Four Ticking Time Bombs

Bush’s Iraq Policy Stymies Political Transition
President’s open-ended commitment of U.S. troops impedes political reconciliation and exacerbates Iraq’s internal conflicts, write Katulis and Juul.

America Is Still America

Think Again by Eric Alterman
While Iraq isn’t Vietnam, America is still America, and comparing U.S. involvement in the two countries provides interesting results.

Supreme Court Takes on Voter IDs

Laws are Poll Tax for 21st Century
The Court today considers a voter ID law that disproportionately affects minorities, the poor, and the elderly and causes disenfranchisement.

A New Direction for the Economy

Public Opinion by Ruy Teixeira
The public is not optimistic about the current economic outlook, and this time, more Bush tax cuts aren’t going to cut it.

• gabfest
  The Gabfest Takes New Hampshire
  Listen to Slate's weekly political show.
  Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz
  Jan. 11, 2008, 12:29 PM ET
• election scorecard
  Generation Gap
  Young South Carolinians prefer Huckabee, baby boomers like McCain.
  Mark Blumenthal and Charles Franklin
  Jan. 11, 2008, 12:19 PM ET
• xx factor
  And Another Thing ...
  More on Hillary's credentials and her electability.
  Jan. 11, 2008, 11:54 AM ET

The Globalization Election - Fred Siegel, City Journal
Racial Tensions Roil Democratic Race - Ben Smith, The Politico
The Republican Crack-Up & the Reagan Coalition - The Economist
A Party Turned Upside-Down - Michael Reagan, Human Events
John Edwards: Populism's Candidate - Christopher Hayes, The Nation
McCain's Personal Honor Collides w/Politics - Scott Johnson, Power Line
Thompson Comes Alive in Debate - John Dickerson, Slate
Revenge of the Lunch Buckets - Rich Lowry, National Review
Clinton's Message Problem - Karen Hughes, Time

A New Dynamic in the GOP Field - M. Cooper & M. Luo, New York Times
McCain Unscathed in Debate - Jonathan Martin, The Politico
Big Night For Mike Huckabee - Dean Barnett, Weekly Standard
The SC Debate: Fred's Not Dead - Chuck Todd, NBC News
Who's Crying Now? - Peggy Noonan, OpinionJournal
Clinton v. Obama: Moving Forward - Jay Cost, HorseRaceBlog
Clinton Courts Hispanics For Crucial Super Tuesday - Jim Carlton, WSJ
Bitter Fight Could Damage Dems - Steve Huntley, Chicago Sun-Times
Once Again, It's The Economy - Peter Baker & Dan Balz, Washington Post
Dems, GOP Have Left Michigan Behind - Daniel Howes, Detroit News
Middle-Class Capitalists - David Brooks, New York Times
A Reflection That Defines the Choice for US Voters - Philip Stephens, FT
Bringing Obama Back to Earth - Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
On the Lookout for the 'Bradley Effect' - Eugene Robinson, San Diego UT
North Korea's True Colors - John Bolton, Wall Street Journal
Forging Ties With Iran - Mark Brzezinski and Ray Takeyh, Boston Globe
The Surge At One - Ralph Peters, New York Post

Nevada Savors Its Place as Maker of Momentum
By JENNIFER STEINHAUERNevada was vaulted into the position of tie-breaker after the victory of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in New Hampshire Tuesday.

OP-ED COLUMNIST; Hillary’s Free Pass
By GAIL COLLINSMy own favorite theory is that this week, Hillary Clinton was a stand-in for every woman who’s overdosed on multitasking.

Obama Swipes at Clinton, but Takes Aim at Bush
By DIANE CARDWELLA day after his surprise defeat in New Hampshire, Senator Barack Obama addressed a largely enthusiastic audience in Jersey City.

January 10, 2008

Endorsing Obama, Kerry Calls Him Leader of ‘Wisdom, Instinct and Vision’
By JEFF ZELENYThe timing of the endorsement was intended to send a message that some Democratic leaders are coalescing around Barack Obama’s candidacy.

January 11, 2008

A New Clinton, Going Door to Door in Nevada, Asks for Help
By JENNIFER STEINHAUERHillary Rodham Clinton’s team is hoping that her new campaign style — appealing more directly to voters — will help her in the Nevada caucuses.

January 11, 2008

Analyzing the New Hampshire Surprise
By JACQUES STEINBERG and JANET ELDERPollsters and news organizations asked themselves how they failed to foresee Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s New Hampshire victory.

