Via, Atrios and Yglesias, one of the Fox News liberal types, Michael O'Hanlon, writes a "stirring defense" of General Petraeus:

Sen. Harry Reid's recent statements questioning the forthrightness of Gen. David Petraeus in reporting on conditions in Iraq are unseemly and unfair. . . . It is true Gen. Petraeus was too optimistic about the training program of Iraqi forces when he was in charge of it. But he was not alone in having undue confidence about the course of events in Iraq at that point. . . It is also true Gen. Petraeus chose to highlight the "normalcy" of much of Iraq in recent comments about how things are going there. Such comments were indeed a bit forward-leaning . . .

Forward-leaning? You mean rose-colored glasses? The notion that Reid demanding candor from someone who has been "overly optimistic" as bad is just bizarre. I hope General Petraeus is more forthright than O'Hanlon has been, for he is one of those folks who believes in extended Friedman Units:

Although it has been said before about previous new years, it seems very likely that 2007 will be make or break time in Iraq.

Is it ok if we demand a little candor from Mr. O'Hanlon and would he please be forthright in telling us how and why he has been wrong on EVERYTHING about Iraq?

Rudy quit the Iraq Study Group last May after he was told he would actually have to show up and work on the issue:

Rudolph Giuliani's membership on an elite Iraq study panel came to an abrupt end last spring after he failed to show up for a single official meeting of the group, causing the panel's top Republican to give him a stark choice: either attend the meetings or quit, several sources said.

Now if Rudy missed a meeting to get a haircut, perhaps the Media would think this a big story. But since it was not for a haircut, but rather in order to travel and collect 11 million dollars in speaking fees, I think Josh Marshall's prediction that this might end Rudy's campaign will be wrong. But the funniest thing is Rudy just plain lies about why he quit:

As someone considered a potential presidential candidate, the Mayor didn’t want the group’s work to become a political football. That, coupled with time restraints led to his decision.

Here's the thing -- Rudy did not voluntarily resign. He was told to show up or quit. He chose to turn his back on working to help the country on the Iraq issue BECAUSE he needed the time to cash in on 9/11.

As Dan Froomkin points out, the White House has been casual in its approach to law breaking. As practiced in the White House, the Unitary Executive theory means that the executive branch of government need not obey laws passed by the legislative branch or decisions rendered by the judicial branch. Hence the casual approach to complying with, say, the Presidential Records Act, and the apparent lack of concern that at least 88 White House officials used email accounts with the Republican National Committee to conduct the nation's business, or that the email records of 51 of those officials have gone missing.

The argument that officials used RNC accounts so that they wouldn't violate the Hatch Act is difficult to understand, because the Hatch Act prevents federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty. Whether the officials used a White House account or an RNC account is less significant than whether they were using the accounts for a forbidden political purpose while they were supposed to be earning their federal salaries. Of course, whether they engaged in improper activities is difficult to judge when the emails that may answer that question can't be found.

Did officials use RNC accounts to conduct public business to avoid making the public record that the Presidential Records Act requires? Or did they use RNC accounts solely to engage in political activities while they were on duty in their government jobs? Either way, as Froomkin suggests, they've managed to avoid scrutiny by using email accounts that have conveniently failed to keep a record of their emails.

This should come as no surprise:

And as the new House Oversight Committee report points out, the White House counsel's office -- then headed by current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales -- was aware of these violations of e-mail policy, but chose to do nothing about it.

Kos writes:

Being a blogger has been on-the-job training for me. I was obsessive about the presidential polls in 2003. Then, as you see above, they meant squat. Kerry had 9 percent heading into Iowa. He won the thing easily. I learned my lesson. These months are an opportunity for candidates to raise money, build organization, hone their message, and prep for the storm that'll hit them in September when they'll enter the stretch run of the race. At this point, the numbers mean little, and candidates have little incentive to lead the horse race.

You are correct sir. With a caveat. At Blogometer, Conn Carroll commented:

There is a name plate for Digby at the Take Back America conference. Does that mean Digby will be revealed? Atrios links to this funny post and to pictures of some of our good friends.

Sure there are lots of good things going at the conference I bet, but "who is Digby?" is the story of the day.

I'm on my way out of town, but first, had to post this new interview with Bernie Kerik lamenting the loss of Rudy as a friend. The more remarkable part is how he describes his own troubles. Brutally honest about his depression.

He's in Jordan and reportedly about to face a federal indictment in the U.S. (More here.)

I wonder if the feds could or would extradite him back from Jordan. Whichever way you cut it, exile in Jordan or a a federal criminal trial in the U.S., life hasn't been easy for Rudy's friend since Rudy got the brilliant idea of Bush nominating him for Homeland Security chief. (More here.)

Kerik was a deer caught in the headlights -- in way over his head. Rudy should have known better.

What song is Hillary going to pick? Watch her, Bill and Johnny Sack in the Diner doing a Soprano's ending. Incredibly cool.

And the winner is: Celine Dion, You and I. Not my favorite song by a longstretch, but I'm sure there are other considerations besides music at work -- like which song will have the broadest appeal. Bill was rooting for Smashmouth.

I think the video is brilliant.

In some ways, the uproar over Presidential signing statements is overblown. Sometimes, Presidential signing statements can effectively allow a law to be enacted with the President making a Constitutional reservation regarding any concession of impact on Executive power caused by future interpretations of the law. However, as used by the Bush Administration, signing statements have been invidious extraconstitutional actions:

Federal officials have disobeyed at least six new laws that President Bush challenged in his signing statements, a government study disclosed yesterday. The report provides the first evidence that the government may have acted on claims by Bush that he can set aside laws under his executive powers.

This is the problem. The President can not uniltaerally choose to not enforce a provision of law based on his claim that the provision is unconstitutional. The President must veto such law. He does not have the power of line item veto in any respect, much less within one law.

Sunday, Frank Rich wrote:

What makes these [Libby testimonials]rise above inanity is the portrait they provide of a wartime capital cut adrift from moral bearings. . . . The Libby supporters never acknowledge the undisputed fact that their hero, a lawyer by profession, leaked classified information about a covert C.I.A. officer. And that he did so not accidentally but to try to silence an administration critic who called attention to the White House's prewar lies about W.M.D. intelligence. And that he compounded the original lies by lying repeatedly to investigators pursuing an inquiry that without his interference might have nailed others now known to have also leaked Valerie Wilson's identity (Richard Armitage, Karl Rove, Ari Fleischer). . . . Given that Mr. Libby expressed no contrition in court after being convicted, you'd think some of his defenders might step into that moral vacuum to speak for him. But there's been so much lying surrounding this war from the start that everyone is inured to it by now. In Washington, lying no longer registers as an offense against the rule of law.

Right on cue comes Richard Cohen:

My day job takes me to Telluride today, where I'll be until Thursday evening. I'd love to stay for the Blue Grass Festival which starts Thursday, but I have to be back in Denver for court Friday afternoon and will miss it. Too bad, I even had a ticket.

We are excited to welcome one of the great folk-rock-soul bands of their generation, Counting Crows, to headline the opening night, Summer Solstice. We welcome back two of our all-time favorite performers after a year away: Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss. Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas will be performing both their own set of sophisticated newgrass and a special set with guitar legend Tony Rice featuring a spectrum of material from Tony's 35 year career. Los Lobos, a band that has been in existence for longer than Telluride Bluegrass, makes their debut at the Festival on Friday night.

The full lineup is here.

If you can't make Telluride, you can plan now for the Aspen-Snowmass Jazzfest Labor Day Weekend.

As I always say, 'tis a privilege to live in Colorado. This is an open thread, so please talk about whatever you want.

(Photo by Rashomon)

The Sunday New York Times Magazine ran an extensive feature on the feds busting doctors who in their view over-prescribe pain medication.

It's very long and contains interviews with convicted doctors and their patients. I was left with the sense that the doctors were unjustly prosecuted, that it shouldn't be up to a DEA agent to decide how much pain medication a patient needs, and that pain medication is not as dangerous or addictive as the Government has made it out to be.

As TChris wrote here,

The attorney generals of 30 states have complained that the DEA's confusing and overreaching interference with medical judgment has denied patients necessary pain relief.

And it's not just the doctors who suffer.

At least one group is fighting back -- the Pain Relief Network.

DA Mike Nifong submitted his resignation letter Monday, to take effect July 13, but that wasn't fast enough for Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson. The Judge ordered him suspended immediately and has appointed a special prosecutor, Wake County attorney Robert Zaytoun, to handle a civl removal case against him.

In February, Durham resident Elizabeth Brewer had filed a civil complaint asking Hudson to remove Nifong under a section of state law. She claimed Nifong had exhibited willful misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the office into disrepute.

Orlando put off action on Brewer's motion then pending the outcome of the Bar action against Nifong, and he did the same against in April when she renewed her request.

The New York Times has more details.