Top Items:
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
What we're seeing in Massachusetts — Because of the heavy interest we'll try to get our Massachusetts numbers out over the weekend. But because we've already conducted most of the interviews for it here are some of the major storylines we're seeing: —At this point a plurality …
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Abby Goodnough / New York Times:
Democrats Anxious Over a Once-Safe Seat — BOSTON — Martha M. Coakley, the Democrat running for Senator Edward M. Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts, had seemed so certain of winning the special election on Jan. 19 that she barely campaigned last month. — But the dynamic has changed in recent days.
William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
It's On - Push Polling “Hate Group” Support for Brown — I received this e-mail from a Massachusetts resident and businesswoman (and I verified her identity through publicly available sources), regarding a phone call she received last night: … In a follow up, the e-mailer went into more detail about the call.
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Sarah Palin and the first 2012 Republican proving ground — 1. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin's decision to attend — and speak at — the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans in April transforms that event into the first legitimate cattle-call of the 2012 Republican presidential sweepstakes.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Two swipes at CPAC — Two stories today on Palin's decision to skip CPAC, the grassroots event at which she'd likely be embraced, and two explanations: — Palin is declining an invitation to address the Conservative Political Action Conference next month because, a source said …
Discussion:
The Washington Independent
Quin Hillyer / AmSpecBlog:
Memo to Palin: Get Over Yourself — Okay, now that I have ensured that I will receive lots of hateful comments.... Sarah Palin's decision not to attend CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference) is ridiculously petty. I will grant that CPAC should not have let the Birchers be minor sponsors.
Discussion:
Riehl World View
George Stephanopoulos / George's Bottom Line:
Rudy Giuliani Wrong in Saying ‘No Domestic Attacks Under Bush’ — President Obama yesterday took personal responsibility for failures in the Christmas day terror plot, but Rudy Giuliani still isn't convinced. — I spoke to the former mayor of New York City this morning on GMA …
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Rachel Slajda / TPM LiveWire:
Mr. 9/11 Gets Amnesia: 'We Had No Domestic Attacks Under Bush; We've Had One Under Obama' (VIDEO) — Rudy Giuliani, the man who was mayor of New York City during the 9/11 attacks, appeared on Good Morning America today to say President Obama should take lessons from former President George W. Bush on how to prevent a terrorist attack.
Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:
Giuliani says Obama ‘turned the corner’ on terror
Giuliani says Obama ‘turned the corner’ on terror
Discussion:
The Politico
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Steele comments have GOP aides pleading, ‘Get him to stop’ — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele, under fire this week for a string of controversial statements he has made while promoting his new book, has so angered the party's congressional leaders that their aides …
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Matt Corley / Think Progress:
After Declaring ‘I Want The Gig,’ Steele Claims He Didn't ‘Seek’ RNC Chairmanship
After Declaring ‘I Want The Gig,’ Steele Claims He Didn't ‘Seek’ RNC Chairmanship
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog, Ben Smith's Blog, Glenn Thrush's Blog, TPMDC, FrumForum, GOP 12, The Page, msnbc.com, The Plum Line, The Washington Independent, Riehl World View and The Note
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Gruber responds: ‘Completely consistent’ — One of the key voices for Congressional health care legislation, MIT economist Jon Gruber, is taking fire from the precincts of the left that oppose the Senate plan over the fact that he is on contract with Department of Health and Human Services.
Discussion:
Fox News, Ezra Klein, The Politico, The New Republic, Hit & Run, Swampland, Emptywheel, AmSpecBlog, Daily Kos, Gateway Pundit and Capital Gains and Games blogs
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Megan McArdle:
Prominent Voice in Health Care Debate Took Money from the Administration — MIT economist Jonathan Gruber has become the go-to economist for fans of the health care reform wending its way through congress. He regularly produces analyses showing how great reform is going to be for people buying insurance …
Emptywheel:
Jonathan Gruber Failed to Disclose His $392,600 Contracts with HHS (Updated)
Jonathan Gruber Failed to Disclose His $392,600 Contracts with HHS (Updated)
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Megan McArdle, Clusterstock, AMERICAblog News, Daily Kos and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Christina Wilkie / The Hill:
Carville: Airport scanners can ‘measure my penis’ — The debate over full body security scans just got a lot more graphic, thanks to Democratic political strategist and frequent flyer James Carville. — Speaking on The Tony Kornheiser Show Friday, Carville laid out, or unzipped, his vision for airport security.
Christina Romer / White House.gov Blog Feed:
On the December Jobs Numbers — Today's employment report, though a setback from November, is consistent with the gradual labor market stabilization we have been seeing over the last several months. — Payroll employment declined 85,000 in December. To put this number in perspective …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Reuters, The Atlantic Politics Channel, The Hill, The Confluence and Jay Bookman
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Chris Irvine / Telegraph:
British woman ‘arrested in Dubai after being raped’ — A 23-year-old British woman on holiday in Dubai told police she had been raped, only to be arrested herself for having illegal sexual intercourse. — The woman, a Muslim of Pakistani descent, was celebrating her engagement …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report
Wall Street Journal:
The Risk of Catastrophic Victory — Obama is in the midst of one. Can the GOP avert one of their own? — Printer — Friendly — Passage of the health-care bill will be, for the administration, a catastrophic victory. If it is voted through in time for the State of the Union Address …
Michael Barbaro / New York Times:
Ford Says He Won't Be ‘Bullied’ by Senator's Allies — Under assault from allies of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, former congressman Harold E. Ford Jr. fired back on Friday afternoon, saying he would be not be “bullied or intimidated” by “party bosses” as he considers challenging her in this fall's Democratic primary.
Discussion:
The Buzz
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Brad Watson / WFAA-TV:
Craig James eyeing politics, not ruling out U.S. Senate run — DALLAS Former SMU football star and ESPN Analyst Craig James has made news recently regarding his role with his son and former Texas Tech Football Coach Mike Leach. But James could be making news this year in politics, too.
Roger Lowenstein / New York Times:
Walk Away From Your Mortgage! — John Courson, president and C.E.O. of the Mortgage Bankers Association, recently told The Wall Street Journal that homeowners who default on their mortgages should think about the “message” they will send to “their family and their kids and their friends.”
Discussion:
Newshoggers.com, Carol's Closet, Grasping Reality …, Felix Salmon, The Business Insider, Financial Times, Calculated Risk and The Awl
Viola Gienger / Bloomberg:
Republican Lugar Says Cheney's Criticism of Obama Is ‘Unfair’ — Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) — Richard Lugar, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defended President Barack Obama's handling of recent terrorism threats, taking issue with former Vice President Dick Cheney's criticism.
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
White House: Geithner ‘not involved’ in latest AIG flap — The White House claimed Friday that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner did not play a role in alleged improper actions government officials took in the bailout of insurance giant American Insurance Group.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Gingrich to save America — Well, at least that's the title of the forthcoming book from the ever-modest former speaker, due out this spring. — Says the publisher, Regnery: — In “To Save America,” Gingrich argues that a decade of dishonesty from our leaders of both parties has created …