January 10, 2008

Women’s Support for Clinton Rises in Wake of Perceived Sexism
By JODI KANTORBy losing in Iowa, Hillary Rodham Clinton may have gotten more women to see her as a candidate trying to break a glass ceiling.

January 10, 2008

Clinton to Seek Package to Lift Confidence in Economy
By STEVEN R. WEISMANSenator Hillary Rodham Clinton said she would call for quick enactment of a $70 billion emergency spending package and for a possible $40 billion tax rebate later if economic conditions worsen.

January 11, 2008

A New Clinton, Going Door to Door in Nevada, Asks for Help
By JENNIFER STEINHAUERHillary Rodham Clinton’s team is hoping that her new campaign style — appealing more directly to voters — will help her in the Nevada caucuses.

January 11, 2008

Iraq Surge: The Gamble is Paying Off - Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard
Bush Tanked the U.S. Economy - Bonnie Erbe, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
GOP Candidates Go Supply-Side - Larry Kudlow, RealClearPolitics
The Road Ahead: Up for Grabs - Ronald Brownstein, National Journal
The Political Landscape After Iowa, New Hampshire - Michael Barone, RCP
McCain's the Man to Beat - Dick Morris & Eileen McGann, New York Post
The Real McCain Record - Mark Levin, National Review Online
Obama's Challenge to Regain Impetus - Michael Tomasky, The Guardian
Hillary Clinton's New Persona - Eleanor Clift, Newsweek
Clinton Was Teared Up About the Future--Her Own - Kathleen Parker, RCP
Women vs. Oprah; No Joe for McCain - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
The Minefield That is South Carolina - Noam Scheiber, The New Republic
The Gospel According to (Ron) Paul - Michael Kinsley, Washington Post
Immigration: A Modest Proposal - Richard Baehr, American Thinker
Lunch with the FT: Christopher Hitchens - Edward Luce, Financial Times
George in Jihadland - Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
Sir Edmund Hillary: Top of the World - Simon Robinson, Time

Editorials
America's Economy: A Long Slog - The Economist
Bush's Laudable Quest in the Mideast - New York Daily News
Kenya's Stolen Democracy - Chicago Tribune
Divisive Rhetoric on Immigration Backfires - San Diego Union-Tribune

Political News & Analysis
Attacks 'Painful' For Black Voters - The State
Racial Tensions Roil Democratic Race - Politico
Obama Giving Clinton a Race in Her Backyard - New York Times
Obama Lands Another Big Backer - L.A. Times

Saturday Brief: The GOP Race in Michigan

Bush Shakes Up '08 Iraq Debate - Michael Hirsh, Newsweek
After NH, a Hint of Racial Politics - Ryan Lizza, The New Yorker
The Giuliani Implosion - Matthew Continetti, Weekly Standard
Hillary's Problem: She Wants It Too Much - Meghan Daum, LA Times
John McCain for South Carolina's Primary - The State
Who Does Detroit Like in '08? - Keith Naughton, Newsweek
Liberals Stoke Economic Panic - Rush Limbaugh, RushLimbaugh.com
Some Fear Stimulus Already Too Late - Goodman & Norris, NY Times
The Case for Recession is Wrong - Donald Luskin, SmartMoney
Politics and Religion Do Mix - Paul Marshall, Washington Post

PAYNE: Michigan is suddenly on the cutting edge of economic concerns that have now grown national.


KRIKORIAN: I have to defend Huckabee here.

John McCain: Back to the Front? - John Heilemann, New York Magazine
Conservative Leaders May Trip Up McCain - Jay Cost, HorseRaceBlog
Clinton-Obama Contest Gets Rougher - Walter Shapiro, Salon
Dems Create Pessimism About Trade Prospects - Sallie James, Detroit News
U.S. Needs a Little Less Laissez-Faire - Rep. Barney Frank, Financial Times
The Democrats' Iraq Fairy Tale - William Kristol, New York Times
McCain vs. Huckabee: An S.C. Civil War - David Paul Kuhn, The Politico
Dem Race: The Insurgent vs. The Establishment - Albert Hunt, Bloomberg
Bursting the Bloomberg Bubble - John Fund, OpinionJournal
Obama's Record: Talk vs. Action? - R. Wolffe & K. Springen, Newsweek
McCain Needs Straight Talk on Taxes - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
Roadmap for a Progressive Future - Paul Waldman, The American Prospect
How Much 'Change' is Really Needed? - Adam Brodsky, New York Post
Fixing The Primary Farce - Sebastian Mallaby, Washington Post
Markets and the Dollar - David Malpass, Wall Street Journal
Voter ID Law Nothing but a Scam - Cynthia Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle
Jena: The Disappearing Hate Crime - Charlotte Allen, Weekly Standard

Editorials
Suppress the Stimulus Urge - Chicago Tribune
Bipartisan Effort Needed on Economy - Christian Science Monitor
Dem Votes Nullified in Michigan - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Japan Sails Again - Wall Street Journal

Political News & Analysis
Bob Johnson Criticizes Obama - Associated Press
Clinton Accuses Obama of Distortion - Politico
Race and Gender are Issues in Tense Day for Democrats - NYT
Mitt Pins Hopes on Home State to Save Him - Politico

Fox News Sunday: Giuliani on "Fox News Sunday"
Meet the Press: Clinton on "Meet the Press"
Late Edition: Candidates on "Late Edition"
The White House: President Bush's Speech in Abu Dhabi
Hannity & Colmes: Luntz on What's Next; Clintons' Race Problems

Clinton,Obama Bitterness Grows
Obama: Gloves Off, Head-On
Tense Day for Democrats
Bill Clinton Takes On the Media
Who Can Win Florida for Dems?

Washington Post / Dan Balz and Jon Cohen

McCain Moves Into Lead; Obama Gains On Clinton

New York Times / ROBIN TONER and MARJORIE CONNELLY

G.O.P. Voters, In Big Shift, Favor McCain Over His Rivals

MLK v LBJ: What Change Requires

Katrina vanden Heuvel | The Clinton/Obama tiff misses the obvious: the power of a broad-based multi-racial progressive movement to enact real change.

American Pie Patricia J. Williams | Don't let the media or the right-wing spinmeisters reduce our first-ever serious black and female presidential candidates to stereotypes.

Catastrophic Times' for Black America Max Fraser | The devastating impact of the mortgage crisis on black communities dominated Jesse Jackson's latest economic summit. What solutions does Barack Obama propose?

Democrats Fall Into The Identity Trap - David Brooks, New York Times
Did Clintons Play the Race Card? - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
Civil Rights Required Preacher and President - Robert Mann, Boston Globe
McCain Faces Little Incoming Fire - Jonathan Martin, The Politico
Romney Finds His Voice - Jonathan Cohn, The New Republic
Looking Ahead to the GOP Convention - Jay Cost, HorseRaceBlog
Clinton's Gaffes Drown Out Her Message - John Dickerson, Slate
Cheering Obama, With Doubts - Stuart Taylor, National Journal
The Correct Clinton Stereotype: Competence - Susan Faludi, LA Times
Next Two Weeks Will Impact Future of RNC - Reid Wilson, RealClearPolitics
Subprime Nation - Patrick Buchanan, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Man Who Made Billions on Subprime - Greg Zuckerman, WSJ
Why a Little Car Creates Big Problems - Anne Applebaum, Slate
Green 'Disparate Impact' - Thomas Sowell, RealClearPolitics
Mismanagement May Bring Down Ahmadinejad - Bronwen Maddox, Times
The NY Times is Trashing the Troops Again - Ralph Peters, New York Post
A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Election of 1800 - Heather Wilhelm, RCP

Editorials
Race in the Race - Washington Post
Faithful to History - Las Vegas Sun
What Next for Congress? - The Hill
Rubinomics R.I.P. - Wall Street Journal

Political News & Analysis
Clinton, Obama Seek Truce on Race Row - Politico
In Obama's Pursuit of Latinos, Race Plays Role - NYT
McCain, Romney Take Different Routes to Win Michigan - WaPo
Hard to Say How Many Will Go to Polls in Michigan - DFP

Transcripts & Speeches

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Mitt Romney: Romney to the Detroit Economic Club
Hillary Clinton: Clinton at SEIU 32BJ's MLK Jr. Celebration
Special Report w/Brit Hume: Panel on Democrats' Race Fight
Hannity & Colmes: Morris, Sharpton on "Hannity & Colmes"
Larry King Live: Romney on "Larry King Live"

Our Pakistan Problem: Turmoil Requires a Shift in U.S. Policy Too Big, Too Small to Fail: BofA’s Telling Deal for Countrywide Tangled Tapes: Spliced Video Gives False View of Incident A New Direction for the Economy: Public Opinion by Ruy Teixeira Four Ticking Time Bombs: Bush’s Iraq Policy Stymies Transition America Is Still America: Think Again by Eric Alterman Supreme Court Takes on Voter IDs: Laws are Poll Tax for 21st Century Science, Delayed: Blindness Is Bipartisan for the OTA Economic Snapshot for January 2008: Dimmed Economic Outlook New Year, New Bush?: Middle East Trip is Better Late than Never

IRAQ
Undoing The De-Baathification
On May 16, 2003, just four days after then-U.S. administrator of Iraq L. Paul Bremer arrived in Baghdad, he issued a sweeping order that outlawed Saddam Hussein's Baath Party and dismissed all senior members from their government posts. Bremer's order, the first he issued as the top American in Iraq, "led to the firing of about 30,000 ex-Baathists from various ministries" and ended "up affecting a lot more people than intended and turning a lot of people into enemies" of the United States. Before issuing his order, Bremer had been warned by the CIA's Baghdad station chief that the move would "drive tens of thousands of Baathists underground by nightfall," but Bremer said that "it's not open for discussion." Days after issuing his initial de-Baathification directive, Bremer issued a second order dissolving Iraq's 500,000-member military and intelligence services. This pair of orders is considered "the original sin that led to Iraq's current turmoil," as it "crippled Iraq's institutions of governance and security and created half a million angry and jobless people in the process," ripe "for recruitment by insurgent and militia groups."

CHAOS BECOMES MORE CHAOTIC: In April 2004, as the Iraqi insurgency intensified, "Bremer announced that de-Baathification had been 'poorly implemented' and applied 'unevenly and unjustly,' and said he supported a plan to allow 'vetted senior officers from the former regime' back into the military services." But the decision to bring Baathists back into the government, an effort spearheaded by then-interim prime minister Ayad Allawi, "infuriated some Iraqis, particularly ethnic Kurds and Shiite Arabs, groups systematically oppressed by Hussein and the Sunni-dominated Baath government." Both groups soon came to hold "significant political power" in the central Iraqi government, all but guaranteeing bitter difficulty in bringing the disaffected Baathists back into the government. The De-Baathification Commission, which was headed by neconservative darling Ahmed Chalabi, was "used as a platform by the Shia government to exact revenge on Sunnis for past wrongs." Reversing Bremer's original de-Baathification has since been one of the key political benchmarks pushed by the United States and one of the many flash points for tension in Iraq's parliament.

PASSING THE BUCK: In Jan. 2006, Bremer released a book about his experiences as the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, in which he attempted to re-write his role in the decision to implement de-Baathification. "It wasn't me," Bremer told NBC's Brian Williams. "The decision was discussed by my advisers with the senior civilians in the pentagon for weeks before I made my recommendation, which was approved in Washington." But according to Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who served as the Washington Post's Baghdad Bureau Chief at the time of de-Baathification, after Bremer was briefed on the concept of de-Baathification, it struck him "as just the sort of bold initiative that he wants to implement." The decision to disband the Iraqi army also came from Bremer, though he later denied it. In Feb. 2004, Gen. Peter Pace, then-vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Bremer "ordered the army disbanded on his own authority" and that the Joint Chiefs "were not asked for a recommendation, or for advice."

PROGRESS IN NAME ONLY: When President Bush announced the "surge" in Jan. 2007, one of the "critical areas" in which he said the increased security would create a"breathing space" for political progress was for "the government" to "reform de-Baathification laws." On Jan. 12, 2007, the Iraqi parliament passed the Justice and Accountability Law, a nominal re-Baathification law said to "allow thousands of former Baathists who were not involved in past crimes against Iraqis to fill posts in the Shiite-dominated government." Though the law would appear to present progress on a key political benchmark, significant concerns have been raised about the process under which it was passed and the practical effects it will have on Iraq. According to Middle East expert Juan Cole, the legislation was actually spearheaded by the most anti-Baathist groups and opposed by former Baathists. The session of parliament in which it was narrowly passed was attended by only 150 members of the 275-seat parliament, meaning the vote count "could have been as low as 72." Days after the legislation passed, the U.S. embassy was "notably cautious, declining to comment until it finished reviewing the draft." The New York Times reports that "the legislation is at once confusing and controversial, a document riddled with loopholes and caveats to the point that some Sunni and Shiite officials say it could actually exclude more former Baathists than it lets back in, particularly in the crucial security ministries."

JUSTICE -- CONGRESS PUSHES FOR SPECIAL COUNSEL IN CIA TAPES CASE: Today, the House Select Committee on Intelligence will meet in a closed session with the CIA's top lawyer, John Rizzo, to discuss the CIA's destruction of interrogation tapes. Jose Rodriguez, the then-director of the CIA's clandestine operations who in 2005 decided to destroy the tapes, has requested immunity in return for his testimony and will not appear today. Yesterday, 19 members of the House Judiciary Committee, including chairman John Conyers (D-MI), wrote to Attorney General Michael Mukasey to formally request the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the tapes' destruction and "any violations of criminal laws" related to the CIA's detention of suspected terrorists. "Such an appointment is important to ensure that the investigation covers all alleged misconduct related to the interrogations," they wrote. Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) has also called for a special counsel. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced yesterday that Mukasey would testify before the committee on Jan. 30, at which time the senator plans to "grill Mukasey on the Justice Department's inquiry" into the destruction of the tapes.

ETHICS -- WICKER UNDER SCRUTINY FOR $6 MILLION EARMARK: A Mississippi judge ruled yesterday that Gov. Haley Barbour ® "exceeded his constitutional authority when he set a special election for November" to replace retired senator Trent Lott. Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter concluded that the election should be conducted within 90 days of Barbour's Dec. 20 proclamation declaring a special election. Lott resigned on Dec. 18, and Barbour named Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) as Lott's temporary Senate replacement on Dec. 31. Pending Barbour's appeal to the state Supreme Court, the special election should take place on or before March 19. The Washington Post also reports today that last year, Wicker "obtained a $6 million earmark for a defense contractor whose executives were among his top campaign contributors and were represented in the matter by Wicker's former congressional chief of staff." When asked about the earmark, a spokesman for the Army said, "It wasn't in the president's budget. Anything that comes in above that means it has not been requested by us."

ETHICS -- FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS ASHCROFT'S NO-BID CONTRACT WAS 'INAPPROPRIATE': Last fall, New Jersey U.S. Attorney Chris Christie awarded his former boss, John Ashcroft, a lucrative no-bid contract to "monitor a large corporation willing to settle criminal charges out of court." Ashcroft's consulting company is set "to receive payments of $28 million to $52 million" in the deal, one of the biggest payouts ever reported for a federal monitor. In an interview yesterday, former U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach said the case is suspicious because no-bid contracts are generally awarded only if there's a strong "reason why there isn't" a competitive process. Christie maintains that he granted the contract because of Ashcroft's "impeccable legal credentials" and "unique" qualifications. But Ashcroft's group isn't even a law firm. And according to Katzenbach, Ashcroft's resume does not meet the "standards" for a $58 million monitoring contract. Katzenbach said that as a former attorney general, he would not have accepted the contract. "I suppose like any human being, I would be tempted, but I would think it was inappropriate," he concluded.

VIDEO: WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM: Are the Clintons racist? "Identity Politics" 1/16 8:56 AM

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: There's no misery here. “Absurd on the Left” 01/16 6:00 AM

JONAH GOLDBERG: United toward what end, exactly? “Obama’s Real Fairy Tale” 01/16 12:00 AM

JOSEPH ABRAMS: Barack Obama’s candidacy is a definitive step away from the politics of rejection and defiance. “Black Like Whom?” 01/16 4:00 AM

DAVID LEWIS SCHAEFER: Is Obamania good for America? “Goosebumps on the Trail” 01/16 4:00 AM

MIKE DUNCAN: We deserve a president who has a vision for our future. “Straight Talk, Senator Clinton?” 01/16 8:30 AM

Post-Michigan Primary
BYRON YORK: Will the winning strategy in Michigan work anywhere else? “Why Romney Won” 01/16 7:35 AM

JOHN O'SULLIVAN: Contrary to all expectations, the Republican race is exciting. “Michigan Crack-Up” 01/16 6:00 AM

THE EDITORS: Romney continues to be the most conservative viable candidate in the Republican primaries. “Getting to Gold” 01/16 5:00 AM

RICHARD BROOKHISER: We’re not choosing a campaigner-in-chief. “What Next?” 01/16 9:42 AM

KATHRYN LOPEZ: Winning sounds good. “Sounds Like Victory” 01/16 6:53 AM

AN NRO SYMPOSIUM: John Hood and Pat Toomey ask conservative questions. “Right Questions” 01/16 6:00 AM

JOHN J. PITNEY JR.: Can any Republican beat the odds — or at least block a massive, party-busting defeat? “Now, Electability” 01/16 6:00 AM

JOHN J. MILLER: There was a consistency to that win. “The Romney Win” 01/16 5:44 PM

RICH LOWRY: This has proved that Mitt doesn't have a "glass jaw," and the political adversity has provided the opportunity for him to find a theme — fighting for the American economy and for jobs. “Mitt's Comeback" 01/15 9:32 PM

MARK R. LEVIN: I don't believe it is impossible for the Republican nomination to be settled at the convention. “A First to Come?” 01/15 9:49 PM

GERAGHTY: Barack Obama made a major mistake by not appearing on Michigan's ballot.

