did You Not See Our Travel Warning? Yesterday?
Daily Kos exposes CA-50 candidate Howard Kaloogian (R) who claimed to be telling "the truth" about Iraq. Well, if by Iraq he meant Turkey, then yes. TPM Muckraker has his explanation: "We turned all the photographs [from the trip] over to the webmaster, and it appears he took one from the stopover and not from Baghdad. If a mistake happened, we'll correct it." Talking Points Memo then highlights the new photo Kaloogian uses to show that things in Iraq are better than reported. But it's an aerial shot that, suffice to say, doesn't show much of anything. "What this joke of a picture -- given what it's supposed to demonstrate -- tells me is that Kaloogian's bogus fact-finding mission probably didn't get outside the heavily fortified safe zones guarded by the US military. And that's not surprising since even a lot reporters don't venture beyond those areas much any more."
Running Scared: "Sounds like good old Howard is off to a fine start if he wants to fill the shoes of Duke Cunningham." Preemptive Karma: "If you're going to put up a photo to prove that Baghdad is all about peace and the press is rapping it for no good reason--you'd better be sure you've got the goods." Magpie: "Didn't Kaloogian expect that, given that he's running for Cunningham's seat, that left-wing bloggers would be going over his website with a fine-tooth comb? Or did Kaloogian figured that no one would care if he was caught in a lie?"
Dems announced their nat'l security platform 3/29, with ex-Sec/State Madeline Albright and Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark joining cong. leaders. Reviews on the left: Oliver Willis: "Makes sense to me (its certainly better than not saying anything), but now they've got to repeat that like a mantra until they're blue in the face. ... I don't know if the Dems can beat the GOP in the polls on national security, simply because they've been so afraid to assert anything, but if they were able to come to some sort of equilibrium it would be a bit of a breakthrough." MyDD: " The only way to change the situation is to change leadership. That's what the Democrats should run on." Atrios: "The real issue isn't what Democrats are saying about Iraq now. ... f 2006 fails to be 'a year of significant transition' what will Democrats be saying then? Forget the unified message now, what will be the unified message then?" Georgia 10 at Kos: "For those that say today's plan did not offer enough detail, I urge you to look at that page and see the solutions Democrats have offered time and time again--only to be stonewalled by an administration beholden more to corporate interests and politics than actually safeguarding our nation. "
On the right, many have a hard time taking Dems seriously. Gateway Pundit: "Mark your calendars. Today is a historic day. Democrats are announcing today, four-and-one-half years after 9-11, that THEY have saved a can of Whoopass for the jihadists! Well, Alright!" Captain Ed: "The plan is a collection of slogans and mission statements with almost no specifics about legislation, financing, strategies, tactics, or military efforts to achieve them." Hugh Hewitt: "The fact that a plan this flimsy is getting this much attention is the clearest testament I've seen in some time to the Democratic Party's lack of ideas." Wizbang: "These folks can show up to a press conference and say they're going to be tough on national security, but it won't change the fact that they fought President Bush on virtually every national security issue that came before them in the House." JunkYardBlog: "On the other hand, eliminating bin Laden is a better platform than impeaching Bush. Too bad the Democrats are more likely to pursue the former if the voters actually give them Congress this fall."
Also worth noting today: Matt Stoller criticizes Dems for holding a fundraiser for Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) while he's being investigated for bribery.
McKINNEY: New Spin On The Fighting Dems
As first reported by Hotline in Last Call!, and explained at On Call, McKinney punched a Capitol Police officer "after he mistakenly pursued her for failing to pass through a metal detector." Reaction is a mix of comedy and serious criticism. Suitably Flip: "Just can't be bothered with that pesky security, eh Cynthia?" Right Wing News: "Sounds like a clear cut case of assault. Wonder if Cynthia will 1) give a heartfelt apology, 2) give a cheap non-apology apology, 3) blame the cop for "making her" hit him, or 4) play the race card?" State Of The Qusan: "I guess I shouldn't be condoning violence but in addition to a very deadly look, I think my reflexes might have caused me to punch this guy too!" Explore For Truth: "If she were Republican would be asking for her resignation??" Captain's Quarters: "Today the Democrats launched their mission to revamp their image on security and national defense. They have long complained about a national perception of their party as wimpish, but Cynthia McKinney decided to set the record straight" The American Princess: "Her record speaks to a torrid history of relations with Capitol security guards." RedState: "Assaulting a police officer is a felony is most districts, and felonious behavior is just cause for expulsion. I'm just saying."
IMMIGRATION: No GOP Divide In The Blogosphere
The Senate began debate on immigration reform proposals last p.m., and the righty blogosphere continues to watch with baited breath. Right Wing News tries to answer some FAQs about illegal immigrants. The questions tend to play in to the more conservative GOP's talking points. Iowa Voice is firmly entrenched in the "send 'em home" camp. The divide within the GOP over the immigration issue is highlighted by Captain's Quarters take on George Will's "moderate" stance on the issue, especially his analogizing a border fence with the Berlin wall. "Will sounds a reasonable note in the immigration debate, and his column is well worth a read -- once you get past the implied analogy of America transforming itself into a prison state."
Others on the right continue to discuss last weekend's marches throughout the nation protesting immigration reform legislation passed by the House. Mark Krikorian at The Corner: "The president has got to offer a public critique of the illegal-alien marches, especially since he's going to Mexico this week to yuk it up with Vicente Fox. ... These protests -- with their ubiquitous Mexican flags, open claims of irredentism, and support from the Mexican government -- are a direct challenge to the American regime, and must not go unanswered." A Blog For All notes that the demonstrations weren't exactly spontaneous. RedState concurs. The News Blog argues that the GOP is playing with fire: "Latinos had been slightly more receptive to GOP pitches, but like Katrina with blacks, this is about family. This isn't some abstract debate, this is about cousins, friends, even kids. And when you do that, people take it personally. Blacks took Bush's failure in Katrina personally. Latinos take this personally."
Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff received the minimum possible sentence, according to the Washington Post, for his role in a fraud case stemming from the attempted purchase of SunCruz casinos. Lefties had a field day with this one. TPM's Muckraker reports -- before yesterday's sentencing -- on Abramoff's defense team's efforts to get the sentence as light as possible. Muckraker updates just after sentencing with a list of just who Abramoff could be implicating in his cooperation (more than 200 hours of it thus far) with the DoJ. Off the Kuff licks his chops: "The main point to remember here is that this is not the Washington case; that investigation, and presumably Abramoff's cooperation in it, is ongoing." Demagogue and The Carpetbagger Report note the same. Why Are We Back In Iraq? looks at Abramoff's plea deal in terms of his role in producing "Red Scorpion." Righty John Cole thinks Abramoff's sentence is about right: "I am willing to bet this sentence reflects a degree of cooperation in future prosecutions that will probably pay greater political dividends for our friends on the left and will more than outweigh the sheer satisfaction they might have gained by watching Abramoff go to jail for a longer period of time."
At Talking Points Memo, Josh Marshall echoes the recent complaints of others about "how routinely mainstream media outlets rip off stories that are originally reported on blogs. ... Last week, over a three or four day period, there were four instances in which a mainstream media outlet took a story or scoop we ... had first published and ran it as their own without crediting or mentioning that TPMmuckraker.com had originally broken the story. Writing up or following up on a story and not crediting the news organiztion that first reported it is not a journalistic felony. It's more on the order of a misdemeanor or moving violation. But it is a breach. And mainstream news outlets, a few of which I've actually written for, don't seem to think it applies to blogs that are doing original reporting."
Atrios responds: "Look, personally I've never cared about getting credit for stuff other media types might happen to lift from this site. ... I've always been interested in just getting the good stuff out there and not really caring how it's done or where it comes from, and it's silly to try to take credit for stuff which is often highly collaborative between readers, other blogs, me, etc., just because I have a big megaphone. ... While journalism doesn't have the same citation standards of academia, and it generally shouldn't, reporters shouldn't feel entitled to rip things off just because they were originally reported on the internets. I'm sure Alt Weekly reporters are chuckling to themselves, 'welcome to our world...'"
JYLLANDS-POSTEN: Embers Flare Up
Skirmishes over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammed continue to rage around the world, and several bloggers are picking up on them. Ed Driscoll rounds up the latest battles, from Alberta to NYU, and even at your local corporate bookstore. That last is the one causing a lot of renewed buzz, and comes by way of the San Francisco Chronicle, which reports that Borders and Waldenbooks won't carry the April-May issue of Free Inquiry magazine, which contains the cartoons. This has the blogosphere discussing Islamic shari'a law and what the country should do in the face of Islam. Dr. Sanity, like most bloggers, criticizes the companies: "These businesses claim this was a business decision made for the safety of its customers and staff. I think that political correctness played an even bigger role. Well, I too, can make a business decision and I choose not to buy books from either outlet anymore since they have bowed to shari'a." Kesher Talk, describing themselves as of a "hawkish Jewish liberal perspecive," notes: "Don't let anyone tell you this is about high-minded sensitivity to other cultures. It's about fear." Righty Little Green Footballs concurs: "The big bookstore chains will not be standing up for free speech." Using various four-letter words to describe the companies, the Infidel Bloggers Alliance calls for a boycott. NRO's TKS doesn't like the move, but thanks the companies for their honesty: "I would observe that if nothing else, applaud the honesty of Borders/Waldenbooks. They're not claiming that not stocking the magazine is a matter of 'sensitivity,' it's a matter of safety for their employees. I can disagree whether that's the right decision, but I can at least understand it and appreciate it." Eugene Volokh comments on the "seemingly troubling behavior" of NYU.
WHITE HOUSE '08: All's Well That's Falwell
It's the left's turn to take issue with Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) upcoming speech to Liberty Univ. and his flirtation with the Fed Marriage Amendment. ABC News has today's analysis and article. The Moderate Voice analyzes McCain's circus trick: "He has to do a political tightrope act to get the nomination ... and one false step and in a general election he could wind up a political dead duck. He hasn't quite taken that step yet, but the tightrope is shaking a bit." Lefty The Reaction: "He's a conservative, and he always has been. But, looking ahead to '08 as the presumed early front-runner, he's now cuddling up to the far right. He knows he needs to win over the Republican base in order to get through the primaries. He knows that a maverick will ever win the GOP nomination. He knows has has to play politics. That's predictable, but unfortunate." AMERICAblog thinks McCain is letting Jerry Falwell do his talking for him. And The Carpetbagger Report is right on message: "I guess McCain was sort of against the amendment before he was sort of for it." Think Progress points out McCain's flip-flop as well.
IN THE STATES: Raspberry Jam?!? I HATE Raspberry Jam!
Lone Star Project has conducted what it calls a "baseline analysis" of the TX GOV race. The conclusion they reach? Ex-Rep. Chris Bell (D) has a much better shot at the gov's mansion than others may think -- but only if he can keep Dems with him. If enough Dems defect to Compt./ex-Dem/ex-GOPer Carole Strayhorn (I), Gov. Rick Perry (R) is safe, but if she can peel both Dems and GOPers away, she'll get the win. By the way, check out their cool vote calculator, which you can use to plug in numbers that assure a Kinky Friedman (I) win. Others commenting on various aspects of the race, including Strayhorn and Friedman's attempts to get on the ballot and an Austin TV station declaring the race neck-and-neck include The Red State and Off the Kuff.
BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: The Great Kos Purge
Tom Duncombe of My Left Wing has some questions for DailyKos. Duncombe tells his story: "I'm not from the blog world originally--and where I come from, credentials are not looked down upon or sneered at. In the course of the thread, I got sworn at quite a bit, but was also exposed to a new theory of authentication that I had never been exposed to before--that in blogs, people earn their credentials through good writing and group approval. So far so good--I learned something. And I moved on from there. I posted some posts, I earned some mojo. And then I came back to Daily Kos this evening to see that I've been kicked off the site. I've been "disappeared." An electronic firing squad has taken my persona to the big, evil sports arena in the sky, assassinated me, and then buried my pixillated bones in the desert somewhere. I'm very disillusioned with Daily Kos." Armando says Duncombe was "autobanned" by the community. Buckeye State Blog wants to know if anyone will ask Kos about the incident on his current book tour.
BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Coffey Clutch
Today the Blogometer talks to Mark Coffey, who writes Decision '08.
What is your full name?
Mark Alan Coffey.
What is your age?
37.
Where did you grow up?
Lamesa, TX -- midway between Lubbock and Midland.
Where do you live now?
Austin, TX -- a very blue city in a very red state.
What is your occupation?
Analyst.
Have you ever worked on a political campaign or for the mainstream media?
No -- though I did run for the student council years ago (and won!).
When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging, oddly enough, after the 2004 election, thus missing the biggest traffic period. I was reading all the blogs, e-mailing friends and relatives relevant news stories, and generally doing everything but putting the content on the web. When I hit on the idea of getting an early jump on 2008, my mind was made up, and I went live on November 21st, 2004.
What has been your favorite post, or favorite story to write about, in that time?
Lately, I've been on a campaign to rename the Netroots as the Nutroots (r), but with limited success (it's not that my audience is not big enough - oh, no! Rather, like Spinal Tap, my appeal is very selective). My formation of the Coalition of the Chilling was much more successful - I was able to convince a number of prominent bloggers to joing me in decrying the harsh rhetoric that greeted the Gang of 14 Deal (a deal that has worked out remarkably well for Republicans, I might add).
Describe your typical blogging schedule. And what is your average output?
I blog on and off pretty much all day, everyday ... I enjoy it and I need to build up my audience.
And what is your average output?
I'd say probably about 7 or 8 posts a day.
Who is your favorite political blogger? Favorite non-political blogger?
Tom Maguire of JustOneMinute, hands down. A true blogger, through and through (honorable mentions to Tim Blair and Mickey Kaus). [For non-political:] Although both sometimes cover politics, amongst many other things, I really enjoy Be Be Re and NBR.
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist?
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist? Christopher Hitchens , without a doubt (I know I'm stretching a bit, but he is a columnist for Slate and Vanity Fair, as well as the AtlanticMonthly ).
What is your favorite television news program, either network or cable?
I like the occasional hour-long specials, like CNN Presents, but I can't abide the soundbite nature of regular news on television.
What MSM-produced websites (i.e. newspapers, magazines) do you visit on a daily basis?
The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal.
What non-MSM websites (i.e. blogs) do you visit on a daily basis?
Besides the previously mentioned blogs, I always visit Memeorandum, Real Clear Politics, and Pajamas Media (with whom I am affiliated). I also visit the Huffington Post and Daily Kos for the entertainment value and to keep up with what's hot among the lefties.
How often, or do you ever, read a newspaper in its dead-tree (i.e. print) form?
I rarely purchase a newspaper ... but if I do, it's the Wall Street Journal.
How do you see the new media and old media affecting and influencing each other in the next five years?
Too many people see the world of media through the prism of blogs vs. MSM. The reality is that the two are complementary; the MSM, with its large budgets and professional journalists, can cover the world in a way that most bloggers, who are local by nature, can't (although all those local bloggers collectively cover the globe, as well). Bloggers can react quickly to breaking news, however, and can engage in dialogue with an immediacy that can't be matched by television or print. The reality is we are one huge disfunctional family.
MISCELLANY: That Guy?!?! For That Job?!?!
Mark Kilmer at RedState follows up on talk of Club For Growth's Pat Toomey taking over at OMB. He admits it's not likely, but that WH advisers "would serve [Bush] well to put Mr. Toomey's name into the mix. The President would serve himself and the country by making the pick, and Mr. Toomey would serve everyone well by accepting." And worth noting is that RedState's Blanton is ending his run at the site.
Mark Tapscott tries to draw attention to "potentially landmark" legislation pending in the Senate on earmark disclosure.
Winds of Change notes that in CA, HAVA -- "as implemented by California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson -- is killing over 40% of the attempts to register that were made in Los Angeles County this quarter."
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Double Vision
Kevin Drum writes about cloning: "It's true that the last few years have produced a flood of headlines about the genetic basis of various personality characteristics, but surely very few people believe that genes are the sole basis of personality, do they?" Most literature on the subject suggests that personality is "some mysterious combination of both" nature and nurture. "We already know the answer to the clone question. Identical twins are clones, and although twins can be remarkably similar, any parent of twins can tell you that they also have very distinct personalities. It's not all in the genes. On the other hand, it might be different for cats and dogs. I mean, I'd like to pretend that Inkblot has such a distinct personality that I could tell him apart from his hypothetical clone, but I wonder if I really could?"
LEST WE FORGET: Killing Your Productivity, One Afternoon At A Time
We love bad predictions about the future, and it's nice to see that someone's compiled a bunch of them. Sorry for ruining your afternoon, but these are like Pringles: You can't read just one.
Posted by at 12:31 PM
March 29, 2006
3/29: Full Plate
Between the resignation of WH CoS Andy Card, elections in Israel that turned out poorly for everyone the average American has heard of and the Senate battle over immigration, we wonder how bloggers with regular jobs got any work done yesterday. Developments in Iraq and Afghanistan gave bloggers good excuses to take extra breaks as well.
Also today, we report on two potential WH '08ers who cut through to the blogosphere. One blogger wonders whether Card's resignation is part of a larger push for MA Gov. Mitt Romney's (R) WH bid, and several others note, with varying degrees of approval and skepticism, Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) slated speaking engagement at Jerry Falwell's Liberty U.
Finally, for those of you interested in a more academic debate, two heavyweights of the modern neoconservative movement duke it out over just where that movement's headed. If you're in for the political junkie's equivalent of a cat fight, this brawl's for you.
BUSH: They're Daring Us Not To Use Lame Card Puns
Yesterday, we noted the reaction of PowerLine: "Yawn." Reaction rises a bit above that level, speculation doesn't break much new ground. Andrew Sullivan: "Bottom line: this is better than nothing, but also merely the minimum necessary. Maybe there's more to come." Daniel Drezner: "What's amazing to me is not that Card has resigned -- it's that there are so many people who have been working at high levels in this administration for six years and show no signs of leaving." UNCoRRELATED: "Card controls access to the president and has undoubtedly ruffled some feathers over the years. His resignation allows for a 'reconcilation' of sorts with members of Congress who may have felt annoyed at not having more face-time with the President." The Sideshow: "The problem is the policies, and Card didn't set those. No one was calling for Andy Card's head. Rumsfeld's, sure. Cheney's -- oh, yeah. Rice's -- yes, and well before she got her new job. Karl 'Security Breach' Rove's? Uh huh. And Bush's, f'sure. But Card? Please." Outside The Beltway: "Unless [Bolten] comes up with some bold new policy initiatives, it is unclear how this move will bolster the president's sagging poll numbers." BottleOfBlog "There's only one guy who could resign and make the executive branch run any better at this point. And he ain't going back to Crawford just yet."
Craig Crawford offers five reasons this won't help. First among them: "He wasn't the problem. ... Card was a glorified scheduler who took a back seat to Vice President Dick Cheney and his own supposed deputy, Karl Rove." Meanwhile, Ankle Biting Pundits hears from sources that Card is leaving to play a "significant role" in Romney's (R) WH bid. New Donkey also doubts the "fatigue" excuse: "Fatigue from what, exactly? I mean, it's not like this administration has been terribly active in terms of meeting the big domestic or national security challenges facing the country, right?"
What about the new guy? Think Progress says: "Josh Bolten's record suggests he will not be a strong enough voice to stand up to" Bush, Cheney, Rove and Rumsfeld. Left Coaster points to Bolten's role in the Medicare Part D legislation. Bull Moose: "The distinguishing feature about both of them is their loyalty to the President. Loyalty, indeed, is a worthy virtue. But, this is a moment for creativity and boldness. And Bolten for Card isn't exactly bold."
RedState floated the idea of replacing Bolten at OMB with Club for Growth pres/'04 SEN candidate Pat Toomey (R). "Getting Pat Toomey on board, putting Pat Toomey on the team, could enliven fiscal conservatives who haven't had much to shout about from this Administration since the President's tax cuts. It would also help the resume of a talented conservative for when or if he decides to seek public office in the future." Club for Growth's blog responded.
IMMIGRATION: We Wonder If McCain And Feingold Had A Quarrel Of Sorts. That Makes Kennedy The Rebound
Folks are starting to analyze the bill passed by the Senate Jud. Cmte. At Red State, Leon Wolf says the McCain-Kennedy bill isn't perfect, "but it's a surprisingly good one, and the Republican Senators who voted it out of Committee absolutely do not deserve to treatment they have received in some quarters of the conservative blogosphere." Captain Ed: "Immigration stalwarts might hope that the House approach will prevail in the joint conference committee that will reconcile the two bills, but that hope appears fading at best" Steve Soto sees signs that the GOP is "Stepping Back From The Political Abyss" on the issue, except for Senate Maj. Leader Bill Frist, "who apparently feels that he cannot allow Specter to substitute his bill for Frist's more extreme proposal if the GOP caucus isn't with Specter. What Frist and the GOP caucus miss however is that they will lose huge politically this November if they let Specter, McCain, and the entire Democratic caucus beat their brains out over this for a couple of days. And the only person who will look like the imbecile that he is will be Frist himself." Off The Kuff looks at demonstrations in TX 3/28 and also at how it's impacting state campaigns. Michelle Malkin, meanwhile, highlights the upside-down American flag at a CA demonstration.
Glenn Reynolds highlights some key points about the debate: "It's not really about security. It's only sort of about economics. A lot of it is anger at Washington. The debate stinks. It could be poison for both parties." Daily Kos' Darkside wonders why people would trust a "helpless" admin to solve the immigration divide. "With a competent admin and an independent Congress, even one[s] we might not care for generally, there would still be hope that they're really going to hammer out a half-ass, intermediate-term solution to illegal immigration. ... But then grim reality comes crashing in." Dean's World looks at it from the minority perspective: "It is blacks (along with legal Latinos) who bear the brunt of illegal immigration, in employment rates. And it is lower-income black communities that are often overrun first with illegal immigrants, who drain social services that should go to citizens and legal residents. ... If black folks must follow the law, then no special rights for anyone else. And no way should illegal immigrants immediately get rights that took centuries for blacks to acquire."
John Cole just can't get into the issue. "To make things even worse, I don't have any desire to educate myself about the current Senate/House legislation. The way I see it, a wall is impractical, not granting amnesty is pointless (does anyone really think we are going to round up all the illegals?), I am not convinced by arguments that illegals are an economic drain or boon (if I had to make an uneducated guess, I would argue it is a wash), and if terrorists want to sneak bombs in, they will find a way that does not involve illegals." His only view is that the feds should help border states with any immigrant-related expenses.
WHITE HOUSE '08: Give Me Liberty Or Give Me A Better Speaking Gig
McCain will deliver the Liberty U. commencement address, having reportedly improved ties with Falwell. Paul Mirengoff: "McCain may be unsuccessful in courting enough conservatives to win the nomination, and that's my hope. But if he's the Republican nominee, he will be running against Hillary Clinton or someone to her left, not against the John McCain of old. As such, he'll have a lock on the centrist vote." Georgia 10: "Ah, a full embrace of the man McCain referred to as 'pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance.' My question: will Tim Russert ask Senator McCain if he agrees with Falwell's comments?" Carpetbagger Report: "McCain has no excuse for this. If he's capable of feeling shame, this would be a good time for it. This is, after, the same Falwell that McCain (accurately) criticized as 'an agent of intolerance.'"
AP reports on Dems' terrorism plan, to "eliminate" Osama bin Laden. Nodding approval from AMERICAblog. The Agonist: "Finally the Democrats are talking about the ideas progressives have been developing for 5 years. Finally Democrats, instead of gnashing their teeth about 'getting a plan,' have put together a smart, hard-nosed and realistic appraisal of the global situation and have presented the American people with real choices, not rhetoric." Captain Ed disagrees: "They shrewdly selected Osama as a focal point, reminding the country that after over four years, the Bush administration hasn't captured the terrorist leader. ... However, the Bush administration has isolated the AQ leadership and forced it back into Pakistan, as well as killed off or captured most of the operational leadership in the organization." RightWinged: "Here come the no plan Democrats shouting that they have a better plan, but offering nothing but more Bush bashing and insane promises again."
Daily Kos' Georgia10 looks at Gallup's poll ranking the top 10 issue items, and reminds readers of DCCC chair Rahm Emanuel's proposing universal health care, "A practical proposal which, by the looks of this poll, may widely appeal to the American people."
