Top Items:
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:
The Humble Libertarian, CNN, The Huffington Post, Courier-Journal, Crooks and Liars, TPMCafe, Wonk Room, Mediaite, CBS News, Taylor Marsh, Washington Monthly, Another Black Conservative, Taegan Goddard's …, The Confluence, The Swamp, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wizbang, The Atlantic Online, AMERICAblog News, Think Progress, The Plum Line, Gawker and Washington Post
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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, The Moderate Voice, Liberal Values, democracyarsenal.org, Guardian, Top of the Ticket, Open Left 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
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.
Discussion:
OpenSecrets.org, Mediaite, Ben Smith's Blog, Real Clear Politics and The Corner on National …
Perry Bacon Jr / Washington Post:
Ford decides not to run for N.Y. Senate seat, source says
Ford decides not to run for N.Y. Senate seat, source says
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket
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.
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 …
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Ann Althouse / Althouse:
How many beers a day would Obama need to be drinking before his doctor would recommend “moderation of [in?] alcohol intake”? — Drudge picks out this bit from Obama's health report: — The link goes to this report — which stresses the advice to “continue smoking cessation efforts” …
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.
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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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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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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:
Politics Daily, City Room, DISSENTING JUSTICE, The Daily Politics, Gawker, New York Magazine and Swing State Project
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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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:
The BRAD BLOG, Liberal Values, Ben Smith's Blog, The Lonely Conservative and JammieWearingFool
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 …
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 …
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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 …
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Buffett would scrap health bill — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett advised President Barack Obama on Monday to scrap the health care bill and start over. — In an interview with CNBC, Buffett said the current bill does not focus on controlling costs, which he sees as the central problem …
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, The Foundry, Another Black Conservative, The Plum Line, JustOneMinute, The Page and DISSENTING JUSTICE
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
Associated Press:
Official: Substance at IRS building not a hazard — FBI says those with medical emergencies were unrelated to the incident — OGDEN, Utah - An official with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says a suspicious substance found at an IRS building in Ogden, Utah, is not hazardous.
Darren Samuelsohn / New York Times:
Senate Climate Talks Intensify With New Carbon Pricing Draft Expected This Week — The Senate trio at the center of talks on a comprehensive climate and energy bill will present a draft proposal this week to their fence-sitting colleagues and high-profile interest groups amid warnings …
Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Hopes for Senate Seat Open Rifts in Calif. G.O.P. — BURBANK, Calif. — If Republicans are to have a serious chance of capturing control of the Senate in November, they are going to have to win in traditionally Democratic states like California, where Senator Barbara Boxer, a three-term Democrat, is showing signs of vulnerability.
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
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 …