Top Items:
Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Limbaugh blasts Steele, the GOP — On the same night he was offering the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rush Limbaugh drew criticism from an unlikely source: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. — In a little-noticed interview Saturday night …
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
Steele to Rush: I'm sorry — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”
Discussion:
The Swamp, Washington Times, Bloomberg, CNN, Talking Points Memo, Gawker, Balloon Juice and Hot Air
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Rush Limbaugh Launches Brutal Hit On Michael Steele — Whoa. Rush Limbaugh's bid to cement his own role as head of the Republican Party just took a wild new turn, with Limbaugh launching a brutal hit on RNC chair Michael Steele, mocking the GOP for being in a “sad sack” …
Michelle Malkin:
A note to Michael Steele; Update: Steele agrees that GOP convention looked like “Nazi Germany” — I said positive things about RNC chairman Michael Steele this weekend on Washington Journal (link here) and have covered his rise extensively. — Now, a word of friendly advice:
The New Republic:
Sympathy for the Limbaugh — Rush Limbaugh is drawing some ridicule for saying, “One thing we can all do is stop assuming that the way to beat [the Democrats] is with better policy ideas.” But I think he's basically right. Good ideas are meritorious. But being meritorious isn't what wins elections.
Ali Frick / Think Progress:
Limbaugh misquotes Constitution while arguing Obama policies are ‘bastardization’ of Constitution. — During his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, Rush Limbaugh got some of his loudest applause when he declared that President Obama's policies represent a “bastardization of the Constitution.”
Matt Lewis / Political Machine:
Rush Fires Back at Steele (Updates With Audio) — Responding to RNC Chairman Michael Steele's recent comments, Rush Limbaugh fired back on his radio show today. — “The Republican National Committee and Michael Steele need a little leadership ... we're going to have to drag them kicking …
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Washington Post, Flopping Aces, RedState, Hot Air and The Washington Independent
The Huffington Post:
Steele Takes On Rush Limbaugh: “Ugly,” “Incendiary” (VIDEO) — Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele took umbrage Saturday night when CNN's D.L. Hughley referred to radio host Rush Limbaugh as “the de facto leader of the Republican party.” — “No he's not.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Salon, pandagon.net, MyDD, PoliticalBase.com Blog and Oliver Willis
Satyam Khanna / Think Progress:
Steele Bows Down To Limbaugh: ‘No Attempt On My Part To Diminish His Voice Or His Leadership’ — Steele Bows Down To Limbaugh: ‘No Attempt On My Part To Diminish His Voice Or His Leadership’ — Yesterday, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called Rush Limbaugh the “intellectual force” of the GOP.
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
No Apology To Rush Limbaugh From RNC Chair Michael Steele — It doesn't look like RNC chair Michael Steele is going to apologize to Rush Limbaugh, who unleashed an on-air tirade against Steele this afternoon for the RNC chair's earlier description of Rush's show as “ugly” and “incendiary.”
Ali Frick / Think Progress:
RNC Chair Michael Steele on Limbaugh: 'Yes, it's incendiary. Yes, it's ugly.'
RNC Chair Michael Steele on Limbaugh: 'Yes, it's incendiary. Yes, it's ugly.'
Huma Khan / The Note:
Limbaugh Goes to Mat With RNC Chair
Limbaugh Goes to Mat With RNC Chair
Discussion:
The Opinionator, The Moderate Voice, Political Machine, The Raw Story, Media Blog and Political Punch
Glenn Thrush / The Politico:
Pelosi's list: Who's on her bad side? — Nancy Pelosi likes to keep lists. — As a young political protégé of her father, Baltimore Mayor Tommy D'Alesandro, the preteen speaker-to-be would spend hours leafing through the list of voters her father had helped in some way …
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Lost in Transition:
Panel Says Ron Kirk Underpaid Taxes — (Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) — Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee this afternoon revealed that another of President Obama's nominees — U.S. Trade Representative-designate Ron Kirk — has tax problems.
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Devlin Barrett / Associated Press:
AP Newsbreak: CIA destroyed 92 interrogation tapes — WASHINGTON (AP) — New documents show the CIA destroyed nearly 100 tapes of terror interrogations, far more than has previously been acknowledged. — The revelation Monday comes as a criminal prosecutor is wrapping up his investigation in the matter.
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New York Times:
Dow Drops Below 7,000 for the First Time Since '97 — Investor worries about the economy in general, and financial companies in particular, continued to erode the markets on Monday as the Dow Jones industrial average fell below 7,000 for first time since October 1997.
Discussion:
Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The New Republic, Below The Beltway, Gothamist, Gawker, Clips & Comment and The Intersection
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Newsdesk / Clout St:
Agent says ousted Gov. Blagojevich has book deal, will talk Senate — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has landed a book deal, his publicist said today. — The ousted governor will focus on “the discussions, the considerations and the factors involved in picking” …
Discussion:
Washington Wire
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Emily Friedman / ABCNEWS:
Upper-Income Taxpayers Look for Ways to Sidestep Obama Tax-Hike Plan — President Would Slap More Taxes on Those Who Make Over $250K to Fund Health Care — President Barack Obama's tax proposal - which promises to increase taxes for those families with incomes of $250,000 or more …
CNSNews:
Pelosi Snowed-Out of Global Warming Rally — (CNSNews.com) - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had to cancel an appearance Monday at a global warming rally in Washington, D.C., that was hit by a snowstorm because her flight was delayed, her office told CNSNews.com.
Brian Beutler:
No Afghanistan strategy? No help — I don't know if you caught it, but Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper rained all over Barack Obama's Afghanistan parade this weekend. In a taped appearance which aired on CNN this Sunday, Harper said, “frankly, we are not going to ever defeat the insurgency …
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Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Canada's candid PM Harper warns Obama: We'll never defeat Afghan insurgents
Canada's candid PM Harper warns Obama: We'll never defeat Afghan insurgents
Discussion:
Macleans.ca
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Is Obama embracing the lawless, omnipotent executive? — (updated below - Update II) — As I detailed over the weekend, the Obama administration — in the case brought by two American lawyers and their charity-client claiming that their conversations were illegally intercepted …
Ross Douthat:
Rush and Oprah — Hugh Hewitt writes that Limbaugh's speech at CPAC “will be talked about for years and even decades.” I hope he's wrong about that, but he's definitely right about this: … Not only do I think this is true, I've actually said it myself! (Though Reihan said it first.)
Washington Post:
‘Potential’ Disruption? — REP. DAVID R. Obey (Wis.) and other congressional Democrats should spare us their phony concern about the children participating in the District's school voucher program. If they cared for the future of these students, they wouldn't be so quick as to try to kill …