Top Items:
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Controversial intelligence pick withdraws — Charles Freeman, the Obama administration's choice to head the National Intelligence Council, has withdrawn from consideration after facing strong opposition from Senate Republicans. — Freeman is the latest in a string of Obama administration appointees …
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Ben Smith / The Politico:
Chas Freeman pulls out — The controversial appointee to chair President Barack Obama's National Intelligence Council walked away from the job Tuesday as criticism on Capitol Hill escalated. — Charles W. Freeman Jr., the former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, had been praised by allies …
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Freeman's withdrawal — My first take, with Rep. Mark Kirk and Ambassador Nicholas Veliotes weighing in:
Discussion:
Mondoweiss
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
The Freeman Precedent — There are a couple of things worth noting about this minor, yet major, Washington spat. The first is that the MSM has barely covered it as a news story, and the entire debate occurred in the blogosphere. I don't know why. But that would be a very useful line of inquiry for a media journalist.
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Schumer Takes Credit For Getting Chas Freeman Ousted — Chuck Schumer's office sends over a statement from the Senator himself, saying he's the one who got Chas Freeman dumped from the post of National Intelligence Council chief: … As I reported the other day, Schumer had privately communicated …
Spencer Ackerman / The Washington Independent:Chas Freeman's Out — Just released from Director …
Discussion:
Salon, Think Progress, JTA, Ben Smith's Blogs, Commentary, Democracy in America, Blogs and Stories, Weekly Standard, ATTACKERMAN, Matthew Yglesias and Wonk Room
Wall Street Journal:
Labor Bill Faces Threat in Senate — WASHINGTON — Key Senate Democrats are wavering in their support of legislation that would give more power to labor unions, dealing a setback to labor's top priority as businesses warn of the damage the bill would cause.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Business Week, The Moderate Voice, Open Congress, Daily Kos, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, neo-neocon, Democracy in America, FAIR Blog, Open Left, TPMDC and Sister Toldjah
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The Huffington Post:
Ben Nelson Opposes Employee Free Choice Act — Ben Nelson will once again be playing a key role in Senate negotiations over a major legislative drive. The centrist Nebraska Democrat told reporters Tuesday afternoon that he does not currently support the Employee Free Choice Act —
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Think Progress, CBS News, The Huffington Post, TPMDC, Brian Beutler and SEIU
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:Citi Downgrades Stock Rating on Wal-Mart, Panics Market Over Employee Free Choice
Paul Krugman:
Can America be saved? — So I read this: … and I wonder if this country can handle the crisis we're in. Remember, John Boehner is, in effect, the second-most influential member of the GDP (after Rush Limbaugh). And while Democrats hold a majority, it's not enough of a majority to make the minority party irrelevant.
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Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:The Chamber Mobilizes — I'm probably not breaking any news …
Discussion:
Washington Post
William Saletan / Slate:
You just won the stem-cell war. Don't lose your soul. — Today, President Obama lifted the ban on federal funding of stem-cell research using destroyed human embryos. If you support this research, congratulations: You won. Now for your next challenge: Don't lose your soul.
RELATED:
Carrie Budoff Brown / The Politico:Stem cell decision ignites right's ire
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket
Fox News:
Pelosi Made Repeated Requests for Military Aircraft, Documents Show — Representatives for Judicial Watch, which obtained e-mails and other documents showing the requests, say House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has treated the Air Force as her “personal airline.” — FOXNews.com
Ben Smith / The Politico:
The new left-wing conspiracy — The vast new left-wing conspiracy sets its tone every morning at 8:45 a.m., when officials from more than 20 labor, environmental and other Democratic-leaning groups dial into a private conference call hosted by two left-leaning Washington organizations.
Michael Calderone / The Politico:
Ann Coulter and Bill Maher spar at Radio City Politico - 1 hour, 52 minutes ago — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — NEW YORK — Bill Maher couldn't have asked for a better act to follow. — Maher took the stage at the Radio City Music Hall Monday after Ann Coulter …
Steve Holland / Reuters:
Vaunted Obama message machine is off-key — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When billionaire investor Warren Buffett says President Barack Obama's economic message is muddled and undermining public confidence, it's worth listening. — Halfway through his first 100 days in office …
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The Huffington Post:
McCain Prepping ‘Contract With America’ Style Economic Plan — Sen. John McCain is putting together a major economic plan that will be structured, in some ways, off of Newt Gingrich's famous Contract With America. — In an email obtained by the Huffington Post, the Arizona Republican's chief of staff …
Michael Spencer / Christian Science Monitor:
The coming evangelical collapse — An anti-Christian chapter in Western history is about to begin. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise. — ONEIDA, KY. - — We are on the verge - within 10 years - of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity.
Josh Rogin / CQ Politics:
Obama Seeks to Delay Tanker, Cancel Bomber — The White House has given the Pentagon guidance to delay procurement of aerial refueling tankers by five years and cancel plans for a new long-range bomber, according to three sources close to the discussions. — No final decisions have been made …
Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:
Cantor: Obama losing focus on economy — House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) seized on the opportunity to criticize the president Tuesday for over-reaching in his first 50 days on the job. — Following the GOP's weekly conference meeting, the second-ranking House Republican told reporters …
Roger Kimball / Pajamas Media:
The Idiot's Guide to Destroying the Economy: a 12-Step Program — Think destroying the mighty economy of the United States is too big a job for you? Relax. Anyone can do it. A friend sent me a handy-dandy no-fuss 12-step program for wreaking financial havoc among even the world's most advanced economies.
Christopher Keating / Capitol Watch:
Catholic Church Hearing Canceled Wednesday — Following the biggest political firestorm of the 2009 legislative session, a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday on the financial and administrative management of the Catholic Church has been canceled. The bill is dead for the rest of the legislative session.
Discussion:
Hot Air
RELATED:
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:Yes We Can! — My friend Jazz Shaw has an, er, interesting …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
Walter Alarkon / The Hill:
Conrad: Obama budget lacks votes — Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Tuesday that President Obama's budget plan doesn't have enough support from lawmakers right now to win approval. — Conrad said that he has spoken to enough colleagues with reservations …
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
New U.N. human rights report and America's lectures to other countries — (updated below - Update II) — The Washington Post's Fred Hiatt today condemns the Obama administration generally and Hillary Clinton specifically for “continu[ing] to devalue and undermine the U.S. diplomatic tradition of human rights advocacy.”
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