1. National debt has increased $4T under Obama 13 hours ago   permalink

Www.cbsnews.com

The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama's four-year term.

discussions

Mark Hemingway / The Weekly Standard Blog :   The Daily Grind: W's Third Term

Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway :   National Debt Has Increased $4 Trillion Under President Obama

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? : CBS NEWS: National debt has increase… Ace of Spades HQ :   And a very merry DOOM to you too, sir! Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit :   National Debt Has Now Increased $4 Trillion Under Obama – He Blames Bush

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Campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com Is Obama's "specific" plan now just an outline?   —  Last Monday, President Obama made news by promising to give a speech in September detailing, "a very specific plan to boost the economy, to create jobs and to control our deficit." Mark Hemingway / The Weekly Standard Blog :    Happy Hour: Obama's Jobs Plan Downgraded? Hyscience :    Obama's 'specific' jobs plan now just an outline?

Thehill.com Gallup: Obama trails Romney, ties Perry   —  Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) would beat President Obama among registered voters, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) would tie the president if the election were held today, according to a new Gallup Poll. ThinkProgress / ThinkProgress :    Morning Briefing: Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    GALLUP: Obama trails Romney, ties Perry….

Campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com Team Obama deals the race card against Perry   —  Last week, liberal pundits charged Perry with racism, offering no evidence or falsified evidence. While the baseless racism charges surfaced on MSNBC, they might have originated in the Obama campaign. Mark Hemingway / The Weekly Standard Blog :    Happy Hour: Obama's Jobs Plan Downgraded? John / Verum Serum :    Signs of Progressive Desperation: Racist Dog Whistles Early and Often John Hinderaker / Power Line Obama’s “Industrial Sabotage” Devastates the Gulf   —  Kevin Mooney tabulates the damage that the Obama administration is doing to the Gulf economy, and to the energy industry generally: Ten oil rigs have left the Gulf of Mexico since the Obama Administration imposed a moratorium on deepwater oil and gas drilling in May 2010 and others could follow soon…. The rigs have left the Gulf for ... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    “INDUSTRIAL SABOTAGE” IN THE GULF?… Www.investors.com Editorial: As Failures Grow, Obama Blames Others   —  Politics: In his weekly radio address and elsewhere over the weekend, President Obama blamed Republicans for "holding back" the recovery by blocking his still-MIA jobs plan. This wins the prize for Oval Office hubris. Hyscience :    Obama Debt Tracker - more than $4 trillion of total new national debt added in 31 months Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    INVESTORS’ BUSINESS DAILY: As Failures Grow, Obama Blames Others. “Obama can’t have it both ways. … Media Matters for America CBS' Mark Knoller Whitewashes Bush From 2009 Deficit   —  CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller whitewashed former President Bush's role in creating $1.2 trillion in deficit for the 2009 fiscal year, instead blaming President Obama for every penny of debt increase since "the day Mr. Obama took office." But the Congressional Budget Office had already projected $1.2 trillion in deficit before ... Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Abbreviated pundit roundup   —  Visual source: Newseum Libya is the topic at hand for today's New York Times editorial: For more than 40 years, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has dominated and terrorized Libya — his image plastered on what seemed like every wall and his goons posted on every corner. Late Monday, with rebel fighters in substantial control of Tripoli, he was nowhere ... Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Eric Cantor does not like the EPA   —  A confederacy of dunces The more we hear from Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the more I come to the unavoidable conclusion that he is not very bright. I am sure he is "bright" in the way politicians need to be "bright" to win elections, but his policy pronouncements seem invariably to be nearly substanceless drivel of the worst and dullest sort. ... Heather / Crooks and Liars Tom Friedman Continues to Give Cover to the Extremism of the Republican Party   —  Click here to view this media It looks like Tom Friedman has a new book to sell, so naturally that meant that Howard Kurtz just had to give him two full segments on this weekend's Reliable Sources to sell the CNN viewers on some more of his Third Way nonsense that he and a bunch of Republicans and corporate Democrats are trying to push now that ... Latest Politics Headlines Video: Obama sends a message to Libyan rebels   —  President Obama wasn't ready to declare victory yet in Libya, but he was sending messages to the victors, telling the rebel alliance that could soon govern Libya what kind of country the U.S. hopes will emerge from the chaos. Wyatt Andrews reports. Chris Stirewalt / FOXNews.com Obama Leans Harder on Labor as His Fortunes Fall   —  It comes as no surprise then that Obama agreed to be the headline speaker at the massive union conclave in Detroit on Labor Day. This will be part of the president’s new jobs program rollout, but it will also be his chance to remind unions what he has done for them. Yahoo! News Obama: Libya's future 'in the hands of its people'   —  AP - As rebels celebrated in Tripoli, President Barack Obama declared Monday that Moammar Gadhafi's long rule is over. "The future of Libya is in the hands of its people," he said. Directorblue / Doug Ross CBS: Obama has overseen "the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president"   —  Here's an additional worry: he's got nearly a year-and-a-half to go ... The latest posting by the Treasury Department shows the national debt has now increased $4 trillion on President Obama's watch. The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion. It' ... Directorblue / Doug Ross Larwyn's Linx: Obama still doesn't get it   —  Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email . Bloggers: you can install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget ! Nation Obama still doesn't get it : Betsy Biden's Sympathy for the Devil : Pundette What happened when Katy Perry tweeted 'Pray for Israel' : Malkin Anti-Americanism Disguised as Ethnic Studies in Tucson Schools : RWN Back-Door ... Bnyhan / Brendan Nyhan Peggy Noonan reads Obama's mind   —  Even when presidents get in trouble, we rarely see evidence of the strain they probably feel, creating a void at the center of the dramatic narrative that the media wants to sell. That's why journalists and pundits so often rush... Skookum / Flopping Aces Rick Perry’s Cowboy Boots Versus Obama’s Marxist Gum Boots   —  My intellectual mentors were two of the most unlikely characters you can imagine. They were both immigrants to Peace River Country from Europe. They were both well read and primarily self-taught learned men, who knew the classics and were prepared to argue politics, religion, or literature with any man walking the earth. Todd or Tadeusz Podbereski, Latest Political Hotsheet Headlines Obama in statistical dead heat with Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann   —  Among independents, the only candidate Mr. Obama beats is Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann Ed Morrissey / Hot Air » Top Picks Obamateurism of the Day   —  Job's not done until the paperwork is finished. First Read / First Read Romney to unveil jobs plan same week as Obama   —  Circle one more big political news day in the first week of September. