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Pat Doyle / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Court declares Franken winner; Coleman to appeal — After a trial spanning nearly three months, Norm Coleman's attempt to reverse Al Franken's lead in the recount of the U.S. Senate election was soundly rejected today by a three-judge panel that dismissed the Republican's lawsuit.
Discussion:
Power Line, The Moderate Voice, skippy the bush kangaroo, TPMDC, mnpACT!, Think Progress, UPI, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Donklephant and On Politics
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Rick Hasen / Election Law:
INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE DECISION IN THE COLEMAN-FRANKEN DISPUTE: COLEMAN'S CHANCES ON APPEAL APPEAR QUITE SMALL — I have taken a very quick look at the opinion of the three judge court in the Coleman election contest. Here are some initial thoughts. — 1. A reasonable tone and tenor.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Scorecard's Blog, Minneapolis Star Tribune, MyDD, Senate Guru, TalkLeft and The Reaction
KSTP-TV:
JUDGES: Franken winner of Senate race — Over five months after the election, a three-judge panel has declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of the Minnesota U.S. Senate race. — The judges—Hennepin County's Denise Reilly, Pennington County's Kurt Marben and Stearns County's Elizabeth Hayden …
David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars:
Right-wingers who hit ‘President Pantywaist’ have egg on their faces after U.S. forces killed pirates — You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player! — DOWNLOAD — PLAY — Before yesterday's remarkable success story on the high seas off the coast of Somalia …
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Matt Corley / Think Progress:
Fox host: 'It's now my great duty to promote the tea parties. Here we go!' — Fox News host Neil Cavuto regularly claims that when he aggressively advocates for the anti-Obama “tea party” protests on air, he is simply covering them as a journalist. But Stuart Varney, Cavuto's fill-in host …
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John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Bonfire of the Wingnutteries: Howard Kurtz attacks Fox's slobbering promotion of the Tax Day Tea Parties — Howard Kurtz hit FOX News for their promotion of the “Tea Party” protests on CNN's Reliable Sources. He actually says the shows are now “a full-fledged Fox fight.” — Transcript:
New York Times:
Loosening Cuba Restrictions, Obama Leaves Door Ajar — WASHINGTON — In abandoning longstanding restrictions on the ability of Cuban-Americans to visit and send money to family members on the island, President Obama demonstrated Monday that he was willing to open the door toward greater engagement …
Discussion:
The Hill, CNN, Hot Air, Taylor Marsh, Wonkette, DownWithTyranny!, Mere Rhetoric, canf.org and Balloon Juice
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Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
We Farm Out The Krugman-Bashing (And Help Truth Get Its Boots On) — Eddy Elfenbein of Crossing Wall Street criticizes Paul Krugman's fixation on Tom DeLay: — Paul Krugman writes about Tom DeLay: … These are the kinds of the things Krugman writes that are so frustrating.
Discussion:
Whiskey Fire
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Meghan McCain / Blogs and Stories:
Memo to the GOP: Go Gay
Memo to the GOP: Go Gay
Discussion:
The Next Right, Riehl World View, The Daily Beast, culturekitchen, Good As You, GayPatriot and Political Machine
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Tea Parties Forever
Tea Parties Forever
Discussion:
Jack & Jill Politics, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Houston Tea Party, Hullabaloo, BuzzFlash.org, DownWithTyranny!, The Rhetorican, And So it Goes in Shreveport, American Power, The Reaction, Whiskey Fire, The Next Right, Buck Naked Politics, Whatever Is Right, The Washington Independent and GayPatriot
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Reticent Justice Opens Up to a Group of Students — Justice Clarence Thomas has not asked a question from the Supreme Court bench since Feb. 22, 2006. He speaks only to announce his majority opinions, reading summaries in a gruff monotone. Glimpses of Justice Thomas in less formal settings are rare.
Max Blumenthal / Blogs and Stories:
Palin's New Disaster — Blogs and Stories — The governor is reeling after nominating for attorney general a man who allegedly defended the right of men to rape their wives. Now, Max Blumenthal reports, she may dump him to save herself. — While priming her political machine …
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CNN:
CNN Poll: Obama not making U.S. less safe — WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new poll indicates Americans don't agree with former Vice President Dick Cheney's recent assertion that President Barack Obama's actions have increased the chances of a terrorist attack against the United States.
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Views of Income Taxes Among Most Positive Since 1956 — PRINCETON, NJ — A new Gallup Poll finds 48% of Americans saying the amount of federal income taxes they pay is “about right,” with 46% saying “too high” — one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured since 1956.
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LATimes / L.A. Now:
Phil Spector guilty in Lana Clarkson's death — Latest story: Phil Spector convicted of second-degree murder — Phil Spector has been convicted of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of actress Lana Clarkson six years ago. An L.A. Superior Court jury reached its decision …
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Adam Serwer / American Prospect:
PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY AND THE RESCUE OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. — After foolishly setting up the hostage situation with Somali pirates as a test of Obama's mettle, the right has been really desperate to convince themselves that President Obama could not possibly have authorized the use of force …
Discussion:
BLACKFIVE
Jonah Goldberg / The Corner:
Rush & Me, Today — I'm not listening. I have two pressing deadlines. But I keep getting a lot of email about it. For instance: Jonah, Apparently Rush is pointing out the absurdity in your praising Obama and not praising those who were directly responsible for the rescue by being absurd.
Edmund Newton / New York Times:
Ban on Drooping Drawers Faces Legal Challenge — RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — As fashion statements go, the young men's “sagging pants” look, with trousers slung low enough to reveal a generous swath of boxer shorts, has some lamentable drawbacks. — For one thing, it can veer perilously close …
Erica Werner / Associated Press:
Sebelius lowballed donations from abortion doctor — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's health secretary nominee got nearly three times as much political money from a controversial abortion doctor as she told senators.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin
Communications / OpenSecrets.org:
OpenSecrets.org Goes OpenData — Award-winning website from the Center for Responsive Politics now provides 20 years of downloadable money-in-politics data—for free — WASHINGTON — Politicians, prepare yourselves. Lobbyists, look out. Today the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics …
Discussion:
Sunlight Foundation
Natasha Korecki / Chicago Sun Times:
The Jackson $5 million? — The Sun-Times has learned that 2 members of Chicago's Indian community sent word to Blagojevich's camp that Jesse Jackson Jr. would raise $5 million in exchange for Obama's Senate seat — Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's camp was told last year that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. …
Josh Kraushaar / Scorecard's Blog:
The battle over the absentee ballots — Just like in the Minnesota Senate recount, the special election in New York's Twentieth District looks like it will be determined by disputed absentee ballots. — Both campaigns have already challenged the legality of around 600 absentee ballots …
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