Politics

Answering His First Question, Tony Snow Misleads Press

Staff / Truthdig May 16, 2006 Amazing. (Or maybe not.) The new White House press secretary (a former Fox News host) kicked off his tenure with a misleading statement about Bush and the NSA program. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Molly Ivins: Could Lunacy Explain Bush’s Policies?

Molly Ivins / Truthdig May 16, 2006 "Craziness would make a certain amount of sense I mean, you announce you are going to militarize the Mexican border, but you assure the president of Mexico you are not militarizing the border It's quite possible that lunacy and politics are closely related". Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Frank Rich: ‘Traitors’ in the White House and Senate

Staff / Truthdig May 14, 2006 The fiery N.Y. Times columnist returns from book leave with an attack on the real "traitors" in America: a White House that has compounded lies with incompetence to spy on Americans, run "black site" Eastern European prisons and prosecute an unjust war. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mentally Ill Troops Reportedly Forced Into Combat

Staff / Truthdig May 14, 2006 Combat troops in Iraq are being kept on duty even after exhibiting signs of psychological distress. Eleven such members of the military killed themselves in Iraq in 2004-05, according to the Hartford Courant. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Cheney’s Notes May Reignite Leak Firestorm

Staff / Truthdig May 14, 2006 Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has disclosed handwritten notes by the vice president that ask whether former Ambassador Joe Wilson was sent to Niger on a "junket" by his wife. The notes appear on a copy of Wilson's N.Y. Times Op-Ed piece that kicked off the controversy. (via Huff Po) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Cheney Reportedly Pushed NSA to Spy Domestically

Staff / Truthdig May 14, 2006 In the wake of Sept 11, the vice president argued that the NSA should intercept purely domestic calls and e-mails without warrants, reports the N Times The NSA ultimately decided against the idea, but this report leaves no doubt about Cheney's regard for civil liberties . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Don’t Believe the Flawed NSA-Spying Poll

Staff / Truthdig May 13, 2006 The Washington Post loaded a poll so it would appear that most Americans support the NSA's phone record collection program. Blogger Jane Hamsher did the original analysis on this sloppy poll, and Buzzflash sums it up. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Andy Borowitz — Bush Demands That Iran Halt Production of Long Letters

Andy Borowitz / Truthdig May 13, 2006 The political satirist reports: White House aides said that writing an 18-page letter to President Bush, who is known for his extreme distaste for reading, was the most provocative act Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could possibly have committed. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Rove Reportedly Tells Bush: I Will Be Indicted and Resign

Staff / Truthdig May 13, 2006 Top Bush aide Karl Rove has told the president that he will be indicted in the CIA leak case and will resign upon the public announcement of the charges, according to Truthout. Rove may be charged with perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Snow Melts at Debut ‘Gaggle’

Staff / Truthdig May 13, 2006 New White House Press Secretary Tony Snow stumbled a bit during his first briefing, but also came off as refreshingly candid. "I'm not even going to try to fake it," he told one reporter. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Wag the Dog?

Staff / Truthdig May 13, 2006 President Bush will deliver a rare (for him) television address, a Monday night talk on immigration reform. Is it too cynical to ask whether he's wagging the dog to distract attention from the NSA phone record issue? Is it possible to be too cynical about Bush's motives? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Feds Raid Home of a Former Top CIA Official

Staff / Truthdig May 13, 2006 Federal agents raided the home of the CIA's outgoing No. 3 official in connection with a corruption investigation that has already sent Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham to prison. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )