Top Items:
The Huffington Post:
Obama Repeatedly Reminds House GOP Of Their Zero Stimulus Votes — In a meeting with House Republicans at the White House Thursday, President Obama reminded the minority that the last time he reached out to them, they reacted with zero votes — twice — for his stimulus package. And then he reminded them again.
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Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Obama Tactic Shields Health Care Bill From a Filibuster — WASHINGTON — At the prodding of the White House, Democratic Congressional leaders have agreed to pursue a plan that would protect major health care legislation from Republican opposition by shielding it from last-minute Senate filibusters.
Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Is Social Security on the Chopping Block?
Is Social Security on the Chopping Block?
Discussion:
American Prospect
Josh Kraushaar / Scorecard's Blog:
Tedisco concedes to Murphy — Republican state Assemblyman Jim Tedisco conceded the New York special election this afternoon to Democratic businessman Scott Murphy, giving the Democrats a key off-year victory in a race that both parties aggressively contested.
Discussion:
The Swamp, Townhall.com, Politics Nation, Balloon Juice, On Deadline, New York Magazine and The New Ledger
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Washington Post:
Document: Military Agency Called Harsh Methods ‘Torture,’ Questioned Their Effectiveness — The military agency that helped to devise harsh interrogation techniques for use against terrorism suspects referred to the application of extreme duress as “torture” in a July 2002 document sent …
Gerald Warner / Gerald Warner's blog listings:
Barack Obama and the CIA: why does President Pantywaist hate America so badly? — If al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the rest of the Looney Tunes brigade want to kick America to death, they had better move in quickly and grab a piece of the action before Barack Obama finishes the job himself.
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Bill Maher / Los Angeles Times:
The GOP: divorced from reality — The Republican base is behaving like a guy who just got dumped by his wife. — If conservatives don't want to be seen as bitter people who cling to their guns and religion and anti-immigrant sentiments, they should stop being bitter and clinging to their guns, religion and anti-immigrant sentiments.
Discussion:
Dump Michele Bachmann
Justin Lahart / Wall Street Journal:
Berkeley Economist Emmanuel Saez Wins Clark Medal — University of California, Berkeley, economist Emmanuel Saez has won the John Bates Clark Medal, awarded by the American Economic Association to the nation's most promising economist under 40. — Mr. Saez, 36 years old …
Discussion:
Angry Bear
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Mark Landler / New York Times:
Clinton, in Iraq, Blames ‘Rejectionists’ for Violence — BAGHDAD — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived here Saturday morning for a one-day visit, delivering an American show of support for Iraq as it battles a sudden eruption of violence, in the wake of suicide bombings …
Karl Vick / Washington Post:
Friends Say Judge Bybee Regrets Interrogation Memo He Signed — Friends Say Judge Wasn't Proud of Outcome — LAS VEGAS — On a Saturday night in May last year, Jay S. Bybee hosted dinner for 35 at a Las Vegas restaurant. The young people seated around him had served as his law clerks …
Paul / Power Line:
Portrait of a dupe — Ben Smith at Politico has posted a video of Samantha Power, during the campaign, assuring the Armenian-American community that of Barack Obama's “willingness as president to commemorate [the Armenian genocide] and certainly to call a spade a spade and to speak truth about it.”
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Nia-Malika Henderson / The Politico:
VIDEO: Obama calls for PAYGO — In his weekly radio address, President Barack Obama called for a return to fiscal discipline, and outlined a four-step approach to reining in spending and eliminating waste. — “It's time to fundamentally change the way that we do business in Washington,” said Obama.
Discussion:
The Swamp
Porter J. Goss / Washington Post:
Security Before Politics — Since leaving my post as CIA director almost three years ago, I have remained largely silent on the public stage. I am speaking out now because I feel our government has crossed the red line between properly protecting our national security and trying to gain partisan political advantage.
John M. Broder / The Caucus:
Gore, Gingrich and Greenhouse Gases — Former Vice President Al Gore and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich returned to the Capitol on Friday to lecture their onetime colleagues on legislation that would impose limits on the gases blamed for the cooking of the planet.
John / Power Line:
The Baying Hounds of CNN — I almost never watch CNN except when I'm at airports. Then I often can't help it, since CNN has bought the rights to broadcast from boxes at pretty much every gate in America. The worst is LaGuardia, where the CNN sets are turned up to an ear-splitting volume and there is no escape.
Discussion:
Alas, a blog
Thom Shanker / New York Times:
Army Ends Delay on Lightweight Armor — WASHINGTON — The Army has ordered that $3 million in new, lighter combat gear be sent immediately to two battalions preparing for Afghanistan, officials disclosed Friday. — The decision lifts a hold that the Army had ordered last month on the experimental effort …
Discussion:
PrairiePundit