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, American Power, AmSpecBlog, 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 …
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.”
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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, The Campaign Spot, Clusterstock, Redhot, NO QUARTER, Moe_Lane's blog and Moe Lane
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 …
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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
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:
Dealbreaker, Guardian, Clusterstock, Washington Post, The Big Picture, Salon and New York Times
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New York Times:
Chrysler Bankruptcy Looms as Deal on Debt Falters — DETROIT — Last-minute efforts by the Treasury Department to win over recalcitrant Chrysler debtholders failed Wednesday night, setting up a near-certain bankruptcy filing by the American automaker, according to people briefed on the talks.
Discussion:
DealBook, The Baseline Scenario, Wheels, The Politico, American Street and naked capitalism
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 …
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
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 …
Calvin Woodward / Associated Press:
FACT CHECK: Obama disowns deficit he helped shape — WASHINGTON - “That wasn't me,” President Barack Obama said on his 100th day in office, disclaiming responsibility for the huge budget deficit waiting for him on Day One. It actually was him — and the other Democrats controlling Congress …
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
I Smuggled Water Into The East Room — “Ladies and gentlemen. The program will begin shortly.” — A disembodied voice really does say that about 15 minutes before the presidential news conference. You half expect to see Greg Giraldo come out to warm up the crowd.