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said today he will unveil his jobs plan on Sept. 6th, the same week as President Obama unveils his plan -- possibly even the same day. Matthew Yglesias / ThinkProgress NRO Hits Obama For Frivolous Vacation-Reading, Ignoring Evidence Of Anti-American Totalitarian Plot   —  Tevi Troy of National Review Online argues that the president shouldn’t be reading so much fiction on vacation and also hits him for “buying his books at the ‘legendary’ Bunch of Grapes” store on Martha’s Vineyard, a shop that “highlights a variety of its offerings, with nary a conservative work.” I& First Read / First Read First Thoughts: Republicans backtrack on Libya   —  Republicans (especially Romney and Huntsman) backtrack on their Libya criticism of Obama… Highlighting the GOP field’s lack of foreign-policy experience (outside of Huntsman)… Did “leading from behind” work?... Michael Warren / The Weekly Standard Blog Romney to Counter Obama September Jobs Speech With His Own Speech   —  GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney told Fox News's Neil Cavuto this afternoon that he will reveal his plan on job creation on September 6, the same week President Obama is set to unveil his own. Romney's speech is part of a strategy to "pick up the pace" in a new phase of the campaign. "I fundamentally believe that the American people are ... Hyscience Obama's 'specific' jobs plan now just an outline?   —  Remember President Obama's promise last Monday to give a speech in September detailing, "a very specific plan to boost the economy, to create jobs and to control our deficit"? It was the umpteenth time we've heard the president talk about producing a plan, and each time it's resulted in nothing more than tossing an idea out on the table that ... Gina Cobb / GINA COBB Obama's "Very Specific Plan" to Create Jobs Will Now be Just an OUTLINE?   —  Before trotting off on vacation, Obama promised to deliver a speech in September detailing, "a very specific plan to boost the economy, to create jobs and to control our deficit." Cynics suspected that the main goal of Obama's announcement was to take the heat off for a time so he could relax at Martha's Vineyard without pesky questions from ... Hyscience Liberalism run-amuck? Obama's HHS: 'Children Are Sexual Beings'   —  Liberal's intrusion into every aspect of our lives and attempts to destroy all social and moral norms, continues - this time it's Obama's HHS telling parents they should consider children and infants as "sexual beings" and offering advice to parents and teens about sex education, including assurances that teens may "experiment" with ... The Seattle Times Obama plays basketball after Libya statement   —  After two outings at the golf course during his Martha's Vineyard vacation, President Barack Obama has switched to basketball. Taegan Goddard Romney Tries to Upstage Obama with Jobs Plan   —  Mitt Romney will announce his "jobs plan" on September 6, the day before a GOP presidential debate and the same week President Obama said he'll unveil his own economic plan. Mike Allen : "POTUS' choices: a) Wait till after the debate, and let Romney upstage him. b) Go the same day as Romney, producing a back-and-forth narrative, and giving the ... Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune The GOP's True Colors   —  There are certain 'teaching moments' when the Republicans do something so transparently hostile to average people and so obviously in the service of wealthy people (at everyone else's expense), that you can actually use them as an example that can be quite convincing in recruiting people away from the party. This article provides one of those ... Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Associated Press / The Detroit News Perry against Obama reform   —  Washington — With the highest percentage of uninsured residents, Texas would be one of the biggest beneficiaries of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Michael Moore Sanders warns Obama not to agree with GOP on Social Security benefit cuts   —  Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont, is pressing President Obama to keep his campaign promise not to cut Social Security benefits in a possible deal with Republicans. Sanders has joined a lobbying campaign by more than 200 labor unions and liberal groups pressing Obama to make a strong statement against cutting Social Security ... Forum Obama: Let’s Spend Billions to Fix What the Stimulus Was Supposed to Fix   —  There’s something eerily familiar about Obama’s latest round of pledges, promises, and plans for infrastructure spending. The Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2011: “President Barack Obama is pressing Congress to create a new “infrastructure bank” to finance highway and rail construction, create jobs and jump-start the ... Mistermix / Balloon Juice Obama Sux/Rulz!   —  I don’t think anyone’s posted about the Obama administration’s decision to review pending deportation cases and use prosecutorial discretion on non-violent cases and cases of children of immigrants: But White House officials and Congressional Democrats said they expected the measures would lead to relief during the coming year ... Forum Obama Is a Robot That Needs Reprogramming   —  President Obama's legacy is shaping up to be a recurring cycle of rhetorical failures chasing policy failures, an endless, stupefying effort to convince us of the wisdom of pursuing -- again and again -- policies that have already failed. This point is reinforced as we read reports about Obama's umpteenth luxurious golf outing while our ... Yves Smith / Naked capitalism Mirabile Dictu! New York Times Tells Obama Administration Off, Backs Schneiderman on Mortgage Settlement   —  The editorial in today’s New York Times may be a sign that the tide is turning. The elites are starting to break ranks with the mortgage industrial complex. Gretchen Morgenson reported yesterday that the Obama Administration was pressuring the New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to drop his opposition to the so-called 50 state ... L.A. Times Obama administration works to be sure Libya doesn't turn into Iraq   —  U.S. officials and allies urge rebels to prevent the looting and revenge attacks that swept Baghdad after Hussein was overthrown, and to safeguard arms depots to keep weaponry secure from terrorists. The Obama administration scrambled Monday to ensure that the U.S.-backed rebels who appear on the brink of victory in Libya don't follow the grim ...

