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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, Firedoglake, LA Observed, Betsy's Page, Outside The Beltway, Wilshire & Washington, Alas, a blog, The Other McCain and Roger Ailes
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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.

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.


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.
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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:
Mediaite, The Humble Libertarian, CNN, Crooks and Liars, The Hill, CBS News, Taylor Marsh, Wonk Room, Courier-Journal, Another Black Conservative, TPMCafe, The Huffington Post, Washington Monthly, Taegan Goddard's …, The Confluence, The Swamp, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wizbang, The Atlantic Online, AMERICAblog News, Gawker, The Plum Line, Think Progress and Washington 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 …


Bunning Blockade Leads To 21 Percent Fee Cut For Doctors
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, democracyarsenal.org, Liberal Values, Guardian, The Moderate Voice, Open Left, Top of the Ticket and The Hill


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.
Discussion:
Dennis the Peasant
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Some House foes eye switch to ‘yes’ on health care
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online

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 …
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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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Baby Survives 3 Days With Shot in Chest After Parents Commit Global Warming Suicide — A seven-month old baby girl survived a shot to the chest after her parents shot themselves and their two-year-old in a global warming murder-suicide pact. — This is the last public photo of Francisco Lotero …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Moonbattery, The Strata-Sphere, Left Coast Rebel, theblogprof and Sadly, No!


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.


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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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 …


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.
Discussion:
Liberal Values, The BRAD BLOG, Ben Smith's Blog, The Lonely Conservative and JammieWearingFool

Kent Conrad Rips Media: Yes, We Can Do Reform Via Reconciliation — In an interview with me just now, Senator Kent Conrad tore into the media for repeatedly botching its reporting on reconciliation, and confirmed that in his view, the current plan being entertained by Obama and Dems …

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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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 …


Halter's bid sets stage for latest intraparty battle — 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


Obama's No F.D.R. — Nor Does He Have F.D.R.'s Majority — Every time I read an article like this from the Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes: … ...I wonder why there's no mention of this: — When F.D.R. took over the Presidency in 1933, the Democrats controlled 64 percent of the Senate seats …