Month: July 2005

Roe was wrongly decided

The fur is fixing to fly: “[Judge Roberts] is a Washington lawyer, a conservative, not an ideologue,” said Stuart H. Newberger, a lawyer and self-described liberal Democrat who has argued cases against Roberts. He put in his time advising the Bush legal team in Florida during the battle over the 2000 presidential election and has … Continue reading “Roe was wrongly decided”

The fur is fixing to fly:

“[Judge Roberts] is a Washington lawyer, a conservative, not an ideologue,” said Stuart H. Newberger, a lawyer and self-described liberal Democrat who has argued cases against Roberts.

He put in his time advising the Bush legal team in Florida during the battle over the 2000 presidential election and has often argued conservative positions before the court — but they can be attributed to clients, not necessarily to him.

That includes a brief he wrote for President George H.W. Bush’s administration in a 1991 abortion case, in which he observed that “we continue to believe that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and should be overruled.”

Roberts won the case — Rust v. Sullivan — in which the Supreme Court agreed with the administration that the government could require doctors and clinics receiving federal funds to avoid talking to patients about abortion.

This is gonna be fun.

Judge John G. Roberts

Judge John G. Roberts seems like a solid selection. Presumably Joy would take this place on the Appeals Court. We’ll see in 18 minutes or so. Apparently Bush has figured out that whoever he nominates, the peaceniks will filibuster and demonize, so he may as well go hard to the right.

Judge John G. Roberts seems like a solid selection. Presumably Joy would take this place on the Appeals Court. We’ll see in 18 minutes or so.

Apparently Bush has figured out that whoever he nominates, the peaceniks will filibuster and demonize, so he may as well go hard to the right.

Judge Clement

The Supreme Court Nomination Blog is a good place to find information on Judge Clement. She appears to be very good on the Commerce Clause. More at Volokh, of course.

The Supreme Court Nomination Blog is a good place to find information on Judge Clement. She appears to be very good on the Commerce Clause.

More at Volokh, of course.

No Child Left Behind is working

Here’s some news that’s made the teachers’ unions very, very sad: WASHINGTON — The nation’s 9-year-olds last year posted their best scores in the building-block subjects of reading and math in more than three decades. Older students didn’t fare as well. At the same time, achievement gaps between racial groups narrowed, according to results of … Continue reading “No Child Left Behind is working”

Here’s some news that’s made the teachers’ unions very, very sad:

WASHINGTON — The nation’s 9-year-olds last year posted their best scores in the building-block subjects of reading and math in more than three decades. Older students didn’t fare as well.

At the same time, achievement gaps between racial groups narrowed, according to results of the 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress announced Thursday.

Education officials and advocates attributed the 9-year-olds’ performance to a recent emphasis on elementary schools and getting children reading as early as possible. They said the results also showed more attention must be paid to students in secondary schools.

“We need to go to work,” Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said in an interview.

Spellings also credited No Child Left Behind, the education law President Bush signed in January 2002 that mandates frequent testing of students to chart their progress in reading and math.

So accountability works. How about that?

David Corn headed for prison

It turns out that the Plame leaker wasn’t Judith Miller, it was David Corn: May notes that in Bob Novak’s column that first outed Valerie Wilson, Novak described her as “an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction.” He argues that this did not reveal Valerie Wilson as a truly undercover CIA officer–what’s known as … Continue reading “David Corn headed for prison”

It turns out that the Plame leaker wasn’t Judith Miller, it was David Corn:

May notes that in Bob Novak’s column that first outed Valerie Wilson, Novak described her as “an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction.” He argues that this did not reveal Valerie Wilson as a truly undercover CIA officer–what’s known as a NOC (an officer under “nonofficial cover”). He then points out that when I wrote about the Novak column two days later, I referred to Valerie Wilson as “a U.S. intelligence officer working covertly in a field of vital important to national security.” Breathlessly, May writes, “Since Novak did not report that Plame was ‘working covertly’ how did Corn know that’s what she had been doing?” His answer: Joseph Wilson must have told me when I interviewed him after the Novak leak. Thus, Valerie Wilson was really outed by me because Joe Wilson leaked to me.

Larry O’Donnell would be an appropriate cell mate for him.

Cliff May summarizes:

The facts are these: (1) Bob Novak did not say that Valerie Plame was a secret agent; (2) David Corn did; (3) we don’t know who Bob’s sources were; (4) we know David’s source was Joe Wilson.

That’s clear enough.

We’re winning

This Pew Poll is good news: • Support for suicide bombings and other acts of violence in defense of Islam has dropped since 2002 by 34 percentage points in Lebanon, 12 points in Indonesia and 8 points in Pakistan. The exception to the trend is Jordan, where support increased by 14 points, to 57%. There … Continue reading “We’re winning”

This Pew Poll is good news:

• Support for suicide bombings and other acts of violence in defense of Islam has dropped since 2002 by 34 percentage points in Lebanon, 12 points in Indonesia and 8 points in Pakistan. The exception to the trend is Jordan, where support increased by 14 points, to 57%.

