In his column today Charles Krauthammer defends the constitutionality of Judge Alito’s decision that would have required a woman to notify her husband before having an abortion. (The Supreme Court later ruled it constituted an “undue burden.”) Among Krauthammer’s arguments:

In 1991, Judge Samuel Alito was asked to rule in Planned Parenthood v. Casey on the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s spousal notification requirement, Supreme Court precedents on abortion had held that “two-parent consent requirements” for a juvenile with “a judicial bypass option” do not constitute an “undue burden” and thus were constitutional. By any logic, therefore, spousal notification, which is far less burdensome, must also be constitutional…

Krauthammer and Alito can’t understand that there is a difference between the relationship parents have with their children and the relationship a husband has with his wife. Just because a system of notification is acceptable between a child and a parent does not mean it’s acceptable between a woman and her husband.

Krauthammer also notes that, under the provision in question, “The married woman just has to inform her husband. Even less than that. She just has to sign a form saying that she informed him. No one checks.” Translation: This isn’t anything a woman couldn’t work around by lying.

“Having read the indictment against Libby, I am inclined to believe more will be issued. In fact, I will be stunned if no one else is indicted.” (Via Firedoglake)

by Lawrence Wilkerson: “On NPR yesterday, the former chief of staff to the secretary of state said that he had uncovered a ‘visible audit trail’ tracing the practice of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers directly back to Vice President Cheney’s office.”

Moments ago at a press conference with President Bush:

QUESTION: Are there discussions in the White House about whether or not Karl Rove will remain in his job?

BUSH: Elizabeth, the investigation on Karl as you know is not complete and therefore I will not comment on him and/or the investigation. I understand the anxiety and angst by the press corps to talk about this. On the other hand, It’s a serious investigation, and we take it seriously.

Someone tell Bill Kristol.

UPDATE: Crooks and Liars has the video.

Filmmaker Robert Greenwald is releasing a documentary that is critical of Wal-Mart. According to Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, that makes him no better than Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister in Nazi Germany:

Instead of a response from the retailer, “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price” (which is receiving a vanity booking in theaters before hitting DVD on Nov. 14) edits in promotional footage of Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott in a way that holds him up to ridicule – a low-blow technique that would bring a smile to Joseph Goebbels.

If you want to see the film and make up your own mind, check out the official website.

the staunchly conservative head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, has resigned.