memeorandum: Graham: W.H. mulls indefinite detention (Josh Gerstein/The Politico)

11:10 PM ET, February 15, 2010

Top Items:

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

Evan Bayh won't seek re-election, Senate majority in play? — Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this year, he announce Monday, a decision that hands Republicans a prime pickup opportunity in the middle of the country. — “After all these years, my passion for service …

Rich V. / The Vail Spot:

Senator Mikulski of Maryland to Retire — I've just heard from an impeccable source that Barbara Mikulski, the Democratic Senator who is up for reelection this November, will choose to retire. Mrs. Mikulski is expected to make her formal announcement in the next few days.

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, Doug Ross and The Lonely Conservative

Charles Lane / PostPartisan:

Bayh to Obama: take this job and shove it — Millions of Americans long to tell their bosses “take this job and shove it.” Hardly any have the power and money to do so, especially in these recessionary times. Sen. Evan Bayh (D) of Indiana, however, is the exception.

Discussion: Althouse, Eunomia, MyDD, Blue Crab Boulevard, Wizbang and Lawyers, Guns and Money

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Thoughts on Bayh — I can't believe I'm saying this but I really think Republicans have a chance to win back the Senate this fall now. — Let's be realistic- there was a Rasmussen view of Indiana that showed Evan Bayh down to Mike Pence and barely up on John Hostettler and a Research 2000 view that showed him safe for reelection.

Discussion: The Corner on National …, CNN, msnbc.com, Blue Crab Boulevard, Hot Air and The Washington Independent

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

Lane on Bayh — I have several more months in which to kick him around. — Here's an obviously admiring Charles Lane on Evan Bayh's decision: … The noteworthy thing here is that Lane, who seems to like Bayh and not see him as a selfish, immoral grandstander basically sees Bayh as a selfish, immoral grandstander.

Discussion: TalkLeft

ABCNEWS:

Evan Bayh Disses Washington on Way Out — Two-term Senator from Indiana Says He Will Not Seek Re-election, Pans Partisanship in U.S. Congress — Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh announced today that will not seek a third term — a huge blow to Democrats and an opportunity for Republicans to pick up another Senate seat in 2010.

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, Wizbang, Blogcritics, Mediaite, The Note, Truthdig and Wonkette

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:

Bayh to retire in huge blow to Dems — Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) will announce this afternoon that he will not seek re-election in 2010. — The news is a big loss for Democrats, opening up a very competitive seat in what's shaping up to be a tough cycle for Democrats.

Discussion: National Review Online, PostPartisan, Talking Points Memo, ABCNEWS, CNN, The Washington Independent, The Moderate Voice, Newshoggers.com, USA Today, The Swamp, TPMDC, NPR Blogs, Ben Smith's Blog and Moonbattery

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:

New poll: Now, signs of real vulnerability for California's Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer — So, is California's brittle Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer about to become the next Harry Reid? Which is to say, embattled at home. — As Reid worked the wallets of San Francisco on Presidents …

Discussion: Daily Kos, GayPatriot, Don Surber and Weasel Zippers

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Challenger adds to post-Bayh chaos — A Bloomington, Ind., restaurant owner who had been running an obscure and uphill challenge against Sen. Evan Bayh for the Democratic nomination claimed Monday that she's just 1,000 signatures short of qualifying for the ballot.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, CNN, Hot Air, The Washington Independent and Ben Smith's Blog

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
WHAT BAYH IS THINKING.... Sen. Evan Bayh's (D-Ind.) …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, Blue Indiana, Democratic Strategist and The Impolitic

David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Senate Candidate Tamyra D'Ippolito: “Politics in Indiana is the Old Boy's School.”

Discussion: Erick's blog, The Washington Independent, Open Left, Angry Bear and The Moderate Voice

Peter Wehner / Commentary:
Barack Millstone Obama

Discussion: The New Republic and Eunomia

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Is Bayh Running for President

Discussion: Gawker and Lean Left

Jim Geraghty / National Review Online: Let's Get Real: Barbara Mikulski Does Not Fear a Loss This Year.

Ed Hornick / CNN: Too tough to be a centrist?

Hotline On Call:
Explaining The IN Filing Process

Discussion: TPMDC, Firedoglake, The Plum Line, Commentary, Open Left, Riehl World View and Daily Kos

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Evan Bayh — Obviously, Evan Bayh's never been my favorite Senator.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Bayh, Relative to His State, Was Valuable to Democrats

Discussion: Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!

