peeance president

* "Four years ago, top Bush administration lawyers told Congress they opposed lowering the legal standard for intercepting the phone calls of foreigners who were in the United States, even while the administration had secretly adopted a lower standard on its own.
The government's public position then was the mirror opposite of its rationale today in defending its warrantless domestic spying program, which has come under attack as a violation of civil liberties." (link)
congratulations to glenn (i love the title from the LAT: "Words, Deeds on Spying Differed")

* "Sen. John Kerry will attempt a filibuster to block the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, CNN has learned." (link)

* "United States intelligence agencies have been hunting for one of al-Qaida's most notorious members - an expert in poisons and lethal chemicals. But NBC News has learned they have been trying to find him by using a photo of the wrong man on his wanted poster (for 18 months) .... However, the official insists all other intelligence on Abu Khabab is accurate... The hunt for “Abu Khabab” may now be over. Pakistani intelligence officials say he was killed recently in the Predator missile attack in Pakistan." (link)
sometimes you just feel like crying.

* your preznit speaks: "And I know you can't be a partner in peace if you have a -- if your party has got an armed wing." and 'A political party, in order to be viable, is one that professes peace, in my judgment, in order that it will keep the peace,' (link)

* froomkin on the whitehouse position on spying: "It's like spin meets kindergarten" (link)