2. Warren’s criticism of Wall Street poses fundraising dilemma 1 hour ago   permalink

Thehill.com

Elizabeth Warren’s combative history with Wall Street could create a fundraising dilemma for her burgeoning Senate campaign.  Her ardent grassroots following on the left — forged during stints as TARP watchdog and as mastermind of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — would likely make her a formidable Senate candidate in Massachusetts.

discussions

First Read / First Read :   More 2012: Shays in, Chaffetz out

Mike Riggs / Hit :   Reason Morning Links: Discriminating Catholics Get Discriminated Against, Jersey Shore Cop Loses His Cool, Mexico Gov Rejects Call for Truce with Cartels

Melissa McEwan / Shakesville :   Our Broken Democracy, in One Headline

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Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: 8/23   —  To receive the Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest via email each weekday, sign up here . Senate : • CT-Sen : Pretty unsurprising after all the leaks and pre-leaks and pre-announcements and rumored hinted alleged announcements, but anyway, ex-Rep. Chris Shays (himself) finally says he's going to seek the GOP nod for U.S. Senate… in October ( ...

Dartblog Adam Keller and Other Lemmings   —  The smart boys on Wall Street must laugh under their breath when they deal with Finance VP's at Ivy League schools. The Ivy types are so used to being taken seriously on campus that have lost any sense of their own fallibility; the wolves who run deals for a living must lick their chops as they "educate" their prey about the next financial ...

A little night musing / Corrente "Wall Street is our Main Street"   —  Do read Yves: Corrupt Obama Administration Pressuring New York Attorney General to Support Mortgage Whitewash SarahBurris / Crooks and Liars Five Reasons Scott Brown is Bad for Women and Families   —  (h/t HuffPo ) Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has tried to reinvent himself as an icon of mainstream Americana to appease his right wing GOP base without alienating those who continue to hold Massachusetts values. But if there's one thing Scott Brown can't hide - it's his loyalty to his party over the people. Whether it is right wing anti- ... Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune Goldman Sachs CEO Lawyers Up   —  Not exactly the same as "cowboy up" but Reuters is reporting Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs CEO has hired a top defense litigation attorney from DC, Reid Weingarten, a man who represented many senior executives in his time, including former Enron executives in "white collar" criminal matters: (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd ... Leonard C. Goodman / In These Times Wall Street Pulls Obama’s Strings   —  Whatever grim bargain emerges from the federal debt ceiling and budget negotiations, it's clear the losers will be poor and middle-class Americans. Less clear is who exactly to blame. Some say President Obama is a bad negotiator--too eager to please, too willing to compromise. Others say the Democratic Party is bad at messaging.  The real ...

3. Strauss-Kahn case 'to be dropped' 2 hours ago   permalink

BBC News

A New York judge is expected to dismiss a sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn amid concerns about his accuser's credibility.

discussions

David Kenner / FP Passport :   Morning Brief: Fighting continues in Tripoli

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Www.nbcnewyork.com DSK Expected to Be Free to Go Home Today   —  Prosecutors filed a motion on Monday to dismiss all charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, stating that the Manhattan maid who accused him of sexual assault had told so many lies that her story could no longer be considered reliable. Jonathan Dienst reports. Joseph Lawler / AmSpecBlog :    The Day Ahead: Tuesday, August 23 Jeff Neumann / Gawker :    Dominique Strauss-Kahn Could Fly Home Today

Agence France-Presse / The Raw Story Strauss-Kahn to walk free as sex case collapses   —  Dominique Strauss-Kahn is set to walk free on Tuesday after New York prosecutors said that while the powerful Frenchman did have sex with his hotel maid, they could not prove an assault because the alleged victim's lies undermined the case beyond repair. Within hours, New York state Judge Michael Obus is due to rule on [...]

Editor / Truthdig DA Seeks to Drop Charges Against DSK   —  Prosecutors have filed to dismiss all charges against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, writing that his alleged victim “has not been truthful on matters great and small.” Strauss-Kahn was accused—and virtually convicted by many news reports—of attempted rape in May. A lawyer for the hotel housekeeper who accused Strauss-Kahn ... Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway Prosecutors Ask Judge To Dismiss Charges Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn   —  Prosecutors as asking a Judge to dismiss all charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, because that's their only option. Latest Breaking News Manhattan prosecutors drop Strauss-Kahn’s sex charges   —  Lawyers of one-time French presidential favorite Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Monday announced New York prosecutors’ will drop sexual assault charges after they urged the judge to dismiss the accusations of 32-year-old African immigrant and hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. Yahoo! News Prosecutors seek to dismiss Strauss-Kahn charges   —  AP - Early in the sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, prosecutors held out his accuser as its strongest point. Her account was "compelling and unwavering," complete with "very powerful details" and corroborated by a medical exam, they said. Seth Abramovitch / Gawker Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Hotel Room Was a Semen Stain-A-Palooza   —  The legal filing on Monday to dismiss charges of sexual assault against Dominique Strauss-Kahn contained within it one crusty footnote, illuminated by the blacklight-wielding investigators of The Smoking Gun : The $3,000-a-night Sofitel suite where the former IMF head stayed last May, and where his accuser said the alleged crime had occurred, ... Christian Science Monitor Strauss-Kahn case: why prosecutors want to drop all charges   —  The district attorney's office told the accuser of Dominique Strauss-Kahn Monday that she had lied too many times in the past. Prosecutors will seek to drop the case Tuesday. Reuters Prosecutors ask NY judge to drop Strauss-Kahn case   —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss sexual assault charges against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Monday, a stunning reversal that could revive the political future of a man many had seen as the next president of France. On Deadline Rape case against former IMF chief set to be dropped today   —  A Manhattan judge is expected to formally dismiss rape charges against former IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn today at the request of prosecutors ... Yahoo! News Prosecutors ask NY judge to drop Strauss-Kahn case   —  Reuters - New York prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss sexual assault charges against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Monday, a stunning reversal that could revive the political future of a man many had seen as the next president of France. Latest Breaking News Prosecutors recommend dismissal of Strauss-Kahn criminal charges   —  Manhattan prosecutors have recommended the dropping of the sexual assault case against former International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Jeralyn / TalkLeft DA Files Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Dominique Strauss Kahn   —  The Manhattan District Attorney's office has filed a 25 page motion asking the court to dismiss all charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn. You can read it here . “The nature and number of the complainant’s falsehoods leave us unable to credit her version of events beyond a reasonable doubt, whatever the truth may be about the ... Michael White / Politics news Libya: waiting for the 'fog of war' to clear | Michael White   —  It may soon be over for the regime but it certainly isn't over yet, and Tripoli folk driving around making jokes about Gaddafi may be unwise Follow all the latest developments in the battle for Tripoli on our live blog At lunchtime yesterday I had the good fortune to catch the French intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy holding forth on Radio 4's ... Big Baby DougJ / Balloon Juice It sure beats Riker’s   —  This has been in the works for a while, but the Manhattan District Attorney is about to drop charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn . If the witness isn’t credible, the witness isn’t credible, that’s how the justice system is supposed to work. But get ready for another round of “how could this lying nobody ruin such a ... Annalthouse / Althouse "The prosecutors have basically adopted the defense arguments."   —  "They appear to bend over backwards to try to excuse their decision to run away from this case." The lawyer for Nafissatou Diallo, who accused Dominque Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault, complains about the prosecutor's "hatchet job on Ms. Diallo’s credibility," as Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, Jr. moves to dismiss the case.

4. Setting The Record Straight: Wrong & Misleading 2 hours ago   permalink

Www.sarahpac.com

Three years ago DC pundits predicted with glee the demise of Sarah Palin's political career. This past weekend their tune changed, citing false information that she has made a decision and set a date regarding a future campaign. Any professional pundit claiming to have "inside information" regarding Governor Palin's personal ...

discussions

Gschwarzcnn / CNN :   Palin blasts 2012 specuation but applauds...

