Top Items:
The Note:
Cornyn: ‘We Will Not Spend Money in a Contested Primary’ — ABC News' Rick Klein reports: — With Republicans grappling with the fallout of an intra-party battle that may have cost them a House seat, the head of the Senate Republican campaign effort is making a pledge that may ease …
RELATED:
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
IL-Sen: Kirk Seeks Palin Endorsement — Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk penned a memo to Republican poobah Fred Malek hoping to secure an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his Senate candidacy, according to a copy of the memo obtained by the Fix. — After noting that Palin …
Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
In NY-23, Conservatives Win — The race has now been called for Democrat Bill Owens. — This is a huge win for conservatives. — “Whaaaa. . . ?” you say. — There are two big victories at work in New York's 23rd Congressional District. — First, the GOP now must recognize …
Discussion:
The New Republic, Weekly Standard, Pajamas Media, TBogg, The Politico, Dump Dede, Liberal Values, The Greenroom, Big Government, TPMDC, WSYR-TV, The Plum Line, RedState, Whiskey Fire, Washington Monthly, thedanashow.wordpress.com, MyDD, Newsweek Blogs, No More Mister Nice Blog and IntoxiNation
George Stephanopoulos / George's Bottom Line:
Steele Throws Elbow to Palin, Pawlenty on NY-23 — RNC Chair Michael Steele was in a feisty mood this morning, but the Democrats weren't his only target. How intentional was that message to the Palin wing of the GOP? — My colleague, ABC News' David Chalian has more...
Washington Examiner:
Pancho — Barone studiously avoids mention of the increase in the “D” House delegation despite the best efforts of Palin, Bachmann, Limbaugh, Malkin, etc., in NY Congressional District 23. — Michael Bloomberg nearly lost his mayoral seat in NYC despite outspending his Democratic opponent 5-1.
David Weigel / The Washington Independent:
Conservatives Rework Rhetoric After NY-23 Loss — Tea Partiers Say GOP Loss Enough for Conservative Victory — Saranac Lake, N.Y. - Jim Kelly walked into the lounge of the Hotel Saranac, his red tie undone and flapping against his shirt. He sighed. He plopped into a chair.
Chris Good / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
Axelrod: NY-23 Is A Reminder For Blue Dogs
Axelrod: NY-23 Is A Reminder For Blue Dogs
Discussion:
The Politico
Glenn Harlan Reynolds / New York Post:
The Obama magic has faded
The Obama magic has faded
Discussion:
Congress Blog, Power Line, Don Surber, Scared Monkeys, Riehl World View, NO QUARTER, Runnin' Scared, Joust The Facts, ABCNEWS and Jules Crittenden
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Lessons from Election Night
Lessons from Election Night
Discussion:
The Corner on National …, American Thinker, Erick's blog, The Greenroom and Conservatives4Palin.com
J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:
Letter to Reid on healthcare from former Surgeon General Koop shuts Senate — A letter about healthcare reform to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), apparently from former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, triggered a security scare that briefly shut down much of the Senate on Wednesday.
RELATED:
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Extreme unintended irony from a WH official — An Obama aide anonymously accuses Anthony Weiner of being a coward and not “manning-up.” — From Ben Smith's Politico article on the surprisingly narrow victory by Michael Bloomberg in the New York mayoral race:
RELATED:
Mark Schmitt / American Prospect:
Bloomberg Meets the Law of Diminishing Returns.
Bloomberg Meets the Law of Diminishing Returns.
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias
Abby Goodnough / New York Times:
Maine Voters Repeal Law Allowing Gay Marriage — In a stinging setback for the national gay-rights movement, Maine voters narrowly decided to repeal the state's new law allowing same-sex marriage. — With 87 percent of precincts reporting early this morning, 53 percent of voters had approved the repeal …
Discussion:
beliefnet, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Blogs and Stories, ABCNEWS, Associated Press, Pam's House Blend, pressherald.mainetoday.com, Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Daily Dish, Hot Air, Washington Monthly, theblogprof, New York Magazine, Crooks and Liars, The Baseline Scenario, The Foundry, Wake up America and Gawker
RELATED:
Abby Goodnough / New York Times:
Loss in Maine Sets Back Drive for Same-Sex Marriage
Loss in Maine Sets Back Drive for Same-Sex Marriage
Discussion:
BeyondChron, Ben Smith's Blog, Pam's House Blend, AmSpecBlog, First Draft, Indecision Forever and Towleroad News #gay
The Note:
GOP Leaders: ‘Political Rebellion Going on in America’ — ABC News' Rick Klein and Z. Byron Wolf report: The top Republicans in the House and Senate took something of a victory lap today, jumping on the results from yesterday's elections in Virginia and New Jersey to predict GOP gains in the 2010 congressional contests.
