Top Items:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Do the Right Thing — A message to House Democrats: This is your moment of truth. You can do the right thing and pass the Senate health care bill. Or you can look for an easy way out, make excuses and fail the test of history. — Tuesday's Republican victory in the Massachusetts special election means …
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
In U.S., Majority Favors Suspending Work on Healthcare Bill — Seven in 10 say Massachusetts election result reflects frustrations shared by Americans — PRINCETON, NJ — In the wake of Republican Scott Brown's victory in Tuesday's U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, the majority of Americans …
Discussion:
The Swamp, Politics Daily, The Plum Line, TPMDC, AmSpecBlog and Pollster.com All Content
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Will the Base Abandon Hope? — Imagine for a moment that you're a liberal. Oh, I know, that won't be a stretch for some of you. Over the years, you've developed a pretty thick skin, since while you've won an election now and then, you haven't had too many policy victories since ... well, since forever.
The Politico:
Dem health care talks collapsing — Health care reform teetered on the brink of collapse Thursday as House and Senate leaders struggled to coalesce around a strategy to rescue the plan, in the face of growing pessimism among lawmakers that the president's top priority can survive.
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Political Punch:
Senate Dems Not Sure They Can Get Enough Votes to Reconfirm Bernanke — Amidst the voter anger at Wall Street and Washington, D.C., ABC News has learned that the Senate Democratic leadership isn't sure there are enough votes to re-confirm Ben Bernanke for another term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
New York Times:
A New Search for Consensus on Health Care Bill — WASHINGTON — Even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi affirmed her commitment to pass far-reaching health care legislation this year, members of Congress and health policy experts began Thursday to deal with the reality that a smaller bill would have a better chance.
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
So Is It Really Over? — Let me take a moment and explain where I think we are on the Health Care Reform front. — As I've argued, procedurally, with the senate Dems reduced to 59 votes, there's no way to get a better or revised bill through the senate. (Frankly, it's not clear to me that there are still 59 votes.)
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Fluid and Muddle — I've been poking around some sources …
Fluid and Muddle — I've been poking around some sources …
Discussion:
The Greenroom
New York Times:
The Court's Blow to Democracy — With a single, disastrous 5-to-4 ruling, the Supreme Court has thrust politics back to the robber-baron era of the 19th century. Disingenuously waving the flag of the First Amendment, the court's conservative majority has paved the way for corporations …
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Jan Crawford / CBS News:
Justice Stevens Stumbles: A Step To Retirement? — Justice John Paul Stevens has left some clues he's planning to retire this year, shortly after he turns 90 years old. He's only hired one law clerk for next term, for example, and not the four that sitting justices typically hire every year.
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Lobbyists Get Potent Weapon in Campaign Finance Ruling
Lobbyists Get Potent Weapon in Campaign Finance Ruling
Discussion:
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Room for Debate:
How Corporate Money Will Reshape Politics
How Corporate Money Will Reshape Politics
Discussion:
American Prospect, Hotline On Call, CNN, Alas, a blog, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hullabaloo, Firedoglake, Law Blog, Media Nation and Big Journalism
Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
Political Fallout From the Supreme Court Ruling
Political Fallout From the Supreme Court Ruling
Discussion:
The Politico, New Deal 2.0, Wall Street Journal, Betsy's Page, Big Journalism, CANNONFIRE, Cato @ Liberty, Big Brass Blog, BBC, SCOTUSblog, No Sheeples Here and Grist
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Detainees Will Still Be Held, but Not Tried, Official Says — WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has decided to continue to imprison without trials nearly 50 detainees at the Guantánamo Bay military prison in Cuba because a high-level task force has concluded that they are too difficult …
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Washington Post:
Obama's ‘Volcker Rule’ shifts power away from Geithner — For much of last year, Paul Volcker wandered the country arguing for tougher restraints on big banks while the Obama administration pursued a more moderate regulatory agenda driven by Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner.
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Charles Hawley / Spiegel Online:
The World Bids Farewell to Obama — US President Barack Obama suffered a painful defeat in Massachusetts on Tuesday. With mid-term elections looming, it means that Obama will have to fundamentally re-think his political course. German commentators say it is the end of hope.
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James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
W II — Obama's first term is looking a lot like Bush's second term.
W II — Obama's first term is looking a lot like Bush's second term.
Discussion:
TigerHawk
Melanie Trottman / Wall Street Journal:
Union Households Gave Boost to GOP's Brown
Union Households Gave Boost to GOP's Brown
Discussion:
USA Today
WCBS-TV:
Bloomberg Hammers Obama, Congress Over Bank Plan — Mayor Says President's Idea To Limit Size And Investments Will Lead To Big Problems For NYC, Including Layoffs — Hizzoner Suggests Salaries Of D.C. Lawmakers Be Held Back For Decade — NEW YORK (CBS) ― President Barack Obama's demand Thursday …
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Brian Stelter / New York Times:
Air America, the Talk Radio Network, Will Go Off the Air — Air America, the long-suffering progressive talk radio network, abruptly shut down on Thursday, bowing to what it called a “very difficult economic environment.” — The chairman of Air America Media, Charlie Kireker …
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The Huffington Post:
Scott Brown's Wife Music VIDEO: Gail Huff's RACY ‘Girl With The Curious Hand’ (PHOTOS) — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — On Tuesday night, Scott Brown's wife pleaded with her husband to stop advertising his “available” daughters, but a video we've dug up reveals that Gail Huff wasn't always so prim and proper.
Discussion:
Moe Lane, Bostonist, The Lonely Conservative, Gateway Pundit, POWIP, Boston Globe, DaTechguy's Blog, Mediaite and BuzzFlash.org
Lisa de Moraes / Moraes on TV:
Jay Leno to keynote White House Correspondents Dinner — White House Correspondents Association has picked this week's most unpopular stand-up comic Jay Leno be the keynote speaker at this year's White House Correspondents DInner. — An NBC rep confirmed the invitation to The TV Column.
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Paul Krugman:
A Note On The Economy — Quite aside from everything else going on, the economic recovery isn't looking very good. Unemployment claims are stalled at a level that bodes ill for for the overall employment picture (don't count on falling unemployment until that number falls well below 400,000).
Discussion:
Economist's View
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Will Ben Bernanke Become the First Casualty of the Brown Election? — Dead man sitting? Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke (photo: talkradionews) — No, health care was the first casualty. But Roll Call has an incredible article up, reporting from the Senate that Ben Bernanke's nomination …