JEFF ZELENY / The Caucus :   Fresh Palin Tea Leaves Seem to Predict a Late September Decision

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Gschwarzcnn / CNN Palin blasts 2012 specuation but applauds...   —  (CNN) - Sarah Palin's political action committee pushed back on rumors she has made a decision about a run for...

Latest Political Hotsheet Headlines Could a Palin presidential bid rewrite the campaign rulebook?   —  Conventional wisdom is that Sarah Palin won't run in 2012 - but if she does, she'll likely launch a completely different kind of campaign

5. How Is Warren Buffett Like the Pope? 1 hour ago   permalink

Www.hoover.org

The terrible economic news from both Europe and the United States has led to much soul-searching on both sides of the Atlantic. How did we get here, and how can we get out of this jam? In my past columns for Hoover’s Defining Ideas, I have insisted that both economies will be able to extricate themselves from their deep slumps only by promptly ...

discussions

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   RICHARD EPSTEIN: How Is Warren Buffet Like The Pope? They’re both dead wrong on economic policy….

Andrew Stuttaford / The Corner :   Social Justice?

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Jay Tea / Wizbang Greedy Bastard   —  Hey, remember Obama buddy Warren Buffett volunteering to pay higher taxes? And volunteering his fellow billionaires as well? Well, one of those billionaires is answering — and he’s not happy about Buffett’s generosity with other people’s money. I have a simple solution: the Massachusetts method. Back in 2000, the voters ...

6. It ain’t over yet 4 hours ago   permalink

Rick Rice / Wizbang

Though it’s likely just a matter of time, Libya’s strongman hangs on: The son and heir apparent of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, Seif al-Islam, resurfaced free and defiant early Tuesday a day after rebels claimed to have captured him. In a bizarre reappearance, Seif al-Islam boasted that his father’s loyalists still control ...

discussions

Rick / Brutally Honest :   It ain't over yet

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The Daily Star News Middle East Syrian opposition eyes Gadhafi downfall with hope, fear   —  The downfall of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is likely to pave the way for increased Western attention to Syria and embolden protests against President Bashar Assad.

ThinkProgress / ThinkProgress Morning Briefing:   —  Though reported captured by Libyan rebels, President Muammar Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam made a surprising, defiant public appearance in Tripoli to “refute the lies” of his capture and to rally loyalists. Insisting that government forces “broke the back of the rebels” by luring them into “a trap,” al- ...

Little Green Footballs Things Get Even Crazier in Libya   —  Muammar Gaddafi's son suddenly makes a dramatic entrance : The dramatic appearance Monday night of Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam at the Rixos hotel, where the Tripoli-based press corps remains trapped, contradicted the rebels’ assertion the day before that they had captured him and cast into doubt their claim of controlling 80 percent ... Webmaster / Chicago Sun-Times Gadhafi son rallies supporters; rebels control most of Tripoli   —  Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s son and onetime heir apparent, who was reported arrested by rebels on Sunday when they advanced on the capital Tripoli, is free. BBC News Heavy clashes at Gaddafi compound   —  Fighting breaks out in parts of Tripoli held by Gaddafi forces, as the Libyan leader's son Saif al-Islam reappears after reportedly being captured. Yahoo! News UN chief urges Gadhafi forces to stop fight   —  AP - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Monday to stop fighting immediately and make way for "a smooth transition" that ensures a free and democratic future for the country.

7. After Uprising, Rebels Face a Struggle for Unity 2 hours ago   permalink

DAVID / NYT

The character of the anti-Qaddafi movement is facing its first real test: Can they build a new government of unity, or will their own internal rivalries mean divisions in the new Libya?

discussions

Matthew Yglesias / ThinkProgress :   History’s End In Tripoli

8. Exclusive: Apple suppliers building cheaper, 8GB iPhone 5 hours ago   permalink

Reuters

TAIPEI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian suppliers to Apple Inc have begun manufacturing a lower-priced version of its hot-selling iPhone 4 with a smaller 8 gigabyte flash drive, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

discussions

CNET :   Apple prepping budget-friendly, 8GB iPhone 4?

9. News Analysis: For Obama, a Moment to Savor, if Briefly 6 hours ago   permalink

MARK LANDLER / NYT

For the president, a victory of strategy is a bit of vindication that seems unlikely to get much political payoff.

discussions

First Read / First Read :   Obama agenda: 'Khaddafy regime is coming to an end'

William Teach / ACLU :   Somehow The Possible Success In Libya Is Bad For The GOP

10. Legislators feel the heat at jobs summit 6 hours ago   permalink

Www.latimes.com

The idea that a law can be unconstitutional at the federal level, but not unconstitutional at the state level is patently ridiculous. All 50 states are subject to the same U.S. Constitution, correct? Yes. Thus, how is it possible for the union of all 50 states combined (the federal government) to have less powers or rights than a single ...

discussions

Simonhernandezarthur / CNN :   POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Tuesday,

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress :   Justiceline:

11. Pipeline foes arrested in D.C. 4 hours ago   permalink

Www.omaha.com

WASHINGTON — Retired teacher Nancy Packard doesn't seem the type to get hauled off to jail, yet the Lincoln grandmother was being handcuffed and patted down by police officers Monday outside the White House.

discussions

Susie Madrak / Crooks and Liars :   Nebraska Grandmother Arrested In Continuing Tar Sands Protest at White House

Yves Smith / Naked capitalism :   Links 8/23/11

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Forum Police continue to arrest environmentalist protesters at the White House   —  United States Park Police arrested another gaggle of protesters outside of the White House Monday. The protesters were participating in an ongoing demonstration against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Police arrested 52 protesters for blocking the sidewalk in front of the White House, the third round of mass arrests since the protests began on ...

12. On Food Safety, a Long List but Little Money 2 hours ago   permalink

WILLIAM NEUMAN / NYT

The Food and Drug Administration is taking on an expanded mission when regulators have little hope for more funding and may even see their budgets cut.

discussions

ThinkProgress / ThinkProgress :   Morning Briefing:

Pat Garofalo / ThinkProgress :   Econ 101:

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English.aljazeera.net Defiant Saif al-Islam rallies loyalists   —  Saif al-Islam, the son of Muammar Gaddafi who was reported captured by Libyan opposition forces on Sunday, has made a defiant public appearance in Tripoli. ThinkProgress / ThinkProgress :    Morning Briefing: David Kenner / FP Passport :    The Qaddafi regime refuses to die Christian Science Monitor :    Libya rebels lose territory as battle for Tripoli deepens

13. The reluctant war president 6 hours ago   permalink

POLITICO

While Obama has claimed credit for individual military successes, he has never fully embraced that role.

discussions

ThinkProgress / ThinkProgress :   National Security Brief:

14. S&P Board Fires CEO For Telling The Truth, To Be Replaced With COO Of Citibank 13 hours ago   permalink

Tyler Durden / Zerohedge.com

Following years of pandering to client demands, and assigning trillions of dollars in fixed income securities with whatever rating money bought (among other things, a factor to the credit bubble and its subsequent implosion) S&P finally tried to do the right thing and tell the truth. However in this case it picked if not the worst, then ...

discussions

Michael Laprarie / Wizbang :   The price of truth: S&P fires its CEO, replaces him with COO of Citibank

Ace of Spades HQ :   And a very merry DOOM to you too, sir!

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Agence France-Presse / The Raw Story S&P president steps down after US ratings downgrade   —  Standard & Poor's president Deven Sharma is stepping down, its parent company announced, just weeks after the credit rating agency cut the US' top AAA rating and sent global markets into turmoil. Sharma, who will take another role in the company before leaving altogether at the end of the year, will be replaced by Citibank's [...]

Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Open thread for night owls: Bank of America edition   —  Another day, another foreclosure horror story. From the St. Petersburg Times : When James became ill, the couple encountered financial difficulties because of high medical bills. The couple asked Bank of America to modify the loan. There was a catch. The couple would have to first officially default on their $1,400-a-month payment. The couple ...

Mike Lux / Crooks and Liars The Church of Progress   —  enlarge You know, contrary to what you might believe from hearing the panicked commentary from the media, there are solutions to our economic problems. Look at the report that came out this week from the New Bottom Line Campaign showing that at least 1,000,000 new jobs would quickly be created if we just forced the big banks to write down the ... Yahoo! News S&P replaces president with Citibank exec after U.S. downgrade   —  Reuters - The chief of Standard & Poor's will step down next month, to be replaced by a senior Citibank executive, in a move announced a few weeks after the credit rating agency downgraded U.S. government debt and sparked a row with Washington. On Deadline Goldman Sachs CEO hires lawyer, shares drop   —  He hasn't been charged with any crimes, but the CEO of Wall Street investment giant Goldman Sachs has hired the same high-powered lawyer who ... Reuters S&P replaces president with Citibank exec after U.S. downgrade   —  SYDNEY/BANGALORE (Reuters) - The chief of Standard & Poor's will step down next month, to be replaced by a senior Citibank executive, in a move announced a few weeks after the credit rating agency downgraded U.S. government debt and sparked a row with Washington. Seth Yantiss / Say Anything S&P Head “Steps Down” – Replaced by Citi COO?   —  Forum Why Goldman's CEO Lloyd Blankfein hired a criminal defense lawyer   —  What’s Lloyd Blankfein afraid of? You can pick any number of things that could have caused the chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs to go out and hire an expensive criminal defense attorney, but his most pressing concern has to be a guy named Rajat Gupta. Gupta was a friend of Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of Galleon Group who is going to jail ... The White House / White House.gov Press Office Feed Remarks by Vice President Biden at Sendai Airport   —  Release Time: For Immediate Release Sendai Airport Sendai, Japan 3:22 P.M. (Local) THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Governor, thank you very much. Come to Delaware. It’s a lovely place. How many students were scheduled to go to visit my home state of Delaware? Raise your hand. You’ve still got to come. My granddaughters are ...

