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

8:40 AM ET, February 16, 2010

Top Items:

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: Guardian and Wonkette

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.

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: GayPatriot, Commentary, Daily Kos, Another Black Conservative, Washington Times, Don Surber, Weasel Zippers and And So it Goes in Shreveport

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: The Note, Real Clear Politics, Washington Times, The Politico and Ta-Nehisi Coates

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Lane on Bayh — I have several more months in which to kick him around.

Discussion: TalkLeft

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Thoughts on Bayh

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard, The Corner on National …, Hot Air, Hotline On Call, msnbc.com, Washington Monthly, The Washington Independent, CNN, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and Firedoglake

ABCNEWS:
Evan Bayh Disses Washington on Way Out

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Politico, theblogprof, Scared Monkeys, Blogcritics, Wizbang, USA Today, Politics Daily, Mediaite, Commentary, Truthdig and Wonkette

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

Discussion: Gawker and Lean Left

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

Discussion: driftglass, The Sundries Shack and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Chris Good / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
Bayh's Retirement — Fox News is reporting that Sen. Evan Bayh …

Discussion: BuzzFlash.org and Paul Krugman

Peter Wehner / Commentary:
Barack Millstone Obama

Discussion: Eunomia and The New Republic

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

Discussion: The Swamp, The Daily Caller and NPR Blogs

CNN:
Bayh won't seek re-election

Discussion: Mediaite, Erick's blog, RedState and NO QUARTER

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: Moe_Lane's blog and Don Surber

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, The Lonely Conservative and GayPatriot

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: The Strata-Sphere, YID With LID, EU Referendum 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: TPMDC, Michelle Malkin and Gateway Pundit

James Queally / New Jersey Online:

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg is 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 New Jersey Democrat was conscious when he was taken to the hospital …

Discussion: TPMDC

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

Tea party leaders will meet with Steele and other Republican operatives — About 50 leaders of the grass-roots “tea party” movement will meet in Washington on Tuesday with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele and other top GOP operatives to discuss campaign strategies and conservative principles.

Discussion: Riehl World View and The Page

David Barstow / New York Times:
Tea Party Movement Lights Fuse for Rebellion on Right

Discussion: Firedoglake and Prairie Weather

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit:

FAIL... Just 6% of Americans Believe Obama's $787 Billion Stimulus Created Jobs — In December the Obama Administration announced they had “saved or created” 1.1 million jobs. — In January the Obama Administration announced they had “saved or created” 2 million jobs.

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

Chris Bowers / Open Left:

GOP demands White House post health care proposal online, then attacks WH for doing exactly that — Here is one from the “negotiating in good faith” files. — On February 8th, Republican House leader John Beohner sent a letter to the White House, demanding that the White House post 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

Ezra Klein:
Democrats released a compromise health-care reform proposal

Discussion: Liberal Values, The New Republic, Daily Kos, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Democratic Strategist, AmSpecBlog, Grasping Reality …, Hit & Run, The Reality-Based Community, Washington Monthly and Ben Smith's Blog

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

David Dayen / Firedoglake:

Senate Candidate Tamyra D'Ippolito: “Politics in Indiana is the Old Boy's School.” — I just spoke with Tamyra D'Ippolito, the candidate who was already running in the US Senate primary as a Democrat in Indiana before Evan Bayh ended his re-election bid today.

Discussion: Erick's blog, The Daily Caller, The Plum Line, Open Left, The Washington Independent, National Review Online and The Moderate Voice

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

Discussion: Newshoggers.com, TPMDC, The Nation, CNN, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Riehl World View, Ben Smith's Blog, The Washington Independent and Hot Air

NBC Chicago:

Wisconsin Billboard Calls for Obama's Ouster — Billboard will remain until June — Somebody in Wisconsin doesn't like President Barack Obama all that much. — An unnamed company has paid for a billboard along Highway 41 in Oshkosh that reads, “Impeach Obama.”

Discussion: No Sheeples Here and Power Line