Top Items:
Amanda / Think Progress:
Rep. McHenry calls U.S. soldier in Iraq a ‘two-bit security guard.’ — During a public appearance on Saturday, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) belittled a U.S. soldier in Iraq who was following orders and wouldn't let McHenry go to the gym without the proper credentials.
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Michael Goldfarb / Weekly Standard Blog:
Think Progress Screws Up Again — Last week Think Progress blogger Amanda accused John McCain of plagiarizing a speech from Admiral Timothy Ziemer only to retract the story hours later. Amanda, last name unknown, had failed to check with McCain's office before running her “exclusive,” …
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
In Which I Answer A Question And Ask One — The always reliable Steve Benen of The Carpetbagger and Salon posts as follows: … Lots of lefties have joined in but let's just highlight ThinkProgress (Invent Stuff) and Oliver Willis, both of whom share Mr. Benen's confidence that the “two-bit security guard” is a US soldier.
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
Let's play, ‘Imagine If A Democrat Had Said This’ — As a rule, insulting U.S. troops trying to keep you safe in Iraq doesn't seem like an especially good idea. And yet, there was Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), one of Congress' most right-wing members, reflecting on his recent visit to Baghdad …
HillaryClinton.com:
Hillary and Bill Clinton Tax Returns — Statement of Jay Carson — Today Senator Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton are releasing their tax returns for the years 2000 through 2006, and are providing information regarding their 2007 taxes as well.
Discussion:
The Fix, The Swamp, Ben Smith's Blogs, Taegan Goddard's …, The Trail, Marc Ambinder, Hot Air, American Spectator, TRAIL BLAZERS and Swampland
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Think Progress:
McCain Faces ‘A Little Bit Of Heckling’ During MLK Speech — Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) spoke to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Memphis to commemorate the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. As ThinkProgress has noted, as a congressman in 1983, McCain voted against legislation creating MLK Day.
Discussion:
The Swamp, The Carpetbagger Report, Political Punch, Crooks and Liars, New York Times, AFL-CIO Weblog, Open Left and I Am TRex
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Juan Williams / Wall Street Journal:
Obama and King — Martin Luther King Jr. died at age 39; today, the 40th anniversary of his death, is the first time he has been gone longer than he lived. — Figures such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have tried to claim his place on the American stage. But at most they have achieved fame and wealth.
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The DOJ comments on the Mukasey controversy — (updated below) — In response to the growing controversy over plainly misleading comments by Attorney General Michael Mukasey last week in San Francisco, and in response to the questions I submitted, the DOJ's Peter Carr …
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Jonathan Martin / Jonathan Martin's Blogs:
And the next GOP primary begins — A group of social conservatives have launched an effort to keep Mitt Romney off John McCain's ticket. — Under the rubric of an obscure PAC called “Government Is Not God,” a coalition of longtime Romney opponents and past supporters of Mike Huckabee …
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jhsph.edu:
Statement Regarding POPLINE Database — I was informed this morning that the word “abortion” was blocked as a search term in the POPLINE family planning database administered by the Bloomberg School's Center for Communication Programs. POPLINE provides evidence-based information …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Women's Health News, Feministing, SIVACRACY.NET and Reproductive Health
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Jason Horowitz / New York Observer:
Clinton Donors Press Dean at Fifth Avenue Bundler Summit — Leading donors to the Clinton and Obama campaigns sat down together last night with DNC chairman Howard Dean at a meeting at the Fifth Avenue apartment of super-bundlers Maureen White and Steven Rattner.
Eli Lake / New York Sun:
Obama Adviser Calls for Troops To Stay in Iraq Through 2010 — WASHINGTON — A key adviser to Senator Obama's campaign is recommending in a confidential paper that America keep between 60,000 and 80,000 troops in Iraq as of late 2010, a plan at odds with the public pledge of the Illinois senator …
Discussion:
Fox News, Hot Air, michellemalkin.com, The Glittering Eye, Talisman Gate, TownHall Blog, Corrente, Wake up America, Taylor Marsh and NO QUARTER
Marc Ambinder:
Penn's Got Trouble — News that Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, Mark Penn, took a meeting with Columbian officials to talk about ways to advance a free trade deal is at once not surprising, given Penn's refusal to step down from his position as CEO of Burson-Marsteller.
Discussion:
Washington Wire, TalkLeft, Fox News, Ben Smith's Blogs, Air America Radio blogs, Liberal Values and The Carpetbagger Report
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Boston Globe:
McCain returns $3m in checks as he considers public funding — In another sign that John McCain is moving toward accepting public financing this fall, the Republican's campaign is returning about $3 million in checks to contributors who have given money for his general election campaign …
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Marc Ambinder, Outside The Beltway, New York Times, Real Clear Politics, TPM Election Central, MSNBC and The Page
Reed Johnson / L.A. Times:
Mexico reconquers California? Absolut drinks to that! — The latest advertising campaign in Mexico from Swedish vodka maker Absolut promises to push all the right buttons south of the U.S. border, but it could ruffle a few feathers in El Norte. — The billboard and press campaign …
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Voodoo Health Economics — Elizabeth Edwards has cancer. John McCain has had cancer in the past. Last weekend, Mrs. Edwards bluntly pointed out that neither of them would be able to get insurance under Mr. McCain's health care plan. — It's about time someone said that and, more generally …
Marc Ambinder:
Is Rove Behind McCain's Tour? — Was John McCain's 'round the country biography tour Karl Rove's idea? — On Feb. 20, Rove spoke at the University of Pennsylvania, and, in response to a question, here's one of the things he said when asked what he would tell McCain to do …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias