Top Items:
Susan Page / USA Today:
Opinions turn favorable on health care plan — WASHINGTON — Americans by 9 percentage points have a favorable view of the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against it.
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Lydia Saad / Gallup:
By Slim Margin, Americans Support Healthcare Bill's Passage — Independents evenly split in their basic reactions, but more are “angry” than “enthusiastic” — PRINCETON, NJ — Nearly half of Americans give a thumbs-up to Congress' passage of a healthcare reform bill last weekend, with 49% calling it “a good thing.”
Washington Post:
Patrick Kennedy leaves note for Ted on gravesite: “Dad, the unfinished business is done.” — The political odyssey of health care reform in many ways is the story of Ted Kennedy, and as President Obama signed the historic bill into law Tuesday, Kennedy's gravesite was a place of quiet celebration and poignant reflection.
Discussion:
The Impolitic
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Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Obama Signs Health Care Overhaul Bill, With a Flourish — WASHINGTON —With the strokes of 20 pens, President Obama signed his health care overhaul — the most sweeping social legislation enacted in decades — into law on Tuesday during a festive, at times raucous, White House ceremony.
Ceci Connolly / Washington Post:
How Obama revived his health-care bill — It was the Barack Obama the American public rarely sees — irritated and wondering if he had arrived at the moment of defeat. — Shortly after 6 p.m. on Jan. 19, with a political crisis about to explode, the president summoned the two top Democrats …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, The Politico, Matthew Yglesias, Bloomberg, Top of the Ticket, Wall Street Journal, The Hill and TPMCafe
The Huffington Post:
NRSC's Cornyn: We Won't Call For Repealing All Of Health Care — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — In the wake of the passage of health care reform, nearly the entire slate of Republican senatorial candidates seems ready to run on a repeal of the bill. But now, the lawmaker overseeing their election strategy is softening the message.
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Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Republicans Face Drawbacks of United Stand on Health Bill — WASHINGTON — Passage of the health care legislation challenges the heart of the Republicans' strategy this year: To present a unified opposition to big Democratic ideas, in this case expressed in a stream of bristling anger …
Think Progress:
Fox News Makes A ‘Big F—ing Deal’ Out Of Biden's Private Remark At Bill Signing Ceremony — Expressing his great enthusiasm for what he called “a historic day,” Vice President Biden turned to President Obama at this morning's health care bill signing ceremony and whispered, “This is a big f—ing deal!”
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Political Punch, TigerHawk, Washington Monthly, PERRspectives, Left Coast Rebel and culturekitchen
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David M. Herszenhorn / The Caucus:
At White House, Biden's Expletive Caught on Open Mike — Beyond the ebullient atmosphere, shout-outs and cheers at the White House signing ceremony of the health care bill, there's another moment that is being rewound and played again and again: Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s overheard, overly effusive aside to President Obama.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
The mother of all Biden moments — Biden appears, in this video, to have called the health care bill a “big f***ing deal” as he turned the podium over to President Obama. — As usual with his endless string of gaffes, if that is what he said, he's not wrong.
Bob Herbert / New York Times:
An Absence of Class — Some of the images from the run-up to Sunday's landmark health care vote in the House of Representatives should be seared into the nation's consciousness. We are so far, in so many ways, from being a class act. — A group of lowlifes at a Tea Party rally in Columbus …
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Ezra Klein:
Is there a legal case against the health-care bill? — With the votes counted and the legislative battle finishing, conservatives are turning to a different branch of government to fight health-care reform: the courts. Their most promising tactic was to argue that “deem and pass” …
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David Weigel / The Washington Independent:
Anti-Health Care Reform Suits Face Steep Hurdles
Anti-Health Care Reform Suits Face Steep Hurdles
Discussion:
Gawker, No More Mister Nice Blog, Guardian, Washington Monthly, TPMDC and The Washington Independent
Amanda Terkel / Think Progress:
Vandals hit at least five Dem offices nationwide, threaten to ‘assassinate’ children of pro-reform lawmakers. — Yesterday, ThinkProgress reported that several Democratic offices around the nation had been vandalized in the days surrounding the House health care vote.
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Nir Hasson / Haaretz:
New East Jerusalem homes approved hours before Netanyahu-Obama meet — The Jerusalem municipality has given final approval to a group of settlers construct 20 apartments in a controversial hotel in East Jerusalem, Haaretz learned on Tuesday. — The announcement comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu …
Discussion:
CNN, Laura Rozen's Blog, ATTACKERMAN, Political Punch, Associated Press, The Page, The Washington Independent and FP Passport
Tom Shales / Washington Post:
ABC's choice of Amanpour for ‘This Week’ has critics inside the network and beyond — If being the moderator of “This Week,” ABC's Sunday morning news-talk show, required Senate approval, then journalist Christiane Amanpour — recently named by ABC News President David Westin to take over the job — would already be in big trouble.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, The Daily Dish, Gawker, Michael Calderone's Blog, Paul Krugman, NewsBusters.org, mediabistro.com and Romenesko
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
WashPost: Christiane Amanpour can't be “objective”
WashPost: Christiane Amanpour can't be “objective”
Discussion:
Media Matters for America
Michael Schneider / Cynthia Littleton On The Air:
Discovery expected to land “Sarah Palin's Alaska” — Sarah Palin to Discovery? You betcha. — Discovery Communications is expected to announce that it has won the Sarah Palin tourney. The cabler had been a front-runner to land the untitled Alaska-themed series, to be produced by Mark Burnett Prods., along with A&E.
Discussion:
Politics Daily, Ben Smith's Blog, Taegan Goddard's …, Wonkette, Washington Wire, The Page, The Wire, The Awl and Perez Hilton
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WRAL-TV:
Having insurance ‘going to be like Christmas’ — DURHAM, N.C. — Uninsured Triangle residents said Monday that they eagerly await the overhaul of the nation's health care system. — “It's just going to be like Christmas,” said DeCarlo Flythe, who lost health coverage for his family when he was laid off almost three years ago.
Discussion:
alicublog, Weasel Zippers, The Lonely Conservative, Confederate Yankee and JammieWearingFool
Chris Frates / The Politico:
No Viagra for sex offenders — Republicans are doing their best to use Senate procedure to derail the reconciliation bill. And true to form, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn has introduced a few amendments that will be very hard for Democrats to vote against, including no Viagra for sex offenders.
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Coburn sees difficulty forcing changes to reconciliation bill — Republicans are unlikely to force major changes to the measure making final tweaks to healthcare legislation, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said Monday night. — Inhofe said the GOP would have a difficult time forcing changes …
Paul Blumenthal / Sunlight Foundation:
Transparency Testimony Interrupted by Reconciliation Obstructionism — “Sunlight is the best of disinfectants...” Those were practically the last words out of the mouth of the Sunlight Foundation's Executive Director Ellen Miller as a hearing on federal financial management and transparency …
CNN:
Hoyer criticizes House Republicans' behavior during debate — Democrat Steny Hoyer criticized Republicans Tuesday for their behavior during the health care debate. — (CNN) - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer denounced House Republicans Tuesday for their behavior on the House floor …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog
Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
A note from Congressman Randy Neugebauer — Congressman Neugebauer sent along the note below and asked if I'd post it. Gladly. I also sent him $30.00 yesterday. — Erick
Zazzle:
Basic T-Shirt — The classic heavyweight t-shirt. Tagless design for ultimate comfort. Pre-shrunk, 6.1 ounce 100% cotton. Double-needle stitched bottom and sleeve hems. Loose, classic fit, wears well on anyone. Imported. — See this on sweatshirts, sustainable shirts, and more!
Discussion:
New Mexico Independent
Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
The End of Big Government Liberalism — For the past 65-70 years—and especially for the past 30 years since the end of the civil rights argument—American politics has been dominated by controversy over the size and scope of the welfare state. Today, that argument is largely over with liberals having largely won.