Top Items:
Nina Totenberg / NPR:
Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire — · NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the court's current term. — The court has completed hearing oral arguments for the year and will be issuing rulings and opinions until the end of June.
Discussion:
Associated Press, SCOTUSblog, Michelle Malkin, protein wisdom, Vanity Fair, Top of the Ticket, Newshoggers.com, The Caucus, Washington Post, Hot Air, NY Daily News, The New Ledger, Politics Daily, Feministing, Jules Crittenden, Swords Crossed, Daily Kos, Outside The Beltway, Betsy's Page, George's Bottom Line, MSNBC, Devil's Advocate, Blue Virginia, Philly.com, PoliGazette, Salon, Bench Memos, Raw Story, RedState, Ben Smith's Blog, Pam's House Blend, Newsweek Blogs, The Impolitic, ACS Blog, Townhall.com, Open Left, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Donklephant and Pajamas Media
RELATED:
The Huffington Post:
Souter Replacements: Obama's Five Likely Picks (SLIDESHOW) — News of Justice David Souter's plan to retire at the end of the Supreme Court's current term immediately set off one of Washington D.C.'s most cherished parlor games: speculating who will take his place.
New York Times:
Souter Said to Be Leaving Court in June — WASHINGTON — Justice David H. Souter plans to retire at the end of the term in June, giving President Obama his first appointment to the Supreme Court, four people informed about the decision said Thursday night. — Justice Souter …
Krooney / The Page:
White Men Need Not Apply — HALPERIN'S TAKE: The eleven real Supreme Court nomination questions to watch now. — Get The Page delivered to your inbox. Sign up for TIME's daily political newsletter here.
Discussion:
ATTACKERMAN
William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
Specter Defection Will Haunt Dems On Souter Replacement — News is breaking that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is retiring. There will be a fight over his replacement, for sure. And Arlen Specter switching may have given Republicans a trump card to block an unacceptable replacement.
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
White House Cheat Sheet: Souter Retirement (Further) Roils Political Landscape
White House Cheat Sheet: Souter Retirement (Further) Roils Political Landscape
Jared Allen / The Hill:
Hispanic Dems furious over GOP video — Hispanic Democrats are furious and demanding an apology over an image wedged in a new GOP web video on terrorism that shows members of the Hispanic Caucus sitting at a table with President Obama. — “On behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus …
RELATED:
JTA:
Case against ex-AIPAC staffers dropped — WASHINGTON (JTA) — A source with intimate knowledge of the case against two ex-AIPAC staffers accused of passing along classified information says the case has been dropped. — Keith Weissman, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's former Iran analyst …
Discussion:
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Commentary, Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Times and The Cable
RELATED:
Jerry Markon / Washington Post:
Prosecutors to Drop Charges Against Two Former AIPAC Lobbyists — The U.S. government is abandoning espionage-law charges against two former lobbyists for a pro-Israel advocacy group, federal officials announced this morning. — Prosecutors said they will ask a judge to dismiss the case …
Stephen Ohlemacher / Associated Press:
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Taxpayers to get rude surprise — INSIDE WASHINGTON: Millions of couples, retirees may have to repay some of Obama tax credit — WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's “Making Work Pay” tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.
Peter Hamby / CNN:
Gingrich insult rankles RNC members — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Several members of the Republican National Committee are miffed at Newt Gingrich for claiming that they're a small bunch of egomaniacs who need to be coddled by the party chairman. — “Newt needs to take a breath,” New Jersey committeeman David Norcross told CNN.
Discussion:
Townhall.com
Zachery Kouwe / New York Times:
The Lenders Obama Decided to Blame — Peter A. Weinberg and Joseph R. Perella are part of a band of Wall Street renegades — “a small group of speculators,” President Obama called them Thursday — who helped bankrupt Chrysler. — That, anyway, is the Washington line.
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
The Use of Torture and What Nancy Pelosi Knew — Torture is an impermissible evil. Except under two circumstances. The first is the ticking time bomb. An innocent's life is at stake. The bad guy you have captured possesses information that could save this life. He refuses to divulge.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard
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CNN:
Survey: Churchgoers more likely to back torture — WASHINGTON (CNN) — The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey. — More than half of people who attend services at least once a week …
Discussion:
Indecision Forever, Thou Shalt, Obsidian Wings, Newshoggers.com, Left in the West and JONATHAN TURLEY
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
An Affordable Salvation — The 2008 election ended the reign of junk science in our nation's capital, and the chances of meaningful action on climate change, probably through a cap-and-trade system on emissions, have risen sharply. — But the opponents of action claim that limiting emissions …
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Casey backs Specter — At the top, at least, the Pennsylvania Democrats are closing ranks around their newest member. — Sen. Bob Casey on “The Bill Press Show” this morning: — Bill Press: If you believe that Arlen Specter is the strongest candidate, will you support him in the Democratic primary?
RELATED:
Amy Diluna / NY Daily News:
First Lady Michelle Obama steps out in Lanvin sneakers and they're only $540! — Michelle Obama has taken casual to a haute new level. — While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.