15. Gaddafi son Saif at Tripoli hotel after arrest report 14 hours ago   permalink

Www.reuters.com

1 of 4. Saif Al-Islam, son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, shakes hands with supporters in Tripoli August 23, 2011 in this still image taken from video.

discussions

Editor / Truthdig :   ‘Captured’ Gadhafi Son Surprises Reporters

Tyler Durden / Zerohedge.com :   Gadaffi's Supposedly Arrested Son, Very Much Free, Hobnobbing With Reporters At Tripoli's Rixos Hotel

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The Daily Star News Middle East Tripoli residents jubilant after loyalists’ reign disintegrates   —  Tripoli residents spent Monday jubilant yet fearful, asking for weapons to join rebels in their cat-and-mouse war with loyalists who have besieged the city with snipers and drive-by shootings.

The Daily Star News Middle East World reacts to takeover of Tripoli   —  World leaders Monday hailed the rebel takeover of Tripoli, urging Moammar Gadhafi to admit defeat, as Libyans around the world celebrated the veteran leader’s imminent demise.

Gordonskene / Crooks and Liars Tripoli Recap - August 21-22, 2011   —  enlarge Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances . Click here to view this media Click here to view this media Click here to view this media As the story began to unfold that rebel forces were on the outskirts of Tripoli, news moved quickly changing almost by the minute, making it difficult to anticipate what was going to happen next. At ... Latest Breaking News Gaddafi’s son makes public appearance, belies arrest report   —  One of the sons of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi made his first public appearance on Tuesday to belie reports that he had been arrested by rebels. Saif al-Islam showed up in Tripoli aboard a government car at a hotel held by forces loyal to his father. Bob Morris / Politics in the Zeros Saif Qaddafi is free and in Tripoli   —  Saif arrived in a convoy with armed men at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli and told Fox News that the rebels had been lured into a trap and that pro-Qaddafi forces will crush them. Saif is a stone cold sociopath. ICC said they had him in custody too. This thing ain’t over yet. #bbpBox_105799209894154241 a [...] Andrew Mitchell / Politics news Nick Clegg: only a matter of time before Gaddafi regime is defeated   —  Speaking after meeting of National Security Council, Clegg says remaining elements of the Gaddafi regime are cornered Follow all the latest developments in our Middle East live blog Nick Clegg said on Tuesday morning that it was "only a matter of time" before Colonel Gaddafi's regime was finally defeated. The deputy prime minister made his ... Allahpundit / Hot Air » Top Picks Chaos: Qaddafi’s heir apparent, allegedly captured yesterday by rebels, now back on the streets of Tripoli   —  What? DAVID GOODMAN / NYT The Lede Blog: Latest Updates on Battle for Tripoli, Day 3   —  The Lede is continuing to follow the battle for the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Tuesday as rebel forces battle with fighters loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, who has ruled Libya for 42 years. Yahoo! News Libya rebels close in on Gaddafi compound   —  Reuters - Libyan rebels battled on Tuesday around Muammar Gaddafi's headquarters, where a son of the veteran leader had emerged overnight to confound reports of his capture and to rally cheering loyalists for a rearguard fightback. Jeff Neumann / Gawker Fugitive Qaddafi Son to World: 'Go to Hell'   —  Col. Muammar Qaddfi's high-profile son Seif al-Islam was said to have been captured late Sunday night by Libyan rebels — a claim that was repeated by the International Criminal Court in the Hague where Seif is charged with war crimes along with his father. But early this morning, Seif showed up at Tripoli's Rixos Hotel in a white limo to ... Editor / Truthdig ‘Captured’ Gadhafi Son Surprises Reporters   —  As a reminder that we know less about what is actually happening in Libya than may otherwise be texted, tweeted and reported, Moammar Gadhafi’s son Saif al-Islam, who had been reported captured by the opposition, dropped in on reporters at a hotel in Tripoli to refute their work. Reuters: Television footage showed him pumping his fists in the ... Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune Libya   —  Apparently, something is going on there. You'd never know it from watching MSNBC's uninterrupted Lockup programming. Some are reporting that Gaddafi is dead. The Associated Press is tweeting that one of Gaddafi's sons has been arrested. A Gaddafi spokesman just had a press conference and complained that everything was nice and peaceful in Tripoli ... Reuters Libya rebels close in on Gaddafi compound   —  TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libyan rebels battled on Tuesday around Muammar Gaddafi's headquarters, where a son of the veteran leader had emerged overnight to confound reports of his capture and to rally cheering loyalists for a rearguard fightback. KAREEM FAHIM / NYT Rebels’ Assault on Tripoli Began With Careful Work Inside   —  In recent weeks, rebel leaders smuggled weapons into Tripoli and spread the word among local revolutionaries that widespread protests would begin after evening prayers on Aug. 20.

