memeorandum: Breaking: Is John Roberts about to resign from the Supreme Court? (Ed Morrissey/Hot Air)

3:30 PM ET, March 4, 2010

Top Items:

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

Gregg suggests Obama may renege on fixing Senate health bill — The White House may renege on passing fixes to the Senate's healthcare bill once the House has passed it, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) claimed Thursday. — Gregg, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, TalkLeft, Commentary, The Lonely Conservative, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Another Black Conservative, The Political Carnival and New York Times

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

Another House Dem A “No” On Senate Bill; A Previous “Yes” Now Undecided — Okay, a bit more bad news for the prospects of passing the Senate bill out of the House. — Rep Frank Kratovil of Maryland, a previous No vote who was now said to be undecided, will vote No on the Senate health reform proposal, his spokesman confirms.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Jeff Mapes on Politics, TalkLeft, Riehl World View, TPMDC, Political Punch and Crooks and Liars

Jennifer Bendery / Roll Call:

Obama Summons Waffling Members to White House to Talk Health Care — A day after giving his final major push to Congress to get the job done on health care, President Barack Obama is already ramping up his campaigning on the Hill by summoning to the White House a motley group of Democrats who are wavering on his proposal.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The New Republic, The Political Carnival and AMERICAblog News

The Atlantic Online:

Perfect Storm Nearly Killed Health Reform; Another Storm May Save It — It was a perfect storm that nearly killed health care reform in Congress last year — an elongated process, weak leadership from the White House, strong Republican opposition and the election of Scott Brown.

Discussion: The Daily Dish and Taegan Goddard's …

John McCormack / Weekly Standard:
Obama Now Selling Judgeships for Health Care Votes?

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
White House sets March 18 goal for House vote on Senate health bill

Discussion: Open Left, Open Congress, The Politico, Washington Monthly, The Plum Line, The Page, The Lonely Conservative and Salon

The Politico:
W.H. warns Dems: Don't flip-flop

Discussion: The Note, The Fix, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Time, The Foundry, Roll Call, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Associated Press, Taylor Marsh, Sister Toldjah, Wake up America and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*

RADAR:

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Considering Stepping Down — Update: RadarOnline.com has obtained new information that Justice Roberts will NOT resign. The justice will be staying on the bench. — John Roberts, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Mediaite, Another Black Conservative, The Daily Caller, Gawker, The Lonely Conservative, The Political Carnival and Dependable Renegade

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:

Breaking: Is John Roberts about to resign from the Supreme Court? Update: Drudge source: “News to me”; Update: Radar retracts — Update II: Radar retracted the story a few minutes ago: … Nice work, Radar. Original post follows ... According to Radar Online, the next Supreme Court justice …

Jay Heflin / The Hill:

Second Ways and Means boss ousted; Levin replaces Stark — Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) will be the acting chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced to her caucus on Thursday. — The startling announcement comes a day after Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) …

Discussion: The Politico, The Hill, MyDD, Hot Air and YID With LID

The Politico:

Stark hands off gavel — Rep. Sander Levin will take over as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee after Rep. Pete Stark, who held the gavel for a day, stepped aside. — The dominoes fell after Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) resigned the chairmanship of the powerful tax-writing panel Wednesday …

Discussion: The Note, Washington Times, Wizbang, theblogprof, Left Coast Rebel, CNN, Another Black Conservative and Pajamas Media

Tory Newmyer / Roll Call:

Levin to Succeed Rangel as Ways and Means Chairman — Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) will take the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee and Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) will step aside, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told the Democratic Caucus on Thursday morning, sources in attendance said.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Real Clear Politics, Gawker, Hot Air and Politics Nation

CBS13/CW31:

Anti-Gay Lawmaker At Gay Club Before DUI Arrest — SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― Sources tell CBS13 a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving Faces, a gay nightclub in midtown Sacramento, early Wednesday morning.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, TPMMuckraker, CBS News, The Moderate Voice, Advocate, KMPH-TV, Breitbart.tv, The Awl, Wonkette, Wake up America, The Political Carnival, At-Largely and Gawker

Christine Bedell / Bakersfield Californian:
Sen. Roy Ashburn “deeply sorry” after DUI arrest

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Pam's House Blend and The Other McCain

Art Beast / The Daily Beast:

Does Anybody Still Like Karl Rove? — Home - Cheat sheet - Buzz board - Big Fat Story - Blogs & stories - Videos - Galleries - Crossword — Blogs and Stories — As the “Turd Blossom” peddles his new book, even name-brand conservatives are taking shots at him. Plus, Rove's secret stint as Harold Ford's guru.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, The New Republic and Taegan Goddard's …

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Ultimate Bush Insider Lifts Veil on Presidency

Discussion: Reliable Source, Washington Post, The Page, Mudville Gazette, Politics Daily and PERRspectives

Heather / Crooks and Liars:

Mitt Romney Calls Emergency Rooms “Entirely Free Care” — Mitt Romney apparently doesn't think anyone is responsible for their bill after they leave an emergency room. Here's his response after Mike Barnicle asks him if he believes in universal health care coverage on Morning Joe.

