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More Republican Triangulating On Bipartisanship: Cantor Responds To White House — House Republicans are reacting strongly to reports that the White House plans a political onslaught to pressure Republicans into supporting the stimulus package and to punish those who don't.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, The Huffington Post, D-Day, FiveThirtyEight.com, Comments from Left Field, The Reaction and MyDD
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Pelosi dismisses need for bipartisanship — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she didn't come to Washington to be “bipartisan”, one day after shuttling through an $819 economic stimulus bill without a single Republican vote. — “I didn't come here to be partisan …

The Republican Death Spiral — It's not just the goose egg that the House Republicans laid on the Democratic stimulus package yesterday: Boehner's Boys have been equally uncooperative on other matters. Case in point: a bill yesterday to delay the transition to digital TV.


GOP defies Obama overtures — House Republicans have proposed an alternative that leaders say would create 6.2 million jobs for only $478 billion. — “What Member can't go back his or her District and explain: Rather than voting for a bloated bill, ... I voted for an alternative …

HALPERIN BLAMES OBAMA.... President Obama went to great lengths to reach out to House Republicans, trying to get them to support an economic stimulus in the midst of an economic crisis. The president not only offered them more tax cuts than seemed necessary, he also acted swiftly …
Discussion:
Media Matters, Crooks and Liars, Balloon Juice, The Sideshow, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, Eunomia and AmSpecBlog

Kerry: Ignore Republicans if they'll vote no anyway — Sen. John Kerry says Democrats should ignore Republicans' demands about the stimulus plan if they're going to vote against it anyway. — Reacting to Wednesday night's vote in the House — where not a single GOP member supported the stimulus package …
Discussion:
The Democratic Daily

Public Support for Economic Recovery Plan Slips to 42%
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Campaign Spot, Political Machine, The Plum Line, RedState, Salon, Booman Tribune, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and AmSpecBlog

“I am the Speaker of the House. I don't get into that.”
Discussion:
TIME.com


Blagojevich Ousted by Illinois State Senate — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois State Senate on Thursday convicted Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on a sprawling article of impeachment that charged him with abusing his power. The vote prompted the governor's immediate and permanent ouster …
Discussion:
Washington Post, TalkLeft, The Gun Toting Liberal, Think Progress, The Lede, Taylor Marsh, American Power, DownWithTyranny! and The Reaction
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Ill. gov unanimously convicted, tossed from office
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin

Senate removes Blagojevich from office
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, The Capitol Fax Blog, Chicago Breaking News, Los Angeles Times and TIME.com

Military Judge Denies Obama Request to Suspend Hearings at Guantanamo — A military judge in Guantanamo Bay has denied the Obama administration's request to delay proceedings for 120 days in the case of a detainee accused of planning the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole warship …
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, Daily Kos, Pajamas Media, TalkLeft, Hot Air, Political Machine and Brian Beutler

Obama slams Wall Street on bonuses — President calls the $18.4 billion in bonuses paid last year ‘shameful’ — President Barack Obama issued a withering critique Thursday of Wall Street corporate behavior, calling it “the height of irresponsibility” for Wall Street employees to be paid …
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What a 1988 college thesis by the former vice president's daughter tells us about the Bush presidency. — When I worked at the library at Colorado College, I quickly discovered the job had few perks. The free book loans on demand were little better than subprime mortgages when you realized anyone could get them.

FOX News Poll: Teary-Eyed Thumbs Up for Obama — More than a quarter of Americans say they were moved to tears during Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony. And after his first week in office, there is widespread approval for the job Obama is doing as president.
Discussion:
Political Machine


Former President George W. Bush, wife attend Baylor women's basketball game — ccarlton@dallasnews.com — A big women's basketball game between No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 4 Baylor just gained added prestige. — Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura attended Wednesday's game.

Palin, Obama to share stage — In what could be a preview of the 2012 presidential race, Sarah Palin and President Barack Obama will share a stage together this Saturday night in Washington, Politico has learned. — The Alaska governor and former GOP vice presidential nominee …
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Chip Saltsman Withdraws From RNC Chairman's Race — Chip Saltsman's letter to the voting membership of the Republican National Committee: … Always a darkhorse, Saltsman's candidacy for RNC chair careened off the tracks when it was publicized that Saltsman gave a CD of political satire composed …
Discussion:
Washington Times, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Caucus, Daily Kos, The Note, PoliPundit.com, TPMDC and Hotline On Call


Judd Gregg: Commerce Secretary? — There is a strong possibility that Barack Obama will ask Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) to serve as his Secretary of Commerce, Democratic Senate aides tell the Huffington Post. — The move would fill a vacancy that has lingered since Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his nomination.

RNC Chair Race Reaches Finish Line — By Greg Bobrinskoy — With this Friday's RNC Chair election fast approaching, the divide between what committee members are looking for has come down to the two buzzwords of competency versus change. The race has been seen as a virtual tie among …
Discussion:
race42008.com
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Republican Strategy: Just Have Nancy Pelosi Continue to Explain the Stimulus — I'm pretty sure with every interview, she's chipping away at public support. — Below, her stellar explanation of why STD prevention education is stimulative. Because it just is:


Obama Made a Rash Decision on Gitmo — The president will soon realize that governing involves hard choices. — During his first week as commander in chief, President Barack Obama ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay and terminated the CIA's special authority to interrogate terrorists.
Discussion:
Think Progress, Los Angeles Times, At-Largely, The Raw Story, ATTACKERMAN, Balkinization and Flopping Aces

NBC Rejects Pro-Life Super Bowl Ad Educating Viewers on Obama and Abortion — Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — NBC is coming under fire from pro-life advocates for rejecting a television commercial a pro-life group hoped to run during the Super Bowl. The ad shows a beautiful picture …

Bad — As the Obama administration apparently prepares to launch Hankie Pankie II — buying troubled assets from banks at prices higher than they will fetch on the open market — it occurred to me that an updated version of an old Communist-era joke may be appropriate: under Bush …
Discussion:
D-Day


FBI Cuts Off CAIR Over Hamas Questions — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has cut off contacts with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) amid mounting concern about the Muslim advocacy group's roots in a Hamas-support network, the Investigative Project on Terrorism has learned.

Who's Undercutting Obama? — For the moment, at least, it's his press office — It's 3 p.m. and the phone in the White House press secretary's office is ringing. It rings and rings and rings. Eventually, a recorded voice asks callers to leave a message—followed by a second voice saying the voicemail box is full.


Obama Seeks Accord With Military on Iraq — WASHINGTON — As President Obama moves to redefine the nation's mission in Iraq, he faces a difficult choice: Is he willing to abandon a campaign promise or risk a rupture with the military? Or can he finesse the difference?

More From the Pony Riders In the Psychedelic Fantasyland — The pony riders from the psychedelic fantasyland continue to push the unfathomably stupid theory that Democrats are realistically hoping that by being nice to Republicans on the stimulus bill, Republicans will be more inclined to support the Employee Free Choice Act.