For Romney, 3rd Time's A Charm - Vaughn Ververs, CBS News
Back to Square One for Republicans - John Dickerson, Slate
Will Mitt's Michigan Strategy Work Anywhere Else? - Byron York, NRO
What the Michigan Results Mean - Jay Cost, HorseRaceBlog
GOP's Chaos is Beautiful for Democrats - Bob Moser, The Nation
Democrats Double Down on Iraq - Jonathan Last, Weekly Standard
Race Card Downplayed at Debate - Michael Scherer, Time
Obama Gains Ground in Las Vegas - Noam Scheiber, The New Republic
Clinton Will Benefit from Racial Polarization - Dick Morris, The Hill
McCain's Failure in Michigan - John Podhoretz, Contentions
2008: The Recession Election - Matt Cooper, Portfolio
The Dollar and Bush's Big Monetary Mistake - Steve Forbes, Forbes
Economic Lollipops for Troubled Times - Robert Samuelson, Newsweek
Bill Kristol: Enemy of the People - Gabriel Schoenfeld, RealClearPolitics
Kristol Unwelcome, but We'll Survive - Clark Hoyt, New York Times
Terror Suspects Wage 'Lawfare' on U.S. - John Yoo, Philadelphia Inquirer
The Unbearable Inanity of Tim Russert - Matt Yglesias, Washington Mthly

Romney's Economic Optimism Prevails - Detroit News
Mitt is Back, but One-State Strategy is Tenuous - Detroit Free Press
Obama is Best Choice for Democrats - Las Vegas Review-Journal
No GOP Standard Bearer - Wall Street Journal

Political News & Analysis
Romney Victory Scrambles GOP Field - Politico
Bill Clinton Paints Obama as "Establishment" Candidate - AP
Clinton, Obama Discuss Race in Debate - Wall St. Journal
Crossover Vote Small; Romney Does Well in Key Demos - Detroit News

Transcripts & Speeches

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MSNBC: The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas
CNN: Mitt Romney's Victory Speech
Hannity & Colmes: Thompson, Morris, Gingrich on "Hannity & Colmes"
Special Report w/Brit Hume: Panel on Michigan; Economic Stimulus
Mike Huckabee: Huckabee's Post-Michigan Speech

Clinton Pulls Race Card, Obama May Fold - Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg
Misstep in a Liberal Minefield - George Will, Washington Post
Old Warrior, Go Home - Debra Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle
In Michigan, Mitt Finally Sold the Real Romney - Byron York, USA Today
Will Romney 3.0 Work Outside of Michigan? - Duffy & Tumulty, Time
South Carolina is Thompson's Turn - Quin Hillyer, The American Spectator
The Use and Abuse of Reagan - Victor Davis Hanson, RealClearPolitics
Class, Not Race, Divides the Democrats - Marie Cocco, Newsday
A Democratic Field Without an Executive - David Broder, Washington Post
Clinton's 'Vetting' Attack - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
Can Giuliani Get Into the Game in Florida? - Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call
Notes on the GOP Race - John Ellis, RealClearPolitics
Democrats Go Upscale in '08 - Ronald Brownstein, National Journal
The Education of Ben Bernanke - Roger Lowenstein, NY Times Magazine
What Can We Infer from $900 Gold? - Paul Hoffmeister, RealClearMarkets
School Choice Isn't Enough - Sol Stern, City Journal
The Ideology of Canada's "Liberal" Elites - David Warren, Ottawa Citizen

Editorials
The War in Afghanistan - Washington Post
Republicans' 2008 Senate Prospects Look Dismal - Washington Times
A Political Fight Coming on Trade - The Hill
The New York Times' Killer-Vet Lie - New York Post

Political News & Analysis
Candidates Flood State in Dash to the Wire - The State
In South Carolina, the Campaign Mud Arrived Before Santa - NYT
GOP Funk Slows Turnout, Money - Politico
Rove Outlines Plan to Beat Top '08 Dems - The Hill

Hannity & Colmes: Romney on "Hannity & Colmes"
Special Report w/Brit Hume: Panel on GOP in S.C., Dems in Nevada
The Situation Room: Romney in "The Situation Room"
The Situation Room: Fred Thompson in "The Situation Room"
Bloomberg: Clinton on Bloomberg Television

MILITARY
Bush Plays Politics With Soldiers Pay
Yesterday, the House passed a revised version of the defense policy bill, authorizing $696 billion in defense spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress had already passed this bill in December, but was forced to take up the measure again after President Bush issued a "pocket veto" of the bill on Dec. 28. Though the President had not expressed concerns with the bill earlier -- and in fact campaigned vigorously for its passage -- Bush suddenly changed his mind over the recess after the Iraqi government worried about a provision allowing victims of state-sponsored terrorism to sue the state, which could leave the government liable for abuses from Saddam Hussein's reign. The Iraqi government threatened to withdraw $25 billion from American banks if the President signed the measure. The bill Bush vetoed in December included a 3.5 percent pay-raise for soldiers, and the veto also held up "some bonus programs for airmen."

