memeorandum: New poll: Now, signs of real vulnerability for California's Democratic … (Andrew Malcolm/Top of the Ticket)

2:40 AM ET, February 16, 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 …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, The Huffington Post, Lynn Sweet, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Times, PostPartisan, The Sundries Shack, AmSpecBlog, Fox News, Real Clear Politics, Hotline On Call, The Huffington Post, Scared Monkeys, Firedoglake, Associated Press, Top of the Ticket, Taylor Marsh, FiveThirtyEight, CBS News, Philly.com, Crooks and Liars, The Cook Political Report, Ben Smith's Blog, Hot Air, Macsmind, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Cassy Fiano, DownWithTyranny!, Climate Progress, Liberal Values, Washington Monthly, Michelle Malkin, Doug Ross, Atlas Shrugs, Eduwonk, NO QUARTER, GayPatriot, Swampland, Politics Nation, Raw Story, Moe Lane, Matthew Yglesias, The Washington Note, Left Coast Rebel, AMERICAblog News, The Note, And So it Goes in Shreveport, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, JustOneMinute, Power Line and Indecision Forever

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: Eunomia, Althouse, MyDD, Blue Crab Boulevard, Lawyers, Guns and Money, CBS News, Wizbang and Washington Monthly

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: Another Black Conservative, GayPatriot, Daily Kos, Don Surber and Weasel Zippers

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

Jim Geraghty / National Review Online:

Let's Get Real: Barbara Mikulski Does Not Fear a Loss This Year. — By: Jim Geraghty — Many, many readers are excited about the rumor, eminating from The Vail Spot blog, that Sen. Barbara Mikulski will retire. — Mike Memoli of RealClearPolitics and Chris Cillizza of the Post …

Discussion: Don Surber

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:

Democrats Reel as Senator Says No to 3rd Term — WASHINGTON — Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana announced on Monday that he would not seek re-election, sending a wave of distress over his fellow Democrats and focusing new attention on the view that unyielding partisanship had left Congress all but paralyzed.

Discussion: Ta-Nehisi Coates

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

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Thoughts on Bayh

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

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

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

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

Discussion: driftglass and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

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

Discussion: Lean Left and Gawker

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:
Bayh to retire in huge blow to Dems

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

Peter Wehner / Commentary:
Barack Millstone Obama

Discussion: The New Republic and Eunomia

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

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, Crooks and Liars, Outside The Beltway, Democratic Strategist, The Impolitic, MyDD and Ben Smith's Blog

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Challenger adds to post-Bayh chaos

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

Hotline On Call:
Explaining The IN Filing Process

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

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

Discussion: Guardian, PostPartisan, The Politico, Swing State Project, Newsweek Blogs, Talking Points Memo, RedState and The Corner on National …

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

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Eric Bradner / courierpress.com: Bayh says he won't seek re-election

Jim Geraghty / National Review Online:
Evan Bayh to Retire... The Deluge Continues — By: Jim Geraghty

Discussion: The Washington Independent, Betsy's Page, Blue Indiana, Gawker, Think Progress and Swing State Project

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.

Spencer Ackerman / ATTACKERMAN:

It's Extremely Important We Don't Torture Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — The Taliban's military commander has been captured in a joint Pakistani-U.S. intelligence raid. A high-five to Langley: this is one serious motherf**king success. Now it's really important we don't screw it all up by abusing Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

Discussion: Wonkette

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, Daily Kos, Liberal Values, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Hit & Run, Grasping Reality …, The Reality-Based Community and Washington Monthly

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

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

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

Discussion: TalkLeft and Emptywheel

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

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

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: EU Referendum, YID With LID and GayPatriot

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, TPMDC and Gateway Pundit

James Queally / New Jersey Online:

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg taken to area hospital after fall — U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg was taken by ambulance tonight from his Cliffside Park home after suffering a fall, his spokesman said. — The 86-year-old Democrat was conscious when he was taken to the hospital …

Discussion: TPMDC

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, Wizbang, Nice Deb, Sister Toldjah, Josh Gerstein's Blog, Pundit & Pundette, The Lonely Conservative, Moe Lane, Flopping Aces and Weasel Zippers

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

RealClimate:

IPCC errors: facts and spin — Currently, a few errors -and supposed errors- in the last IPCC report ("AR4″) are making the media rounds - together with a lot of distortion and professional spin by parties interested in discrediting climate science. Time for us to sort the wheat from the chaff …

Discussion: Liberal Values, Little Green Footballs, The New Republic, FP Passport and Deltoid