Top Items:
New York Times:
As Confrontation Deepens, Iran's Leader to Speak — TEHRAN — As another day of defiance and uncertainty loomed in Iran's capital on Friday, it was increasingly apparent that there was no clear path out of a deepening confrontation that has posed the most serious challenge to the Islamic republic in its 30-year history.
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BBC:
Ayatollah demands end to protests — Iran's supreme leader has issued a stern warning that protests against the country's disputed presidential election results must end. — In his first public remarks after days of protests, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the outcome had to be decided at the ballot box, not on the street.
Discussion:
Associated Press, FiveThirtyEight, Newshoggers.com, QandO, MoJo Blog Posts, PoliBlog, MoJo Blog Posts and Truthdig
Shane M. / New York Times:
A Different Iranian Revolution — WE look over this wall of marching people to see what our friends in the United States are saying about us. We cannot help it — 30 years of struggle against the Enemy has had the curious effect of making us intrigued. To our great dismay …
News: News blog:
Iran protests: live
Iran protests: live
Discussion:
Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Daily Dish, presstv.ir, NPR Blogs, Right Wing Nut House, Hot Air, Taylor Marsh and Harry's Place
David Elliott / niacINsight:
Live-blogging Friday's Events in Iran
Live-blogging Friday's Events in Iran
Discussion:
Times of London, Glenn Thrush's Blog, Think Progress, New York Times, YID With LID and QandO
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Obama Misses the Point With Iran Response — Millions of Iranians take to the streets to defy a theocratic dictatorship that, among its other finer qualities, is a self-declared enemy of America and the tolerance and liberties it represents. The demonstrators are fighting on their own …
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Paul Wolfowitz / Washington Post:
Obama Needs to Change Stance on Iran — President Obama's first response to the protests in Iran was silence, followed by a cautious, almost neutral stance designed to avoid “meddling” in Iranian affairs. I am reminded of Ronald Reagan's initially neutral response to the crisis following …
The New Republic:
Will the Conservatives Please Attempt An Argument? — President Obama has taken a cautious tone toward the demonstrators in Iran, with his stated reason being that more open support would discredit their cause. This strikes me as a sensible position. The revealed preferences of both sides suggest …
Las Vegas Sun:
Text of Doug Hampton's letter to Fox News — Editor's note: Doug Hampton, the husband of Cynthia Hampton, who had an affair with Sen. John Ensign, explains in a letter to a Fox News Channel anchorwoman, Megyn Kelly, how the senator's affair with his wife has"completely ruined" the couple's lives.
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Jeff German / Las Vegas Sun:
Spouse of Ensign's mistress sought help in letter to Fox News — Husband's account of how wife's affair with Ensign ‘ruined our lives and careers’ comes to light — Doug Hampton, husband of Sen. John Ensign's affair partner, Cynthia Hampton, appears in this KLAS-TV video Wednesday.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Taegan Goddard's …, Wonkette, Don Surber, TVNewser, TPMMuckraker and News Hounds
The Politico:
Obama health plan imperiled — President Obama's campaign for health care reform by this fall, once considered highly likely to succeed, suddenly appears in real jeopardy. — Top White House advisers, especially Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, are still privately predicting massive changes to the health care system in 2009.
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Erica Werner / Associated Press:
House eyes new taxes as senators pare health bill — WASHINGTON (AP) - Early work on the ambitious health care overhaul the Obama administration is seeking has exposed the kinds of in-house fights that typify just how hard it will be to get meaningful legislation this year.
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
FINANCE COMMITTEE PUNTS ON PUBLIC OPTION.... The Senate Finance Committee is moving forward with its health care reform plan. It's not exactly encouraging. … It's the result of negotiations between Baucus, two other Democratic senators on the committee, and four Finance Committee Republicans.
Washington Post:
Senate's Health-Care Draft Calls for Most to Buy Insurance …
Senate's Health-Care Draft Calls for Most to Buy Insurance …
Discussion:
The Note, Hot Air, Wall Street Journal, The Foundry, Wizbang, The Washington Independent, New York Times and Open Left
Ezra Klein:
An Interview With Tom Daschle — Tom Daschle was almost the Obama administration's health czar before tax problems foiled his nomination. But in the months since he withdrew from the White House, he's not abandoned health care. This week, he was back in the news: He released a proposal …
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Elianne Friend / CNN:
Mom fined to tune of $1.9M for 24 illegal songs — (CNN) — A federal jury Thursday found a 32-year-old Minnesota woman guilty of illegally downloading music from the Internet and fined her $80,000 each — a total of $1.9 million — for 24 songs. — Jammie Thomas-Rasset's case …
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Alison Leigh Cowan / New York Times:
Pick for Protocol Post Corrects Failure to File Taxes in 2 Years — President Obama's choice as chief of protocol for the State Department, a position that carries the status of an ambassadorship, did not file tax returns for 2005 and 2006, errors she corrected last November.
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
At fundraiser, Obama laughs at critics — As he looks to expand Democratic majorities in Congress, President Obama on Thursday night also used a fundraiser for his congressional allies to target his critics. — The president, speaking at a joint fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee …
John O'Connor / Associated Press:
Prosecutor: Sen. Burris won't face perjury charge — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Roland Burris will not be charged with perjury for statements he made before an Illinois House impeachment committee because there isn't enough evidence to support the charge, the state prosecutor investigating the case said Friday.
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Jake Sherman / Wall Street Journal:
White House Looks to Include Same-Sex Unions in Census Count — WASHINGTON — The White House said Thursday it was seeking ways to include same-sex marriages, unions and partnerships in 2010 Census data, the second time in a week the administration has signaled a policy change of interest to the gay community.
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Xuan Thai / CNN:
Obama press secretary chronically tardy — WASHINGTON (CNN) — White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs delayed the start of his daily briefing Thursday — which is only remarkable for the fact it's so unremarkable. — The Bush White House briefings were only rarely delayed.
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
DEPT. OF ELECTIONS, CONSEQUENCES.... In light of George W. Bush's …
DEPT. OF ELECTIONS, CONSEQUENCES.... In light of George W. Bush's …
Discussion:
The Hill
Daily Oklahoman:
Coburn meets court pick; Inhofe skips opportunity — WASHINGTON — Sen. Tom Coburn had a private visit on Thursday with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor and said they had a “philosophical discussion.” — “General stuff,” Coburn said when asked what the two talked about.
Discussion:
TPMDC
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The Washington Post, Dan Froomkin and the establishment media — The American establishment media in a nutshell: … The Washington Post's firing of Dan Froomkin reveals much about the modern establishment media. Froomkin was one of the very few journalists working for an establishment outlet …
Discussion:
Campaign Silo
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The Washington Post fires its best columnist. Why?
The Washington Post fires its best columnist. Why?
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Hullabaloo, Latest Open Salon Blog, Crooks and Liars, The Confluence, At-Largely, The Reaction, James Fallows and The Impolitic
Yochi J. Dreazen / Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Fortifies Hawaii to Meet Threat From Korea — WASHINGTON — The U.S. is moving ground-to-air missile defenses to Hawaii as tensions escalate between Washington and Pyongyang over North Korea's recent moves to restart its nuclear-weapon program and resume test-firing long-range missiles.
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Out of the Shadows — Would the Obama administration's plan for financial reform do what has to be done? Yes and no. — Yes, the plan would plug some big holes in regulation. But as described, it wouldn't end the skewed incentives that made the current crisis inevitable. — Let's start with the good news.
Discussion:
The Confluence, Ezra Klein, Latest Open Salon Blog, The Baseline Scenario, Angry Bear and Los Angeles Times
David Whelan / Forbes:
Obama's Doctor Knocks ObamaCare — Dr. David Scheiner took care of Obama for 22 years. But they don't see eye-to-eye on how to fix the health care system. — David Scheiner, an internist based in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park, has a diverse practice of lower-income adults …