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.
RELATED:
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.
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:
CNN, The Humble Libertarian, Crooks and Liars, Mediaite, CBS News, Taylor Marsh, Courier-Journal, Wonk Room, TPMCafe, The Huffington Post, Another Black Conservative, Washington Monthly, Taegan Goddard's …, The Confluence, The Swamp, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wizbang, The Atlantic Online, AMERICAblog News, Think Progress, Gawker, The Plum Line and Washington Post
RELATED:
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.
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 …
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, Liberal Values, democracyarsenal.org, Guardian, The Moderate Voice, Open Left, Top of the Ticket and The Hill
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Top Democrats look to shame Bunning on unemployment benefits filibuster
Top Democrats look to shame Bunning on unemployment benefits filibuster
Discussion:
The Politico
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:
Firedoglake, Kausfiles, LA Observed, Wilshire & Washington, The Other McCain, Roger Ailes and Alas, a blog
Major Garrett / Row 2, Seat 4:
Obama to Unveil New Health Care Bill Wednesday; “Much Smaller” Than House Bill, Says Pelosi; But Not a Retreat — UPDATE: White House and Democratic sources hasten to add late today that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not mean to suggest the new plan would constitute a retreat from comprehensive health care reform.
RELATED:
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 …
RELATED:
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 …
RELATED:
Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit:
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 …
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.
Discussion:
Alas, a blog, City Room, Politics Daily, The Daily Politics, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Gawker, New York Magazine and Swing State Project
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 …
RELATED:
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 …
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.
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
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 …
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 …
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.
Discussion:
Liberal Values, The BRAD BLOG, Ben Smith's Blog, The Lonely Conservative and JammieWearingFool
Mark B. Evans / Tucson Citizen:
Arizona Tea Party Leaders Decline to Endorse in AZ Senate Race — For Immediate Release — The organizers of the four largest Arizona Tea Party organizations - including the Tucson Tea Party, Greater Phoenix Tea Party, Flagstaff Tea Party, and Mohave County Tea Party …
RELATED:
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Tancredo: Palin not fit for the presidency
Tancredo: Palin not fit for the presidency
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, Dr. Melissa Clouthier, The Hill and The Corner on National …
Associated Press:
DC gay marriage opponents appeal to high court — WASHINGTON — Opponents of gay marriage are asking the Supreme Court to put a hold on the District of Columbia's new law allowing same-sex couples to wed. — The new law, passed in December, is supposed to take effect Wednesday.
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay
Dong Ngo / CNET News:
Internet changes news consumption landscape — If you are like the overwhelming majority of Americans, you are likely to read or hear about this story again on TV, the radio, newspapers, and other Internet sites. A recent survey found that 92 percent of Americans get their daily news from multiple sources.