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?

CARROLL: Welcome Home?

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."

BUSH: Roving Reporter

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."

DEMOCRATS: Turned Upside Down

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.

CONGRESS: Reconsidering

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.

NOTES AND ERRATA

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 March 31, 2006 12:21 PM