I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, PRESIDENT BUSH:

Power to Detain 'Enemy Combatant' Is Upheld (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 9/09/05)

A federal appeals court Friday sided with the Bush administration and reversed a judge's order that the government either charge or free ''dirty bomb'' suspect Jose Padilla.

The three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the president has the authority to detain a U.S. citizen closely associated with al-Qaida.

''The exceedingly important question before us is whether the President of the United States possesses the authority to detain militarily a citizen of this country who is closely associated with al Qaeda, an entity with which the United States is at war,'' Judge Michael Luttig wrote. ''We conclude that the President does possess such authority.''

Judge Luttig rockets to the top of the O'Connor replacement betting line.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 9, 2005 12:34 PM