Talking Points Memo

Sarah 2.0

2009-07-14T03:28:22Z

We knew there was a rebranding afoot. And here we have the first roll out of Sarah Palin, policy wonk. The Post agreed to run her new column on cap-and-trade.

New Palin Plot

2009-07-14T03:17:01Z

On TPM Reader TG's advice, I checked out Sarah Palin's SarahPac, her political action committee.

And it turns out he's right. Palin does seem to have a plan for drawing a giant stencil of the state of Alaska on the mainland United States. Perhaps even removing entirely a series of midwestern and rocky mountain states.

Something Not Adding Up

2009-07-14T02:23:21Z

The New York Times is also reporting now that the secret Bush-era CIA program kept from Congress and terminated last month by CIA Director Leon Panetta was a plan to assassinate top al Qaeda officials that was never implemented. This is additional confirmation of the Wall Street Journal story that essentially reported the same basic outlines of the still-classified program.

The Times compares the program to drone attacks against al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "This was another effort that was trying to accomplish the same objective," Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), ranking member on the Senate intel committee, tells the paper.

But as a former CIA counterterrorism chief told TPMmuckraker today:

"The CIA runs drones and targets al Qaeda safe houses all the time," said Cannistraro, explaining that there's no important difference between those kinds of attacks and "assassinations" with a gun or a knife.

So regardless of how you might feel about targeted assassinations, it's not at all clear why this particular program would be so radioactive -- compared to what the U.S. was, and still is, doing more or less openly -- that (1) Cheney would demand the CIA not brief Congress about it for eight years; (2) Panetta would cancel it immediately upon learning of it; and (3) Democrats would howl quite so loudly when finally informed.

Or to think about it another way, put yourself in the seat of a Democrat on one of the intel committees after 9/11. If you had any doubt about whether the intel agencies were targeting al Qaeda leaders, wouldn't you have demanded that they show you proof they were? And if you didn't have any doubt that they were, why are you complaining now about not being briefed?

It doesn't add up. There's more to this story to be told.

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2009-07-14T02:23:21Z

The Day in 100 Seconds: Balls and Strikes

2009-07-13T21:57:23Z

Full-size video at TPMtv.com.

It's Not a Debate. It's A Negotiation.

2009-07-13T21:35:07Z

As we get down to the wire on health care reform, Brian Beutler assesses the state of negotiations.

Rattner Out as Car Czar

2009-07-13T21:14:39Z

When I first saw word within the last hour that Steve Rattner was stepping down as car czar, my first reaction was that the other shoe is about the drop in the sweeping pension fraud case in New York and New Mexico that has entangled Rattner and his former investment firm, Quadrangle. But the Treasury Department's announcement and the media coverage seems very focused on this being a natural move now that Chrysler and GM have emerged from bankruptcy, with the pension fraud case being a minor mention (if mentioned at all). Maybe my muckraking antenna are oversensitive. Then again ...

Drone or Gun = Same Difference

2009-07-13T20:47:12Z

For a number of reasons, many of which we outline here, the reports that the secret Bush-era CIA program concealed from Congress for eight years involved targeting the leaders of Al Qaeda for assassination don't ring true. Or at least it seems likely to be only a part of the truth.

Now a former CIA counterterrorism chief tells TPMmuckraker there would be no need for a special CIA program or separate legal authorization since we've been targeting Al Qaeda leaders for years. Remember all the drone attacks still going on in Pakistan?

Obama in Ghana

2009-07-13T20:14:27Z

Photos of the last leg of the President's foreign trip.

Franken Using Hillary's Handbook

2009-07-13T20:10:33Z

Hillary Clinton blazed the trail for how high-profile freshman senators can succeed in the Senate: keep your head down, immodestly and constantly proclaim your humility, and focus on your constituents. Sen. Al Franken's opening statement in today's Sotomayor hearing was a paean to Hillary Clinton. For example, he used the word "learn" (as in, "I have a lot to learn") five times in his short statement.

Making Her Own Case

2009-07-13T18:58:18Z

Read Sonia Sotomayor's prepared opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hit the Snooze Button

2009-07-13T18:22:37Z

Watching senators making opening statements will make you pull your hair out. So we're posting the texts of the prepared statements. See what your senator is saying. Pick out the themes of the attacks and defenses to come. Much faster than watching the bloviation.

Cloak and Dagger, DC-Style

2009-07-13T17:59:37Z

Despite some new reports over the weekend, details about the CIA program the Bushies concealed from Congress remain exceedingly scarce. Zack Roth runs through what we think we know -- and what still doesn't add up.

Late Update: Robert Gibbs, just moments ago in a White House daily briefing, refused to say whether President Obama has been briefed on this program.

Clock Ticking?

2009-07-13T17:49:55Z

Robert Reich says that President Obama has to get the Senate Finance Committee cracking this week and reporting a bill the week after or health care reform might be done for.

What Dahlia Thinks

2009-07-13T17:36:37Z

Dahlia Lithwick overcomes her mourning of the retirement of David Souter long enough to tell us what to expect this week from the Sotomayor hearing.

Pathbreaking

2009-07-13T15:52:50Z

AP's Fournier mind-reads for racial subtexts.

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2009-07-13T15:52:50Z