Top Items:
New York Times:
The Travails of Tom Daschle — When President Obama nominated former Senator Tom Daschle to be his secretary of health and human services, it seemed to be a good choice. Mr. Daschle, as the co-author of a book on health care reform, knew a lot about one of the president's signature issues.
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Peter Baker / New York Times:
Obama's Pledge to Reform Ethics Faces an Early Test — WASHINGTON — During almost two years on the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to slay the demons of Washington, bar lobbyists from his administration and usher in what he would later call in his Inaugural Address a “new era of responsibility.”
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The Politico:
Daschle pushed Hindery for Obama job — Tom Daschle backed the patron who paid him a million-dollar salary and supplied him with a free car and driver for a job inside the Obama administration, two Democrats said Monday. — Leo Hindery, whose InterMedia Partners employed the former Senate majority leader …
George Packer In / New Yorker:
OBAMA CAN'T AFFORD HYPOCRISY — It's more than a little disappointing that, just two weeks into President Obama's “new era of responsibility,” a second major cabinet appointee turns out to have underpaid his taxes by tens of thousands of dollars. Maybe a better word for it is “cheated.”
Associated Press:
Obama performance chief Killefer out, citing taxes — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, withdrew her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government on Tuesday.
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Mark Murray / MSNBC:
ANOTHER TAX PROBLEM FOR OBAMA? — From NBC's Lisa Myers, Chuck Todd, Savannah Guthrie, and Ken Strickland — NBC News has learned that the president's choice for “chief performance officer” — technically a deputy OMB director post — could end up having to withdraw over a number of issues, including tax problems.
Discussion:
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
JOE THE REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST.... Once in a while, I get the sense Republicans on Capitol Hill want to be made fun of. … This is what it's come to for Republican staffers in Congress. In the midst of an economic crisis, and after balking at a stimulus package, the GOP is turning …
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Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Joe the Economist.» — The ubiquitous Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber” and “Joe the War Correspondent,” will soon add a new moniker to his profile — “Joe the Economist.” Politico reports that House GOP congressional aides decided to invite Wurzelbacher to a meeting …
Alex Isenstadt / The Politico:
Joe the Plumber advises GOP-ers
Joe the Plumber advises GOP-ers
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Wall Street Journal:
Daniel Pearl and the Normalization of Evil — When will our luminaries stop making excuses for terror? — This week marks the seventh anniversary of the murder of our son, former Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. My wife Ruth and I wonder: Would Danny have believed that today's world emerged after his tragedy?
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Jonathan Allen / CQ Politics:
Gregg Voted to Kill Commerce Before He Agreed to Lead It — President Obama's new candidate to run the Commerce Department voted in favor of abolishing the agency as a member of the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor in 1995. — Sen. Judd Gregg , R-N.H., whose nomination was expected …
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David S. Cloud / The Politico:
Secret report urges new Afghan plan — The Pentagon's top military officers are recommending to President Barack Obama that he shift U.S. strategy in Afghanistan — to focus on ensuring regional stability and eliminating Taliban and Al Qaida safe havens in Pakistan, rather …
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Jared Allen / The Hill:
Dems warn leaders to resume regular order — A group of more than 50 House Democrats has penned a letter to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) imploring him to “restore this institution” and see that the House returns to a “regular order” process of legislating.
Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Hill Tapped as Ambassador to Iraq — Assistant Secretary of State Was Top N. Korea Negotiator — Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill, a career diplomat who since 2005 was chief negotiator in the often difficult effort to try to persuade North Korea to end its nuclear programs …
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Richard Lloyd Parry / Times of London:
North Korea ‘prepares to test long range missile’
North Korea ‘prepares to test long range missile’
Discussion:
Flopping Aces
David M. Drucker / Roll Call:
Martinez Eyeing Early Exit as Crist Looks at Senate Seat — In what could be a Sunshine State one-two punch, multiple Republican sources are confirming that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) is giving serious consideration to running for Senate — and that Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) …
Frank Newport / Gallup:
Americans Support Stimulus, but Many Want Major Changes — Most say plan will not have major impact this year — USA - Business and Economy - Congress - Credit Crisis - Personal Finances - Taxes - Americas - Northern America — PRINCETON, NJ — A strong majority of Americans (75%) …
John Distaso / UnionLeader.com:
In 2010, Rep. Hodes will run for U.S. Senate — CONCORD - Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes will announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate “within the week,” a source close to Hodes told UnionLeader.com this morning shortly before Judd Gregg's nomination as commerce secretary became official.
Tony Halpin / Times of London:
Passengers stop flight after ‘drunk’ pilot sparks panic — It is normally a moment of cheery reassurance when an airline pilot greets passengers during preparations for take-off. But Alexander Cheplevsky sparked panic on flight Aeroflot 315 when he began to speak.
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Weekly Standard