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MakeThemAccountable.com
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Bush heads to Capitol Hill to rally GOP
WASHINGTON - President Bush will be facing a tough crowd as he steps behind closed doors to ask House Republicans divided by the politics of war to support his drive for more power to spy on, imprison and interrogate terrorism suspects.
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Tom Toles, Washington Post
The World
Series of attacks around Iraq kill 10
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Car bombs and drive-by shootings killed at least 10 people and wounded dozens of others Thursday in a series of attacks around central Iraq, officials said.
Hizbollah sees UN envoy visit next week
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hizbollah expects a United Nations "mediator" to visit Lebanon next week to try to secure a deal for the release of two Israeli soldiers it captured in July, the group's leader said in remarks aired on Tuesday.
BOTH sides are being investigated, and that’s what this headline should say.
Amnesty International: Hezbollah committed war crimes against Israel
Hezbollah militants broke international law by firing thousands of rockets into Israel and killing dozens of civilians during the recent conflict with Israel, Amnesty International charged Thursday. The human rights group called for a United Nations inquiry into what it called war crimes by Israel and Hezbollah, but its report focused on the actions of the Lebanese militants during the 34-day conflict.
As Gaza Parents Go Unpaid, Children Go Hungry
With the Palestinian Authority cut off from funds, the Gaza Strip is enduring a severe economic depression with growing signs of malnutrition.
150 militants storm police HQ in Afghanistan
At least 150 Taliban raided a police headquarters in western Afghanistan on Thursday, igniting a battle that killed two militants and two policemen before the insurgents were driven off, an official said.
Afghanistan hits at Musharraf over Taliban remark
KABUL (Reuters) - Kabul has angrily rejected comments by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf that the Taliban had grown more dangerous than al Qaeda with the support of Afghans, accusing some in Pakistan of sponsoring the rebels.
Top Russian central banker killed in contract "hit"
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A top Russian central banker who fought to clean up Russia's murky banking system died early on Thursday from gunshot wounds after being ambushed by assassins in what police said was a contract 'hit'.
The Nation
Senate Republicans defy Bush over terrorism trials
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defying President George W. Bush, a group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday said they would press ahead with legislation to try foreign terrorism suspects that the White House said would stifle CIA intelligence-gathering.
Senate GOP Pushes Bush Wiretap Bill
Under pressure from the Bush administration, Senate Republicans endorsed a White House-supported domestic wiretapping bill that would give the controversial surveillance legal status. A GOP panel stopped Democrats' attempt to amend the bill.Please help me out here, friends. Why is unconstitutional wiretapping okay with GOP senators, but not unconstitutional treatment when trying us? —Caro
Army adds real soldiers to video game
Move over, G.I. Joe. The Army has found some recruits in its latest effort to enlist soldiers. In a campaign targeting teenagers, the Army announced on Thursday a new version of its "America's Army" video game, incorporating digital likenesses of eight actual soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Novak accuses source of distortion
Columnist Robert D. Novak, who first revealed Valerie Plame's job with the CIA and touched off a federal investigation, is accusing his primary source of misrepresenting their conversation to make the source's role in the disclosure seem more casual than it was.
Armitage Added To Plame Lawsuit
Richard Armitage, who admitted that he revealed CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to journalists, is now being sued by Plame and her husband as part of civil litigation that already includes the Vice President, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.
Scandal-rocked House passes ethics bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new Web site will tell Americans which companies win government contracts and grants under an ethics bill passed by the scandal-rocked House of Representatives on Wednesday ahead of November elections.
Congress sets up website to provide data on government spending
The House on Wednesday passed by voice vote and sent to President Bush legislation to create a website that will give people ready access to information on the $300 billion in grants issued to some 30,000 organizations annually, and the roughly 1 million contracts exceeding a $25,000 threshold.I’ve asked OpenSecrets.org to combine this with their donations database, and give us the ability to see them side by side. —Caro
Lamont: U.S. weaker because of Iraq war
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Democrat Ned Lamont said Wednesday the U.S. is weaker because of the war in Iraq backed by rival Sen. Joe Lieberman, and he called for shifting forces to Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Va. Senate race goes negative
Virginia's U.S. Senate race turned nasty Wednesday as Republican Sen. George Allen launched a character attack on his Democratic opponent's past views toward women in combat, signaling the start of a two-month barrage of negative campaigning in what has become a close race.
