What's on or off the Front Page-This and that from the Blogosphere

What makes it to the front page of the news? And why?

Many bloggers quote from - or link with - front page stories as they write. You might not be as familiar with some of the following folks as you are with DKos, Atrios, and the others I characterize as our Big Bloggers. You all know who they are. How about expanding your horizons . . .

• Popular blogger, Rosie O'Donnel, a superb writer who shares herself, also connects to the bigger picture. She has never pretended to be "fair and balanced." Today she posted this entire Frank Rich NYT column about Mr. Fitzgerald's White House investigation.
• Former CIA agent, Larry Johnson has always been one of the sources that rings true to me about the Valerie Plame investigation. Today, at TPMCafe, his post again provides valuable insight.

Bloggers also provide wonderful "side bar" news stories. Some of these more obscure stories find their way into the MSM within a few days or weeks. Will any of these make it to the bigtime?

• Michael J.W. Stickings at The Reaction poses a provocative question: "Will it be Gore vs. Clinton in 2008?"
• Charging RINO writes often and effectively. Today one of his posts is about Harriet Miers; the other is about election redistricting, a subject about which he often posts.
• I have often written about our two main political parties. This centrist blogger, Dennis Sanders, at The Yellow Line, writes very thoughtfully about the idea of Republicans becoming more "progressive."
• This blogger's "inside" piece gave me one of the missing pieces to the puzzle of Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers, in all the news today:
  The Broad View: Nathan Hecht, Miers' champion, came a cropper in Houston Bar evaluation

And finally, still other bloggers inform, entertain, enlighten, inspire or influence opinion.

• One of my favorites is Fayrouz, at Iraqi in America, who writes a wonderful post today that intertwines the Iraq constitutional election and her personal experience with Hurricane Rita. It is a great read, an example of why Blogworld is unique.
• Another favorite is Lorianne, whose blog is called Hoarded Ordinaries. Today's post offers an opportunity to learn about writing I have often done that through her. As a bonus you will be regularly entertained by her great pictures. That is a rare talent combination, making a visit to her site well worth the trip.