Top Items:
The Rothenberg / The Rothenberg Political Report:
MA Senate moved to Toss-Up — Democratic desperation and other compelling evidence strongly suggest that Democrats may well lose the late Senator Edward Kennedy's Senate seat in Tuesday's special election. Because of this, we are moving our rating of the race from Narrow Advantage for the Incumbent Party to Toss-Up.
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Steve Kornacki:
On Massachusetts.... I wrote a column last week in which I dismissed the chances of Republican Scott Brown actually winning next Tuesday's Senate special election in Massachusetts. The race would be close, I figured — 53-47 for Coakley, or something like that — but the state's blue tint would be just enough to save the Democrats.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Ben Smith's Blog, National Review Online, Boston Globe, Weasel Zippers and The Awl
Curt Schilling / 38pitches.weei.com:
Want ANOTHER reason to NOT vote for Martha Coakley??? — Picked this up from here... [1] — If she hasn't done it yet, Martha Coakley may have just killed her campaign. — She's apparently been trying to win the title of Worst Political Campaign Ever, and she might have just clinched …
David / Blue Mass. Group:
Exclusive BMG/Research 2000 poll: Coakley leads 49-41 — The results are in from BMG's exclusive statewide poll in next week's special Senate election. Research 2000 interviewed 500 likely voters on Tuesday and Wednesday (and we do mean “interviewed” — Research 2000 does live interviews, unlike robo-pollsters Rasmussen and PPP).
Discussion:
TPMDC, Swing State Project, Washington Wire, Open Left, Real Clear Politics, The Strata-Sphere, MyDD, The Hill, Daily Kos and Scorecard's Blog
Mary Katharine Ham / Weekly Standard:
Ad Wars: Obama Cuts Spot for Coakley, Can Barely Contain Himself — Passion. — On the ol' Inspiro-meter, I'd say the president has hit that rarely reached sweet spot right between Droopy the Dog and Eyeore. Note, in particular, the deadness in his eyes as he closes out his appeal:
Discussion:
Power Line
Gary Hewson / Big Journalism:
Martha's Greatest Hits: The Things the Democrats Would Like You to Forget About Candidate Coakley — In researching the ever-intensifying Massachusetts Senate race between Democrat Martha Coakley and her Republican challenger Scott Brown, it only takes a few keystrokes to unearth her ongoing history …
CNN:
Democrats, labor unions reach tentative deal on ‘Cadillac’ plans — Washington (CNN) - Congressional Democratic health care negotiators, working with the White House, have reached a tentative deal with labor unions on restructuring a tax on high-end insurance plans, a key proposal to pay …
Discussion:
The Politico, Ben Smith's Blog, Daily Kos, Taylor Marsh, Open Left, The Note, The Page and TPMDC
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Megan McArdle:
Special Deal for Labor Unions in Health Care Bill — The labor unions have been fighting the Senate health care bill for some time now—specifically, the provision that levies high taxes on “Cadillac” plans that exceed certain maximums. That was expected to be a sticking point …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
What's the Journal doing on this list? — The Tea Party Convention put out a press release today announcing that they were packed and had space for just five news outlets: — Everyone from a small town newspaper in Iowa to Fox News has asked for press credentials.
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Michael Calderone / Michael Calderone's Blog:
Will Fox, WSJ accept tea party press selection? — Originally, it didn't look as though Tea Party Nation would allow media access to next month's convention in Nashville, a gathering of activists that will feature big-name speakers such as Sarah Palin. — But today, the organization announced …
Discussion:
The Caucus
Andrew Scott / Pocono Record:
Sex sting in Poconos nets former chief U.N. weapons inspector … A former chief United Nations weapons inspector is accused of contacting what he thought was a 15-year-old girl in an Internet chat room, engaging in a sexual conversation and showing himself masturbating on a Web camera.
