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Petraeus’ casualty methodology finally revealed.
Earlier this month, Government Accountability Office chief David Walker testified that he could not “get comfortable” with General David Petraeus’ methodology for determining sectarian violence. Petraeus’ methodology has remained unknown throughout his testimony to Congress and the pursuing debate on Iraq. But today, through a Freedom of Information Act request, TPMmuckraker’s Spencer Ackerman has finally [...]

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Fox News To Air One-Hour Petraeus Special On Saturday Night
At 9 pm ET on Saturday, Fox News will air a one hour special about the top commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, who recently argued in Congressional testimony that President Bush’s “surge” in Iraq is working. The program, titled “American Commander: Gen. David Petraeus” and hosted by Jon Scott, will look at Petraeus’ [...]

Nelson Mandela Foundation confirms ‘Mandela is alive.’
In his press conference yesterday, President Bush inartfully gave the impression that Saddam Hussein had killed former South African President Nelson Mandela, saying “Somebody said to me, I heard somebody say, ‘Now, where’s Mandela?’ Well,

Bush flip-flops on Iraq Study Group.
President Bush on the future of Iraq, 5/24/07:[Bush] talked about a transition to “a different configuration” in Iraq after the surge of U.S. troops is completed this summer. When pressed on whether he was talking about a post-surge Plan B, Bush answered: “Actually, I would call that a plan recommended by Baker-Hamilton, so that would [...]

Bush is afraid of horses.
In his new autobiography, former Mexican President Vincente Fox notes that President Bush seems to be afraid of horses, once turning down an offer to ride Fox’s horse. “He demurred, backing away from the big palomino. A horse lover can always tell when others don’t share our passion,” Fox said. In fact, Bush’s equestrian incompetence [...]

Snow to replace Rummy in Wichita.
Yesterday, ThinkProgress noted that a scheduled speech to the Wichita Chamber of Commerce by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was canceled after “too many people objected.” The Chamber of Commerce has now confirmed that former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow will be the replacement. Snow will also speak two days later at the [...]

Iraqis top list of asylum seekers.
“Violence in Iraq has pushed more than twice as many Iraqis to seek asylum in industrialized countries during the first half of 2007 compared with the same period last year,” according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. “Iraqis top the list of people seeking asylum in 36 of the world’s richest countries.”

Beck Calls Rev. Jackson’s Obama Statement ‘Racist,’ Ignores His Own Similar Comments
Last night on his CNN Headline News show, Glenn Beck criticized Rev. Jesse Jackson’s statement that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) was “acting white,” calling it an “unbelievable racist statement“:BECK: Beyond that, here’s where the trouble really, for me, it just kind of goes off the tracks. You’ve got Jesse Jackson, the week that he says [...]

Coburn not putting hold on presidential records bill.
Yesterday, ThinkProgress noted that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) was suspected of putting a secret hold on a bill that would restore public access to Presidential records that President Bush had sealed indefinitely with an executive order. In the comments of the ThinkProgress post, however, someone on Coburn’s staff wrote in to say that the Oklahoman [...]

NRO’s Goldberg Chastizes MoveOn, Forgets His Own ‘Spineless’ Attack On Generals In 2004
On Tuesday, National Review Online Jonah Goldberg approvingly linked to a column by the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen, in which Cohen slammed Democratic presidential candidates for not criticizing MoveOn.org’s Gen. David Petraeus ad in the New York Times. Goldberg said Cohen had a “pretty good” take on the Democrat’s “spinelessness regarding Petraeus.”In a September [...]

Billionaires no longer rich enough to make Forbes list.
For the first time, $1 billion isn’t enough to land someone on Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans. Forbes associated editor Matthew Miller said that there “are 82 American billionaires who do not make the Forbes 400 this year.” Income inequality has grown dramatically in recent years, “with the top 1 percent of Americans [...]

In Press Conference, Bush Calls On Conservative Ally For Softball Question Condemning Democrats
At the end of yesterday’s press conference, a reporter asked President Bush what was his “reaction” to MoveOn.org’s Gen. Petraeus ad in the New York Times. The question — the last of the briefing — gave Bush an opportunity to express his disappointment in the “leaders of the Democrat party“:I thought the ad was [...]

Fired U.S. attorney honored by home state.
On December 7, 2006, the Justice Department asked John McKay to resign as the U.S. Attorney for Washington state. Now, nearly a year after he was fired, McKay is being honored for his contributions to the legal community. Last night, “he accepted the Washington State Bar Association’s Courageous Award with a subtle nod and a [...]

Breaking: Levin-Reed amendment fails.
Today, the Senate voted 47-47 on an amendment sponsored by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) that “would require a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq to begin in 90 days and end in nine months.” When the Senate previously voted on the bill in July, the vote was 52-47.

ThinkFast: September 21, 2007
“Republicans reacted angrily yesterday” to Bush’s pledge to veto increased funding for children’s health insurance. “I’m disappointed by the president’s comments,” said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA). “I’m very, very disappointed,” echoed Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR).89.6 million: The number of Americans under the age of 65 who “had no health insurance for some or all of [...]