Top Items:
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
Obama Seeks Freeze on Many Domestic Programs — WASHINGTON — President Obama will call for a three-year freeze in spending on many domestic programs, and for increases no greater than inflation after that, an initiative intended to signal his seriousness about cutting the budget deficit, administration officials said Monday.
Discussion:
Grasping Reality …, Associated Press, TPMCafe, Truthdig, New York Magazine, AMERICAblog News, Hullabaloo, The Page and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
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Wall Street Journal:
Budget Freeze Is Proposed — White House Plan Applies to Only 17% of Spending; Small Impact on Deficit — WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama intends to propose a three-year freeze in spending that accounts for one-sixth of the federal budget—a move meant to quell rising concern …
Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Obama Budget to Call for Freeze in Non-Security Discretionary Spending — On an exciting phone call with progressive internet writers earlier this evening, a senior administration official outlined the Obama administration's plan to call for a freeze in non-security discretionary spending spending starting …
The Politico:
Obama to propose spending freeze — President Obama plans to announce a three-year freeze on discretionary, “non-security” spending in the lead-up to Wednesday's State of the Union address, Hill Democratic sources familiar with the plan tell POLITICO. — The move, intended to blunt …
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
Obama's 3 Year Freeze; Democrats Brain Freeze — Late Monday afternoon, a small group of reporters crowded into a conference room in the Eisenhower executive office building to hear two “senior administration officials” give an embargoed briefing on what will be the most debated part of the president's budget for 2011.
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:
Sources: Obama to propose discretionary spending freeze — President Obama plans to announce a three-year freeze on discretionary, “non-security” spending in the lead-up Wednesday's State of the Union address, Hill Democratic sources familiar with the plan tell POLITICO.
Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:
Obama to propose freeze on government spending — Under mounting pressure to rein in mammoth budget deficits, President Obama will propose in his State of the Union address a three-year freeze on federal spending that is not related to national security, a concession to public concern …
Discussion:
Politics Daily
Mark Mooney / ABCNEWS:
Exclusive: Obama Would ‘Rather Be Really Good One-Term President’ — Obama Tells Diane Sawyer That Health Care Bill Had Political Cost — President Obama, buffeted by criticism of his massive health care reform bill and election setbacks, said today he remained determined to tackle health care …
Discussion:
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CNN:
CNN Poll: Most Americans applaud Democrats' loss of supermajority — Washington (CNN) - Americans are divided on whether Democratic control of Congress is good for the country, according to a new national poll. — A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday also indicates …
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
CNN Poll: For First Time, More Say Dem Control Is Bad For Country — The headline on the new CNN poll is this: “Most Americans applaud Democrats' loss of supermajority.” — And that's bad for Dems. But what's worse for Dems is that the poll's internals also show that for the first time since …
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Joe Klein / Swampland:
Too Dumb to Thrive — Absolutely amazing poll results from CNN today about the $787 stimulus package: nearly three out of four Americans think the money has been wasted. On second thought, they may be right: it's been wasted on them. Indeed, the largest single item in the package …
Discussion:
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Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:
Berry: Obama said “big difference” between '10 and '94 is “me” — Rep. Marion Berry's parting shot, published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [no link, subscription only] offers a warning to moderate Democrats and border state moderates — warning of a midterm bloodbath comparable to the 54-seat D-to-R swing in 1994.
Discussion:
Nice Deb, NO QUARTER, Wizbang, Hot Air, Political Byline, Pajamas Media, Firedoglake, Scorecard's Blog, The Confluence, Another Black Conservative, Perfunction, America's Right, Betsy's Page, Townhall.com, The New Editor, JOSHUAPUNDIT, The Lonely Conservative, Gateway Pundit, YID With LID, Viking Pundit, JammieWearingFool and marbury
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Gawker:
Sources: John Edwards Has a Sex Tape — Sources have told us that, in the throes of their affair, John Edwards and Rielle Hunter made a sex tape that contains “several sex acts.” And that his aide, Andrew Young found it on an unmarked DVD. — The tape, say both our sources …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Hot Air, NewsReal Blog, Politics Daily, New York Magazine, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Indecision Forever
Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Dems' Bush-bashing goes bust — After three consecutive losses in statewide races, some top Democrats are questioning a tactic aimed at boosting the party's candidates in each of those contests: Bush-bashing. — Running as much against the Bush White House as he was running against Sen. John McCain …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Financial Times, JOSHUAPUNDIT, No More Mister Nice Blog, QandO and Flopping Aces
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Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
Could Democrats Lose The Senate? — The decision by Beau Biden not to run for Senate brings to mind an historical parallel. With no Biden in the race, with no Ted Kaufman serving another term, the Democratic candidate is likely to be New Castle County executive Chris Coons.
James Rosen / Fox News:
Obama Administration Steers Lucrative No-Bid Contract for Afghan Work to Dem Donor — The Obama administration this month awarded a $25 million federal contract for work in Afghanistan to a company owned by a prominent Democratic campaign contributor without entertaining competitive bids, Fox News has learned.