Reid Wilson / Hotline On Call:
Bayh To Retire In Face Of Challenge

Discussion: AmSpecBlog, The Huffington Post, The Politico, Michelle Malkin, The Political Carnival, Firedoglake and Swing State Project

Eric Kleefeld / TPMDC:
Another Dem Already In Race For Bayh's Seat …

Discussion: Guardian, The Politico, Swing State Project, RedState and Talking Points Memo

The Caucus:
Bayh Decides Against Re-election Bid

Discussion: msnbc.com, The Reality-Based Community, Balkinization, Newsweek Blogs, New York Magazine, Prairie Weather, Think Progress, The Political Carnival and CANNONFIRE

New York Times:

Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban's Top Commander — WASHINGTON — The Taliban's top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.

Discussion: ATTACKERMAN, Power Line, TigerHawk, Matthew Yglesias, Hot Air, Flopping Aces, FP Passport, The Jawa Report, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, democracyarsenal.org, AMERICAblog News and New York Magazine

Ezra Klein:

Democrats released a compromise health-care reform proposal — On Friday, I posted about the guest list for the White House's health-care summit, but I missed the big news in the accompanying invitation (mostly because I didn't notice that there was an accompanying invitation). Here's the money bit:

Discussion: The New Republic, Democratic Strategist, Hit & Run, Daily Kos, Liberal Values, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Grasping Reality …, SpeakEasy and Washington Monthly

Josh Gerstein / The Politico:
Graham: W.H. mulls indefinite detention

Discussion: TalkLeft and Emptywheel

Chris Bowers / Open Left:
GOP demands White House post health care proposal online …

Discussion: TPMDC, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, thedanashow.wordpress.com and Daily Kos

Walter Alarkon / The Hill:
Dems try to avoid overselling jobs bill

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

Carol E. Lee / The Politico:

Senator: VP comments ‘insulting’ — Joe Biden shakes hands with Scott Brown. AP — Sen. Scott Brown thinks Vice President Joe Biden was “off base” when he suggested Sunday that the Massachusetts Republican get his facts straight on the legal procedures for military tribunals.

Discussion: JammieWearingFool, Pundit & Pundette, Josh Gerstein's Blog, The Lonely Conservative and Sister Toldjah

Andrew Orlowski / The Register:

Now IPCC hurricane data is questioned — Open science: Got Excel? Debunk this — More trouble looms for the IPCC. The body may need to revise statements made in its Fourth Assessment Report on hurricanes and global warming. A statistical analysis of the raw data shows that the claims …

Discussion: YID With LID and EU Referendum

Washington Post:

Series of missteps by climate scientists threatens climate-change agenda — With its 2007 report declaring that the “warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won a Nobel Prize — and a new degree of public trust in the controversial science of global warming.

Discussion: Hot Air, AMERICAN DIGEST, Times of London, The Strata-Sphere, The Moderate Voice, dallasmorningviewsblog …, NewsBusters.org, FP Passport, JustOneMinute and The Anchoress

RealClimate:
IPCC errors: facts and spin

Discussion: The New Republic and Little Green Footballs

Heidi Blake / Telegraph:
UN global warming data skewed by heat from planes and buildings

Discussion: Jay Currie

Rasmussen Reports:

Election 2010: Washington Senate — Washington Senate: Murray Leads All Republican Challengers But Rossi — Democratic Senator Patty Murray holds double-digit leads on three of the top Republicans who hope to unseat her in this year's Senate race in Washington State.

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and Open Left

Boston Herald:

Quincy man recalls Amy Bishop holdup — ‘For the last 23 years, it was just a cool story I could tell.’ — A former auto-body worker claims Amy Bishop put a gun to his chest and demanded a getaway car just minutes after she shot her brother to death 24 years ago in a controversial case that is now being reviewed.

Discussion: American Power, ABCNEWS, The Confluence, Jules Crittenden, TPMMuckraker, Breaking News … and Gateway Pundit

Alan Colmes' Liberaland:

Will Obama's Up Numbers Get The Attention His Down Numbers Did? — The minute President Obama's numbers dipped below 50% the right wing went into full bashing mode. The play in the numbers always goes back-and-forth, and conservative icon Ronald Reagan began his third year in the White House at 35% approval.

Discussion: The Other McCain

Jane Taber / Globe and Mail:

Romney threatened on flight out of Vancouver — Republican politician Mitt Romney was physically threatened by a violent passenger on an Air Canada flight leaving Vancouver this morning. — Mr. Romney, who has been in Vancouver since Friday for the Olympic Winter Games, did not respond to the attack.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin