Today’s edition of quick hits.
* First Rupert Murdoch took the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones. Now he’s going after Yahoo? “Yahoo Inc. is discussing a possible partnership with News Corp. in its latest effort to repel Microsoft Corp. or prod its unsolicited suitor into raising its current takeover bid, according to a person familiar with the talks…. Both The Wall Street Journal and a prominent blog, TechCrunch, reported that News Corp. is interested in folding its popular online social network, MySpace.com, and other Internet assets into Yahoo — an idea that first came up last year.”
* So what happened on the torture measure we talked about earlier? “Later this afternoon, the Senate will be voting on a bill authorizing the government’s intelligence activities. Included in that bill is a measure sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would restrict the interrogation methods the CIA could use to the Army Field Manual, which bans waterboarding and other harsh techniques currently used by the CIA. The Republicans had been expected to challenge that provision, forcing a vote. But they didn’t. After a vote on the bill in 90 minutes or so, it will be on its way to the President, who has already announced that he will veto it.” Rumor has it Republicans wanted to make this easier on McCain.
* David Shuster caused quite a stir with his “pimp” remarks last week, but he’ll remain with MSNBC. “In the wake of the news that Hillary will debate on NBC later this month, an MSNBC spokesperson confirms that Shuster won’t be fired and will return to the network.” It’s not clear when he’ll be on the air next.
* The check is (almost) in the mail: “President Bush on Wednesday signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, calling it a “booster shot” for the American economy…. The government hopes the measure, which will send most Americans tax rebate checks by May, will either prevent a recession or make one relatively brief.”
* More discouraging news on the surge policy in Iraq: “Overall civilian fatalities in February, though still running at less than half the peak rate of 2006-07, are noticeably higher than in the past few months. Tension in the Sunni Awakening movement seems to be on the rise. Parliament is still deadlocked. Infrastructure improvements are nonexistent. And the surge is running out of time.”
* This should be interesting tomorrow: “As expected, things are finally moving forward in the House today to bring contempt resolutions against White House officials for ignoring Congressional subpoenas as part of the U.S. attorney firings investigation. House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers (D-MI) introduced two resolutions this afternoon related to the subpoenas. The first is a criminal contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers — both were subpoenaed and did not respond, citing the White House’s invocation of executive privilege. But Conyers also filed a resolution that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) file a civil suit against the White House.”
* Bush wants his unchecked powers and he wants them now: “President Bush once again reiterated his objections to an extension of electronic surveillance legislation on Wednesday, dashing some House Democrats’ hopes for another three weeks to resolve differences with the Senate over the bill. The Senate version of the bill contains immunity for telecommunications companies who aided the government; the House version does not.”
* On a related note, Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) had some very compelling things to say on the subject on the House floor.
* Interesting report in Time on a sought-after terrorist: “Imad Mughniyah, who was assassinated Tuesday in Syria, was a man of the Middle East’s shadows. He was a terrorist mastermind behind political causes. For him, though, it was as much about the fight as the cause. He shunned the light. He never gave public speeches or lectures. He is not known to have given any press interviews, not even to sympathetic or politically aligned journalists. Western reporters who sought the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hizballah’s help to arrange a rendezvous were politely but sternly advised not to go there. So, did the CIA or some other American intelligence agency finally do Mughniyah in? Everyone, including some of his friends, may have had a motive.”
* I’m glad this controversy is over: “After a day of raucous protests by veterans and anti-war activists, the Berkeley City Council admitted it had made a mistake by calling the United State Marine Corps “unwanted intruders” in this liberal city. ‘To err is human but to really screw up it takes the Berkeley City Council,’ said council member Gordon Wozniak. ‘We failed our city. We embarrassed our city,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle.”
* And finally, oh my: “A Utah state senator has apologized for comparing a school funding bill to a ‘dark ugly’ black baby, saying he did not intend it as a racist slur. Sen. Chris Buttars’ remark came during debate on the bill, which another senator had just called ‘the ugly baby bill,’ The Salt Lake Tribune reported. ‘This baby is black,’ Buttars said. ‘It’s a dark, ugly thing.’ Members of both parties criticized the Republican’s remark. Buttars apologized after a short break.”
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.