Discussion: PERRspectives, The Impolitic and Shakesville

E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
The Republicans' big lie about reconciliation

Discussion: ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Open Congress, Washington Monthly, The Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Caller, Democratic Strategist, AMERICAblog News and Truthdig

Timothy Noah / Slate:
Obama-Romney Mix ‘n’ Match

Discussion: The White House, Ezra Klein and The Atlantic Online

Ezra Klein:

‘I will take our troops out of the war zone and put them into space’ — Introduction Video from Kesha for Congress on Vimeo. — Kesha Rogers is a Larouchie who just won the Democratic nomination in Texas's 22nd district. Her triumphant statement is pretty sweet:

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

Adam / Kesha Rogers for Congress:
The Ides of March are coming: Pro-Impeachment Democrat wins nomination in Texas

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Democracy in America, Matthew Yglesias and Houston Press

Adam J. Rose First / The Huffington Post:

Palin At Oscar Gift Suite: Sarah Palin And Entourage ‘Like Locusts’ — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — Sarah Palin aligns her public image with the heartland, but it appears the former Alaska Governor has gone Hollywood. And when she leaves, she may be taking some of it with her.

Discussion: In The Pink, Ministry of Gossip, Top of the Ticket, Raw Story, Mock, Paper, Scissors, Gawker, JammieWearingFool and Crooks and Liars

CNN:
Palin pitching TV show

Discussion: The Note, Hollywood Insider, The Politico, PoliBlog and The Political Carnival

Ellen R. Malcolm / The EMILY's List Blog:

Surprised about Blanche Lincoln's fight for survival? I'm not. — Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln is fighting for her political survival. Republicans are in full attack mode, and polls indicate she's the most vulnerable Senate incumbent in the country. — Frankly, I'm not surprised.

Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, TPMDC, Politics Nation and DownWithTyranny!

Alex Isenstadt / The Politico:
Left rallies against Lincoln

Discussion: CNN, The Fix, Open Left and Arkansas News

Manu Raju / The Politico:

Dick Durbin: Let GOP filibuster — Senate Democrats may be ready to actually make Republicans carry out filibusters. — Basking in their political victory over Sen. Jim Bunning's (R-Ky.) blockade of an extension of unemployment insurance, Democrats say that they may force Republicans …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Michael O'Brien / The Hill: Howard Dean: Health bill hangs Dem incumbents and Obama out to dry in elections

Leslie Kaufman / New York Times:

Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets — Critics of the teaching of evolution in the nation's classrooms are gaining ground in some states by linking the issue to global warming, arguing that dissenting views on both scientific subjects should be taught in public schools.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, The Moderate Voice, Dot Earth, Pharyngula, Liberal Values, Politics Daily, Achenblog and The Reality-Based Community

Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs:

Pigs Flying Moment on Hannity: “Moderate islam Does Not Exist” — Someone pinch me. Hannity actually let Mosab Hassan Yousef, brave heroic apostate out of Islam, speak uninterrupted on his show about Islam. This subject matter is never spoken of honestly on Fox, let alone on Hannity. They fear it.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Jihad Watch, American Conservative …, Israel Matzav and Weasel Zippers

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Who are the actual “crazy” people in American politics? — My Salon colleague, Mark Benjamin, writes about last night's Larry King Show — featuring a debate between Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson and GOP Rep. Michelle Bachmann — and does so by repeatedly branding Grayson as being every bit as “crazy” as Bachmann.

Discussion: TalkLeft

Sheelah Kolhatkar / Time:

Eliot Spitzer Comeback: Ex-Governor Plots After Downfall — Spitzer has the resources to tackle any challenge — except maybe another campaign — Eliot Spitzer was his usual agitated self. It was a brisk Tuesday evening, and the former governor of New York was bundled in the back of a black sedan …

Discussion: Prairie Weather and Mediaite

Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Woman charged with killing husband is lobbyist — A 45-year-old woman, charged with ending a domestic dispute by killing her 26-year-old husband of five days, is a registered lobbyist for a group fighting domestic violence. — Arelisha Bridges was ordered held without bond in the Fulton County Jail.

Discussion: Confederate Yankee, JustOneMinute, The Jawa Report, QandO, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Althouse and JammieWearingFool

The Huffington Post:

American Family Association: Stone To Death Killer Whale Who Killed Trainer — What's Your Reaction: … The American Family Association, a religious right group, is urging that Tillikum (Tilly), the killer whale that killed a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, be put down, preferably by stoning.

Discussion: Think Progress, The Daily Dish, Crooks and Liars, The Reaction, Raw Story and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

David S. Broder / Washington Post:

The fable of Emanuel the Great — In the space of 10 days, thanks in no small part to my own newspaper, the president of the United States has been portrayed as a weakling and a chronic screw-up who is wrecking his administration despite everything that his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, can do to make things right.