Here’s a piece on Rove’s departure that I wrote for the print issue that comes out tomorrow.
Daily Jumble: Clinton Sniping-Free Edition
• This is not the Iraq report you’re looking for. [WP]
•Liveblogging the illegal wiretapping case: “Plaintiffs acknowledge that the room is central to their case and that they don’t know what is going on in that room. Something else could be going on in that room. Just to pick one, it could be FISA court surveillance in that room.” …
In the ArenaUncategorized
Today in Iraq
Iraqslogger is reporting a new government coalition of Shi’ites and Kurds. But no Sadrists or Sunnis. Presumably the new government will be meeting in Baghdad, a city largely controlled by Sadrists. Sounds like a recipe for more civil war to me.
In the ArenaUncategorized
Latest Column
In which the Republican field is assessed, post straw poll.
In the ArenaUncategorized
The Iraq Report
Josh Marshall on today’s Washington Post report about the utter futility of trying to limit the testimony of Petraeus and Crocker:
Perhaps I’m missing something. But doesn’t this sound like the anxiety is a little more pronounced on the White House side since they’re the ones trying to bag on the report that has been the building focus
…
In the ArenaUncategorized
Rove Raving
Fairly hilarious “interview” of Karl Rove by Rush Limbaugh yesterday. In it, Rove described his essential strategy in presidential campaigns:
The fallback position in politics is if you don’t know what you want to be about, and if you don’t know what your vision is, go at somebody else.
Oh, wait. He wasn’t talking about the Bush …
In the ArenaUncategorized
As I was saying about Petraeus…
There are now reports that he’ll call for “troop cuts.” The standing troop rotation schedule has us reducing the force from 20 to 15 combat brigades by next August. My guess is he won’t go any deeper than where we’re already going.
Let’s Put an End to Voting Machine Snafus
Congress won’t be back in town for a few weeks, but I’m excited about some of the legislation that awaits their return. One of the least covered but most crucial bills would help restore popular faith in the fundamental building block of our democracy – elections.
If Congress doesn’t act, around 41 million Americans in 13 states …
Wikireality: What’s True Is Whatever People Have Time to Edit
Is the NYT tampering with Wikipedia too?
I have to say, if true, these edits suggest that the Times staffers are much funnier (and more immature) than you’d ever guess by looking at the paper itself. Condoleezza Rice trained to become a “concert penis“? That’s Gutfeld territory, people. (Maybe they meant Mr. Penis…)
“The Final Hermes Solution”
I had an immediate gut reaction to this post, from the National Review’s Corner, regarding Lindsey Graham being spotting in Iraq armed with a Beretta:
The Hermes Solution [Lisa Schiffren]
When I was a reporter in a war zone where all civilians carried guns — i.e. Afghanistan in the 1980s — reporters were strongly advised not to,
…
Daily Jumble: Poison Toy-Free Edition
A reminder: The Jumble is a list of the shiny news-like objects that have caught my eye. Please feel free to crow about your finds in the comments.
• Unstoppable force meets immovable object? “On Wednesday, secret documents that purportedly chronicle parts of the governments’ secret warrantless spying on Americans’ communications will …
In the ArenaUncategorized
Petraeus Watch
The LA Times has this speculation about what Petraeus is going to say next month. The administration officials quoted in the piece say the general will ask for a restructuring of the force, moving troops from Anbar into Baghdad, but not reducing troop levels. I think this may be a smokescreen: I suspect that with trumpets and whistles …
Religious Right Attacks Hindu Prayer, Muslim Congressman
Last month, Religious Right activists in the Senate gallery made a scene by attempting to shout down a Hindu clergyman who was scheduled to deliver an opening prayer. You can watch the shameful episode here:
But as if that wasn’t bad enough, Rep. Bill Sali (R-Idaho) managed to make matters much worse last week. Sali warned that the …