Journalisming Done Right

Ezra Klein: "This LA Times debunking of mythical lawsuits is the best piece on tort issues I've read in a major paper in the last year....read on"

Jane was kind enough to throw a BBQ for us West Coast Bloggers that was hosted by Steve Audio. (sorry Steve) I haven't been able to get out much becasue if my injury so it was a treat to meet so many for the first time. I want to thank Ezra for driving me there. She blogged about it here.

Russ Feingold Proposes Withdrawl from Iraq

Ezra Klein has the scoop...

It looks like the first Democrat has stepped up into the fray.

Gas Tax vs. Cafe Standards

Ezra Klein looks at the two and has some sound reasoning behind his choice. Guess which one he favors.

Newsie8200 from Daily Kos has a new blog: Penndit: TMV has a great article about another insane Peggy Noonan column and Deep Throat. Jesus General has a new letter to Arnold called: Fighting immigration, one maid at a time. Ezra Klein: So Do I get Ben Stein's Money Now? Jesse Taylor: Faking Something About Sex That Doesn't Let You Brag At The Bar James Wolcott: One-Man Wrecking Crew.

God Bless This Mess

Ezra Klein talks about a new ABC pilot that has Drudge (and the Drudgekateers) up in arms. Commander-in-Chief, starring Democrat activist Geena Davis as the President of the United States, for the fall schedule.

Jesse Taylor talks about it here: You do, however, have to love the unironic link to the Newsmax summary of the Joe Klein article in which Klein points out that it might be a bad idea for Hillary to run because publications like Newsmax will go batshit crazy.

...with Ezra Klein and Jesse Taylor for: Blog Night at the Bar

For LA readers, Jesse and I will be hanging at Maloney's in Westwood tonight, starting at about 9. C'mon down if you're interested. The address is:

1000 Gayley Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024

You can find a map here. E-mail me if you have any questions.

The birthday man Ezra Klein, who I and Jesse Taylor had the pleasure of spending a little time with last night, wrote this brilliant article today:

John Cole's got more on United's liquidation of its pensions. The story, amazingly, gets worse. While the Bankruptcy Bill was steamrolling through Congress, Dick Durbin offered an amendment that would've "protect[ed] employees and retirees from the common corporate practice of discharging liability for retirement plans, retained earnings and matching funds when businesses file Chapter 11." This is really, if you think about it, quite amazing. ...read on

Weird wingnuttery

or (A little Powerline bashing is always a good thing)

via Ezra Klein

Powerline's Hindrocket has a strange post about an apparent error that the NYTimes made in posting its article about the pope's death. They seem to have accidentally published it before it was finished, and so it read as follows: go to the article

I don't think I understand what the big deal is. The NYTimes article is very fair ("he defied easy definition: For all his conservatism on social and theological issues, he was decidedly forward-looking"), and Powerline's statement that they had their criticism ready to go, but had to go looking for a good quote is speculative at best. The only thing, in fact, that is clear is that the NYTimes intended to present more than one side. In the context of Heather's post below about the Washington Times' one-sidedness below, Hindrocket just looks like he's trying to pick a fight.

Michelle Malkin cites it as an example of how

The death of the Pope just couldn't stop the libs in the media from showing their true colors.

What are their true colors? That they wanted to make sure they had a quote from a supporter? Those crazy liberals, always trying to be fair...

via AmericaBlog:

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: "I don't know if there is a cause-and-effect connection but we have seen some recent episodes of courthouse violence in this country. Certainly nothing new, but we seem to have run through a spate of courthouse violence recently that's been on the news and I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters on some occasions where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in - engage in violence.

These guys are "way, way, way" beyond the crossing point. Are they so worried about Tom Delay that it's now open season on judges to cover his tracks? I'm waiting for the "JudgeWatchBlog" to start; manned by Hal Turner. Vegas odds on what judge is going to get it, and how activist they are. Probably along the lines of David Horowitz's Front Page rag. At this point it doesn't matter what party or religion, and who made the appointment. I'm sure the.." I was taken out of context" statement will soon be issued. I'm not holding my breath.

More from Talking Points Memo:

So the recent murders of judges and their families are blow-back from widespread judicial activism?

Suddenly the folks in robes are like the girl who dresses too provocatively to the fraternity dance.

And who knew Cornyn and crew wanted to embrace Brian Nichols, the accused rapist who murdered Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and three others last month, as one of their own?

Congressman Conyers rips Senator Cornyn for justifying violence against judges.

(Update) Digby joins in.

Mathew Yglesias joins in.

AmericaBlog has more. It's getting uglier and uglier.

Update-The Left Coaster and Daily Kos and Eschaton and Oliver Willis and Ezra Klein and Talk Left