memeorandum: Ken Starr to head Baylor University (Josh Gerstein/The Politico)

9:30 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: DaTechguy's Blog, 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, Daily Kos, Another Black Conservative, Commentary, Washington Times, Don Surber and Weasel Zippers

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: New York Post, The Note, Salon, Real Clear Politics, Washington Post, Connecting.the.Dots, The Politico, msnbc.com, Washington Times, USA Today and Ta-Nehisi Coates

ABCNEWS:
Sen. Bayh: ‘Too Much Brain-Dead Partisanship’ in Congress

Discussion: The Caucus, The Page and The Politico

David Catanese / The Politico:
Five ways to lose the Senate majority

Discussion: Don Surber

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

Discussion: BuzzFlash.org and Paul Krugman

ABCNEWS:
Evan Bayh Disses Washington on Way Out

Discussion: CNN, The Huffington Post, The Politico, Mediaite, theblogprof, Scared Monkeys, Politics Daily, Blogcritics, Wizbang, Commentary, Truthdig and The Note

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

Discussion: TalkLeft

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

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

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Thoughts on Bayh

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

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

Discussion: Gawker and Lean Left

Peter Wehner / Commentary:
Barack Millstone Obama

Discussion: Eunomia and The New Republic

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: Politics Daily, msnbc.com, Hotline On Call, Riehl World View and The Page

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

Discussion: Think Progress, Firedoglake, Prairie Weather and msnbc.com

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: RedState and Don Surber

Rich V. / The Vail Spot:
Senator Mikulski of Maryland to Retire

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Open Left, Doug Ross, DownWithTyranny!, Conservatives4Palin.com, The Lonely Conservative, The Fix and GayPatriot

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

Herb Jackson / NorthJersey.com:
Lautenberg taken to hospital after fall

Discussion: ABC 7 Eyewitness News, The Hill and Riehl World View

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

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.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway

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

Julie Rovner / wbur.org:

Republicans Spurn Once-Favored Health Mandate — For Republicans, the idea of requiring every American to have health insurance is one of the most abhorrent provisions of the Democrats' health overhaul bills. — “Congress has never crossed the line between regulating what people choose …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

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

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

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.