There are higher levels of support for suicide bombings that target Americans and their allies in Iraq, though they also have dropped. About half of Muslims in Lebanon, Jordan and Morocco said those attacks were justified.

• Confidence in bin Laden has fallen by double-digit margins in Indonesia, Morocco and Lebanon since 2003. In Lebanon, only 2% now express confidence in him.

It puts the lie to the claim that the liberation of Iraq has made more terrorists.

HT Orin Kerr.

Why they hate us

In his own words, the murderer of Theo Van Gogh explains why he hates us: “I take complete responsibility for my actions. I acted purely in the name of my religion,” he told its three-strong panel of judges. “I can assure you that one day, should I be set free, I would do the same, … Continue reading “Why they hate us”

In his own words, the murderer of Theo Van Gogh explains why he hates us:

“I take complete responsibility for my actions. I acted purely in the name of my religion,” he told its three-strong panel of judges.

“I can assure you that one day, should I be set free, I would do the same, exactly the same.” Earlier, Bouyeri had insisted that he did not recognise the authority of any non-Islamic court and forbade his lawyer to mount a defence.

Spectators in the maximum security courthouse in western Amsterdam gasped as Bouyeri then turned to the victim’s mother, Anneke, in the public gallery, and told her he felt nothing for her. Mrs van Gogh watched as he read out from what appeared to be a statement: “I don’t feel your pain. I have to admit that I don’t have any sympathy for you. I can’t feel for you because you’re a non-believer.”

He added: “Maybe you could find some consolation if the maximum sentence is given.”

I should think that would clear up the confusion about the terrorists and what we might do to appease them. How many are willing to convert to Islam? Those who criticize the war but aren’t willing to convert are terrorchickens, of course.

HT Daily Pundit

Oops

Joe Wilson accidentally tells the truth: BLITZER: But the other argument that’s been made against you is that you’ve sought to capitalize on this extravaganza, having that photo shoot with your wife, who was a clandestine officer of the CIA, and that you’ve tried to enrich yourself writing this book and all of that. What … Continue reading “Oops”

Joe Wilson accidentally tells the truth:

BLITZER: But the other argument that’s been made against you is that you’ve sought to capitalize on this extravaganza, having that photo shoot with your wife, who was a clandestine officer of the CIA, and that you’ve tried to enrich yourself writing this book and all of that.

What do you make of those accusations, which are serious accusations, as you know, that have been leveled against you?

WILSON: My wife was not a clandestine officer the day that Bob Novak blew her identity.

Damn, that has to hurt.

See Instapundit for more, indeed.

Sort of an obvious point, actually

Mickey Kaus says the thing that had to be said about Wilsongate: Isn’t this an obvious point that hasn’t been made about Joseph Wilson and the Rove/Plame controversy: If you accept an assignment to investigate possible WMD-related activity in Niger on behalf of the CIA, and your wife works at the CIA, shouldn’t you think … Continue reading “Sort of an obvious point, actually”

Mickey Kaus says the thing that had to be said about Wilsongate:

Isn’t this an obvious point that hasn’t been made about Joseph Wilson and the Rove/Plame controversy: If you accept an assignment to investigate possible WMD-related activity in Niger on behalf of the CIA, and your wife works at the CIA, shouldn’t you think before you make your CIA mission the subject of a high-profile New York Times op-ed piece that there might be the eensiest weensiest chance that in the course of the ensuing controversy your wife’s CIA connection might come out in public? How could Wilson not have expected his wife’s job to become the buzz of Washington in fairly short order? … However serious her outing was–and there are those eight redacted pages to worry about–doesn’t Wilson bear some substantial responsibility for it as well as whoever in the administration eventually “outed” her to reporters? … You can’t have it all, we are often told. When you marry a covert CIA agent, maybe there are some things you have to give up. Like going on Meet the Press to talk about the CIA! …3:40 P.M.

Obvious to you and me, but not to the Huffy-Puffies.

Novak told Rove about Plame

This revelation from today’s New York Times is utterly hilarious: WASHINGTON, July 14 – Karl Rove, the White House senior adviser, spoke with the columnist Robert D. Novak as he was preparing an article in July 2003 that identified a C.I.A. officer who was undercover, someone who has been officially briefed on the matter said. … Continue reading “Novak told Rove about Plame”

This revelation from today’s New York Times is utterly hilarious:

WASHINGTON, July 14 – Karl Rove, the White House senior adviser, spoke with the columnist Robert D. Novak as he was preparing an article in July 2003 that identified a C.I.A. officer who was undercover, someone who has been officially briefed on the matter said.

Mr. Rove has told investigators that he learned from the columnist the name of the C.I.A. officer, who was referred to by her maiden name, Valerie Plame, and the circumstances in which her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, traveled to Africa to investigate possible uranium sales to Iraq, the person said.

After hearing Mr. Novak’s account, the person who has been briefed on the matter said, Mr. Rove told the columnist: “I heard that, too.”

Game, set, match, the White House wins.