Today’s edition of quick hits.
* More disaster in Iraq: “Iraqi tribal leader Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, a key figure in U.S. efforts to turn local residents against al-Qaeda in the restive Anbar province, was killed today by a roadside bomb, U.S. military and Iraqi sources confirmed. Abu Risha was a leading member of the Anbar Salvation Council, a group formed a year ago Thursday that proved critical to a recent reduction in insurgent violence in the province. He worked closely with U.S. officials, a fact that made him a target of militants angry about his decision to cooperate with the United States and his ability to convince other tribal sheiks to follow. He and two bodyguards were killed near his home in Ramadi.”
* Marc Lynch offers some helpful and informative analysis of the Risha assassination.
* The Center for American Progress’ Brian Katulis offers a fairly detailed preview of what to expect from the president’s speech tonight, and why Bush is mistaken.
* A new AP poll measures public opinion after the Petraeus/Crocker testimony, and finds nothing much has changed. Support for Bush, and his handling of the war, foreign policy, and terrorism are all practically identical to where they were a month ago.
* Speaking of new polls, Fox News asked respondents whether they believed Petraeus’ testimony was “truthful and objective,” or “slanted toward the policies of the Bush administration”? A plurality (40%) said the latter. Obviously, if right-wing talking points are correct, this means Americans hate the troops.
* John Kerry ripped House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) for dismissing the sacrifices of the troops in Iraq as “a small price.” Kerry implored Boehner to apologize.
* The DNC condemned Boehner’s callousness, as well.
* For reasons that I don’t understand, Kerry and the DNC were pretty much the only Democratic leaders to take Boehner to task. Where was everybody else?
* George Will, surprisingly enough, hit Fred Thompson pretty hard in his column today: “Fred Thompson’s plunge into the presidential pool — more belly-flop than swan dive — was the strangest product launch since that of New Coke in 1985. Then, the question was: Is this product necessary? A similar question stumped Thompson the day he plunged.”
* It runs counter to the conventional wisdom, but it turns out that Americans don’t actually approve of warrantless searches.
* I have no idea if it was photoshopped, but Wonkette has a picture of Bush making the “hook ’em, horns” gesture during the 9/11 memorial ceremony this week. I’m going to hope the picture isn’t real, or perhaps the gesture was made by accident?
* War supporter Michael O’Hanlon said today that he could “easily see myself changing camps in the next six to nine months.” What is it about war supporters and six-month increments?
* Sometimes, O’Reilly manages to surprise. Describing Middle Easterners, the Fox News personality said, “They want their meals. They want to smoke. They want to go to the mosques. They want to sit around, and that’s what they want to do. Do they want to vote? Do they want to get involved? Not really.” He then said the U.S. should nevertheless stay in Iraq for at least another year.
* Brian Beutler does a fine job explaining why, when it comes to economics, Amb. Ryan Crocker seems terribly confused.
* Standing up for quality journalism and professional standards: “On Glenn Beck, Howard Kurtz said that Keith Olbermann has described Fox News as a channel that ‘poses as a news organization and puts out dangerous misinformation [and] is a cheerleader for the Bush administration, that it is misinforming our society.’ Kurtz added: ‘But you know what? They’re entitled to do that.'”
* If the election were today, one Connecticut poll says Lamont would beat Lieberman.
* And finally, wouldn’t you just love to have been in the room to see the look on the president’s face? “When top Democratic leaders visited him at the White House this week, President Bush told them he wanted to ‘find common ground’ on Iraq. But when the president said he planned to ‘start doing some redeployment,’ the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, cut him off. ‘No you’re not, Mr. President,’ Ms. Pelosi interjected. ‘You’re just going back to the presurge level.'” Awkward.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.