Democrat could be 1st Muslim in Congress
MINNEAPOLIS - A state lawmaker could become the first Muslim elected to Congress after edging out three rivals Tuesday for his district's Democratic nomination.
Princeton prof hacks e-vote machine
A Princeton University computer science professor added new fuel Wednesday to claims that electronic voting machines used across much of the country are vulnerable to hacking that could alter vote totals or disable machines.
Voting glitches continue to worry election officials
The glitches in this year's primaries come as nearly one in three counties wrestle with new equipment upgrades mandated by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The law was intended to fix the type of problems that plagued the 2000 presidential election.
Election glitches 'could get ugly'
Eight weeks before elections that will decide control of Congress, a rush by state and local governments to prepare new voting machines and train poll workers is raising the possibility of trouble reminiscent of the 2000 presidential election standoff.
NBC/WSJ poll: Dems seem likely to pick up seats
An NBC/WSJ poll finds that more than half of registered voters disapprove of President Bush's job performance, even more disagree with his handling of Iraq, and a strong plurality prefer a Congress controlled by the Democrats all suggesting that Democrats are still poised to pick up seats in the upcoming midterms.
Ex-Texas Gov. Ann Richards dies
AUSTIN, Texas - Former Gov. Ann Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died Wednesday night after a battle with cancer, a family spokeswoman said. She was 73.She will be sorely missed. I hope Molly Ivins writes a column about her. —Caro
Economy & Business
Dow closes up 45, Nasdaq finishes up 12
NEW YORK - Stocks rallied for a second session Wednesday, pushing to four-month highs even as oil prices showed a slight rebound after seven days of losses.
Mortgage foreclosures rise in the 2Q
WASHINGTON - Mortgage foreclosures climbed in the spring as higher interest rates and energy prices made monthly payments harder for some homeowners.
World economy stays strong but risks grow: IMF
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The global economy is set for another year of strong growth, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday, but it warned that rising inflationary pressures and a U.S. economic downturn posed growing dangers.
Saudi Official: Oil Reserves Run Deep
During a meeting of OPEC leaders in Vienna, Austria, a Saudi oil executive said only 18 percent of the world's oil reserves have been tapped, challenging the notion that worldwide oil supplies are drying out.Actually, geologists don’t really know what the oil reserves are. They do a lot of guessing. One has to wonder if the Saudis aren’t trying to help their buddy and business partner, George Bush, just before our election. —Caro
Google and Intuit ally to coax small businesses onto the Internet
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Online advertising mastermind Google and business software specialist Intuit announced they have teamed-up to tempt small businesses into seeking customers on the Internet.
Media
Google adds more mapping innovations
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. has added more video and other bonus features for users of its popular three-dimensional mapping software to unearth even more information about destinations around the world.
Future of wireless media bright but challenged
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood is quickly expanding into wireless entertainment, but challenges remain before mobile phones reach their potential as powerful media platforms, industry executives said on Wednesday.
Science & Technology
Northrop to build NYC wireless network
NEW YORK - The city has awarded defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. a $500 million contract to build a wireless network that will let police and firefighters plug into city computer systems, even when they are rushing to emergencies.
Microsoft Brings the Works Online
You might think the folks at Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT - News) have bigger fish to fry than a tiny Bay Area startup named ThinkFree. The company, which offers Web-based word-processing and spreadsheet programs, counts about 60,000 active users, none of whom even pay for the service yet. But there on page six of Microsoft's annual 10-K filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, submitted in August, Microsoft lists ThinkFree as a rival to its $11.8 billion Office business, used by more than 400 million people around the globe. "It's official now," laughs ThinkFree CEO TJ Kang.Not exactly open source, but getting closer! —Caro
The Hard Drive Turns 50
A look back at where hard drives have been--and where they're going.
Computers sought to perform petaflops
Supercomputers that perform trillions of operations every second are helping scientists probe life's deepest complexities. But it's still not enough.
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Why is Dean Refusing to Help Ford in Tennessee
The word is that Dean has decided that Tennessee is a red state, always will be and he is not lending financial aide to Harold Ford. First of all, Ford is moving up in the polls, last month he was 10% behind and this month, same poll he has pulled 4 points behind and is moving. Sure we will have money from sources, but Dean has cut our resources thin, we are down to what, 12 million, with the GOP holding 60 Million.
I regret that I supported Howard Dean. This story is very credible, he publically denied financial assistance and Ford can take this Senate seat, he doesn't want to take away from more needy candidates, but he needs our help and our chair doc dean has denied funding.