RedState and some other conservative blogs are discussing fines handed to Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) stemming from a '96 eavesdropping case. "So, if you are keeping score at home, that would be one House Democrat to zero current Congressional or White House Republicans who have been found by a court of law to have participated in illegal domestic surveillance of political opponents."
And Democracy Now publishes an interview with ex-Sen. Gary Hart (D-CO). Both a transcript and audio are available.
ABRAMOFF: We're Off On The Road To Jail, We Certainly Do Get Around
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff will be sentenced today for his role in a wire-fraud scheme. TPM Muckracher notes: "The defense team for ... Abramoff is pulling out all the stops as his first trial enters its sentencing phase." While his lawyers claim Abramoff is broke, Sisyphus Shrugged (in a long and very detailed post updating us on the course of the trial leading to sentencing, including just about every link to every document on the case you'd want to find) inquires: "Raise your hand if you think this guy doesn't have money hidden overseas." TalkLeft also offers lots of documents, and calls Abramoff's attys' tactics "great, creative lawyering." Sentencing Law and Policy agrees. Noting letters to the judge on Abramoff's behalf, including some from his children, Roger Ailes responds: "If I was the court, defense counsel's happy horseshit would make me want to throw the book at Abramoff with extra velocity."
ISRAELI ELECTIONS: We Called It -- Likud's In Trouble
Yesterday's elections in Israel drew comment from across the spectrum. As expected, Ariel Sharon's Kadima party won the most seats, with 28, though they had expected better results, and Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party fared much worse than expected, finishing fifth. See the Jerusalem Post for the full wrap-up. New Republic's Yossi Klein Halevi also pens a summary in the L.A. Times. Vital Perspective posts Israeli TV's preliminary exit polling, and An Unsealed Room posts actual results. Her conclusion: "The Likud has been smashed to pieces." The Corner's John Podhoretz: "So the polls are closed, and the story is: Oy." New Donkey summarizes: "Israeli elections appear to have confirmed the much-expected mandate for Ariel Sharon's creation, the Kadima Party, to lead the next government, though with fewer Knesset seats than expected. The real shocker, however, was the collapse of Likud under Bibi Netanyahu, who wrested control of the party from Sharon: it will apparently be the fifth-ranking party in the next Knesset." The Politiburo Diktat sees the results as a positive, and tries to count seats Kadima can use to form a coalition: "If these results hold up, Kadima should be able to begin its unilateral withdrawal." AMERICAblog isn't so optimistic: "Passing anything is not going to be easy." Peaktalk agrees and sees trouble ahead for the coalition gov't: "Israel needs a broad national consensus to give effect to Ariel Sharon's vision and while Ehud Olmert can probably make things work, there will always be a risk that such a fragile coalition may fall apart at a critical juncture." Hugh Hewitt sees a short-lived coalition.
Low turnout was the talk of a number of blogs as well. Fewer Israelis than ever turned out to vote. Captain Ed thinks low turnout "shows that the Israelis have given up on the hardliner approach to stand their ground wherever Israelis live." A Blog For All notes turnout as well, and Dutchblog Israel, who worked the polls yesterday, offers his thoughts on turnout. Meanwhile, soon-to-be-official PM Ehud Olmert has called on Palestinian Pres. Mahmoud Abbas to resume negotiations on Israel's permanent borders. Steve Clemons at The Washington Note: "This is just hopeful news -- but it's important for proponents of negotiations not to get carried away with illusions." Paul Mirengoff makes an international point: "It's interesting, but not heartening, to compare these fragmented election results, in the context of low voter turnout, to the crystal clear Palestinian election results. A people who knows what it wants has a big advantage over a people who is unclear. And when the former wants destruction of the latter, things become scary."
IRAQ: Maybe It Was Just An Advisory Election
3/28's report in the New York Times that the U.S., through Amb. Zalmay Khalilzad, is pressuring Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to step aside had the left up in arms. AMERICAblog gets the most worked up: "Clearly Iraq is such a mess that Bush is now getting desperate. There is no other way to explain why he would take such a drastic, heavy-handed, and full-of-potential-backfire approach to dealing with the Iraqi prime minister. I think the administration has decided that it's going to be all out civil war - well, it already IS all out civil war, but what Bush now has decided is that Iraq is LOST if the current guy remains in power, and thus they aren't worrying about harming Iraq's democracy, or provoking the shi'ites into joining the anti-American insurgency, simply because Bush already knows we're toast, Iraq is toast, if we stick with the status quo." DailyKos' SusanG: "So those vaunted elections were for ... what exactly? Remind me again. I thought it was to usher in an era of democratic self-determination for Iraqis." Brilliant at Breakfast: "The Bush Junta believes that democracy and free elections are only a good thing when they produce the desired result." Lefty Bluememe concurs. Righty Outside The Beltway agrees to some extent, but offers an alternative explanation: "Such interference goes against the very idea of 'democracy' that we are supposed to be fighting for. On the other hand, installation of an inept government unable to meet basic security needs is in no one's interest." Lefty Road To Surfdom, tounge firmly implanted in cheek, concludes: "If the Iraqis don't accede to Mr. Bush's request, the solution is obvious: invade and force regime change." The Lunch Counter supports the move, linking al-Jaafari to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Meanwhile, Power Line thinks there's more evidence of Saddam Hussein making deals with Russia, and moving nuclear materials out of Iraq.
The AP's Shaw reports that Abdul Rahman, the Muslim who converted to Christianity and was threatened with death in Afghanistan, has disappeared. California Conservative notes that Rahman sought asylum in several countries, and that Italy had offered him a home, though it's unclear if he's left Afghanistan already. A Blog For All, Jihad Watch, "Jack Lewis", Michelle Malkin, Sister Toldjah, In The Bullpen, Freedom Folks, Justin Gardner, Ace Of Spades, Below The Beltway, Jawa Report and dozens of others all comment. The Volokh Conspiracy sees Afghanistan's treatment of Rahman as part of a larger problem of democracies that continue to oppress people. Glenn Reynolds points to a report that claims that Rahman's case has generated interest about Christianity in Afghanistan.
SCOTUS: Did Hamden Wear The Same Thing As Anna Nicole?
