Top Items:
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Why was it so hard for Dems even to start health care debate? — The extraordinary thing about the dramatic events surrounding the health care bill in the Senate is that there was any drama at all. Lawmakers were simply voting to begin debate on the Democratic version of health care reform.
Discussion:
PoliBlog, American Power, The Moderate Voice, GayPatriot, Pundit & Pundette, Commentary, Stop The ACLU, The Mahablog, The Politico, The Hill and Firedoglake
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Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Sweeteners for the South — Staffers on Capitol Hill were calling it the Louisiana Purchase. — On the eve of Saturday's showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn't secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive.
Discussion:
Don Surber, The Caucus, NewsBusters.org, Mediaite, Scared Monkeys, Politics Daily, Wizbang, Des Moines Register and New York Times
Jeff Jacoby / Boston Globe:
Where conservatives have it wrong — YOU'RE A sensible, principled conservative. You want America to be a land of boundless opportunity and freedom, where people are treated as individuals and judged on their merits. You reject the divisive identity politics of the left …
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
The Sunday Shows In Five Bullet Points... And Glenn Beck! — 1. A Senate of Four: Well, there's Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). He says that the bill will change — and significantly. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) says that he'd vote to prevent the current health care bill from being taken off the floor …
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Martina Stewart / CNN:
Freshman Dem: Passing health care reform worth losing my seat — Washington (CNN) - A freshman Democratic senator said Sunday that he will support his party's efforts to pass health care reform legislation even if that means losing his seat in next year's midterm elections.
John E. Mulligan / Providence Journal:
Kennedy: Barred from Communion — WASHINGTON — Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has forbidden Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy to receive the Roman Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion because of his advocacy of abortion rights, the Rhode Island Democrat said Friday.
Discussion:
RedState
Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:
In the trenches on climate change, hostility among foes — Stolen e-mails reveal venomous feelings toward skeptics — Electronic files that were stolen from a prominent climate research center and made public last week provide a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes battle to shape the public perception of global warming.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Hot Air, Overcoming Bias, HazZzMat, Mudville Gazette, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Dean's World, Althouse and Power Line
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MsUnderestimated:
SNL: Obama & Jintao Press Conference in Beijing (VIDEO) — SNL apparently has no problem mocking Oba-mao. This was probably one of their funniest parodies to date. — LOL @ Obama still.
Discussion:
Israel Matzav
Boston Globe:
Coakley leads, but electorate unsettled — In Globe poll, 50 percent remain undecided; Capuano running 2d, but far behind AG — Attorney General Martha Coakley has a solid lead in the four-way Democratic race for the open US Senate seat, but with just 16 days until the primary election …
Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Visceral Has Its Value — It's easy to dismiss Sarah Palin. — She's back on the trail, with the tumbling hair and tumbling thoughts. The queen of the scenic strip mall known as Wasilla now reigns over thrilled subjects thronging to a politically strategic swath of American strip malls.
Associated Press:
Lawyer: 9/11 defendants want platform for views — NEW YORK (AP) - A lawyer for one of five men facing trial for the Sept. 11 attacks says the men plan to plead not guilty and use the trial to express their political views. — Attorney Scott Fenstermaker says his client Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali …
Discussion:
Power Line
Mark Schone / ABCNEWS:
Defense Attorney: Hasan Is Paralyzed From the Chest Down — Galligan Wants Military Justice System to Move More Slowly, Says Accused Fort Hood Shooter is in Severe Pain — Major Nidal Hasan, charged with killing 13 in the Fort Hood shooting spree, is paralyzed from the chest down and is not a flight risk …