The enterprise known as Newsweek magazine dedicated its cover story this week to apologizing and advocating for torture. I have covered this issue here, here and here. The Newsweek article, authored by Stuart Taylor, Jr and Evan Thomas, states:

It is a liberal shibboleth that torture doesn't work—that suspects will say anything, including lies, to stop the pain. But the reality is perhaps less clear.

Yet Newsweek reporting, by EVAN THOMAS no less, came to a different conclusion in 2006:

Does torture really work? Most intelligence experts say no.

More . . .

With the Newsweek-led drive to mainstream "What Dick Did", it is important to remember that the Beltway and Newsweek have no grasp of history. This morning on Joe Scarborough's show, Newsweek Managing Editor Jon Meacham demonstrated his feeble grasp of the history regarding Lincoln, the Civil War and civil liberties. I addressed that here. In addition, FDR's name was also thrown around as an example to follow. You see, according to Newsweek, Korematsu was one of the great moments in American jurisprudence, not a shameful chapter in our history.

But the interesting thing is "Dick" did not even pass the Korematsu test. I'll explain why on the flip.

Remember when the Beltway thought "lying under oath" was an affront to the Constitution? No? Okay, let me try this -- do you remember when the Beltway thought "lying" under oath about oral sex with an unrelated consensual third party in a civil deposition in a case funded and promoted by right wing extremists was an affront to the Constitution?

Lying to Congress? About politicizing the Justice Department? The Beltway says, "who cares?" After all, "what would Dick Do?" is the key question President-elect Obama should be asking himself according to the Beltway Gasbags.

Speaking for me only

For those of you on the east coast, the show has begun. Here's a thread for the results. (Spoiler alert to those in other time zones- stay away from the comments unless you want to know who won.)

Our red carpet thread is here.

Updates below:

The red carpet arrivals are beginning. You can watch them on E!

Who looks great? Who miscalculated?

It's my favorite part of the show. Last year we didn't get a red carpet because of the writers' strike. And 2007 was just so-so. I think they will put double the effort into this year's show.

Since we are all in different time zones, once the awards start, no spoilers on the winners, please! [Updates Below]

After 20 months, Jack Bauer and "24" are back with a four hour premiere, spread over Sunday and Monday nights.

Janeane Garafolo joins the cast as an FBI high tech analyst. Catfights with Cloe?

The President is a woman, Cherry Jones. Thoughts of Hillary?

Is this going to be a revamped "24", cognizant that torture is wrong? Probably not ... then there would be no need to call on Jack during emergencies. And if they merely put dialogue in the mouths of the agents claiming torture is wrong, who will believe them? It will be comical and the show will lose any vestige of its remaining credibility.

Here's a guide to the new season. [More...]

Time is running out to help Hillary Clinton retire her campaign debt. Once she becomes Secretary of State, she can no longer solicit contributions. Bon Jovi is coming to her aid.

The final note of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign may very well be sung by Jon Bon Jovi. The musician is performing at a fundraiser for the former presidential candidate as she tries to close out her campaign debt, which stood at $6.3 million as of last month.

The Jan. 15 performance at Manhattan's Town Hall is being billed as "a final evening in support of Hillary Clinton for President Debt Relief." Ticket prices range from $75 to $1,000.

I hope they stream it live in exchange for contributions from viewers. I'd pay to watch. As I've said before, he's got one of the best faces in rock, I could watch it for hours. And if it would help Hillary, all the better.

The Blago/Burris Farce has some Left bloggers simply losing their perspective. Consider Chris Bowers:

A new story in the Chicago Sun-Times indicates that, the day before Blagojevich's calls were taped, Harry Reid pushed Blagojevich not to appoint the three leading African-American politicians in Illinois (after Barack Obama, of course). According [sic] using "electability" as the rationale, Reid did advocate on behalf of two candidates, one of whom, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, attempted to remove Blgaojevich via judicial coup. If the Senate's move to block Roland Burris wasn't already viewed as a political move rather than one of ethics, this story should put an end to that once and for all.

Incredible. Politicians acting politically. I for one am shocked! Sheesh. More. . . .

Earlier today, TalkLeft friend (and, I hope, still my friend) Jane Hamsher was accusing Harry Reid of disregarding the rule of law. In her latest post, she seems to be berating him for "sabotaging" JedL's plan to disregard the rule of law:

Via Political Wire, a Military Times subscriber survey tells us their readers prefer Bush to Obama. Here's the tell though:

The responses are not representative of the opinions of the military as a whole. The survey group overall under-represents minorities, women and junior enlisted service members, and over-represents soldiers.

All righty then. Thanks for letting us know older white military men from the South are less likely to approve of Obama than Bush. We never would have known otherwise.

Speaking for me only

Digby and Jane Hamsher [in a comment, Jane states that her objection is to excluding Burris from the Democratic Caucus, not to attempts to not seat Burris. My apologies to Jane for my confusion.] misunderstand the Blago Farce. Digby cites Jack and Jill blog writing:

Harry Reid, as well as the President-Elect, needs to explain why Traitor Joe Lieberman was allowed to keep his Senate seat . . .

Digby argues, by implication, that Burris has a better claim to a Senate seat than Lieberman. A few facts get in the way of this silliness. Joe Lieberman won an election. Rod Blagojevich is about to be impeached and likely go to jail - for trying to sell a Senate seat, among other things. Burris would be appointed by Blagojevich, not elected by the people. Suuure, Burris has the better claim. Sheesh. More errors on the flip.

TChris noted Mitch McConnell's newfound love for oversight, but I was amused by Politico's take on the story:

McConnell may be likely to side with the growing public sentiment against the government's unprecedented use of federal dollars to jolt the economy . . .

(Emphasis supplied.) Growing public sentiment? Politico made that up:

A new national poll suggests most Americans favor an economic stimulus package even if it comes with an $800 billion price tag, although that support doesn't indicate the public wants to see a new era of big government. Two-thirds of people polled think Present-elect Barack Obama's stimulus package will help the economy. Fifty-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday said they favor the stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama is proposing; 42 percent were opposed.

Facts are not important in some instances. For example, when you are trying to prop up a GOP talking point as Politico is wont to do.

Speaking for me only