Saturday news (non-Iraq)

All the news of note this morning that does not pertain to Iraq.

The worsening crisis in Niger, and an entire region of Africa, SF Gate LINK. Excerpt:

The U.N. World Food Programme has issued an appeal for $81 million in food aid and has received about $26 million, which will be distributed by CARE, World Vision and other aid organizations.

The Schwarzenegger sex-publishing scandal hits the pages of the Washington Post. An intriguing, troubling link is made to the potential pay off, LINK. Excerpt:

The August 2003 confidentiality agreement between American Media Inc. -- publisher of the National Enquirer, Globe and Star -- and bit-part actress Gigi Goyette was reached two days after Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy for governor, and seven months before he signed on as an editor for two bodybuilding magazines owned by the company.

Schwarzenegger does get a victory with his redistricting plan, LA Times LINK.

The Washington Post conducts an autopsy on that stupid, stupid NARAL anti-Roberts ad, starting with Robert Shrum quotes. LINK. Excerpt:

Amid similar criticism against another controversial ad, most Republicans brushed aside demands to repudiate Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group that had taken aim at John F. Kerry's war record. Some Democrats said the difference revealed on their side an ambivalence about modern political combat that helps explain why their party is out of power.

"Republicans don't mind running an ad that's entirely false, but Democrats have never learned, and I'm not sure many of them want to learn, how to play that kind of politics," said Robert Shrum, an adviser to several Democratic presidential campaigns. NARAL had to pull the ad, he said, because "they weren't getting support from any substantial quarter."

Democratic strategist Chris Lehane, who like Shrum favors hardball politics, protested that "we Democrats bring a well-thumbed copy of Marquess of Queensberry Rules while the other side unsheaths their bloody knives, with a predictable outcome." Lehane said the NARAL ad "was great, and exactly the type of offensive that breaks through in the modern age."

No, the NARAL ad was stupid and over the top. It had a huge problem in linking Roberts with violent anti-abotionists, because the supposed action by Roberts in support happened before the supposed attacks. What the Swift Boats had was John Kerry saying American troops acted like Ghengis Khan, in that lovely Brahmin accent of his.

Jeanine Pirro makes an appearance with her husband (convicted of tax fraud), for the first time in her nascent campaign, NY Times LINK.

New Mexico's governor, Bill Richardson (2008?) issues a state of emergency for the border with (Old) Mexico, CNN LINK.