Top Items:
Christianity Today:
Q & A: ‘Joe the Plumber’ — Samuel Wurzelbacher was launched into the public arena after Senator John McCain used him as an example of an average American during a presidential debate last fall. “Joe the Plumber” quickly became a celebrity because he questioned then-candidate Barack Obama …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, American Power, MyDD, The Daily Dish, PoliBlog, Comments from Left Field and Donklephant
RELATED:
Ali Frick / Think Progress:
Joe the Plumber: I would never let gay people ‘anywhere near my children.’ — In an interview with Christianity Today, Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher said that calling gay people “queer” “is not like a slur” because homosexuality is “strange and unusual.” He also declared that he would never …
CNN:
CNN Poll: Generational gap on gay marriage — (CNN) - A new national poll suggests that a majority of Americans oppose legalizing same sex marriages — but there's a vast generational divide on the issue. — Fifty-four percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday …
Discussion:
Hot Air
Megan Slack / The Huffington Post:
Joe The Plumber Slurs Gay People: I Would Never Let “Queers” Near My Children — Joe the Plumber, aka Samuel Wurzelbacher, sat down for an lengthy interview with Christianity Today to discuss his views on the future of the Republican party. Wurzelbacher took the opportunity to speak out against gay marriage, which he says is wrong.
Wendy Norris / Colorado Independent:
‘Joe the Plumber’ on Dobson, theocracy and GOP hypocrites — Conservative movement pitchman Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, continues his rather controversial revisionist American history tour with free-wheeling remarks invoking states rights and the Biblical origins of the U.S. Constitution.
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama official Kareem Dale confirms White House's love for MSNBC — (UPDATED: A second video has been added below.) — For some inexplicable reason having to do with who knows what, a widespread impression has grown among many politics fans that MSNBC and its crowd of talkers …
RELATED:
Mark Knoller / CBS News:
When Reporters Rise For The President — Some people noticed that many reporters rose from their seats last Friday when President Obama unexpectedly entered the White House briefing room, but the same courtesy was not always extended in the past when President Bush would make an appearance.
Discussion:
Hot Air
Greg Hitt / Wall Street Journal:
Obama Rebuffed on Funds to Close Guantanamo — WASHINGTON — Top House Democrats raised tensions with the White House on a key foreign policy goal, rebuffing a request for funding to begin closing the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. — President Barack Obama has sought $80 million …
Discussion:
RedState
The Politico:
Hatch: W.H. may reveal name this week — After talking to President Barack Obama on the phone today, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch says he believes the White House will move swiftly on its Supreme Court nominee, perhaps making an announcement by the end of this week.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Philly.com, The Page, Donklephant, MyDD, Washington Monthly, TPMDC, The Swamp and Fox News
RELATED:
The Politico:
For GOP, it's Coleman or bust — Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's shocking decision last week to become a Democrat has upped the ante in the never-ending Minnesota Senate race, providing a strong incentive for Republicans to hold out until every last appeal is exhausted.
Reid Wilson / The Hill:
Sessions to take over top GOP slot on Judiciary
Sessions to take over top GOP slot on Judiciary
Discussion:
Montgomery Advertiser, MyDD, DownWithTyranny!, TPMDC, Capitol Briefing, Don Surber, The Swamp, ACS Blog, The Note, Washington Monthly, D-Day, MSNBC, Congress Matters, Commentary, The Politico, Matthew Yglesias, The Page, Salon, Ben Smith's Blog, Taegan Goddard's …, The Plank, Bench Memos, Think Progress, Politics Nation and Election Law
Peter Graff / Reuters:
U.S. denies letting troops convert Afghans — KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. military denied Monday it has allowed soldiers to try to convert Afghans to Christianity, after a television network showed pictures of soldiers with bibles translated into local languages.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
We Can't Subsidize the Banks Forever — Government has to show it can handle major insolvencies. — Printer — Friendly — The results of the government's stress tests on banks, to be released in a few days, will not mark the beginning of the end of the financial crisis.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
More Banks Will Need Capital — Stress Tests Identify About Ten; Wells, BofA, Citigroup Face Order to Refill Coffers — WASHINGTON — The U.S. is expected to direct about 10 of the 19 banks undergoing government stress tests to boost their capital, according to several people familiar with the matter …
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Is Sarah Palin Snubbing GOP's New Relaunch Effort? — The GOP has launched a major new effort to remake the party and cast it as forward-looking and constructive, but one person may not be all that interested in participating: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. — Sources in the office of GOP …
RELATED:
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Palin will work with Nat'l Council
Palin will work with Nat'l Council
Discussion:
RealClearPolitics Video Log, Politics Daily, Sadly, No!, Hot Air, Conservatives4Palin.com and Riehl World View
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
‘OUTSIDE’ THE BELTWAY.... As part of the Republican Party's …
‘OUTSIDE’ THE BELTWAY.... As part of the Republican Party's …
Discussion:
Roll Call, Think Progress, BuzzFlash.org, Matthew Yglesias, The Fix and DownWithTyranny!
Associated Press:
Obama celebrates Cinco de Mayo a day early — WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is celebrating Cinco de Mayo a little early. — On the eve of the Mexican holiday, Obama on Monday had an event in the East Room of the White House with Mexico's Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan (sahr-oo-KHAN').
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool
RELATED:
Mary Manning / Las Vegas Sun:
Criminal charges filed against ACORN, two employees — Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Secretary of State Ross Miller announced Monday that voter registration fraud charges have been filed against an organization that works with low-income people and two of its employees in its Las Vegas office.
RELATED:
Jerusalem Post:
Emanuel: Thwarting Iran hinges on Israeli-Palestinian talks — Article's topics: Rahm Emanuel, Iran, AIPAC — Thwarting Iran's nuclear program is conditional on progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Discussion:
Israel Matzav, Pajamas Media, Taylor Marsh, Gateway Pundit, The Rhetorican and Wake up America
RELATED:
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
A VERY WEIRD FORM OF CONSISTENCY. — Not to fill the blog with Arlen Specter related content this morning, but this bit from Meet the Press deserves to be quoted. … The thing about the Wyden-Bennett plan — the aspect that actually makes it different from virtually every other plan on offer …
RELATED:
Nayla Kazzi / Center for American Progress:
More Americans Losing Health Insurance Every Day
More Americans Losing Health Insurance Every Day
Discussion:
Associated Press, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, Matthew Yglesias, Wonk Room and The Democratic Daily
Mickey Kaus / Kausfiles:
I Like Gloats! — The MSM is sick. John Edwards runs an entire presidential campaign based in large part on his character as shown by his loyalty to his brave, ill wife, etc.—when in reality he's cheating on her, practically setting up a second family—and the press doesn't care (or …
Discussion:
Overlawyered
Matt Stiles / Houston Chronicle:
Records show appointees gave Perry $5 million — But governor's office says donations are not considered in job assignments — AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry has accepted nearly $5 million in political campaign donations from people he appointed to state boards and commissions …
Brian Krebs / Security Fix:
Hackers Break Into Virginia Health Professions Database, Demand Ransom — Hackers last week broke into a Virginia state Web site used by pharmacists to track prescription drug abuse. They deleted records on more than 8 million patients and replaced the site's homepage with a ransom note …
Will Wilkinson:
Libertarian Democraphobia — If you're a new-school classical liberal (neoclassical liberal?) like me, you like democracy just fine. This puts you somewhere between (a) modern liberals in the post-Rawlsian vein who tend toward not-actually-very-liberal Rousseuvian romanticism about democracy and …
GrassrootsPA:
New PA Poll: Specter 42% Toomey 36%, Ridge 39% Specter 38%... 116 Pine Street, Suite 201, Harrisburg, PA 17101 — RIDGE SPECTER A STATISTICAL DEAD HEAT; TOOMEY TRAILS — (Harrisburg) Former Governor Tom Ridge and US Senator Arlen Specter are neck-and-neck across Pennsylvania …
Washington Post:
Murtha's Nephew Got Defense Contracts — Millions in Work Came Without Competition — The headquarters of Murtech, in a low-slung, bland building in a Glen Burnie business park, has its blinds drawn tight and few signs of life. On several days of visits, a handful of cars sit in the parking lot …
Allison Corneau / Us Weekly:
Chace Crawford to Attend White House Correspondents Dinner — Mr. Crawford is going to Washington! — Usmagazine.com has exclusively learned that Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford has been invited to be the guest of the Fox News Channel at Saturday's White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Discussion:
The Swamp
Jim Spellman / CNN:
Ammo hard to find as gun owners stock up — AURORA, Colorado (CNN) — Gun shops across the country are reporting a run on ammunition, a phenomenon apparently driven by fear that the Obama administration will increase taxes on bullets or enact new gun-control measures.