Taliban role in NYC Times Square car bomb attempt?

As always, it might have been nice had we finished these guys off before going into Iraq. NYT:

American officials said Wednesday that it was very likely that a radical group once thought unable to attack the United States had played a role in the bombing attempt in Times Square, elevating concerns about whether other militant groups could deliver at least a glancing blow on American soil.

Officials said that after two days of intense questioning of the bombing suspect, Faisal Shahzad, evidence was mounting that the group, the Pakistani Taliban, had helped inspire and train Mr. Shahzad in the months before he is alleged to have parked an explosives-filled sport utility vehicle in a busy Manhattan intersection on Saturday night. Officials said Mr. Shahzad had discussed his contacts with the group, and investigators had accumulated other evidence that they would not disclose.

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FCC to propose pro Net Neutrality rules tomorrow

WSJ:

In a move that will stoke a battle over the future of the Internet, the federal government plans to propose regulating broadband lines under decades-old rules designed for traditional phone networks.

The decision, by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, is likely to trigger a vigorous lobbying battle, arraying big phone and cable companies and their allies on Capitol Hill against Silicon Valley giants and consumer advocates.

Breaking a deadlock within his agency, Mr. Genachowski is expected Thursday to outline his plan for regulating broadband lines. He wants to adopt "net neutrality" rules that require Internet providers like Comcast Corp. and AT&T; Inc. to treat all traffic equally, and not to slow or block access to websites.

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Preventing Terrorism: UK Sacrifices Freedoms for Safety's Sake?

ABC News:

"Because the UK has experienced more terror, they've adopted more Draconian laws," said Richard Clarke, a terrorism expert and consultant for ABC News. "They've made some tough decisions."

The most visible of those decisions is a network of more than 4 million closed circuit television cameras blanketing the country -- a virtual eye covering train stations, airports, streets, and other landmarks.

Control rooms are located in every British city and major town, pulling in the video feeds to gather intelligence and track terror suspects.

In London, a person walking the streets is filmed or photographed an estimated 300 times a day, and new technology promises to analyze all those images to give the government an even more powerful tool.

The new technology is designed to monitor suspicious activity, such as someone leaving a suitcase unattended in public. It would identify the abandoned suitcase, and then follow the suspects as they walk away.

Scary, and awfully amazing at the same time. Read the rest of this post...

Bloomberg: Times Square terror suspect continuing to be helpful after he was mirandized

I'm still amazed at the degree to which Republicans don't believe in the basic tenets of our democracy. From Greg Sargent:

I disagree with the congressman. I've always thought democracy is strong enough. There is an exemption, a public safety exemption which was used here. The police officers in the court don't have to read you your rights if they think there's information they get right away. Then they do it afterwards.

In this case, that's what they did. They got some information. The guy was either read or offered to have read to him his Miranda rights and he's continued to be helpful and giving us information.

Sen. Lindsey Graham actually called on Bloomberg and the New York police department to join him in coming up with a way to avoid having to Mirandize terror suspects in the future.

What are they so afraid of? We mirandize criminal suspects every day. Somehow we're not all dead as a result. Why are acts of terrorism different? Is the Times Square car bomb, that didn't go off, and didn't hurt anyone, really a bigger crime than an American born mass murderer who kills 30 kids? We mirandize the serial killer, and not a peep from the GOP. But when we do it to a Muslim terrorists, somehow our world will come to an end.

I just don't get it. I get the emotional and political appeal of being against mirandizing terror suspects. I don't get the intellectual and practical arguments against it. I'm at greater risk of the scary people around the corner shooting me than I am of getting hurt in a terror attack. Then again, maybe to the Republicans it really is all about politics, and not about making us safe. Read the rest of this post...

It was a Muslim immigrant who saved the day in Times Square

From Alternet:

Yet one fact being ignored in the American media’s sensationalist narrative about the failed bombing is that the man who was responsible for police finding the bomb was Muslim. The UK’s Times Online reports that Aliou Niasse, a Senagalese Muslim immigrant who works as a photograph vendor on Times Square, was the first to bring the smoking car to the police’s attention:

Aliou Niasse, a street vendor selling framed photographs of New York, said that he was the first to spot the car containing the bomb, which pulled up right in front of his cart on the corner of 45th street and Broadway next to the Marriott hotel.

“I didn’t see the car pull up or notice the driver because I was busy with customers. But when I looked up I saw that smoke appeared to be coming from the car. This would have been around 6.30pm.”

“I thought I should call 911, but my English is not very good and I had no credit left on my phone, so I walked over to Lance, who has the T-shirt stall next to mine, and told him. He said we shouldn’t call 911. Immediately he alerted a police officer near by,” said Mr Niasse, who is originally from Senegal and who has been a vendor in Times Square for about eight years.

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Newt talks about forming a coalition with blacks against Obama and Dems

At first blush it's absurd. Then again, it's not like black leaders have been very thrilled with Obama. They, like other core Democratic constituencies (gays, Latinos, enviros, women) feel that the President has abandoned them. I doubt they'd vote Republican. I don't doubt that many might sit home and not vote at all. Read the rest of this post...

Sen. Reid says the GOP makes love to Wall Street

Ryan Grim at Huff Post:

Harry Reid has always had a way of turning a phrase. On Wednesday afternoon, he turned his talents to a description of the GOP's relationship with Wall Street, as the two parties continue to debate the way forward on reform.

"The Republicans are having difficulty determining how they're going to continue making love to Wall Street," Reid, the Senate majority leader, said in a press briefing.

And he's right. The GOP is torn between two lovers at the moment. Wall Street's money, and Main Street's votes. My bet is on sucking up to Main Street until the election, then leaving them for Wall Street once again. Read the rest of this post...

30 photos that changed the world

An amazing collection. Look through them, you'll hear yourself saying "oh, that one."

This, however, is one I'd never seen:

Federal Dead on the Field of Battle of First Day, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Mathew Brady, 1863
One of the earliest war photographs, this sobering look at the war ravaging America remains one of the most important war images of all time.

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FOX wants to give Bush credit for the economic recovery

It seems that now that the economy appears to be recovering, and banks have stabilized, FOX is suddenly interested in giving Bush credit for the bank bailout. Now, mind you, Bush was responsible for putting together the TARP program. The thing is, the Republicans have been calling TARP a "bailout," and have been railing against it, and even railing against Wall Street reform as "a bailout" - all because they think this will tar Democrats, and help Republicans win back the Congress in the fall. So it's interesting that now FOX is trying to spin the bailout as a good thing, and even claim GOP credit for it

Defies logic. But then again, that's what being a partisan propaganda organ is all about.

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Think Arizona

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FOX News won't run VoteVets ad on climate change. It's 'too confusing'

Ben Smith has the rationale from FOX News for refusing to run an ad from VoteVets. According to FOX News executives, this ad is "too confusing." Huh? Watch for yourself. It seems pretty clear cut that climate change affects national security:

I guess if people don't believe in climate change, then tying climate change to national security would be confusing. Read the rest of this post...

Runoff needed for NC Dem. Senate nomination

In North Carolina's six-way primary for the Senate Democratic nomination, Elaine Marshall won by almost points. Marshall got over 36%. The second place candidate, Cal Cunningham, who had support of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), got just over 27% of the vote. But, in NC, the winner must break 40% or there's a runoff:

In North Carolina, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (D) and former state senator Cal Cunningham (D) are headed for a June 22 runoff after neither candidate broke 40 percent of the vote.

That result buys national Democrats a bit more time to assist Cunningham. The national party helped recruit Cunningham into the race under the belief that he was the candidate best equipped to beat Sen. Richard Burr (R), but he underperformed on the fundraising front and struggled to make up ground against the better-known Marshall. Democrats view Burr, who won the seat in 2004, as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in the country.

Really? Is that the best use of DSCC resources? Propping up its failed primary candidate?

Polling analysis from NC-based Public Policy Polling indicates that Marshall will win the runoff, which is scheduled for June 22. Frankly, I'd rather see Marshall in a battle against the vulnerable Burr.

Pam Spaulding, who is also NC-based, thinks so too:

No one needs a costly, damaging runoff that will only give advantage to the horrid incumbent Burr. I'd rather have either candidate win outright rather than have to worry about money pouring in to sully either candidate, weakening them. We'll see what the priorities are for the Dems when the votes are all in.

Cunningham has every right to run in the runoff. He earned it. But, the goal is beating Burr in November. And, the DSCC shouldn't weaken its likely nominee. Read the rest of this post...

Wednesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

It's Cinco de Mayo. Today, in their NBA playoff game, the Phoenix Suns will wear shirts that read "Los Suns" to protest Arizona's hateful SB 1070. The professional sports world has really become forceful in its opposition to the discrimination propagated by Governor Jan Brewer and the Republican-controlled legislature in Arizona.

The Senate continues debating the Wall Street reform debate today. There are deals being cut and amendments getting votes every day. Big issues remain, like auditing the Fed. Senator Bernie Sanders is sponsoring the Senate version of the legislation. (The House passed a version sponsored by Reps. Alan Grayson and Ron Paul.) There's a lot of push back on that one. A lot. The bill is S.3217, Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010.

And, I don't care about Laura Bush's book. I don't. But, how convenient that the TODAY Show is talking about it incessantly when the TODAY Show employs the daughter of Laura Bush. I really shouldn't turn the TODAY Show on in the morning. It's masochistic. It just annoys me.

Let's get it started.... Read the rest of this post...