Justices heard oral arguments in the case of Hamden v. Rumsfeld 3/28, and the Los Angeles Times reports some bad news for the WH on the matter, which deals with presidential authority to set up military tribunals for purported war criminals. Despite being asked by a group of retired admirals and generals to recuse himself from the case (per Washington Post), Justice Antonin Scalia heard the case "and appeared to be the Justice most amenable to the government's position," according to the American Constitution Society. SCOTUSblog, whose author's firm is co-counsel to Hamden, reports on the case and recaps the hearing. Lawyers, Guns and Money calls Scalia a hypocrite and offers previous instances in which Scalia has chastized other members of the court for straying from judicial norms. Even with Scalia still on the bench, Donklephant notes, based on other justices' questions: "It doesn't look good for the government right now." The Left Coaster and TalkLeft reach similar conclusions.
BLOGS VS. THE MACHINE: ACLU Gets More Biz
Jeff Jarvis laments: "The FCC has outlawed the single most essential word in political discourse and protest: bullshit. This is not only an absurd misinterpretation of our community standards and another perilous attack on our First Amendment, I also believe it is a violation of our civil rights worthy of court challenge. Get me to a lawyer, I think we now have the basis for a citizens' suit."
BLOGS VS. THE MSM: DeLayed Quotation
Washington Post's Milbank writes on the redemption of Ex-House Maj. Leader Tom DeLay and his appearance at the Vision America conference in NW DC 3/28. Milbank's piece is taken to task for misquoting The Corner's Tim Graham, who responds to the piece and to what he sees as an anti-evangelical, anti-conservative bias in the Post. NewsBusters piles on.
MISCELLANY: Seriously, People Go Crazy About Their Time Zones
Some quick hits: Hit & Run thinks the FCC needs a lesson on the IN time zone system. Captain's Quarters celebrates the end of anonymous holds in the Senate, but is discouraged by other reforms being tabled in a bill passed 3/28.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: So Is This Civil War?
For those of you in need of some serious mental exercise, an interesting debate between two pillars of the modern Neoconservative movement continues to simmer in the MSM, but lately it's spilled over into the blogosphere as well. First brought to our attention through a New Yorker review of his new book, "America At The Crossroads," the debate centers on Johns Hopkins Prof. Francis Fukuyama's split with Neoconservatives. His main target: Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer. Round I: Fuyukama's book. Round II: Krauthammer's response, posted at RealClearPolitics and elsewhere, in which Krauthammer derides Fukuyama's "Road to Damascus moment." Suffice it to say, the debate gets nasty quickly, though the fundamental philosophy of neoconservatism is laid bare for all to see, and it's pretty interesting. Just about all the bloggers weighing in, though, take Krauthammer's side, including Wizblog, Jim Rose (who holds an "ideological funeral"), D.C. Thornton, Captain's Quarters, Instapundit, Sister Toldjah and Hugh Hewitt. Just a few come down with Fuyukama, including JustOneMinute, lefty Matthew Yglesias.
Round III still to come.
Ever written a long post, paper for school, article, letter to Mom, etc., just to delete it by mistake right when you've finished? Well, you're in good company.
Also, Fat Dude is on vacation in Iraq. That reminds us, it's a good thing the State Department issued those travelwarnings . And we'd heard Fallujah was lovely this time of year.
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Posted by at 01:17 PM
March 28, 2006
3/28: Fence Sitting
Sometimes bloggers have a knack for being ahead of the curve. But as we find today, they just as often reflect the prevailing CW on the day's dominant story. The reemergence of immigration as a dominant topic nationally, especially after this weekend's mass demonstrations and yesterday's developments on Capitol Hill, has provided a flashpoint again. And while there are some key distinctions between the left and right on policy, no one seems quite sure just how much of an impact any moves will have come 11/06, or whether the issue itself is a decisive one among voters. But these things have a way of working themselves out, so perhaps better indicators are to come.
Elsewhere, today is another day where any number of subjects compete for second billing. Andy Card's resignation as WH CoS is sure to be big talk. The Ben Domenech blogswarm has died down, as AP finds itself scrutinized for its supposed policy not to cite blogs. Also: developments in the Moussaoui case raise some questions; FEC makes moves on regulating the blog world; Antonin Scalia's finger gets some love, and don't miss our latest Blogger Spotlight.
IMMIGRATION: Hot Topic Du Jour
Late 3/27, the Senate Jud. Cmte. voted on comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The cmte's bill, which passed 12-6 and heads to the floor today, is widely seen as more moderate than a version the House passed in '05. In the wake of this weekend's massive protests around the nation (see 3/27 Blogometer), immigration remains a hot topic in the blogosphere. Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice covered immigration issues as a reporter and shares his views on the whole spectrum of issues immigration brings up. Reaction on the left was mostly upbeat, as Dems felt like they'd beaten back amendments that were perceived as anti-immigrant. Polimom was one of the optimists, and offers a breakdown of the issue through several issue lenses. She concludes: "The Senate did the right thing yesterday when they put the brakes on this emotional roller-coaster." Ezra Klein sees a move away from "the failed, moralistic, xenophobic policies of the past." Lefties had a fun time debating the politics of immigration as well. DailyKos' Georgia10 thinks the debate helps Dems by hurting GOPers: "Republicans want to make immigration a 'wedge' issue for the midterm elections -- but it appears it is acting as a wedge for the Republican Party itself." The Left Coaster: The bill "will be too much for conservatives, but Democrats are able to get this to the floor now. All eyes turn to Frist now to see if he will blow this up." Everything Between and The Democratic Daily offer similar political analysis. Meteor Blades at The Next Hurrah criticizes Dems for their lack of a coherent position: "I have no hopes that, even if they could, elected Democrats would follow the Iroquois model of looking ahead seven generations in evaluating the possible effects of any policy decisions they make in this matter. Can I at least suggest they look beyond the November elections in choosing a stance?" American Street's Kevin Hayden and Low On The Hog think eliminating the word "illegal" will take the wind out of GOPers' sails. Several conservative blogs follow Meteor Blades' lead, but criticize GOPers in the Sen. John Hawkins, of Right Wing News: "Sometimes, you just have to scratch your head and wonder what goes on in the vast empty space between the ears of some of the Republicans in the Senate." The bill passed, he said, "might as well have been written by Vicente Fox." Jawa Report's Bluto: "Presumably, the Republicans are motivated by the prospect of dirt-cheap labor, while the Democrats hope to harvest votes from the illegal immigrant 'community'." Red State's California Yankee blames the four GOPers who joined Dems to pass the bill out of cmte. Hugh Hewitt blames Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). But Mickey Kaus thinks the issue will work for Republicans. "1) Voters say it's an important issue; 2) A majority wants some sort of border-control action; 3) The GOP base feels intensely about it; 4) Many Congressional Democrats are -- by ideology or interest group pressure -- locked in to a pro-immigrant, non-tough stance (or if they strike a tough pose it seems just that). In all these respects, immigration resembles welfare reform, a key hot-button base-mobilizing issue for Republicans in the 1994 midterms." Glenn Reynolds calls immigration on the whole "poison for both parties." For his part, Wizbang wins our Creative-If-Futile Idea of the Day award with his proposal to scrap the 13th Amendment. Mark Noonan at GOP Bloggers is still peeved about the weekend's demonstrations: "The more these illegals and their foolhardy allies demonstrate, the more likely the House immigration bill (the one that makes it a felony to be in the US illegally) will eventually be signed into law." Euphoric Reality's Heidi thinks L.A., where 500K people protested over the weekend and thousands more walked out of school 3/27 and today, "is fast becoming a Third World dump." Michelle Malkin wonders about Pres. Bush's "shadows" rhetoric in light of the eye-popping number of demonstrators.