Discussion:
Sweetness & Light, The Jawa Report, Gateway Pundit, The Corner on National … and Little Green Footballs
Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Morning Joe crew rips Limbaugh: ‘Deplorable,’ ‘insensitive,’ ‘mean-spirited.’ — Yesterday, hate radio host Rush Limbaugh attempted to attack President Obama for responding to the devastation in Haiti. “This will play right into Obama's hands — humanitarian, compassionate,” Limbaugh argued.
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Nicholas Graham First / The Huffington Post:
Limbaugh: 'We've Already Donated To Haiti, It's Called US Income Tax' (VIDEO)
Limbaugh: 'We've Already Donated To Haiti, It's Called US Income Tax' (VIDEO)
Discussion:
Think Progress, Washington Monthly, Guardian, National Review Online, AMERICAblog News and Mother Jones
Binyamin Appelbaum / Washington Post:
Obama administration seeks tax hike on financial firms to recoup cost of bailout — President Obama plans Thursday to propose a sharp increase in the taxes paid by the nation's largest financial institutions designed to raise $90 billion over the next decade while constraining the industry's ability …
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Amie Parnes / The Politico:
EX-ADVISER: ‘WE WERE NEVER READY’ — Nicolle Wallace, former senior adviser to the McCain presidential campaign, did little to defend Sarah Palin at a panel discussion for Washington Post reporter Anne Kornblut's new book “Notes from the Cracked Ceiling” on Tuesday night.
Discussion:
Mediaite
CBN.com:
Statement Regarding Pat Robertson's Comments on Haiti — On today's The 700 Club, during a segment about the devastation, suffering and humanitarian effort that is needed in Haiti, Dr. Robertson also spoke about Haiti's history. His comments were based on the widely-discussed 1791 slave rebellion led …
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J. Patrick Coolican / Las Vegas Sun:
Michael Steele: Remarks hurt image of Harry Reid, Nevada — Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, was in town this week and again condemned Sen. Harry Reid for racially insensitive remarks in which he claimed to believe President Barack Obama could be elected because he's a …
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Kate Phillips / The Caucus:
Liberal Groups Gunning for Ford — Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. has yet to make official a primary bid against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York. But by raising his hand and expressing interest, he has unleashed a torrent of opposition among liberal Democrats, bloggers and activists who are mining his every quote.
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PR Newswire:
‘Doomsday Clock’ Moves One Minute Away From Midnight — Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Adjusts Clock From 5 to 6 Minutes Before Midnight; Encouraging Progress Seen Around Globe in Both Key Threat Areas: Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change. — Citing a more “hopeful state of world affairs” …
Discussion:
Think Progress, ABCNEWS, Wonk Room, Left Coast Rebel, Cosmic Variance, Sweetness & Light and Hit & Run
The Huffington Post:
As Wallets Open For Haiti, Credit Card Companies Take A Big Cut — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — As a massive human tragedy unfolds in Haiti, relief organizations are soliciting credit-card donations through their hotlines and websites. About 97 percent of these donations will actually …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Quinnipiac University:
U.S. Voters Say Sacrifice Modesty, Rights For Security, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Support For Health Reform At 34 Percent — American voters say 63 - 25 percent that the government's anti-terror policies lean too far toward protecting civil rights rather than national security and by 84 …
Erick Erickson / RedState:
What Do Sarah Palin and Jesus Christ Have In Common? — Having survived the day and in a relatively good mood, with a devil may care attitude, comments are now allowed. — I don't know what it is about Sarah Palin that sets people off, but there is very little in between.
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Watching Beck And Palin: “God Played An Essential Role In The Founding Of This Nation” — Just listen to the beginning of their restaurant chat, appropriating both the WTC site and the Statue of Liberty. More to the point, listen to the framework of their discussion. The core concept is a “re-founding” of America.
Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:
EXCLUSIVE: Obama wins more spending cuts than Bush — Congress accepts 60% of proposals — President Obama notched substantial successes in spending cuts last year, winning 60 percent of his proposed cuts and managing to get Congress to ax several programs that had bedeviled President George W. Bush for years.