Strange:

New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has withdrawn his name from consideration as President Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary, a major blow to an Administration seeking to put a series of Cabinet problems behind it. "It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," Gregg said in a statement to be released by his office. "Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns."

What in Gawd's name did they focus on? To be honest, the Commerce Secreatary is a meaningless post, so it was an empty gesture from Obama in the first place. And what Gregg was thinking is still not apparent. In any event, not a big deal, imo, either way.

Speaking for me only

From the Center For Constitutional Rights:

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit confirm Department of Defense involvement in the CIA’s ghost detention program, revealed three prominent human rights groups today. The groups—Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ)—today released documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and U.S. Department of State (DOS), resulting from their lawsuit seeking the disclosure of government documents that relate to secret detention, extraordinary rendition, and torture. At a public press conference, the groups revealed that these documents confirm the existence of secret prisons at Bagram and in Iraq; affirm the DOD’s cooperation with the CIA’s ghost detention program; and show one case where the DOD sought to delay the release of Guantánamo prisoners who were scheduled to be sent home by a month and a half in order to avoid bad press.

More . .

In a way, this Gallup poll result is stunning:

While no more than 41% of Americans favor a criminal investigation into any of the matters, at least 6 in 10 say there should be either a criminal investigation or an independent probe into all three [torture, DOJ firings and politicization and warrantless wiretapping.] This includes 62% who favor some type of investigation into the possible use of torture when interrogating terrorism suspects, 63% who do so with respect to the possible use of telephone wiretaps without obtaining a warrant, and 71% who support investigating possible attempts to use the Justice Department for political purposes.

(Emphasis supplied.) But to be honest, what it really is is a lesson in how poll results are so dependent on the question asked. I'll explain on the flip.

It's a brief writing day for me, so here's an open thread for you. All topics welcome.

Drug Reform groups and others are beginning to react to the reports that President Obama will choose Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske as the new Drug Czar:

• Paul Armentano at NORML

The day the U.S. government finally — and properly — recognizes that drug use is a public health problem and not solely a criminal justice issue will be the day that the President appoints a White House ‘Drug Czar’ who possesses a professional background in public health, addiction, and treatment rather than in law enforcement.

But until that day arrives, perhaps the best we reformers can hope for is a cop who appreciates that pot poses less of a danger to the public than alcohol, and who recognizes that from a practical and fiscal standpoint, targeting and arresting adults who engage in the responsible use of cannabis doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense.

[More...]

[The report] is the latest to question the U.S.'s emphasis on punitive measures to deal with illegal drug use and the criminal violence that accompanies it. A recent Brookings Institution study concluded that despite interdiction and eradication efforts, the world's governments haven't been able to significantly decrease the supply of drugs, while punitive methods haven't succeeded in lowering drug use.

The panel recommends that governments consider measures including decriminalizing the use of marijuana.

[More...]

I pummel the Media all the time. I think it is only fair that we throw some kudos at good analysis, both on substance and politics, when it comes. Richard Stevenson of the NYTimes delivers both in his article for tomorrow's paper:

While it hammered home the reality of bigger, more activist government, the economic package was not the culmination of a hard-fought ideological drive, like Lyndon B. Johnson’s civil rights and Great Society programs, or Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts, but rather a necessary and hastily patched-together response to an immediate and increasingly dire situation. On the domestic issues Mr. Obama ran and won on — health care, education, climate change, rebalancing the distribution of wealth — the legislation does little more than promise there will be more to come.

[More . . .]

The TL Kid and I are eating pizza and watching the 2 hour American Idol where last night's 54 will be whittled down to a final 36. I'm not quite sure that 36 is a final number, I always thought it was 12 or 8, but since I usually don't start watching until the final four or so, don't go by what I say.

Here's an open thread -- all topics welcome.

I watched with inappropriate amusement as Obama DOJ spokesman reporter Marc Ambinder relayed Glenn Greenwald's queries to anonymous Justice Dept officials. The upshot?

[T]he Obama Administration has no plans to do [renounce the expansive Bush view of the state secrets doctrine] formally. They're sensitive to the politics of the case, but they're not motivated by what civil libertarians may write on their blogs

(Emphasis supplied.) As I wrote earlier in a comment, "up yours" to the ACLU used to be known as "triangulation" when a certain William Jefferson Clinton did it. Today it is known as "11 dimensional chess." Another episode today demonstrates the transformation of "triangulation" into "11 dimensional chess:"

President Barack Obama will name Seattle Police Gil Kerlikowske as the nation's new Drug Czar. He will be director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and it's a cabinet position.

A career cop, here's an interesting tidbit.

He has said he discovered his love for law enforcement in 1965 while fingerprinting criminals at a Florida jail.

Reactions from Drug law reformers:Not an ally by any means but we could have done worse: [More...]

If it is a deal, then the Congress is preparing to pass an inadequate $719 billion stimulus, with an add on adjustment of the Alternative Minimum Tax that will have no stimulative effect. The size of this proposal, in addition to its composition, makes it wholly inadequate for the task. It is much much worse than the House bill. Some details:

Despite intense lobbying by governors, the final deal slashed $35 billion from a proposed state fiscal stabilization fund, eliminated $16 billion in aid for school construction and sharply curtailed health care subsidies for the unemployed.

Slashing the most effective stimulus proposed while including non-stimulative tax cuts is proof positive that this bill is quite a mess, with no purpose driving it. Some claim that this is the deal Obama always wanted. If they are correct, then that is probably the biggest problem we have, a President unwilling to take the bold necessary action needed to address our economic calamity.

Speaking for me only

Bizarre at best:

Senate negotiators announced on Wednesday an agreement on a $789 billion economic stimulus bill, apparently clearing the way for final Congressional action and President Obama’s signature. But House conferees were not so quick to endorse the package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not present at the news conference, even though Mr. Reid praised her effusively for her role in the talks, and House Democrats were reportedly holding out for some changes important to them, including more money for school renovations. Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for the Speaker, said later that “I think we’re moving very rapidly toward making an announcement of a deal.”

Um, okaay.