This a.m., AP broke news that WH CoS Andy Card resigned. Replacing him will be OMB dir. Josh Bolten. Surprisingly, perhaps, few celebrated Card's tenure. Macs Mind, one of the few offering a handshake on the way out: "Thanks Andy for the service." Other GOPers greeted the news happily. RedState, citing Harriet Miers, the Dubai ports deal and other fiascos, is pleased: "It is about time Mr. Card resigned." More, on the new CoS: "Mr. Bolten has been a forward thinker and we welcome him to the job." Decision '08: "The President has been the victim of poor political handling, beginning at least with Katrina and perhaps before. Anything that will change the personnel dynamic can only be a good thing at this point." But some on the right don't think Bolten will make for much change: Power Line header: "Yawn." More: "I doubt that the change will make any difference, except maybe cosmetically, but it may satisfy some of those who have been demanding 'change' in the administration." Outside The Beltway notes: "Unless Bolton comes up with some bold new policy initiatives, it is unclear how this move will bolster the president's sagging poll numbers." The Moderate Voice: "The Card resignation which just so happens to come amid continued suggestions that Bush change his staff, coupled with the change in approach to dealing with the press, indicate the White House is moving to stem political damage and try to rebuild support in some areas." The left is at once dismissing Card and welcoming Bolten with, erm, open palms. Lefty Firedoglake welcomes the "new" guy: "Bolten has worked with Bush since his time in Texas -- nothing like looking to your circle of cronies first for someone. Wouldn't want anyone who would irritate the President with pesky truthiness or anything." More hits on Bolten from the Booman Tribune: "Since Bolten has done such a bang up job as budget director, I believe it's probably safe for all of us to put bags over our heads and pretend that the next three [years] aren't happening. Think of puppies and kittens. It's better that way." Middle Earth Journal, one of many to sound a common refrain: "Another case of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." And Georgia10 chimes in: "There's no saving this failed Presidency now." Blogging of the President also piles on.
In other news, some righties are still talking about Sen. Russ Feingold's (D-WI) censure measure. Matt Margolis: "President Bush actually fights the war on terror, and the Democrats consider that reason for censure, if not impeachment. While Feingold's censure resolution has received little support, some Democrats won't rule it out either."
WAR ON TERRORISM: Tales From An Arlington Courtroom
Convicted Al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui made a splash 3/27 p.m. when he told a jury that he and convicted shoe bomber Richard Reid were to be two hijackers on a fifth plane on 9/11/01. Their target? The WH. Plenty of bloggers responded to the AP's version of the story. Moussaoui's "revelation itself isn't all that shocking. The fact that Moussaoui blurted it out in court is," says righty PunditGuy. Fellow righty Outside The Beltway: "One suspects this will not make the jury sympathetic to his cause." Below The Beltway thanks him for salvaging the gov't's case: "Before today, the government's case looked like it was a loser, especially after the fiasco with the coached TSA witnesses. After this testimony, though, I will be surprised if he doesn't get the death penalty." Instapundit thinks, however, that the testimony "underscores the damage done by the inept investigation after his arrest." Gina Cobb forsees the left's reaction: "Only the very naive or the very anti-American will be surprised by Moussaoui's testimony." Strata-Sphere agrees. Righty Debbie Schlussel takes the opportunity to bash the FBI again.
Others are skeptical that Moussaoui, who once stated that Muslims are permitted to lie in three circumstances, including in the execution of jihad, is telling the truth now. In The Bullpen's Chad Evans: "Richard Reid? I have a hard time believing that." Lefty Newshog smells a ploy: "My gut feeling is that this is a man who has given up the will to live or has discovered the will to die. He is trying to force the jury into making him a martyr." Viking Pundit reaches the same conclusion. Righty Ace of Spades, A Blog For All and Confederate Yankee are likewise skeptical. Captain's Quarters: "I'm rather suspicious of the testimony today, and in the absence of corroboration, I'm inclined to chalk this up to a streak of egotistical, suicidal idiocy on Moussaoui's part." Gates of Vienna also questions Moussaoui's veracity through the lens of a paradox written by Epimenides, a 6th-century Greek prophet and philosopher.
IRAQ: Interviewing The Interviewer
Democracy Project talks with retiring Knight Ridder military editor Joe Galloway. He says the U.S. military has, in Bruce Kessler's words, "painfully earned successful experience that's coming to bear," but the problem is: the "American people are fed up with it." Asked to compare Saigon with Baghdad, Galloway says South Vietnam had a "semi-orderly" military dictatorship, compared to the "not even semi-orderly" early democracy in Iraq.
Daily Kos' SusanG cites Reuters' report that the ruling Shiite majority wants U.S. forces to return control of security to the Iraqi gov't after the latest mosque attack. She the refers to Bush's 1/05 statement, that he'd withdraw forces from Iraq if the new gov't asked him to. "Mr. Bush, Can We Go Home Now?"
