Mid-Day Update: Judy Miller Seeks Redemption

by Steve

Judy Kneepads of all people told AlterNet today that she was tipped off before the Fourth of July in 2001 of an impending Al Qaeda strike against America by someone high up in the national security establishment (Richard Clarke?), but never wrote a story on the tip for the Times.

During this afternoon’s closed session confirmation hearing for General Michael Hayden, do you think any Democrat would have the guts or the memory to ask Hayden point blank if he ever has given NSA intercepts to John Bolton, and why?

James Sensenbrenner claims that the harsh House GOP immigration bill was actually written to address George W. Bush’s demands last fall, before he, uh, flip-flopped.

From the “For What It’s Worth” Department, you know that there has been concern within the center-left blogosphere about Jason Leopold’s work in the Plame case, wherein Leopold has claimed that Rove was actually served with indictments last Friday. Leopold’s editor at Truthout.org, Mark Ash wrote this defense of Leopold yesterday, standing behind their story and adding some new details that he claims are soon to come out. Wayne Madsen has now come out and independently made similar claims, that an indictment is imminent as early as tomorrow. Take it for what it’s worth. Steve Clemons also reports that Patrick Fitzgerald may have former State Number Two Richard Armitage in his sights as someone who lied about his contacts with the media surrounding the Plame case.

Arlen “Single Bullet” Specter and Russ Feingold got into it today when Specter pushed through the Judiciary Committee a piece of the American Taliban’s wish list: a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. Too bad Arlen can’t spend more time on things that matter.

Rasmussen now has Bush at his lowest ever in their poll: 36%. Their poll, taken largely after the immigration speech Monday night, shows a drop-off in support amongst conservatives. Well, that same-sex marriage thingie will take care of that, right? Note that three times as many people strongly disapprove of Bush’s performance, as do those who strongly approve.

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting shows why no one should listen to anything Tom Friedman says about Iraq.

Bush’s approval exceeds 50% now in only two states, as the country trends more blue all the time.

Francine Busby’s GOP opponent Brian Bilbray in the Duke Cunningham special election doesn’t even live in the district.

Note that Iran is making plans for how it will counterattack a US strike, and Shooter is already beating up the intelligence community for being wrong about how soon Iran can go nuclear. Because, you know, Shooter knows best.

Is AT&T going to claim that it is off the hook for giving the NSA its records because of a letter they got from John Ashcroft saying it was OK?