WELCOME TO DAYBOOK, our daily morning collection of media and politics hits/misses from a wide variety of sources. And return for updates every afternoon. Plus: Don't forget to keep up with fresh items, events and analysis on Twitter @MediaFixBlog [1] and @GregMitch [1]. Email me at: epic1934@aol.com [2].
AFTERNOON UPDATES
New from Glenn Greenwald [3]: What does Israel fear from media coverage? He also (you can watch) out-debated [4] MSNBC guest host/Israel apologist Eliot Spitzer late this afternoon....Rep. Anthony Weiner in usual over-the-top [5]defense. ....
U.S. backs inquiry [6] -- but, naturally, by Israel, not outsiders..... American Prospect with good backgrounder [7] on Gaza blockade.....George Packer [8] at New Yorker: Israel's government bent on isolation and self-destruction, though he considers incident more a "blunder" than a "crime." Helen Thomas rails at White House [9] over handling, see video. GOP leader Eric Cantor calls on Obama to stand up [10] more strongly FOR Israel. Reporters Without Borders [11] calls on Israel to release 15 journos it has seized.
Earlier, ABC's Jake Tapper reports this morning [12] that White House offiical tells him Obama will "stand with Israel" because Israel can only make peace "if it feels secure." In revealing quote, U.S. official [13] tells Politico's Ben Smith re: Israel: "We're the only ones who believes them." Sarah Palin [14] advises: Don't listen to "mainstream media" on Israel (even though they rarely criticize Israel, in USA anyway). UN condemnation today weakened by [15]U.S. pressure....
Haaretz editorial [16]: "The decision makers' negligence is threatening the security of Israelis, and Israel's global status. Someone must be held responsible for this disgraceful failure."
OIL DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT Eric Holder announces civil and criminal probes [17] of oil leak..... From Twitter feed of faux @BPGlobalPR commenting on DOJ criminal probe: "If we're being accused of being criminals, we want to be tried by a jury of our peers-- wealthy execs who don't give a damn." BP shares plummet [18], it loses $17 billion in value today. Mike Madden tweets: "Maybe we could get a squad of Israeli commandos to stop the oil spill. Just tell them the oil is aid for Gaza."
SHADOW CONGRESS Major new TPM interactive guide [19] to 170 former congress members now lobbying Congress as influence peddlers
TRUFFLE IN PARADISE NYT Mag stands by [20] its cover story on M.I.A. despite her protests.
DUMB-DO-RAND-RAND Will Bunch: Rand Paul picked [21] Kremlin-backed, 9/11 conspiracy web site over "Meet the Press" for interview.
BITS AND PIECES Matt Bai at NYT on Tea Party embrace [22] of repeal of 17th amendment (direct electon of Senators)..... Steve Benen [23]: okay "deficit hawks" -- does Pentagon budget really ahve to be $726 billion? .... ProPublica: Reports on tainted Chinese dry wall [24] ignored for two years..... New Yorker piece by Pankaj Mishra responds to Hirsi Ali [25] and other critics of Muslims...Andy Borotwitz on Al and Tipper Gore splitting: "Most likely NY Post headline: GLOBAL COOLING."
--TOPS FOR TUESDAY
AFTERMATH OF ISRAELI ATTACK ON AID SHIP: Israel still holds hundreds [26]seized in the raid and not allowing access to those who might contradict their version of incident. IDF kills two Palestinians [27] who infilatrated Gaza border. Israeli Naval officer says ready to stop [28] another ship heading to Gaza on Wednesday. The Guardian has a live blog [29] updating everything all day..... Atrios: "Unlike wacky Arab people, i rejoice when soldiers invade my home."
NYT on how the raid severely "complicates" U.S.-Israel relations [30], co-written by Ethan Bronner (left), bureau chief whose son is in IDF. Here's NYT's public editor's column which said [31] the paper should re-assign Bronner..... Here's Glenn Kessler of Wash Post on same "special relationship [32]" subject.....
Andrew Sullivan responds [33] to claim Israel's killing warranted because passengers fought back....Interesting NYT blog post with parallels to [34] famous 1947 "Exodus" ship attack.... . ... American student loses eye [35]protesting attack. Marc Lynch at Foreign Policy: Obama, like Bush, had failed to tackle [36] Gaza humanitarian crisis. Video library [37]on flotilla attack. Ian Welsh: Turkey may now want war with Israel [38]. It is, in any case, sending more ships to Gaza.
ISRAELI NEWSPAPER RESPONDS Gideon Levy in Haaretz: Israel learned nothing from [39] its previous Gaza disaster. "This is a place that turns away intellectuals, shoots peace activists, cuts off Gaza and now finds itself in an international blockade." Ari Shavit [40] on "FIasco on the High Seas." Another Haaretz commentator hits Israel's inevitable [41] "use of force," always, and self-destuctive." Yet another [42] mocks Israel's "seven idiots in the cabinet."
WAR DEATH MAP Sobering CNN interactive map [43]on every U.S. military death in Iraq and Afghan, where they were from, where died, average age etc. .... Andy Borowitz on latest report: "For those keeping score, we have now killed al-Qaeda's number three 9000 times."
TAKE THIS CEO AND SHOVE IT BP CEO moans that "I'd like my life back." Brief video:
EVERY WIKI WAY BUT LOOSE: Watch video about WikiLeaks [44] at The New Yorker and profile of founder [45].
BIT AND PIECES "BIg Short" author Michael Lewis writes letter [46] to Wall Street execs on "shorting reform"..... The Guardian: The scandal of child labor [47] on U.S. farms ....
DEATH WISH? Sarah Palin's hometown newspaper in editorial [48] reminds Joe McGinniss that Todd might be legally able to use "deadly force" against him.
OIL AND WATER Oil leakage could last until August [49]and other great news..... Bob Herbert [50] on America's "epic foolishness"--inability to rise to the occasion not just on oil leak but other ills..... Robert Reich [51] at TPM: Put BP under temporary receivership..... Raw Story: What a shock, BP hires former Cheney [52] spokeswoman.... Amazing old promo film [53]by oil industry with segment on "The Lifeline of the Oyster," which suggests the little critters actually like to be bathed in oil--and they don't mean on the plate. Starts just after 9 minute mark.
TED KOPPEL'S SON DIES The 40-year-old found dead in New York [54] after a night of heavy drinking.
MOVIE TIME My favorite movie of last year, "Goodbye Solo"-- immigrant taxi driver and ailing passenger set in North Carolina -- on PBS's Independent Lens tonite at 10 pm.
TODAY's LAFF The late, great Dennis Hopper loved to do TV commercials, including this one, in the bath, with a rubber ducky. And don't miss him, post-Easy Rider, reciting Kipling [55]on the Johnny Cash show, 1970.