Reuters has a good article today on the influence blogs will have in the upcoming battles over Supreme Court nominations.

"A key part of our strategy is reaching out to the Internet community," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada..... Reid and other political leaders now hold conferences with bloggers in the same way they meet with traditional press.

"I think they are instrumental in getting information out and deconstructing spin," said Eric Ueland, chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican. "They are much defter and swifter than the mainstream media," he said, adding that blogs are also "very clear in their philosophical and ideological leanings."

Say Hello to a new TalkLeft guest blogger, Last Night in Little Rock. Like TChris, he is a criminal defense lawyer of the highest caliber, whose politics match those of TalkLeft.

Last Night in Little Rock is known in real life as John Wesley Hall. John is the author of two seminal texts, Search and Seizure (3d ed.) and Professional Responsibility in Criminal Defense Practice. Each book has a website with daily updates of court decisions: FourthAmendment.com and LawofCriminalDefense.com. He is also the author of Trial Handbook for Arkansas Lawyers, now in its 6th edition.

Say Hello to the National Journal's Hotline Blogmeter...previously available only by subsription. It's a great daily roundup of blog coverage. It also carries interviews with bloggers. Mine is here (scroll down.)

John Wesley Hall writes on TalkLeft as "Last Night in Little Rock."

A criminal defense lawyer from Little Rock, Arkansas, he has tried hundreds of jury trials, and argued hundreds of appeals, including two before the U.S. Supreme Court. The second of those cases was Wilson v. Arkansas, holding that the Fourth Amendment at common law required police to knock-and-announce before entry.

He is the author of three legal treatises:

• Search and Seizure (3d ed. 2000), which is supplemented daily at Fourth Amendment.com.
  
• Professional Responsibility in Criminal Defense Practice (3d ed. 2005), which includes this virtual appendix and supplement and
• Trial Handbook for Arkansas Lawyers (4th ed. 2004-05)

John is an active member of the Special Court for Sierre Leone, where he is representing a defendant charged with war crimes.

He is President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and listed in Best Lawyers in America for criminal defense. He is actively involved in promoting ethics and professionalism for the criminal defense bar.

E-mail John Wesley Hall.

John Aravosis of America Blog is a credentialed blogger for G-8, blogging from Scotland. He's got great photos up. The bloggers flew over on the Live 8 plane from JFK, Bob Geldof met them at the airport and gave an impassioned speech. The protesters were also there.

Your choice, all topics, whatever's on your mind.

[Monday's over, comments closed]

Some readers are reporting problems posting comments. There was a problem at TypeKey's end a few days ago that supposedly is fixed. But Mike Ditto will take a look soon, so bear with us.

Also, one reader complained that the gray font used in the text of the comments section isn't dark enough - is anyone else having a problem with that? Any suggestions?

Just a reminder...

skippy needs a million hits by July 13! Don't even think about it, just click here and help make it happen.

TBogg's got them.

Both of TalkLeft's premium ad spots come available this holiday weekend. With the regular ad strip filling up, I want to offer alternatives. So, I've reduced the premium ad price and changed the policy to allow two ads in the premium space on the right.

A Skippy rant.

Even without his witty rant on the topic of why cable tv talk show hosts turn our children into bullies, we'd tell you to go visit Skippy so he'll hit the million visitor mark by his third blogivarsary on July 13.

Update: Thanks to all who contributed. I'll be sending you individual thank yous this weekend. I feel like Sally Field..."You like me, you really like me."

Original Post:

Today is the second of two TalkLeft appreciation days. If you're a regular reader, and you can afford to show us some * heart *, please do. If you can't afford to, no problem, you're still welcome here.

• PayPal
  
• Amazon (anonymous)