Jefferson gets 13 years

Democrat congressman William Jefferson, famous for having $90,000 found hidden in his freezer, was sentenced to 13 years in prison yesterday.

Adding to the joy of the occasion, there was no need to play "Name that party!" in the AP story.

Reuters: How about Obama talking points with your news, my pretty?

Reuters runs a story on Sarah Palin's campaign appearance in Clearwater, FL (not far from where I'm sitting, as a matter of fact).

The report notes that Palin continues to hammer Obama on his connection to Bill Ayers. Unlike the CNN segment I highlighted in the previous post, however, this news from Reuters serves little other purpose than to trot out Obama campaign talking points.

With the pressure on, Palin is targeting Obama's judgment and character in speeches that include the unsubstantiated charge that the Illinois senator has close ties to Bill Ayers, a former member of the 1960s-era militant Weather Underground

The group was involved in bombings in the 1960s, when Obama was 8 years old. Obama met him in the 1990s when first starting his political career in Chicago and the two served on a board together. Obama has said he knows Ayers only slightly and has denounced his actions with the Weather Underground.

Close ties to Obama an "unsubstantiated charge"? I guess that depends on how you define "close ties"--but reporter/news analyst/editorialist Jason Szep doesn't go there, not even to establish the depth of the relationship as alleged by Palin. Can you say "hole in the story"?

It gets even better!

"I am just so fearful that this is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America," Palin said of Obama at a rally of 5,000 supporters in Florida's heavily Republican city of Clearwater.

Critics say that line is especially pointed because of its potential subtext. Obama would be the first black president and his background, including part of a childhood spent in Indonesia, is different from that of most Americans.

Palin seemed to acknowledge that the race was entering a new, harsher phase. "You are going to have to hang onto your hats because from now until election day it may get kind of rough," the 44-year-old self-described "hockey mom" said.

The second paragraph is unbelievable, recycling as it does the notion that emphasizing Obama's association with political radicals is somehow racist (see the Obama campaign arm known as the Associated Press for more on that).

The third paragraph artfully uses Palin's statement to the effect that the campaigning will be rough to underscore the (unsubstantiated) racism charge.

The mask is off. There is no "objective" mainstream media any longer. The face of the American press is completing a transformation that started in the 1970s.

AP selective with story details regarding "Troopergate"

Those who are following the twists and turns in an investigation of Governor Sarah Palin's dismissal of Alaska's public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan know that the Democrat Hollis French denied at least one key subpoena request made by the independent counsel.

The AP reporter following the case apparently remains totally unaware, judging by an AP story today that reports on the politization of the legislative investigation. All the details concerning politization point toward Republicans in the story, apart from the help Republicans are getting from the chairman of the Legislative Council:

The chairman of the council, Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton, said he would poll other council members on whether to meet.

Elton had previously refused to call such a meeting before panel investigator Steven Branchflower issued his report. In a letter Wednesday to House Speaker John Harris, Elton said circumstances had changed.

He said the situation had become so politicized it was difficult to imagine it could get any worse. Elton said he used to fear that any debate without a report would be "run through the prism of presidential politics and focus on motives." But now, he added, the debate is "taking place through press conferences and lawsuits."

If the mainstream media forgets a detail or two you can sometimes get it from the Blogosphere:

As the investigation known as Troopergate gets into full swing with 13 subpoenas being issued by the Alaska State Legislature on September 12, questions are being raised as to who is actually in charge. On Friday, Alaska lawmakers held a hearing concerning the subpoenas and asked independent investigator, Steve Branchflower, why Governor Palin’s former chief of staff, Mike Tibbles was not on the list to receive a subpoena. This was in spite of the fact that Tibbles had called a meeting of Palin aides to discuss the firing of Mike Wooten, the Alaska State Trooper in question. In the ensuing conversation, Branchflower admitted it was his list but was under the control and direction of Senator Hollis French, a Democrat who has strong ties to the campaign of Barack Obama. You can click here to listen to the audio of the conversation.
(by "Larry" at My Take)

The news coverage this election cycle is so biased that "corrupt" might be the proper adjective to apply.

Trouble for Sunni-Shiite reconciliation in Iraq?

BAGHDAD — The Shiite-led government is cracking down on U. S.-backed Sunni Arab fighters in one of Iraq’s most turbulent regions, arresting some leaders, disarming dozens of men and banning them from manning checkpoints except alongside official forces.

The moves in Diyala province reflect mixed views on a movement that began in 2007 among Sunni tribes in western Iraq who revolted against al- Qaida in Iraq and joined the Americans in the fight against the terrorist network.

U. S. officials credit the rise of such groups, known variously as Awakening Councils, Sons of Iraq and Popular Committees, with helping rout al-Qaida.

(Buffalo News -- AP)

On its face, a move like this feeds sectarian mistrust, particularly Sunni fear of unbridled Shiite power in the national government. If the move is balanced with some acceptance of Sunni peacekeepers, such as encouraging their inclusion in police forces, then it may work out OK in the end after a few hiccups.

I do not detect any of the latter in this AP story. But it is an AP story, after all.