MotherJones.com | News - Investigative News and Political Commentary

July 20, 2008

AP's Ron Fournier To Karl Rove: "Keep Up The Fight" A report released Monday by the House oversight committee says Fournier, now the AP's Washington bureau chief, contacted the White House after Pat Tillman's death to "offer advice." —By Bruce Falconer MORE FROM MOJO: For the Press, No Iraq Introspection The Iraq Follies
After the FISA Fight: An Interview with Sen. Russ Feingold Why did some Democrats cave to the administration's wiretapping demands? "A constantly pulsating fear of being accused of being soft on terrorism." —By Brian Beutler, The Media Consortium The GOP's December Surprise Is the GOP cooking the books to avoid recession till after Election Day? —By James K. Galbraith Rove to Congress: You Can't Touch Me Flouting a congressional subpoena, the former White House political director claims he's "immune" from providing testimony on Justice Department politicization. —By Stephanie Mencimer MoJo Interview: The Angola 3 Meet the Black Panther Party members who spent 36 years of solitude in a Louisiana state pen—and who a federal magistrate now says should be freed. —By Brooke Shelby Biggs Shalom, Hamas Tweedy, unapologetically hawkish ex-spymaster Efraim Halevy may just be the only Israeli capable of legitimizing talks with Hamas. —By Laura Rozen Obama on Patriotism: Getting Past the '60s? In a speech on patriotism, Obama defends his own love of country and says dissent—the right kind of dissent—is patriotic. —By David Corn MoJo Convo: Iran Panic We asked an Israeli intel correspondent, an Iranian American activist, an arms expert, and a former peace negotiator: How likely is a scenario in which the US or Israel bombs Iran? Talk to them all week about their responses. A Citizen's Guide To the Post-Bush Globe Quaker and foreign policy wonk Helena Cobban cheers Bush's North Korea diplomacy, skewers "daddy-knows-bestism," and offers some worldly advice for Americans. —By Justin Elliott Supreme Court Shoots Down DC Gun Ban In the ruling—opposed by the Bush administration but supported by Cheney—Scalia says the issue is hunting, not gun violence. —By Stephanie Mencimer America, Over Big Oil's Barrel What's really driving up your gas prices? Oil companies say it's government regulators, foreign dictators, and those pesky polar bears. —By James Ridgeway Avoiding Torture's Taint Don't let the Red Cross find out—and other military advice on the use of harsh interrogation techniques. —By Brian Beutler, The Media Consortium GAO: U.S. Lacks Post-"Surge" Plan For Iraq Violence in Iraq has dropped precipitously since January 2007, but, a new report warns, the Bush administration has yet to formulate a strategy to keep the peace. —By Bruce Falconer Obama: Promise-Breaker or Reform-Shaker? The presumptive Democratic nominee opts out of the presidential public financing system. Is this good for small-d democracy or a blow to political reform? —By David Corn 'If the Detainee Dies, You're Doing it Wrong' A Senate investigation uncovers how torture entered the military's post-9/11 playbook. —By Brian Beutler, The Media Consortium McCain's Slippery History With Offshore Drilling The Republican nominee is taking a pointless and environmentally dangerous position in order to pander to voters hit by high gas prices. It may hurt him come November. —By Jonathan Stein A Right-to-Lifer and the GOP's Nursing Home Dilemma When Ken Connor was testifying on Capitol Hill, it was clear that people in his party deeply wish that he would go back to worrying about the unborn. —By Stephanie Mencimer Obama Hires A Fan of the Bush Tax Cuts? Adding new staff to his campaign, Obama fills a top slot with a party professional who once touted the Bush tax cuts as a major accomplishment. —By David Corn Operation American Dream What happened to a Baghdad refugee duo stranded in Casablanca-like limbo? —By David Case McCain's Favorite CEO Why does the presumptive GOP presidential nominee believe it's smart to use Carly Fiorina, the ex-Hewlett-Packard chief, as a top economic surrogate when she symbolizes so many corporate excesses? —By David Corn Abramoff's White House "Fruit" Excerpts from the new government report detailing why a man now behind bars once had serious pull in the Bush administration—and what he did with it. —By Nick Baumann Seeing Bobby Kennedy in Barack Obama Forty years after