Alleged "9/11 Mastermind" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is being arraigned today at Guantanamo. The ACLU is on scene and will be reporting.

The ACLU has committed $15 million to a joint project with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to provide adequate representation to Mohammed and other Gitmo detainees facing unfair trials under the Military Commissions Act.

Trial by military commission permit convictions based on secret evidence, hearsay, and evidence derived from torture – including waterboarding, a technique the government admits was used on Mohammed. [More...]

In an act of supreme self absorption, I will and, for myself only, not for Talk Left, answer the following question:

I wanted you to be one of the first to know: on Saturday, I will hold an event in Washington D.C. to thank everyone who has supported my campaign. Over the course of the last 16 months, I have been privileged and touched to witness the incredible dedication and sacrifice of so many people working for our campaign. Every minute you put into helping us win, every dollar you gave to keep up the fight meant more to me than I can ever possibly tell you.

On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.

MORE . . .

Here's an open thread for you.

We got a new script implemented today that automatically closes threads at 200 comments.

Our servers cannot handle more than that, particularly when we have 10,000 page views an hour and everyone is refreshing the thread to see the latest ones.

All topics are welcome, with the exception we posted the other night. If you want to smear a candidate with anticipated right-wing attacks, you will have to do it elsewhere.

Comments closed

Unlike Big Tent Democrat, I don't care about a joint ticket with Obama and Hillary. As I said this morning, if Hillary wants it, I think he should offer it to her. If she doesn't, she certainly should not feel obligated to take it just so she brings him more votes.

That said, here are three reasons I think Obama will not offer it to her regardless of what she wants. I don't agree with a single one but I'lll raise them for your reactions:

1. Both racism and sexism are very much alive in this country. He fears there are too many voters who who would never vote for a woman and another set who wouldn't vote for an African-American candidate. He wants time to conduct polling and if the polling shows his campaign would suffer by giving both groups a reason to leave the Democratic party, he won't choose Hillary. [More...]

Just in from the Clinton campaign:

"Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, DC to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity. This event will be held on Saturday to accommodate more of Senator Clinton's supporters who want to attend."

I understand the notion that the nominee must have the freedom to choose a nominee he is comfortable but there is a certain reality that is just being ignored about this contest. Obama barely won. By any measure. Even by the flawed pledged delegate count, and including the Edwards delegates, Obama won 51.4% of the pledged delegates. Clinton won 47.7% of the pledged delegates. On the popular vote, by the BEST measure for Obama, he won by 0.4%. This was NOT a landslide.

As Jay Cost writes:

The New York Times reports Hillary Clinton will drop out of the Presidential race on Friday.

This Times report says she will both drop out and endorse Barack Obama.

If Hillary drops out and endorses Obama, I will do the same. I think it will be what she wants her supporters to do.

There was never any question whether I would support the ultimate Democratic nominee. I always said I would. With only one candidate in the race, Obama is the nominee -- on Friday.

Comments closed

According to a new CBS poll:

A majority of Democratic primary voters - 59 percent - say Obama should choose Clinton as his running mate. Clinton supporters are more enthusiastic about the prospect than Obama supporters, who are evenly split on the question of Clinton as a vice presidential pick.

By Big Tent Democrat

Bump and Update: My long thoughts on the relevance of Rezko's conviction are below:

Earlier: Guilty on 16 of 24 counts.

Here's the blank verdict form (pdf)listing the counts.

The Rezko verdict will be announced in five minutes.

I have been thinking about the strategy Hillary Clinton has adopted in light of the declaration that Barack Obama is the Presidential nominee. I think it does mean she wants to be the Vice Presidential nominee. Let me explain my thinking.

Clinton has kept her supporters committed to her by demonstrating her fire and toughness - her commitment to playing the political game on her terms. I have stated my own preference that she take a more conciliatory tack and acknowledge what seems to be. But let's face it, the Media and her enemies were ready to dance on her political grave and declare her an irrelevancy. In order to put herself in play for VP, against seeming resistance from Obama's circle and the Media, she needed to flex her political muscles.

More . . .

A Party's Leader should lead. I agree with dday:

Barack Obama could put an end to [the Dems' attempt to capitulate on FISA] today if he wanted. He could tell his colleagues in the House and the Senate that they should not work so hard to codify into law what his opponent is calling for - the ability for an executive to secretly spy on Americans.

. . . Senator Obama has the power to end this. . . . This is . . . an excellent opportunity for Obama to show his leadership skills and where he stands on civil liberties and Constitutional issues. We know that McCain is a mirror of Bush on that score. Senator Obama, you are the party's leader. Do something about this. Today.

Indeed.