I am no one important, just a voter, a dedicated Democrat who looks at the big picture. I have come to rely on your opinion and action.
I see fundraisers for Dean and the DNC, but when are down to 6 Senate seats and 16 house seats, I do not believe that Dean is trustworthy or knowledgeable enough to know where to spend the money.
Harold Ford is a great man and he can take this Senate seat, but he needs our help.
I would like for everyone to ask doc dean why he thinks that we can take Tennessee, defeatist attitudes we do not need.
Carolyn, Thank you very much for your hard work and I hope that you can do something to help Harold Ford. He will make a great Senator.
Kathy, I can probably tell you why Dean will not back...
Ford. The main reason is that Ford is a 'Blue Dog' democrat...otherwise known as a DINO. He, like Lieberman, Daschle, Geppy, Biden, the Nelsons, Landrieu and several others votes for the other party much of the time.
Ford is a good looking guy, obviously personable, appears to be sincere, but in the end, one has to place him solidly in the DLC camp or worse--based on his record.
In other words, we are--as a party--worse off with him in office than we would be were he to lose. Ford is Repugnant Lite...and that is why Dean will not back him.
You might try looking up Ford's record and see where he stands on Dem platform issues--only then will you understand why he isn't much good for the party or the country.
Edwards is connected to the Fundies, Warner is associated with Bilderbergers and is DLC extreme lite, and many of the other southerners(Landrieu for example)vote against our policies and issues more than they vote with. What is wrong with Southern politics?
I note that Rich Dillon and Kentucky are trying to break out...we all appreciate their efforts.
Ford should be replaced.
A mind once expanded can never return to its original dimensions.
Anne Hathaway: 1556-1623
The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something because one wishes it to be so.
Louis Pasteur
Thanks
For the compliment grinch. The fact is that there are a lot of good Democrats here that are really fed up like the rest of us. The efforts of Mike Weaver, Ken Lucas, Tom Barlow, and John Yarmuth are appreciated. The Weaver folks are really grinding hard, and I must admit a fondness of the way they campaign. All of these candidates have serious strengths and have a whole lot of people working a lot harder than me now.
First I would like to say that I haven't heard anything anything about Dean not supporting anyone. I'm not saying it is true, but I didn't see or hear it personally. I know the DNC does have less money to give this time around, but you must consider that Dr. Dean is doing what he advertised and starting to build a national party again. I remember him saying something to the affect of it would be a long painful process, and he is investing money that way and not wasting it.
As far as Ford I don't really know his record and haven't looked it up, but I do sympathise with the poster who supports Ford. Democrats from this part of the country generally have some Conservative leanings. I myself do, as I do believe in a death penalty for some crimes.
I think one has to distinguish between what is moderate, and what is DINO. I can excuse a man like Ford who might vote Conservative on some social issues If and only if they consistently vote to ensure fairness for all working Americans. If and only if they don't believe in sacrificing social programs for wealth oriented tax cuts and corporate welfare. If and only if they oppose the outsourcing of high-paying American jobs overseas to exploited workers. If and only if he will oppose the privitization of Social Security. Will he oppose any expansion of the President's wiretapping abilities, and stand up to any further power grabs by the Executive Branch? Will he be a leader in providing oversight over the Executive Branch?
I guess what I am trying to say is that I share frustrations with both of you. I hate to see any Democrat abandoned in this most crucial year, but who wants another DINO? From what I have seen of Ford, he is very marketable, and might even be able to make it close. I don't really know enough about his views and goals and whatnot, but I will have to look at his site.
As for Dean I am once again compelled to defend him. The DNC for years had been abandoning many parts of the country. Even in places like Kentucky and Tennessee that had proud Democratic traditions, the national party had no prescense because the structure had crumbled and never been replaced. Republicans at the same time were building up the same structure that was crumbling for the Democrats. Now as a result in many states their is close to no party prescense, and in some there is little. Dr. Dean had a fifty state strategy to build a structure where no state in America was neglected and we had a prescense everywhere- like the Republicans. I have seen with my own eyes that he is doing that. What people need to see is that has to be done WITH the elections. It can't be one or the other. We can't sacrifice the future of our party to win now without re-building our infrastructure too. It seems to me we already tried that and it got us eight years of George Bush with Republican Congress for six years.
If you consider the juggling act Dr. Dean is having to pull off to both build the party structure and support candidates, plus having to campaign and constantly respond to the low blows Repugs throw at him, I think he is doing an excellent job. I hope his work gets finished.