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Dan Froomkin - Scooter Libby Shows No Remorse, Gets No Mercy.
Wrap-Up of trial sentencing by Jane.
White House won't intervene 'now' in Libby case.

White House Directed Operations to Deny Black Soldiers Serving In Iraq 2004 Vote. Possible reason for Gonzales appointed prosecutor resignation. Very limited American media coverage.

Tim Griffin, formerly right-hand man to Karl Rove, resigned Thursday as US attorney for Arkansas hours after BBC Television "Newsnight" reported that Congressman John Conyers [had] requested the network's evidence on Griffin's involvement in "caging voters." Greg Palast, reporting for both BBC "Newsnight" and "Democracy Now," obtained a series of confidential emails dating from the 2004 presidential election, in which the GOP operative transmitted so-called "caging lists" of voters to state party leaders.

Experts have concluded the caging lists were designed for a mass challenge of voters' right to cast ballots. The caging lists were heavily weighted with minority voters, including African-American homeless men, students and soldiers sent overseas.

Digby: Master GOP debaters make me feel unclean. AP: GOP Debaters Repeatedly Attack Bush. Salon.com: What you missed watching Deal or No Deal.

CNN: The Three Leading Democratic Candidates Talk About God and Religion and Politics and Poverty.

Guantánamo trials in chaos after judge throws out cases.

The June Atlantic magazine is an excellent issue with many great articles I happened to read. Will be best known for the long article on Condi Rice. It primarily quotes many of her admirers but repeated instances of her being naive and wrong on issues are noted. (I had a debate about rather she is really the worst NSA head and now Sec. of State or if she keeps pulling a Gonzales to protect the President - appear dumb and incompetent and lying in the face of mistakes to show loyalty.) The article makes it clear she is sincere and misguided but incompetent. She pushed for Democratic elections in Palestine sure that Fatah would win, they lost. She pushed for arming Fatah and having them battle it out with Hamas, American involvement not reported at all in the American media, sure they would win. They lost in bloody battles. Now she is pushing to ignore the Unity Palestine government against the wishes of every U.S. ally in the Middle East. She is pushing for more elections in Arab states, naively ignoring that fundamentalist groups are the big winners. At the end she is reduced to saying what we do now may only show results in 40 to 50 years. I say if we want faith-based foreign policy just appoint Dr. James C. Dobson.

The article does have this remarkable statement from a former head of Mossad: "Isreal today will not do anything, take no initiative whatsoever unless the United States approves it. Insemination is an act of two, not of three. As a result of what happened in 2003 and 2004, the natural act of insemination between Israel and its neighbors is no longer possible." I am not sure Israel can't screw its neighbors or he wanted to say that.

Also looked through some recent Newsweek's. This news magazine I used to think was remarkable for having a major article slanted for Bush one week and against the next. Along with the GOP Presidential candidates, and the conservative media, it has switched to just anti-Bush. Reading the real magazine and not the online site it becomes apparent how except for one or two articles it is now primarily a People magazine covering politicians and politics.

The rise of gay politicians in Dallas. In addition to having a strong candidate for mayor, gays hold several seats in Dallas government.

A New Poll Suggests That Play-It-Safe 'Centrists' Are Weakening the Democratic Party.

If Democrats don't take firmer action they may well find themselves going into the 2008 election with a double handicap. Swing voters will consider them cynical and fearful of taking bold action, while the party base is dispirited and open to third party alternatives (or staying at home).