The Political Whore

A criminal prosecutor is wrapping up his probe of the Bush administration’s handling of evidence that could reveal torture tactics in its terror interrogations.

Documents released this week show that 92 such videotapes were destroyed, much higher than the two tapes that were previously known to have been destroyed.

The AP reports:

The acknowledgment of dozens of destroyed tapes came in a letter filed by government lawyers in New York, where the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking more details of terror interrogation programs.

“The CIA can now identify the number of videotapes that were destroyed,” said the letter by Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin. “Ninety two videotapes were destroyed.”

The tapes became a contentious issue in the trial of Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, after prosecutors initially claimed no such recordings existed, then acknowledged two videotapes and one audiotape had been made.

Bill Maher is worried that an Obama administration isn’t going to very funny. After seeing this video of Obama roasting his now Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel back in 2005, I think we might see a few laughs ahead.

• Rahm Emanuel outlines the early ambitions of the Obama administration.
• In the fight against al-Qaeda, no international border shall be respected.
• China gets into the stimulus plan action.
• California churchgoers greeted by Prop 8 protesters on Sunday.
• What happened at the Seminole Hard Rock stays at the Seminole Hard Rock.
• MGM adds American Gladiators (among other things) to YouTube.
• The Titans remain the NFL’s lone unbeaten team.
• #1 at the box office: Madagascar 2.

Great moments in presidential speechifying.

• McClellan spills the beans on Bush.
• Obama confuses two Nazi prison camps, the Right declares him unfit to lead.
• Al-Qaeda calls for WMD attacks on the West.
• Where else? “Max Hardcore” on trial for obscenity in Tampa.
• Look who’s on Facebook now …
• The “Zero Punctuation” guy slows down for an interview.
• “True Romance: 15 Years Later.”
• Slice & Dice: The Macbook Air.

Flashback Friday.

• The Hillary Deathwatch. (Don’t worry: They mean the candidate, not the person.)
• “This is like any other cover-up,” Mr. Remes said. “We’ve only scratched the surface.”
• Recession? Probably. Depression? No way.
• Now, where did I put that high-yield nuclear warhead?
• Did the latest al-Qaeda tape give the “attack” order?
• Man found dead, full of bullet holes and laying in U.S. 19 in South St. Petersburg.
• Is there anything better than recorded phone calls involving Courtney Love?
• Hack a Mac in “two minutes flat.”

“And if you get in my way, I will destroy you!“

• Wisconsin, Hawaii vote today. Do I smell a Clinton comeback?
• Clinton plans to go after Obama’s pledged delegates. But they can’t go against the will of the voters, right? Wrong.
• On Jan. 29, the U.S. military struck al-Qaeda inside Pakistan without the Musharraf government’s permission. Didn’t Bush just rip Obama for saying he’d do exactly this?
• Shhhhh! U.S. banks “quietly” borrowing billions from the Federal Reserve.
• Do I detect a pattern? Another Hillsborough sheriff has been caught on tape abusing a prisoner at the Orient Road jail.
• Worried about Internet predators fondling little Billy? You can calm down.
• Lindsay Lohan bares all for a Marilyn-insipred photo shoot. Drug-related suicide is now on deck.
• Get well soon: Dick Fletcher.

(Photo Credit: Nrbelex)

The count goes on …

• NBC News has Obama taking the lead.
• Raw Story has Hill up by 80 delegates, and McCain running away with it.
• ABC has Huckabee surging as Romney fades.
• AP has the democratic race as a split decision.
• MSNBC’s first thoughts: This is going to get nasty.
• Slate is desperately trying to figure out who won.
• Time Magazine has five lessons from Super Tuesday.
  
• Need a copy of the key to ALL Diebold voting machines? Good news: They posted a picture of it on their website.

In other news:

• Tornadoes killed at least 48 people across the south last night.
• The writers strike will continue — at least through this weekend.
• Heath Ledger’s autopsy is in. Cause of death: oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine.
• Is Al-Qaeda about to strike?
• Apple updates the iPhone: Let the bitchin’ commence …

(Photo by Idcross.)