Israel acknowledges the widely assumed fact that it is negotiating with Syria indirectly, through Turkish intermediaries. The U.S. government tried to thwart these talks for years, but eased its opposition in recent months. Wonder what McCain thinks about this?

Free speech wins (well, you know, this time): Senator Lieberman’s staff identified numerous videos that they believed violated YouTube’s Community Guidelines. In response to his concerns, we examined and ended up removing a number of videos from the site, primarily because they depicted gratuitous violence, advocated violence, or used hate speech. Most of the videos, [...]

• “Currently pregnant with the next generation, let me just say this: There is no greater wish that a mother can have for her daughter than that she will exploit poor people, obliterate Iran, and win rigged class president elections, Putin-style. (Mom, I won 100 percent of the vote!)” [VV] • “I thought after the [...]

I’ve seen various attempts to discount the astounding 75K turnout for Obama in Portland last week, but none have the charming daffiness of this one, from rightwingy Newsbusters. It’s main thesis? Obama didn’t draw that huge crowd, indie darling gothic twee rockers The Decemberists did. Of course! Why, that band has filled concert venues with [...]

From the National Review’s campaign news wrap-up feature:

It’s true, the best and most important blogging is often done by people who are not paid to do it: In 2004, [Jane Novak] started her blog, www.armiesofliberation.com, adorned with a Stars and Stripes logo, and soon wrote an article defending Mr. Khaiwani, who was in prison. He wrote her a letter of thanks, addressing [...]

Clinton: “Ted Kennedy’s courage and resolve are unmatched, and they have made him one of the greatest legislators in Senate history. Our thoughts are with him and Vicki and we are praying for a quick and full recovery.” McCain: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Senator Kennedy and his family. We hope and pray [...]

Of George Huntington Hartford II, remembered today in the New York Times as the heir to the A & P empire, who lost an estimated $80 million of his $90 million fortune over his lifetime, who described himself as “Horatio Alger in reverse,” who built one of New York’s most oddly distinguished buildings at Columbus [...]

The news about Senator Kennedy is indeed a shock, and it is hard to overstate how much it has shaken the capital. If a lawmaker is to be measured by the sheer volume of his legislative accomplishments, then Senator Kennedy has been, hands down, the most important Senator of the past half-century–a case that Adam [...]