Not content with expressing his views on a case yet to be argued (see 3/27's Blogometer), SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia responded to his critics by flipping them off. Boston Herald reports. Lefty No More Mister Nice Blog comes out firing: "If Ted Kennedy had done something like this thirty years ago, they'd still be attacking him for it." The Carpetbagger Report makes a similar point: "Classy guy. I wonder what conservatives would say if Ruth Bader Ginsburg had done something similar." Two Glasses and The Washington Note make similar points while calling for Scalia's recusal, and AMERICAblog, which first started talking about the incident, wants an apology for "every Christian." Stop The ACLU: "So what if he did [flip the bird]? They deserved it."
Going back to yesterday's argument about whether Scalia ought to recuse himself from Hamden v. Rumsfeld, Joe Gandelman of The Moderate Voice changed his mind and doesn't think Scalia should step aside.
BLOGS VS. THE MSM: Plagiarism The New Black?
Brad DeLong wants WashingtonPost.com exec. ed. Jim Brady to provide examples of Ben Domenech's work that justified his hiring. "I haven't gotten an answer. Somehow I don't think I [will]." Meanwhile, INDC Journal has posted a poem to mark the occasion. But elsewhere, the topic seems to have died down completely.
The AP, apparently, doesn't value blogs as much as their other sources. That, predictably, has bloggers mad. When Raw Story ran a piece 3/13 claiming the Bush admin was changing certain rules relating to granting security clearances, especially based on sexual orientation, several GLBT groups approached the authors and asked for their notes. Given the notes, those groups went to the AP, which followed up with an article of its own. The problem: AP didn't bother to cite Raw Story or the authors who wrote the piece. The AP told one of the authors, Larisa Alexandrovna, that they don't credit blogs. She provides a breakdown of the situation at Huffington Post. Roger L. Simon writes: "This is more than picking on the small fry. This is fear of the small fry -- the media class struggle in its MSM vs. blogs essence." Matt Stoller, Jim Lindgren, Majikthise and L'Ombre de L'Olivier call AP's actions either stealing or plagarism. Captain's Quarters: "After seeing the pillorying that Ben Domenech received -- and rightly so -- for plagiarism, this arrogant dismissal of outright theft by the supposed "professionals" of the mainstream media puts the whole issue in perspective. This implicates not just the AP, one of the world's largest newsgathering organizations, but every client of the AP that runs their stories on their sites and in their newspapers."
The FEC ruled 3/27 to exempt blogs and other internet communications from political advertising laws. Those weighing in were resoundingly positive. RedState, as always, has coverage of the meeting, complete with remarks from FEC chair Michael Toner. Wizbang called the new rules, which were approved on a 6-0 vote, "excellent news for all those who opine about politics and politicians on the internet." DailyKos' Adam B: "The netroots have won."
In other campaign finance news, Tim Chapman, one of the bloggers on a conference call with top GOP members discussing 527 reform, concludes that, instead of properly regulating 527 groups under McCain-Feingold, "I think in their zeal to come up with a 'temporary fix' to a real problem," Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Tom Price (R-GA), Tom Cole (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC) "have chosen more regulation instead of less." Hugh Hewitt agrees: "This seems like a cough syrup nastier than the cough." Of note, Club For Growth is adding the bill, HR 4975, to their "key vote" list. They're calling a "No" vote one that is pro-economic growth.
BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Comments From The PunditGuy-llery
Today, the Blogometer talks to Bill Nienhuis, also known as the PunditGuy.
What is your full name?
Bill Nienhuis
What is your age?
40.
Where did you grow up?
Northwest Washington State.
Where do you live now?
Same.
What is your occupation?
Director for an electronic book publishing company.
Have you ever worked on a political campaign or for the mainstream media?
No.
When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging in October of 2004 because I was interested in the '04 Presidential Election.
What has been your favorite post, or favorite story to write about, in that time?
2005 Tsunami, because I was one of only a couple of bloggers to post amateur video of the destruction as it happened.
Describe your typical blogging schedule.
I blog in the morning, then sporadically as stories develop during the day.
And what is your average output?
More or less, 4 to 6 posts per day.
Who is your favorite political blogger?
Favorite non-political blogger?
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist?
Charles Krauthammer.
What is your favorite television news program, either network or cable?
Meet the Press.
What MSM-produced websites (i.e. newspapers, magazines) do you visit on a daily basis?
The Washington Post and Yahoo! News.
What non-MSM websites (i.e. blogs) do you visit on a daily basis?
25 to 30 different blogs, mostly political or current event focused.
How often, or do you ever, read a newspaper in its dead-tree (i.e. print) form?
Only when I'm on a flight (USA Today).
How do you see the new media and old media affecting and influencing each other in the next five years?
Old media is learning to react to stories faster, and they're now browsing the blogosphere in order to gauge what the "buzz" is as news happens. Bloggers who are serious about what they write are trying to be as thorough and accurate as possible so they can gain recognition among the MSM. Some hope that they'll be picked by MSM sites to submit regular editorial pieces, etc.
Today's elections in Israel is expected to bring out two-thirds of registered voters -- a mark called low for average Israeli elections. Roger L. Simon is blogging from the U.S., while An Unsealed Room and IsraellyCool liveblog from Israel. So is The Guardian. Of note, Vital Perspective is reporting that ex-PM/Likud party head Benjamin Netanyahu is expressing concern about winning just 14 of the Knesset's 120 seats.
Mark Tapscott pays tribute to ex-Reagan aide Lyn Nofzinger, who died 3/27 at the age of 81: "It's just not possible to try to put into words at such a moment what Lyn represented, either to America or to hundreds of us who worked with and for him during the Reagan years. He was the truest and the toughest of the Reaganauts. And so much more. For many of us, Lyn was also father, confidante and friend and we would walk through fire for the man. Even now years later, tears are being shed all over America by those who knew and loved him." Tapscott includes links to obits from major papers.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: We're All Patriots
George Mason is one of the top searches at Technorati, proving perhaps that everyone in the blogosphere can rally around the underdog. Power Line breaks down the tournament and why he almost didn't watch. And The Volokh Conspiracy's writers -- most of whom are George Mason U. profs., are beside themselves at the "stunning, breathtaking results, a