Top Items:
New York Times:
Obama Moves to Centralize Control Over Party Strategy — WASHINGTON — President Obama is reconstituting the team that helped him win the White House to counter Republican challenges in the midterm elections and recalibrate after political setbacks that have narrowed his legislative ambitions.
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Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Plouffe stepping up role as adviser to White House — David Plouffe, the man who managed President Barack Obama's campaign, will be taking on an expanded role as an outside adviser to the White House, according to sources familiar with the plan, a move that comes just days after a stunning defeat …
David Plouffe / Washington Post:
November doesn't need to be a nightmare for Democrats
November doesn't need to be a nightmare for Democrats
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News
Chris Frates / The Politico:
Reid, Pelosi work to save reform
Reid, Pelosi work to save reform
Discussion:
The Democratic Daily, Firedoglake, The Lonely Conservative, Liberal Values, The Reaction, The Daily Dish, Another Black Conservative, Joust The Facts, American Conservative …, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Weasel Zippers, The Page and Paul Krugman
Patterico's Pontifications:
Ellie Light: Obama Astroturfer? Or Very, Very, Very Energetic But Independent Letter Writer? With Houses All Over the Nation? — A woman has written the same letter defending Obama to dozens of publications across the country, getting them published in at least 42 newspapers in 18 states …
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Patterico / Hot Air:
Ellie Light: Obama Astroturfer? — Someone appears to be doing a little Astroturfing for Obama. — In recent days, a letter defending Obama has appeared in dozens of newspapers throughout the country — all signed by an “Ellie Light.” In the letters, which all use identical language …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Obama Turns Up Heat Over Ruling on Campaign Spending — WASHINGTON — President Obama took aim at the Supreme Court on Saturday, saying the justices had “handed a huge victory to the special interests and their lobbyists” with last week's 5-to-4 decision to lift restrictions on campaign spending by corporations and unions.
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Dave Johnson / Seeing the Forest:
Supreme Court Shifts Business Playing Field Away From Marketplace
Supreme Court Shifts Business Playing Field Away From Marketplace
Discussion:
Ian Welsh
Greenville News:
(2 of 2) — “We don't make you take a drug test. We ought to. We don't even make you show up to your child's parent-teacher conference meeting or to the PTA meeting,” Bauer said. — “You go to a school where there's an active participation of parents and guess what? They have the highest test scores.
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Nathaniel Cary / TheSunNews.com:
Bauer: Needy ‘owe something back’ for aid — GREENVILLE - Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer has compared giving people government assistance to “feeding stray animals.” — Bauer, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor, made his remarks during a town hall meeting in Fountain Inn …
Danny Shea First / The Huffington Post:
Phil Griffin's Memo To MSNBC Talent: Stop Fighting With Each Other — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — On the heels of yet another public incident between his anchors, MSNBC president Phil Griffin reined in his talent in a staff memo Friday afternoon. — Griffin sent a memo …
Discussion:
Michael Calderone's Blog, American Conservative …, Mediaite, YID With LID and New York Magazine
Michael Sneed / Chicago Sun Times:
Jury duty for President Obama? — To serve or not to serve? Is that the question? — • Translation: TV titan Oprah Winfrey may have honored her Cook County Circuit Court Jury summons, but it's a good bet President Obama won't. — • To wit: Sneed has learned Obama's name …
Bob Herbert / New York Times:
They Still Don't Get It — How loud do the alarms have to get? There is an economic emergency in the country with millions upon millions of Americans riddled with fear and anxiety as they struggle with long-term joblessness, home foreclosures, personal bankruptcies and dwindling opportunities for themselves and their children.
Discussion:
Mediaite
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
White House Is Confident Bernanke Will Be Confirmed — WASHINGTON — After a full-scale mobilization, White House and Senate officials expressed confidence on Saturday that they had successfully contained a populist uprising among Democratic senators that had threatened President Obama's nomination …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Grasping Reality …, The Page, The Other McCain, Calculated Risk and New York Times
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Justice Kennedy was key to conservatives' win in campaign finance decision — If there was a new boldness from the Supreme Court's conservative majority in last week's landmark ruling on campaign finance laws, there was also an underlying and familiar truth:
Larisa Alexandrovna / At-Largely:
70-year gag on Kelly death evidence (Dr. David Kelly) — Well this latest news won't fuel any conspiracy theories (cough) or bring even more serious questions about the alleged murder (not suicide) of former UN weapons' inspector Dr. David Kelly (cough). — Before we get into the latest …
Simon Johnson / The Baseline Scenario:
Paul Krugman For The Fed — The case for Ben Bernanke's reappointment was weak to start with, weakened with his hearings, and is now held together by string and some phone calls from the White House. Bernanke is an airline pilot who pulled off a miraculous landing, but didn't do his preflight checks …
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Anthony Shadid / New York Times:
Biden Says U.S. Will Appeal Blackwater Case Dismissal — BAGHDAD — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. promised Iraqi leaders on Saturday that the United States would appeal the dismissal of manslaughter charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security contractors involved in a deadly shooting …
Discussion:
Prairie Weather
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Pat G. / Think Progress:
Bayh Claims 'There's A Fighting Chance' Obama Will Call For A Spending Freeze — In an interview yesterday with Bloomberg's Al Hunt, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) — who met with members of the administration's economic team this week — said that he believes there's a “fighting chance” …
Discussion:
Wonk Room
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CNN:
Hayworth says he will challenge McCain — (CNN) - Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth of Arizona says he's planning to challenge fellow Republican John McCain for his senate seat. — The former six-term congressman stepped down Friday as host of his conservative talk radio program on a radio station in Phoenix.
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, National Review Online, Daily Kos, Townhall.com, RedState and Hotline On Call
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