Top Items:
New York Times:
G.O.P. Debate: A Broader Party or a Purer One? — WASHINGTON — A fundamental debate broke out among Republicans on Wednesday over how to rebuild the party in the wake of Senator Arlen Specter's departure: Should it purge moderate voices like Mr. Specter and embrace its conservative roots …
Discussion:
The Politico, MSNBC, AmSpecBlog, American Power, New York Times, Balloon Juice, Washington Post, Power Line and Associated Press
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Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Top Dems rebel on Specter — Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, Bloomberg, Washington Post, The Note, Hullabaloo and The Hill's Pundits Blog
CNN:
GOP set to launch rebranding effort — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Coming soon to a battleground state near you: a new effort to revive the image of the Republican Party and to counter President Obama's characterization of Republicans as “the party of ‘no.’” — CNN has learned that the new initiative …
Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
GOP WELCOMES SPECTER — From NBC's Domenico Montanaro — How's this for a late-in-the-day story for you to wrap your head around... It's a dousy: The National Republican Senatorial Committee playing the part of liberal interest group by “introducing” the newest Democrat to Pennsylvania …
Brad Jackson / The New Ledger:
Is the NRSC Going to Abandon Toomey?
Is the NRSC Going to Abandon Toomey?
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Politics Daily, The Moderate Voice, The Campaign Spot, Senate Guru, Erick's blog and The Hill
The Politico:
Biden says avoid plane, subways; puts out clarifying statement — Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that he would not recommend taking any commercial flight or riding in a subway car “at this point” because swine flu virus can spread “in confined places.”
Discussion:
The Swamp, Michelle Malkin, Washington Monthly, JustOneMinute, The Other McCain, Jules Crittenden, Guardian and Political Punch
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Xana O'Neill / NBC New York:
Biden: Stay Off Subways During Swine Flu Panic — World Health body raises alert to level 5, one notch short of full pandemic — Vice president Joe Biden said today he would tell his family members not to use subways in the U.S. and implied schools should be shuttered as the swine flu outbreak spread …
Discussion:
The New Ledger, Moe Lane, The Campaign Spot, Democracy in America, Clusterstock, NO QUARTER, Moe_Lane's blog and Redhot
Wall Street Journal:
Chrysler Chapter 11 Is Imminent — Creditor Talks Collapse as Hedge Funds Balk at Deal; Fiat Waiting in the Wings — WASHINGTON — Talks between the Treasury Department and lenders aimed at keeping Chrysler LLC out of bankruptcy broke down Wednesday, making it all but certain the car maker …
Discussion:
Wonk Room, Dealbreaker, Guardian, Clusterstock, Washington Post, The Big Picture, Salon and New York Times
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Michael Goldfarb / Weekly Standard:
Dead Certain — Tonight President Obama said he was “absolutely convinced” that he had made the right decision in putting an end to the use of the harsh interrogation techniques employed by the Bush administration. After eight years of President Bush, it certainly is refreshing to have a leader …
Discussion:
Macsmind
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New York Times:
President Obama's 100th-Day Press Briefing — Following is a transcript of President Obama's press briefing as he marks his 100th day in office, as transcribed by Federal News Service. — PRESIDENT OBAMA: Before we begin to tonight, I just want to provide everyone with a few brief updates …
Eric Zimmermann / The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:
Steele: GOP ‘disingenuous’ criticizing bailouts — RNC chairman Michael Steele says the GOP is being “disingenuous” in blaming Democrats for poor economic performance, since Republicans started the bailout process in the first place. — “Look, we can't go back out and start pointing fingers …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
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Gregg Levine / Firedoglake:
Steele: My Bad — Well, they say the first step toward fixing …
Steele: My Bad — Well, they say the first step toward fixing …
Discussion:
Think Progress
Tom Shales / Washington Post:
Obama Deftly Handles Another Prime-Time News Conference — The questions put to Barack Obama at his news conference last night covered nearly every topic but the Craigslist Killer, and if that had come up, Obama probably would have answered it in stride. You ask, he'll answer — earnestly …
Above the Law:
Justice Scalia Responds to Fordham Privacy Invasion! — Last week, we wrote about the Fordham law professor who assigned his information privacy law class to compile a dossier on Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. — The professor had chosen Scalia as the target for privacy invasion …
STRATFOR:
A Chilling Effect on U.S. Counterterrorism — Over the past couple of weeks, we have been carefully watching the fallout from the Obama administration's decision to release four classified memos from former President George W. Bush's administration that authorized “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
Alicia Dennis / People.com:
Sarah Palin to Appear on American Chopper — Turns out the hockey mom is also a motorcycle maven. — Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently welcomed the crew from Orange County Choppers - whose custom motorcycle business is featured on TLC's American Chopper - to Anchorage …
Discussion:
Don Surber, Moe Lane, NewsBusters.org, KIKO'S HOUSE, The Mudflats, The Washington Independent and Conservatives4Palin.com
Matt Kibbe / Reason:
Stages of Denial — According to Pajamas Media, 700,873 people attended some 883 tea party protests on April 15. It was a remarkable day, a tangible expression of public outrage that I have not experienced in my 25 years of advocacy and grassroots organizing on behalf of free-market principles.
who.int:
Swine influenza — The situation continues to evolve rapidly. As of 18:00 GMT, 29 April 2009, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 91 laboratory confirmed human cases, with one death.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Scientific American, Blue Crab Boulevard and Sydney Morning Herald
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