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Dem: Senate thinks it's ‘House of Lords’ — The third-ranking House Democrat said the Senate thinks of itself as “a House of Lords” that is out of touch with voters. — Majority Whip James Clyburn's (D-S.C.) remarks are one of the most significant public shots taken at the Senate …
Matt Corley / Think Progress:
Lieberman: 'It's Possible' I Could Be ‘A Good Old-Fashioned New England Moderate Republican’ — During the 2008 presidential campaign, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) supported Republican John McCain and attacked then-candidate Obama while speaking at the Republican National Committee.
Peter Hamby / CNN:
South Carolina Republican regrets ‘stray animal’ metaphor — (CNN) - South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, under fire for drawing a comparison between needy people and “stray animals,” said Monday that he regrets his choice of words. — In a phone interview with CNN, Bauer …
Discussion:
The Politico, Greenville News, Raw Story, The Moderate Voice, Truthdig, Wonkette and TPM LiveWire
James Kwak / The Baseline Scenario:
Tim Geithner Says to Leave Your Money at Big Banks — But he's not sure why. During an interview with Mike Allen of Politico, Tim Geithner said that the Move Your Money campaign is a bad idea, but didn't actually give a reason why. Here's the whole segment of the interview (beginning around the 3:30 mark):
Gary Farber / Amygdala:
HEALTH CARE REFORM WON'T SAVE ME. — I'm asking for your help. — For several years I've, finally, been in the process of applying for Social Security Disability, something I desperately needed to do decades earlier, but wrongheadedly struggled to avoid as my life spiraled into hell.
Jennifer Golson / New Jersey Online:
Somerset authorities seize grenade launcher, weapons cache from Virginia man at motel … BRANCHBURG — Somerset County investigators seized a cache of weapons including a grenade launcher and hundreds of rounds of ammunition today from the Branchburg motel room of a Virginia man …
People-Press.org:
Public's Priorities for 2010: Economy, Jobs, Terrorism — Energy Concerns Fall, Deficit Concerns Rise — As Barack Obama begins his second year in office, the public's priorities for the president and Congress remain much as they were one year ago. Strengthening the nation's economy …
The Note:
Levin: President Obama Could Address Gays in the Military During State of the Union Speech — ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports: Will President Obama announce new policy regarding the sexual orientation of people serving in the military during his State of the Union address Wednesday?
Discussion:
The Politico, The Moderate Voice, The Other McCain, Hot Air, New York Times and The Page
Michael Mishak / Las Vegas Sun:
Oscar Goodman decides not to run for governor — Las Vegas Mayor makes announcement at press conference at City Hall — Mayor Oscar Goodman laughs as he gives back microphones to television news reporters. Goodman announced he will not be running for governor of Nevada during …
Discussion:
Scorecard's Blog
The Rothenberg / The Rothenberg Political Report:
28 House Seats move toward GOP — After a stunning GOP Senate win in Massachusetts and a slew of new polls showing many Democratic incumbents in trouble, it's hard to argue with the obvious: the Republicans unquestionably have momentum as 2010 begins. — We are adding a dozen new seats …
Slate:
Steve Jobs delivers the annual presidential address. — Read all of Slate's coverage on the expected announcement of Apple's tablet computer. … —New York Times, Jan. 18, 2010 … Thank you for coming. And thank you to President Obama for asking me to deliver this year's speech.
Discussion:
Boing Boing
Matthew Continetti / Weekly Standard:
Defusing the Debt Bomb — Before it's too late. — “This cannot work,” says New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg, “unless it's seen as totally bipartisan and fair.” — Gregg is the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. He is talking about his proposal, coauthored …
Discussion:
Power Line
Newt Gingrich / About Newsmax.com:
How I'd Create a New ‘Contract With America’ — Dear Fellow Americans: — During the past few months, a number of people have asked me about the possibility of a new Contract with America for the 2010 elections. They remember the clarity, the positive focus, and the election results of the 1994 contract.
Paul Krugman:
Of Fate and Fumbles — It has not been a good year for Obama, or for the progressive agenda. But why? Ignore all the pontificating about how Obama needed to focus differently, seek bipartisanship with people who have no interest in making a deal, etc.. The primary factor in Obama's troubles is …
Elizabeth Benjamin / The Daily Politics:
Ford Targets Gillibrand, But Takes On Schumer (Updated) — Harold Ford Jr. today took the fight to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - and her political mentor, Sen. Chuck Schumer - in the junior senator's own backyard, slamming his two fellow Democrats for failing to be sufficiently independent and put New Yorkers' needs first.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, City Room, New York Times, Gawker, The Washington Independent and New York Magazine
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Obama: I'd rather be a really awesome one-term president than a mediocre two-termer — An irresistible soundbite from today's sitdown with Sawyer. Keep doing what you're doing, champ. You're right on track. — He's right, though, about how stupid the shifting narratives are concerning his Spock-like demeanor.