The Bancroft family (chief stockholder in Dow Jones) is meeting with News Corp today to decide about editorial independence of the Wall St. Journal in the event of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. take-over bid.

T-Rex comments here.

I don't get the big deal over the editorial content. The Wall St. Journal already has a right-wing editorial board. What's the difference between that and Murdoch?

I subscribe to the Journal at a cost of $100 plus a year because of their political and social reporting (not financial reporting as I have no interest in that arena.) I never read their editorials.

The Wall St. Journal's reporting is top-notch. They did great stuff on Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and even on criminal justice and sentencing issues. That's what I'm afraid will be lost if Murdoch has his way.

Update: Commenters point out I misunderstand the nature of the takeover and how newspapers work. Editorial control includes control of the news. I stand corrected.

The Associated Press reports on the inducements the drug-trafficker snitch received in the JFK Terror case. But it missed one.

As I pointed out the other day, not only is he getting a reduced sentence for his own misdeeds, according to a footnote in the criminal Complaint (pdf) filed against him, he also got money -- on an ongoing basis.

It's not that I don't believe the defendants were working on a plot to economically damage the U.S. (the complaint also stresses they wanted to do economic harm and avoid to any extent possible the deaths of innocent persons.) It's that I don't believe they had the capability of pulling it off -- without the assistance promised by our federal government through the snitch.

Terror wannabes, bumbling holy warriors again.

The NYTimes reports:

Three months after the start of the Baghdad security plan that has added thousands of American and Iraqi troops to the capital, they control fewer than one-third of the city’s neighborhoods, far short of the initial goal for the operation, according to some commanders and an internal military assessment.

. . . In an interview, [General Vincent Brooks] said that while military planners had expected to make greater gains by now, that has not been possible in large part because Iraqi police and army units, which were expected to handle basic security tasks, like manning checkpoints and conducting patrols, have not provided all the forces promised, and in some cases have performed poorly.

Who'da thunk it? Plan B anyone?

Calling any criminal defense lawyers in New Hampshire: Eric Alterman may need your help:

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN ) – Columnist and author Eric Alterman was arrested Sunday night inside the debate spin room and charged with criminal trespass after police say he refused repeated orders to leave.

Goffstown, N.H. police say Alterman was in the spin room as a guest of the Creative Coalition and went to an area reserved for a private reception for WMUR-TV. Police say he was asked by an executive at the party if he was invited to the private area and was asked to leave. A police officer was called after a verbal altercation ensued. He was asked by police seven times to leave, and police say he became increasingly loud as he refused. After ignoring a final request, police say he was handcuffed and taken from the building. He is charged with criminal trespass, and a bail commissioner will determine if he will be released.

Update: I just got an e-mail from Eric explaining what happened. Here it is:

A great 16 second moment in the debate -- Hillary blasts Condi Rice and Dick Cheney for their lack of diplomacy skills.

I watched my first Presidential Debate of the season straight through tonight, and I remembered why I don't watch these this early - they are basically stupid.

That said, let me give my take on it, because I watched it, and darn it, I am going to tell you what I think, whether you like it or not. First, from my point of view, it was a good night for putting pressure on the Congress to end the war, through the use of the Not Spending power. It was the early focus of the debate and Edwards pounded on Clinton and Obama on showing leadership in Congress on ending the war through use of the Not Spending power. It was the highlight of the debate.

The second to last episode of the Sopranos, Number 85 is tonight: "The Blue Comet." Could they be any more cryptic?

This week, the allegiance of those closest to Tony is put to the test. Meanwhile, a case of mistaken identity has serious ramifications

Update: and Spoiler Alert:

Wife of Iraq soldier is asking a question: The candidates are now seated. How do you plan on re-building the military after so many years of conflict?

Goes to Kucinich. Peace is the way we reflect our strength. Wants a strong peace-keeping force. Cut military spending 25%. There's a lot of waste. We need to encourage people to serve in it so it's a strong military.

Obama: Weapons system is outmoded relic of Cold war. When soldiers come home we must treat them with dignity and honor. This Administration tries to do it on the cheap. (He didn't answer the question.)

Dodd:

Must be prepared to use force but not as the first arrow in the quiver. Another non-answer.

More...

The debate is starting. If you are watching and online, please chime in with your reactions.

Time is on the honor system. Answers should take about one minute. They must stay on topic of the question or they will be stopped. There are no opening statements, just introductions.

First question to Obama using yesterday's terror bust. He says Bush doesn't get credit for lack of terror attacks since 9/11.

Goes to Edwards. Global war on terror is a Bush bumper sticker. Hillary doesn't agree with Edwards. We are safer than we were, we are not safe enough. Kucinich: Patriot Act undermines civil rights and as President he would repeal it.

They move to Iraq. Lots of blame for George Bush. Questions about reading the NIE report. Edwards defends his not reading the report but says he was wrong to vote to authorize the war.

More...

Some basics on tonight's Democratic debate.

Who's participating:

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden; former Sens. John Edwards and Mike Gravel; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

The moderator is CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

The format:

The contenders were expected to take questions from a team of journalists for the first hour. In the second hour, questions were to come from about 100 New Hampshire voters who say they are undecided in the contest.

Where you can watch:

• TV: CNN
• Online at WMUR New Hampshire or CNN. CNN's Pipeline is now free and they have multiple feeds going, right now they are showing a lot of secret service agents and footage of the candidates' arrivals.

The question I would like to see asked in tonight's Democratic Presidential Debate:

It was reported today that 14 US Soldiers have died in Iraq in the first 3 days of June. Last month, 127 US soldiers died in Iraq. Since the start of the war, 3,493 American soldiers have died.

Most of you have committed to withdrawing from Iraq if you become President in January 2009. The question for each of you is the following:

Do you commit to an immediate redeployment of American troops in Iraq from the moment you become President? And, given the fact that the President has indicated that he will not be redeploying troops from Iraq during his Presidency, what should the Congress do in the face of the President's stated policy?

Newt Gingrich is sounding the alarm: the Bush administration is dysfunctional. Where's he been the last seven years?

"We have to have very relentless, dramatic change in American government," he said.

Gingrich added, "The key question is: Is somebody prepared to stand up and say that the American people deserve fundamental change in Washington?"

The answer is: Yes. Pretty much every non-Republican in the country has proclaimed the need for change. Hasn't Newt noticed?