It's official! We got a "formal notice" in the mail today that TalkLeft has been allocated press credentials for the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. We said this morning we were ecstatic that Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate, and now we are doubly excited that we will be able to cover the events live and bring you some of the behind the scenes info the major media won't cover--and some news with attitude.

We could definitely use your help with expenses. It will cost us between $2,000.00 and $3,000.00 for airfare and hotel (see comments), and we'd like to raise that amount since we'll be losing a week at work. If you're in a position to assist, you can do so here via PayPal. If you'd like to donate anonymously, use Amazon. Both are secure. Many, many thanks.

Update: The DNCC's official blog, BostonDParty, is here--written by Matt Stoller and Eric Schnure.

Don't miss Pressthink's article by Jay Rosen here. Our update is here.

We're not alone in our belief that the greatest impact the 2004 President will have is in picking Supreme Court Justices. The Boston Globe reports that the new President will select up to four new Justices.

Few believe the present court can hold together for another four years, pointing to seats held by two liberals, a conservative, and a frequent swing voter. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 71, has battled cancer since 1999. Justice John Paul Stevens is 84. Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 79, and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, 74, are said to have eyed retirement for several years. Because this court reaches many decisions by 5-to-4 or 6-to-3 votes, the next president may be able to transform its delicate balance into a solid ideological majority that will control American law for the next generation.

It is imperative to us that Bush be replaced so that his attempts to pack the federal courts with right-wing ideologues and judicial activists be stopped. And so that he can't wreak further havoc by putting unacceptable replacements on the Supreme Court.

At the liberal People for the American Way, executive director Ralph Neas argues that a court majority with that perspective would overturn 75 years of jurisprudence, gutting environmental regulations, abortion rights, and a host of civil rights.

As we wrote in December, 2002, this will be a horrible legacy to leave our children:

A few weeks ago we wrote about how the GOP was behind a push to get Nader on the ballot in Oregon. Joe Conasen reports today on how the Republicans are trying to recussitate Nader:

Yet although the prospects for Mr. Nader are quickly shrinking, his would-be rescuers are already revealing themselves. The new Naderites include the strange Manhattan therapy cult that now dominates the Reform Party, which will provide ballot access in some states after endorsing him in a teleconference call last May. He can also count on at least one group of activists who are absolutely determined to see him succeed: right-wing Republicans.

Tens of thousands of dollars from major Bush donors are pouring into Mr. Nader’s coffers, and he is using that money to pay for petition signatures that will get him on the ballot in swing states. The American Prospect reports that earlier this year, Mr. Nader’s aides solicited a California company that usually performs such tasks for Republican candidates.

Well, that didn't take long. The new Iraqi Government has authorized Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to declare martial law.

"The lives of the Iraqi people are in danger, they are in danger from evil forces, from gangs of terrorists," said Human Rights Minister Bakhityar Amin, who compared the new law to the U.S. Patriot Act.

....The laws give Allawi the right to impose curfews, to conduct search operations and detain individuals with weapons, once he receives unanimous approval from the Cabinet. It also gives him the right to assign governors, including military leaders, to be in charge of specific areas.

Meanwhile, U.S. soldier deaths keep mounting.

The U.S. military on Tuesday announced that three Marines assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force were killed while on duty in western Iraq. Two died in action Monday in Anbar province, while a third died of his wounds later Monday. Another four U.S. Marines were killed Tuesday in the province during security and stability operations, the U.S. military said.

Now that the Dems have an exciting ticket with Kerry-Edwards, will Bush drop Cheney? In May, when the 9/11 victims' family members took Guliani to task, we said we were afraid Bush would drop Cheney for Guliani.

Guliani is no hero to us. Never has been. We'd like to see word of this criticism of him spread as we have a nagging fear that if Cheney is dropped from the Bush ticket, Bush would pick Guliani to replace him.

Instapundit thinks Bush may drop Cheney too. Writing for his MSNBC weblog today, he says:

One prediction of mine: Bush will drop Cheney from the ticket, and replace him with someone more exciting, and with less baggage -- think John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, or, my favorite, Condi Rice.

John McCain could be a problem. We doubt Colin Powell would accept. Condi Rice presents cold and is no more exciting than Cheney. Rudy? Our worst nightmare. Ashcroft times ten. Plus he attracts money. More from our earlier post:

From Democrats for America's Future:

The Bush White House isn't satisfied with blurring the line between church and state when it comes to policy matters. Now, the Bush re-election team wants to set up its local campaign offices in your church ....First reported in The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Bush campaign is shifting into the "hail Mary" mode with an unprecedented effort to co-opt local churches as de facto arms of its campaign.

As The New York Times reported: "The Bush-Cheney campaign has laid out a brisk schedule for legions of Christian supporters to help enlist "conservative churches" and their members, including sending church directories to the campaign, according to a Bush campaign document. The document underscores how heavily Mr. Bush is relying on conservative Christians. The campaign is asking conservative churches and churchgoers to do everything they can to turn their churches into bases of support without violating campaign finance laws or jeopardizing their tax-exempt status."

It likely was this aviation forum, which at 9:00 last night posted:

John Kerry"s 757 was in hgr 4 pit tonight John Edwards vp decals were being put on engine cowlings and upper fuselage.

[link via TalkingPointsMemo]

Update: The Associated Press reports that Kerry's first phone call after the call to Edwards at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday was to an employee of the company charged with adding the name to Kerry's campaign plane.

Eric Alterman at Altercation today.

John Kerry's official statement.

The Republican smears have begun.

Via Atrios and Kos, reporting Senator John McCain's comments:

He's got the ambition, the talent and the brains to go very far, to be president of the United States. -Charlotte Observer, 2/26/01

Update: Media Matters debunks Republican and conservative attempts to smear Edwards.

Update: Joe Trippi weighs in.

Jeffrey Fisher is the 33 year old Seattle, WA defense lawyer who won both of his cases before the Supeme Court this year--Blakely v. Washington and Crawford v. Washington. One will revolutionize sentencing and the other is changing the rules on what evidence can be admitted at trials.

Here's a profile of Mr. Fisher.

Crawford v. Washington, is being heralded as a legal landmark on the right to confront one's accuser. It is the kind of turning-point decision that for years to come will be raised in courtrooms across the nation. The other, Blakely v. Washington, has set off a national debate over the constitutionality of certain enhanced sentences and sent the best legal minds, in Oregon and elsewhere, scrambling for answers.

Among lawyers, Fisher's accomplishment is stunning. And it's even more unusual, perhaps, because the appellate lawyer has only practiced law since 1999. The 1997 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School joined the powerhouse law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine in Seattle almost five years ago after clerking for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

There's lots more, go read. Also read today's editorial in the LA Times, Enough Abuse for Everyone:

What great news!

The family of a Lebanese-American U.S. Marine kidnapped in Iraq said Tuesday that a mysterious visitor had told them Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun is free and well. Hours later, a Lebanese government official said the kidnappers released Hassoun after he pledged he would not return to the U.S. military. The official, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity, said Hassoun's whereabouts were unknown.

Update: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a Blakely hearing July 13. Sen. Orrin Hatch will preside--not a good sign.

***********
Original Post

Courtesy of Law Professor Doug Berman of the blog Sentencing Law and Policy, we now have access to the memo DOJ circulated Friday (pdf) to federal prosecutors with Blakely guidance. The opening paragraph reads:

The position of the United States is that the rule announced in Blakely does not apply to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, and that the Guidelines may continue to be constitutionally applied in their intended fashion, i.e., through factfinding by a judge, under the preponderance of the evidence standard, at sentencing. The government’s legal argument, which will be developed more fully in a model brief that the Criminal Division will distribute, is that the lower federal courts are not free to invalidate the Guidelines given the prior Supreme Court decisions upholding their constitutionality, and that, on the merits, the Guidelines are distinguishable from the system invalidated in Blakely.

Update: Here's another key paragraph, instructing prosecutors what to do if courts say Blakely applies to the federal sentencing guidelines:

It's official. John Kerry has chosen John Edwards as his running mate. We're ecstatic. Bush is Toast. Here's an open thread to discuss it.

Update: John Edwards' Statement on the nomination:

“I was honored this morning to receive a call from Senator Kerry asking me to join his ticket. I was humbled by his offer – and thrilled to accept it. “I’ve served with John Kerry. He is a man of strength, character and courage. He has a vision for our country that will make life better for all Americans - those in the middle class who struggle every day to make ends meet, and the millions of Americans fighting to enter the middle class. “I look forward to seeing all of you in the days ahead and talking to the American people about the next president of the United States.”