Discussion:
The Hill
RELATED:
Associated Press:
AP Sources: AARP to endorse House health care bill — WASHINGTON — Officials are telling The Associated Press that AARP_the seniors' lobby_will endorse the health care overhaul bill that House Democrats are preparing to take to the floor. — Officials with knowledge of the group's decision told …
RELATED:
Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:
‘Very, very close to zero’ GOPers will vote for House health bill
‘Very, very close to zero’ GOPers will vote for House health bill
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Yesterday's Overwhelming Historic Republican Victory Makes Democratic Health Care Reform Just A Bit Easier — Most of the commentary about last night's elections has centered around Republican pickups in the New Jersey and Virginia statehouses. But what's gone largely unnoticed …
Carly Fiorina / Orange County Register:
Why I'm running for Senate — Our most pressing problems today are too few jobs for Americans and too much spending in Washington. — CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE FROM CALIFORNIA — Recommend — Admittedly, I have not always been engaged in the electoral process, and I should have been.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Politics Channel, The Hill, The Hill, MyDD, TPMDC, Mashable!, Eye on 2010, The Caucus, The Fix, JammieWearingFool, L.A. NOW, Politics Nation and The Page
Craig Whitlock / Washington Post:
Italian court convicts 23 Americans in CIA rendition case; extradition undecided — MILAN — An Italian court on Wednesday convicted 22 CIA operatives and a U.S. Air Force colonel of orchestrating the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric here in 2003 and flying him to Egypt, where he said he was tortured.
Discussion:
New York Times, BBC, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Majlis, BLACKFIVE, Hullabaloo and MoJo Blog Posts
RELATED:
Johnny Dollar / Olbermann Watch:
Where in the World Was Keith Olbermann? — MSNBC boasted that on election night they would present a “special live edition of Countdown” at 10:00 pm. But with bad news for the Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a funny thing happened on the way to the bonus Hour of Spin. Keith wasn't there!
Jonathan Allen / The Politico:
Bachmann aide no longer taking care of business — The aide who helped turn Rep. Michele Bachmann into a controversial mainstay of cable news has informed colleagues that she's quitting - just as the firebrand Republican congresswoman prepares for her biggest media moment yet.
Associated Press:
STIMULUS WATCH: Salary raise counted as saved job — WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's economic recovery program saved 935 jobs at the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, an impressive success story for the stimulus plan. Trouble is, only 508 people work there.
RELATED:
John Nolte / Big Hollywood:
ELEMENTARY EPIDEMIC: 11 Uncovered Videos Show School Children Performing Praises to Obama — Big Hollywood has already posted a couple disturbing videos of young school children singing/speaking praises to President Obama, but when eleven more dropped in our email box it came as quite a shock.
Kyle Drennen / NewsBusters.org:
Obama Watched HBO Special About Himself Instead of Election Results — UPDATE: Fox News misreported Gibbs' press gaggle comments. He did not claim President watched HBO special on election night. — During the 10AM ET hour of America's Newsroom on Fox News Channel …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, The Caucus, Left Coast Rebel, Christian Science Monitor, Raw Story, protein wisdom and JammieWearingFool
TMZ.com:
Prejean Sex Tape Triggers Settlement — Carrie Prejean demanded more than a million dollars during her settlement negotiations with Miss California USA Pageant officials — that is, until the lawyer for the Pageant showed Carrie an XXX home video of her handiwork.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Democrats feeling angst over 2010 — Vulnerable House and Senate Democrats want their leaders to skip the party's controversial legislative agenda for next year to help save their seats in Congress. — In the run-up to the 2010 midterm elections, they don't want to be forced to vote on climate change …
Jonathan Chait / The New Republic:
V: Tea Party TV — I didn't watch much television as a kid. But when the miniseries “V” came out in 1983, when I was eleven years old, it was event television for the entire family. The sci-fi series used an alien invasion of Earth under friendly guise as a metaphor for fascism.
New York Post:
Crabby cabby boots same-sex lovebirds — An overzealous cabby allegedly booted a gay couple when he spotted the duo sharing a warm embrace in the back of his cold car. — Paul Bruno and his partner hailed the yellow cab Monday night at 13th Street and First Avenue and sat close, Bruno told The Post.
Michael Calderone / The Politico:
John Mashek, 1931 - 2009 — John W. Mashek, a political reporter who covered every presidential election from 1960 to 1996, died of a heart attack Tuesday while watching his granddaughters' high school soccer game in Maryland. He was 77. — Mashek started out as a local reporter …