NOT A POCKET VETO: According to the Constitution, the president must either sign or veto every bill that comes to his desk. Though Bush is quite familiar with the traditional veto, he needs to brush up on the law governing the use of the pocket veto. If the president does not act on a bill for 10 days after it arrives on his desk, and if during that time Congress adjourns, the bill dies -- a situation known as a "pocket veto." In this case, the Senate had never adjourned over the holidays, continuing to hold "pro-forma" sessions throughout December. If these sessions were enough to block recess appointments from the President, they were surely enough to show that the Senate had not adjourned and to allow Bush to send the bill back to Congress for reconsideration. Though the House had adjourned over the winter break, "it ha[d] designated its clerk to receive communications from the White House, including veto messages, meaning that bill return was possible." If a bill can be returned to Congress, it cannot die with a pocket veto. "In misusing his veto power," Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at SUNY Cortland, explained, "Bush was attempting to grab a power for himself and his office that the Constitution's framers emphatically and repeatedly denied to the president: a nearly unlimited, absolute veto."

WHITE HOUSE'S FEARMONGERING: Bush's veto was not only legally questionable, it was deeply hypocritical as well. Throughout November, the White House continually bullied Congress to quickly pass the defense authorization. It threatened to veto the bill -- and hold Congress responsible for canceling soldiers' pay raises -- if lawmakers attached any troop withdrawal deadlines. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that if Congress didn't pass the bill Bush demanded, "the Army and Marine Corps are immediately forced to begin shifting funds between accounts in order to keep operations running. And the Pentagon will soon be forced to send furlough notices for as many as 100,000 Army and Marine Corps civilian employees at bases around the country." "At the Pentagon, the spokesman, Geoff Morrell, said that officials had shifted $4.5 billion from other accounts to keep war operations going, but that the coffers would soon run dry. 'The Army now is on course to run out of operations and maintenance money in early February,' Mr. Morrell said. 'The Marine Corps will run dry in early March.'" The Pentagon released a chart suggesting that the Army would cease to function if Congress did not act promptly. "They are scaring people," Rep. John Murtha (R-PA) said of the White House's bullying tactics. "They are scaring the families of the troops. That's what's so despicable."

BUSH PUTS IMMUNITY ABOVE SOLDIERS' PAY: Congress passed an appropriations bill that kept the armed services well-funded and gave soldiers a 3.5 percent pay raise -- greater than the increase Bush had wanted. Yet once Congress left for the holidays, Bush made an about-face and declared his objection to the bill. "The Administration should have raised its objections earlier, when this issue could have been addressed without a veto," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said. By vetoing the bill, Bush effectively prioritized the Iraqi government's desire for immunity over the well-being of the troops. Yesterday's compromise agreement "grants the president wide authority to waive any provision of the section on lawsuits by terrorism victims as it relates to cases involving Iraq. But it also urges the administration to negotiate with Iraq 'to ensure compensation for any meritorious claims based on terrorist acts committed by the Saddam Hussein regime.'" The bill passed the House 369-46 and is expected to clear the Senate next week. Yesterday, former Bush political adviser Karl Rove accused Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) of playing "chicken with our troops" by "voting against vital funding for our men and women in uniform in a time of war." In fact, it is Bush -- through a legally dubious maneuver that delayed funding and pay raises -- who toyed with the soldiers.

ADMINISTRATION -- WHITE HOUSE ROUTINELY REUSED E-MAIL TAPES: The White House yesterday admitted that it routinely recycled its computer backup tapes of e-mail before 2003, "raising the possibility that many electronic messages, including those pertaining to the CIA leak case, have been taped over and are gone forever." The White House began deleting millions of e-mails from its servers in March 2003 and started recycling tapes in Oct. 2003, meaning all incoming and outgoing e-mail during that interval may now be permanently lost. "The significance of this time-period cannot be overstated: the U.S. went to war with Iraq, top White House officials leaked the covert identity of Valerie Plame Wilson and the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into their actions," noted Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the watchdog group whose lawsuit prompted this latest disclosure. If the deleted e-mails prove unrecoverable, the White House may be in violation of two federal statutes which "require presidential communications, including e-mails involving senior White House aides, to be preserved for the nation's historical record."