RFK's assassination, Barack picks up where Bobby left off. —By James Ridgeway Is KBR Defenseless? How the American and European contractors in Iraq stay above the law. —By Daphne Eviatar Foreclosure Phil Years before Phil Gramm was a McCain campaign adviser and a lobbyist for a Swiss bank at the center of the housing credit crisis, he pulled a sly maneuver in the Senate that helped create today's subprime meltdown. —By David Corn Office of Special Counsel's War On Whistleblowers OSC is investigating Karl Rove's political machine. But until recently OSC head Scott Bloch's policy was to ignore whistleblowers' tips on murder, espionage, and terrorism, while vigorously rooting out any signs of the "homosexual agenda." —By Daniel Schulman No Congress, No Peace in Iran If the United States spreads its Middle Eastern disaster into Iran, it won't be the fault of George W. Bush alone – a Democratic Congress will share some of the blame. Fortunately, the legislative branch has effective options for stopping war before it starts. —By Jonathan Schwarz Fight Different: Politics 2.0 The halls of power will belong to whoever can tap the passion of the online masses. That kid with a laptop has Karl Rove quaking in his boots. And if you believe that, we've got some leftover Pets.com stock to sell you. Mother Jones Polar Peril: Nine Animals In Need March Of The Tourists Video: The Coca Stompers of Bolivia How Not to Buy an AK-47				From the Mother Jones D.C. Bureau Iran Red Lines Mother Jones has learned that a parade of high-level Israeli officials are on their way to the White House over the next two weeks to discuss Iran policy. Here's where the two countries differ on what to do next. July 10, 2008 The Persian Paradox Why is so much sensitive US military technology winding up in Iran? July 9, 2008 McCain Campaign Screening Questioners? Political reporters are wondering if McCain aides are vetting the journalists who ask questions during campaign conference calls for the media. The evidence suggests they are; the campaign won't say. July 8, 2008 What's John McCain's Technology Policy? Surprise—he doesn't have one. And how does that compare to Barack Obama? July 7, 2008 What Family Leave? The nation's workplace policies are on par with those of some Third World countries. Does the Bush administration want to keep it that way? June 23, 2008 Investigation Update: Three Days In Rome Does an investigation of the Pentagon’s channel to an Iran Contra arms dealer continue? A Mother Jones intel scoop. June 20, 2008 Three Days in Rome Redux: The Cocktail Napkin Plan for an Iran Coup More on the covert meetings between Pentagon officials and shady Iranian expats, plus other intel details from a new Senate report. June 7, 2008 All You Need to Know About Obama's VP Options Now that Obama has nearly clinched the nomination, who's on tap to be his running mate? Your guide to the contenders. June 3, 2008 The John McCain School for Lobbyists While the Arizona senator was decrying Washington's "revolving door," his own staffers were zipping back and forth through it. May 27, 2008 Armed and Humanitarian Lately, the Pentagon has made relief work a military priority. So why are NGOs bracing for a disaster? May 19, 2008 The Big Farm Scam The President of the Environmental Working Group explains why the farm bill that just passed Congress represents a monumental opportunity lost. May 16, 2008 more... AP Politics Feed: 7/20/08 12:27 am (PST) Obama breakfasts with troops in Kabul McCain paying down primary funds in advance of cap Gore pushes environment with activist bloggers At the Democrats' party, a Pentecostal minister Iraqi leader: US should leave as soon as possible For better or worse, McCain wedded to town halls McCain adviser Gramm quits after 'whiners' remarks Foes no more, McCain, Romney warm to each other Obama to meet with leaders in Mideast, Europe McCain, Conan agree: Age jokes getting old New (Leaked) Music: Primal Scream - Beautiful Future Commemorating Bush's Sht The Blue Marble Gets a Moon OK Politician's Anti-Gay Comic Book May Work Against Him How Long Will You Live? Depends Where* You Live Watching the Watchmen Trailer A Little Too Closely Misleading Headline of the Week: This. Is. Obama! Top Five: Mopey Teen Playlist Now on the San Francisco Ballot: The George W. Bush Sewage Plant AFRICOM: State Dept., USAID Concerned About "Militarization" of Foreign Aid more...