Top Items:
Matt Gertz / Media Matters for America:
Dana Milbank's world — Only Dana Milbank could write an entire column about the “proposal” Harry Reid laid out at yesterday's press conference without explaining what Reid actually proposed: That the health reform bill he is sending to the CBO will include a public option giving the states the choice to opt-out.
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The Huffington Post:
Durbin: Progressives Forced Our Hand On Public Option — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — Democratic leaders were forced to include a national public health insurance option as part of health care reform by progressive Democratic senators who refused to support anything less, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said on Monday.
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Washington Sketch: Harry Reid, party of one, on the health-care public option
Washington Sketch: Harry Reid, party of one, on the health-care public option
The Politico:
Liberals to Obama: Time to step up
Liberals to Obama: Time to step up
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Note, The Huffington Post, Ben Smith's Blog, Top of the Ticket, Hit & Run and The Moderate Voice
New York Times:
Public Option Push in Senate Comes With Escape Hatch
Public Option Push in Senate Comes With Escape Hatch
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, The Politico, The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Washington Post, The Foundry, Wall Street Journal, The Caucus, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Boston Globe, Mediaite, CNN, The Corner on National …, The Page, Balkinization, NewsBusters.org, Politics Daily, USA Today, The New Republic, Sister Toldjah and George's Bottom Line
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Gingrich calls GOP support for Hoffman a ‘purge’ — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) late Monday had some choice words for Republicans supporting Conservative Party party candidate Doug Hoffman (N.Y.), accusing them of conducting a “purge” of the GOP.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin
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New York Post:
Doug Hoffman for Congress — New York's 23rd Congressional District lies near Canada, far to the north — but next week's special election merits attention throughout the state. — That's because the Republican candidate in that race, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, is the product …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Gateway Pundit, The Jawa Report, Hot Air and The Washington Independent
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
U.S. official resigns over Afghan war — When Matthew Hoh joined the Foreign Service early this year, he was exactly the kind of smart civil-military hybrid the administration was looking for to help expand its development efforts in Afghanistan. — A former Marine Corps captain …
Discussion:
Salon, Politics Daily, Abu Muqawama, The New Republic, New York Times, The Washington Independent, Taylor Marsh, Ben Smith's Blog, Rethink Afghanistan, Wall Street Journal, KN@PPSTER, The Atlanticist, Jules Crittenden, Mudville Gazette, Daily Kos, ATTACKERMAN, Outside The Beltway, NPR Blogs and Philly.com
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William Kristol / Washington Post:
The future of the GOP is outside the Beltway — Bien-pensant conservative elites and establishment-friendly Republican big shots yearn for a more moderate, temperate and sophisticated Republican Party. It's not likely to happen. And probably just as well.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Washington Monthly, The Mahablog, No More Mister Nice Blog, Weekly Standard, TBogg, Power Line and Bark Bark Woof Woof
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Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Right Battles G.O.P. in a Pivotal Race in New York — WATERTOWN, N.Y. — From a command center inside the Days Inn here, conservatives from around the country are fighting to preserve what they see as the integrity of the Republican Party. — Urged on by leaders like former Gov. Sarah Palin …
Discussion:
The Politico, The Other McCain, MyDD, Townhall.com, WWNY, Real Clear Politics, Erick's blog and The Page
Mary Jordan / Washington Post:
Bush's first stand on a new podium — FORT WORTH — After nine months of being nearly invisible — a big outing has been to a Dallas hardware store for flashlights — George W. Bush made his debut Monday in his latest incarnation: motivational speaker. — Nearly 15,000 people heard …
Discussion:
Think Progress, Dallas Morning News, The Awl, Don Surber, Raw Story, Gawker and Shakesville
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Alexander Mooney / CNN:
Bush debuts as motivational speaker — (CNN) - Former President George W. Bush made his debut as a motivational speaker Monday night, telling a Fort Worth, Texas crowd it's futile to waste energy chasing popularity. — “It's so simple in life to chase popularity, but popularity is fleeting …
Discussion:
The Swamp
Aman Batheja / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Popularity fleeting, former president tells seminar crowd
Popularity fleeting, former president tells seminar crowd
Discussion:
Politics Daily
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Morning Fix: NY-23 as 2012 litmus test? — The Iowa caucuses may be more than two years from now but a series of moves by potential Republican presidential contenders has turned a special election in New York's 23rd district into an early test of conservative bona fides.
Discussion:
On Politics, NewsBusters.org, TPMDC, Another Black Conservative, National Review Online and Salon
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Washington Post:
McDonnell has double-digit lead in Va. governor's race, Post poll says
McDonnell has double-digit lead in Va. governor's race, Post poll says
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Washington Monthly, CBS News, Townhall.com, Scared Monkeys, THE WEEK News & Opinion, Washington Times, The Politico, Politics Nation, Daily Kos, Commentary, George's Bottom Line, The Page, National Review Online, Political Punch, Real Clear Politics, Top of the Ticket, The Note and Virginia Politics
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Biden's popularity plunges; lower than Cheney's — Vice President Joe Biden's favorable rating has fallen to 42 percent in a new Gallup poll, down from a high of 59 percent just after last year's election. Biden's unfavorable rating in the new poll is 40 percent, up from 29 percent last November.
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Vice President Biden's Favorable Rating Continues to Decline
Vice President Biden's Favorable Rating Continues to Decline
Discussion:
The Hill
Mary Williams Walsh / New York Times:
Ex-A.I.G. Chief Is Back, Luring Talent From Rescued Firm — Maurice R. Greenberg, who built the American International Group into an insurance behemoth with an impenetrable maze of on- and offshore companies, is at it again. — Even as he has been lambasting the government for its handling …
Discussion:
Politics Daily, marbury, New Jersey Online, Prairie Weather, NPR Blogs and Suburban Guerrilla
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Nielsen: Fox News ratings up almost 10% since WH declared war — It's a nine-percent bump in the two weeks since Anita Dunn's whine heard 'round the world — in terms of overall audience. Among the coveted 25-54 demographic? A 14-percent bump. Good work, Barry.
Discussion:
Don Surber, CNN, Media Decoder, THE WEEK News & Opinion, Mediaite, Outside The Beltway, Riehl World View, Scared Monkeys, NewsBusters.org, Liberal Values, TalkLeft, Commentary, Pajamas Media, Gateway Pundit, Another Black Conservative, Truthdig, Moonbattery, Dean's World and Stop The ACLU
RELATED:
The Politico:
Grayson goes too far for colleagues — Republicans and Democrats slammed Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) for calling Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a “K Street whore” in a month-old radio interview that circulated on Capitol Hill Monday night. — “There's no call for that language.
Robin Pagnamenta / Times of London:
Climate chief Lord Stern: give up meat to save the planet — People will need to consider turning vegetarian if the world is to conquer climate change, according to a leading authority on global warming. — In an interview with The Times, Lord Stern of Brentford said …
Michael Schneider / Variety:
MacFarlane special loses Microsoft — Company yanks sponsorship of Fox show — Microsoft has yanked its sponsorship from Fox's upcoming Seth MacFarlane comedy/variety special over content concerns. — Fox still plans to air “Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show” …
Andy Soltis / New York Post:
Tax refugees staging escape from New York — New Yorkers are fleeing the state and city in alarming numbers — and costing a fortune in lost tax dollars, a new study shows. — More than 1.5 million state residents left for other parts of the United States from 2000 to 2008 …
Josh Gerstein / The Politico:
What if Bush had done that? — A four-hour stop in New Orleans, on his way to a $3 million fundraiser. — Snubbing the Dalai Lama. — Signing off on a secret deal with drug makers. — Freezing out a TV network. — Doing more fundraisers than the last president. More golf, too.