16. Frum: Give Obama a break 12 hours ago   permalink

Www.cnn.com

Editor's note: David Frum writes a weekly column for CNN.com. A special assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2002, he is the author of six books, including "Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again," and is the editor of FrumForum.

discussions

JOE GANDELMAN / The Moderate Voice :   Quote of the Day: On Vacations Give the President a Break

Taegan Goddard :   Give the President a Break

17. In LD8, Delany derailed by wife's email to Lewis 13 hours ago   permalink

Www.politickernj.com

Former Assemblyman Pat Delany abruptly resigned last month from his post representing the 8th district after his wife sent a racially tinged email to senate challenger Carl Lewis, the former Olympic Gold medalist.

discussions

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo :   NJ Legislator Resigns over Wife's Race Rant

Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Elections :   Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: 8/23

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Chris Stirewalt / FOXNews.com New Jersey Lawmaker Quits Over Wife's 'Racist' Carl Lewis Email   —  A freshman Republican lawmaker resigned because his wife sent "an offensive and racist" email to the Democratic state Senate campaign of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, a GOP official acknowledged Monday.

18. GOP poll shows Kinder trailing by 7 14 hours ago   permalink

Www.politico.com

The release of a Republican poll showing Peter Kinder trailing by just 7 points in the Missouri governor's race is meant to send two complementary messages: The lieutenant governor remains the GOP candidate and it's not as bad as you think.

discussions

Daily Kos rss / Daily Kos Elections :   Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: 8/23

Dave / The Hedgehog Report :   MO: Nixon Leads Kinder by 7%

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Salon Staff / War Room Steve Kornacki talks Huntsman, GOP race on "Hardball"   —  Assessing the chances of the most (only?) outspoken believer in climate change and evolution in the 2012 GOP field

Danny Yadron / Washington Wire Huntsman Says He Could Be Bachmann’s VP   —  Jon Huntsman says he could be Rep. Michele Bachmann's running mate as easily as he could work for President Barack Obama.

Burnt Orange Report Perry's New Image Problem   —  BREAKING NEWS : Infamous GOP strategist Frank Luntz is right about something. Something important. On "This Week," Luntz told ABC's Jake Tapper that GOP voters "look at Rick Perry, and they say this guy's got an incredible record in Texas, in terms of job creation and the economy. But they're wondering, has he said things or will he say things ...

19. 60% of Congress Not Holding Town Halls 15 hours ago   permalink

Nolabels.org

Is your representative holding a public town hall meeting this August recess? No Labels called every office, and only 40% are scheduling open town hall meetings. It’s a sad sign of the state of affairs when our elected officials don’t have time to meet with their constituents.

discussions

POLITICO.com :   Most of House passes on town halls

Taegan Goddard :   Most Lawmakers Not Holding Town Hall Meetings

Andy Kroll / Mojo Feed :   Congress Has an Answer for Public Wrath: Eliminate Town Halls

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Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress At Town Hall, GOP Rep. Hultgren Can’t Explain How Bush Tax Cuts Created Jobs   —  Last week, Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) held a town hall meeting in Geneva, Illinois where he was peppered with questions about the Bush tax cuts. A woman stood up and asked him to explain how the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy created jobs for Americans. Hultgren repeatedly avoided answering the question, instead choosing to bash the stimulus or ...

Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune Two Can Play That Game   —  It looks like it took two years but our side finally learned to play the Tea Partiers' game of going to town hall meetings in an organized mass and strongly expressing displeasure with the performance of Congress. I can't say this is raising the level of discourse, but I hope it is at least somewhat effective. It certainly worked for the Tea Party.

20. POLL: Stabenow leads Hoekstra, Michigan on wrong track 14 hours ago   permalink

Www.wxyz.com

(WXYZ) - If the race for one of Michigan’s U.S. Senate seats were held today, incumbent Debbie Stabenow would win but not without looking over her shoulder at the competition. A new EPIC MRA poll has Lansing Democrat Stabenow stretching her lead over former West Michigan Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra by 9 points, 47-percent to 38-percent.

discussions

Dave / The Hedgehog Report :   MI: Stabenow Leads Hoekstra By 9%

Taegan Goddard :   Stabenow Leads Hoekstra by Nine

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David Vance / BBC ALL WRONGS LEAD TO MURDOCH   —  There was a particularly nasty little item HERE on Today this morning. It's yet another BBC led attack on Murdoch, this time bringing in Chris Mullins and Sheila Gunn - John Major's former press secretary. Gunn, in particular, used the opportunity to have a go at those bad "right-wingers" and "little Englanders"who gave nice Mr Major such a hard ...

Forum Rasmussen Daily Tracking Poll   —  The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 19% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-four percent (45%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -26