WEDNESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Libya: “Forces loyal to the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, repulsed a rebel push to the west on Wednesday and then counterattacked with airstrikes and increasingly accurate artillery fire on the strategic refinery town of Ras Lanuf, which the rebels have held for several days.”
* Post-uprising unity fractures in Cairo: “Thirteen people died in overnight clashes between Christians and Muslims in the worst outbreak of sectarian violence in Egypt since last month’s ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, officials reported Wednesday.”
* NPR’s CEO is shown the door: “NPR said Wednesday that the public radio organization’s board had accepted the resignation of its chief executive, Vivian Schiller…. NPR has been consumed by controversy as of late; most recently, a Republican filmmaker released a video on Tuesday that showed one of NPR’s fund-raising executives repeatedly criticizing Republicans and Tea Party supporters in a conversation with people posing as prospective donors.”
* NPR’s Republican detractors don’t much care, though, and intend to keep fighting to eliminate every penny of federal aid the network receives.
* On Fox News today, Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) said President Obama will have a “much more difficult time” winning a second term if the union-busting scheme is approved. Isn’t this proposal supposed to be about the budget?
* Good for Illinois: “Illinois abolished the death penalty Wednesday, more than a decade after the state imposed a moratorium on executions out of concern that innocent people could be put to death by a justice system that had wrongly condemned 13 men. Gov. Pat Quinn also commuted the sentences of all 15 inmates remaining on death row. They will now serve life in prison with no hope of parole.”
* Deadly shooting in St. Louis: “John Perry, a 48-year-old Deputy U.S. Marshal who had been with the agency for nearly 10 years, died at 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday night after being shot during a fugitive apprehension in St. Louis, Mo.”
* Karl Rove’s American Crossroads GPS isn’t above lying in its attack ads. Try not to be surprised.
* The White House’s latest moves on Guantanamo are obviously disappointing, but it’s worth remembering, “Gitmo isn’t open because the administration doesn’t want to close it, although its efforts in this area are ripe for criticism. It’s still open because Republicans in Congress successfully frightened Democrats in Congress out of giving the administration the necessary funds to close it when they had control of Congress.” I’m far more inclined to blame congressional Dems than the president.
* It’s hard to know what the New York Times was thinking in its heartbreaking story about a gang rape in Cleveland, Texas.
* I’m beginning to think Fox News’ Juan Williams is kind of petty.
* Still trying to rationalize his ridiculously foolish remarks last week, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) now claims he was taken “out of context.” He wasn’t. Please stop digging, Mike.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
