Top Items:
Michael Barbaro / City Room:
Ford Decides Not to Run — Under intense pressure from Democratic Party officials, Harold E. Ford Jr., the former Tennessee congressman, has decided not to challenge Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand in the primary this fall, according to two people told of his plans.
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Harold Ford Jr / New York Times:
Why I'm Not Running for the Senate — WHEN it was reported two months ago that I was thinking seriously about running for the United States Senate from New York, Democratic Party insiders started their own campaign to bully me out of the race — just as they had done with Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Steve Israel and others.
Dennis Romero / LA Daily:
CORRECTED: Mickey Kaus Takes Out Papers For U.S. Senate Run — Pioneering political blogger Mickey Kaus took out papers [filed] to run for U.S. Senate in California, he told LA Weekly. The Venice resident said he'll run this year against Barbara Boxer for her seat.
Discussion:
Kausfiles, LA Observed, RedState, Firedoglake, Betsy's Page, Outside The Beltway, Wilshire & Washington, Alas, a blog, The Other McCain and Roger Ailes
Jason Horowitz / Washington Post:
Hotheaded Emanuel may be White House voice of reason — Rahm Emanuel is officially a Washington caricature. He's the town's resident leviathan, a bullying, bruising White House chief of staff who is a prime target for the failings of the Obama administration.
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New York Times:
Obama to Highlight Cost in New Health Bill Push — WASHINGTON — President Obama this week will begin a climactic push to rally restive Congressional Democrats to pass major health care legislation by hammering the argument that the costs of failure will be higher insurance premiums and lost coverage for individuals and businesses.
Erica Werner / Associated Press:
Obama looks to undecided Dems for health backing
Obama looks to undecided Dems for health backing
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Monthly, CBS News, Washington Times, The Politico, Right Pundits and The Page
Major Garrett / Row 2, Seat 4:
Obama to Unveil New Health Care Bill Wednesday; “Much Smaller” …
Obama to Unveil New Health Care Bill Wednesday; “Much Smaller” …
Discussion:
Fausta's Blog, The Note, The Reaction, Hot Air, Jules Crittenden, Dennis the Peasant, Another Black Conservative, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JustOneMinute, The Lonely Conservative, Ruby Slippers, The New Republic, The Corner on National …, KeithHennessey.com, Gold Dome Live and Weasel Zippers
Charles Babington / Associated Press:
Some House foes eye switch to ‘yes’ on health care
Some House foes eye switch to ‘yes’ on health care
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Who really gets hurt when GOP's Bunning blocks this bill? — WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation furloughed nearly 2,000 employees without pay Monday as the government began to feel the impact of Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's one-man blockage of legislation that would keep a host of federal programs operating.
Discussion:
The Humble Libertarian, Left Coast Rebel, The Hill, Firedoglake, The Lonely Conservative and WLKY-TV
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The World Newser:
Sen. Bunning is Angry: ‘This Is a Senators Only Elevator!’ — ABC's Jonathan Karl and Z. Byron Wolf report from Washington: — An angry Senator Jim Bunning refused to answer questions from ABC News about his decision to block a bill extending unemployment benefits.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, In The Pink, Mediaite, CNN, Crooks and Liars, CBS News, Wonk Room, Taylor Marsh, Courier-Journal, Another Black Conservative, TPMCafe, Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Think Progress, The Swamp, Taegan Goddard's …, The Confluence, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wizbang, The Atlantic Online, Gawker, The Plum Line and AMERICAblog News
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Bunning Blockade Leads To 21 Percent Fee Cut For Doctors
Bunning Blockade Leads To 21 Percent Fee Cut For Doctors
Discussion:
Washington Post, democracyarsenal.org, Liberal Values, CNN, Guardian, The Moderate Voice, Open Left, Top of the Ticket and The Hill
Gerard Couzens / Daily Mail:
Baby girl survives after being shot in the chest in parents' ‘global warming suicide pact’ — A seven-month-old baby girl survived three days alone with a bullet in her chest beside the bodies of her parents and toddler brother. — Argentines Francisco Lotero, 56, and Miriam Coletti, 23 …
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Teddy Davis / ABCNEWS:
Texas Titans Battle for GOP Nod in Governor's Race — Gov. Rick Perry Portrays Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison as Washington Insider — When Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison signaled she was challenging fellow Republican Rick Perry for governor of Texas shortly after the 2008 election …
Discussion:
The Note, CNN, Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, PoliBlog and New York Times
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New York Times:
Paterson Said to Direct Aides to Influence Abuse Case — ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson personally directed two state officials to contact the woman who had accused his close aide of assaulting her, according to two people with direct knowledge of the governor's actions.
The Huffington Post:
GOP Sen. Kyl: Unemployment Benefits Make People Not Want To Get A Job — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A debate on the Senate floor Monday over unemployment compensation crystallized, at least for a moment, the divide between the two parties in Washington. — Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona …
David Derbyshire / Daily Mail:
Head of ‘Climategate’ research unit admits sending ‘pretty awful emails’ to hide data — Scientists at the heart of the Climategate row were yesterday accused by a leading academic body of undermining science's credibility. — The Institute of Physics said 'worrying implications …
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Kate Zernike / New York Times:
Coffee Party, With a Taste for Civic Participation, Is Added to the Political Menu — Fed up with government gridlock, but put off by the flavor of the Tea Party, people in cities across the country are offering an alternative: the Coffee Party. — Growing through a Facebook page …
Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
Postal Service expected to announce ‘significant changes’ — The U.S. Postal Service will release projections Tuesday that confirm for the first time the suspicion that mail volume will never return to pre-recession levels. In response, the agency is pushing anew for a dramatic reshaping …
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Mark Murray / msnbc.com:
Moderation, please — From NBC's Mark Murray, Chuck Todd and Domenico MontanaroThe Drudge Report has a provocative photo and link to a story on President Obama's recent physical exam. It shows Obama drinking a beer at a basketball game with this headline: “PAPER: Obama doctors recommend 'moderation …
Scott Shifrel / NY Daily News:
B'klyn ACORN cleared over giving illegal advice on how to hide money from prostitution — Brooklyn prosecutors on Monday cleared ACORN of criminal wrongdoing after a four-month probe that began when undercover conservative activists filmed workers giving what appeared to be illegal advice on how to hide money.
Reuters:
Winter storms to distort US jobless figures-Summers — White House economic adviser Larry Summers said on Monday winter blizzards were likely to distort U.S. February jobless figures, which are due to be released on Friday. — “The blizzards that affected much of the country during …
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Top Republican expects final healthcare vote before end-of-month recess — Republicans expect a final vote on healthcare around the easter holiday this year, the Senate's second-ranking Republican said Monday night. — Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said he expected Democratic leaders …
William Wan / Washington Post:
Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits — Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers — the latest fallout from a bitter debate …
Alex Isenstadt / The Politico:
Halter joins Democratic ‘outsiders’ — With Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter's announcement Monday that he will run against Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Senate Democrats now have three colleagues facing serious primary challenges from candidates embracing distinctly anti-Washington platforms …
Discussion:
Firedoglake
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
PPP: Obama's approval rating now negative in every red state that flipped in 2008 — Feel the realignment. … There are nine states in all but I'm giving you numbers for four where there's a Democrat in trouble in the local Senate race and The One will be expected to — giggle — campaign for him.
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