ECONOMY -- BACHMANN: I'M 'PROUD' THAT 'WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING TWO JOBS' AND 'LONGER HOURS': Topping Congress's agenda as it returns this week is a plan to "jump-start the economy and try to shorten the slowdown that many economists say has already begun to take hold." Yesterday, Rep. Eric Cantor (VA), the chief deputy Republican whip in the House, unveiled his proposal to stimulate the economy. His legislation -- the so-called Middle Class Job Protection Act -- does nothing for the middle class. Instead, it reduces the corporate tax rate by 28 percent. At a press conference unveiling the stimulus proposal, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) declared, "I am so proud to be from the state of Minnesota. We're the workingest state in the country, and the reason why we are, we have more people that are working longer hours, we have people that are working two jobs." Bachmann's version of the American Dream is apparently working two full-time jobs and struggling to get by. This week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office concluded that corporate tax cuts, such as the one proposed by Cantor, "may be less cost-effective in the short term" and less effective than a stimulus plan consisting of "tax rebates, extended unemployment benefits and a temporary increase in food stamps."

ETHICS -- LOTT CONTRADICTS STORY ABOUT LEAVING SENATE TO LOBBY WITH BREAUX: When former Mississippi senator Trent Lott announced last November that he was retiring from the Senate, he was asked if he had registered with the Senate Ethics Committee because of "a rule" requiring registration "if you're negotiating with a future employer." Lott said that he had "not" because he had nothing "agreed to or lined up." Earlier this month, Lott announced that he and former Democratic Louisiana senator John Breaux were forming "a powerful lobbying partnership called The Breaux Lott Leadership Group." But appearing with Breaux on MSNBC's Hardball yesterday, Lott contradicted his previous statements by admitting that he chose to "leave the Senate" in order to form the "bipartisan firm" with Breaux, saying that "it just seemed like it was time for us to see if we could do this." Since the day Lott announced his resignation, he and Breaux have been denying that they had any "formal" plans to work together, claiming that they had only "joked about the prospect of working together." But their story has always been hard to believe. Six weeks before Lott announced his retirement, his son, Chet, "secured the rights to the domain name" breauxlott.com. Days after the announcement, Breaux resigned from lobbying powerhouse Patton Boggs.

The Perils of Identity Politics - Christopher Hitchens, Wall Street Journal
Black Dreams, White Liberals - Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
Finding the Right Message Down South - Michael Scherer, Time
Why Obama Needs Nevada - Steve Kornacki, New York Observer
Can Romney Catch On? - Jay Cost, HorseRaceBlog
Why Huckabee Won't Break Out - Rich Lowry, New York Post
Conservatives Shouldn't Swing at McCain - John Kass, Chicago Tribune
Dems Can't Ignore White Working Class - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post
Thompson: The Anti-Soundbite Candidate - Rick Moran, American Thinker
The Obama Paradigm - G. Terry Madonna & Michael Young, RealClearPolitics
Trying to Explain How Voters Think - David Brooks, New York Times
Rethinking Our Iran Policy Before It's Too Late - Samantha Power, Time
The Case for Military Action Still Stands - Norman Podhoretz, Commentary
Disagreeing with David Brooks on Taxes - John Tamny, RealClearMarkets
Don't Cry for Me, America - Paul Krugman, New York Times
No Stimulus Gimmicks, Please - Bill Thomas & Alex Brill, Wall Street Journal
A Political-Risk Outlook for 2008 - Ian Bremmer, RealClearPolitics

Editorials
A Delicate Economic Condition - The Economist
We're All Keynesians Now - Wall Street Journal
Union Squabbling - Las Vegas Review-Journal
Clinton the Right Choice - Las Vegas Sun

Political News & Analysis
Romney Criticizes Rivals' Lobbyists - Associated Press
Labor Makes Big Comeback in '08 Races - Wall Street Journal
Southern Blacks Are Split on Clinton vs. Obama - New York Times
Bill Clinton, Stumping and Simmering - New York Times

Democrats in Nevada
Clinton Plays Gaming Card
In Nevada All Bets Are Off
Bill & Hillary: Union-Busters?
LVRJ: Clinton 41, Obama 32
Zogby: Clinton 42, Obama 37