Top Items:
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
RNC loses top fundraiser — In another serious blow to the Republican National Committee, one of its top fundraisers — and its few remaining connections to the traditional GOP donor base — has resigned a senior, unpaid position. — Former Ambassador Sam Fox, a top supporter of George W. Bush …
Discussion:
CNN, The Sundries Shack, The Note, Hot Air, Washington Wire, ABCNEWS, Pam's House Blend, NPR, Politics Daily, The Other McCain, The Eye, TPM LiveWire and The Page
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Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
RNC chief of staff Ken McKay resigns — Republican National Committee chief of staff Ken McKay has resigned in the wake of a controversy over an expenditure at a risque California nightclub, RNC communications director Doug Heye said Monday. — McKay's resignation comes one week …
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Shakeup: RNC Chief of Staff resigns — Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay resigned Monday, becoming the highest-ranking official to depart the committee after revelations that the national party spent nearly $2,000 at California sex club.
ABCNEWS:
W.H. Blasts RNC's Steele for ‘Race Card’
W.H. Blasts RNC's Steele for ‘Race Card’
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Note, Crooks and Liars, George's Bottom Line, Riehl World View, The Atlantic Online, Don Surber, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Another Black Conservative, Gawker, Jack & Jill Politics, The Politico, The Swamp, NewsBusters.org, Think Progress, Hotline On Call, NY Daily News, The Hill, Associated Press, Michelle Malkin, Ben Smith's Blog, D.C. Now, Taegan Goddard's …, Moonbattery, The Moderate Voice and The Lonely Conservative
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Gibbs: Steele remark is ‘silly’
Gibbs: Steele remark is ‘silly’
Discussion:
CNN, The Daily Caller, AMERICAblog News, Hot Air, Daily Kos, The Political Carnival, Washington Monthly and Riehl World View
New York Times:
Obama Limits When U.S. Would Use Nuclear Arms — WASHINGTON — President Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons, even in self defense. — But the president …
Bill Roggio / Weekly Standard:
‘Collateral Murder’ in Baghdad Anything But — Wikileaks, the website devoted to publishing classified documents on the Internet, made a splash today with a video claiming to show that the U.S. military “murdered” a Reuters cameraman and other Iraqi “civilians” in Baghdad on July 12, 2007.
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Rasmussen Reports:
Tea Party 48% Obama 44% — On major issues, 48% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is closer to their views than President Barack Obama. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 44% hold the opposite view and believe the president's views are closer to their own.
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Mark Schmitt / American Prospect:
Some of My Best Friends are Tea Partiers
Some of My Best Friends are Tea Partiers
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Tea Partiers Are Fairly Mainstream in Their Demographics
Tea Partiers Are Fairly Mainstream in Their Demographics
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Online, The Impolitic, NO QUARTER, FiveThirtyEight, The Plum Line, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Mediaite, Riehl World View, Crooks and Liars, Moonbattery, The Swamp, Progressive Fix, Ruby Slippers, D.C. Now, YID With LID, PERRspectives, skippy the bush kangaroo, Left Coast Rebel, Newsweek Blogs, TPM LiveWire, Liberal Values, Top of the Ticket, Don Surber and Wake up America
Political Punch:
Obama Throws “Disappointing” First Pitch — Marking a 100-year tradition, President Obama today threw out the first pitch at Nationals Stadium, kicking off the season at the opening game of the Washington Nationals vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. — The presidential pitch went high and wide …
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
‘I NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF A MAVERICK’.... To say that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) built his most recent persona — the latest in a series — around the notion of being a “maverick” would be a dramatic understatement. The “m” word was practically a verbal tick for McCain — he'd use it constantly …
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Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
McCain ‘never considered myself a maverick’
McCain ‘never considered myself a maverick’
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, The Daily Beast, Climate Progress, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, The Political Carnival, Think Progress and Gawker
Advocate:
McMillen: I Was Sent to Fake Prom — To avoid Constance McMillen bringing a female date to her prom, the teen was sent to a “fake prom” while the rest of her class partied at a secret location at an event organized by parents. — McMillen tells The Advocate that a parent-organized prom happened behind …
Discussion:
La Figa, Pam's House Blend, The Huffington Post, Joe. My. God., The Political Carnival and Truthdig
Jon Ralston / Las Vegas Sun:
Why Sen. Ensign should be worried about possible indictment — In the federal penal code, it is known as “structuring.” — And it is a word Sen. John Ensign should remember because it is very likely to be on any indictment with his name on it. — That's what I am told by a reliable source familiar …
Discussion:
Salon, The Fix, Daily Kos, The Reaction, MyDD, Washington Monthly, TPMMuckraker, Gretawire and AMERICAblog News
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Chairman Tim Kaine / Democratic National Committee:
Mark Your Calendars: The Democratic National Convention to be Held the Week of September 3, 2012 — I am excited to announce that the Democratic Party will gather for our 46th National Convention during the week of September 3, 2012. At the convention, we will re-nominate President Barack Obama …
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Ian Urbina / New York Times:
At Least 7 Die in West Virginia Coal Mine Explosion — At least seven miners were killed and 19 were unaccounted for after an explosion ripped through a West Virginia coal mine on Monday, state emergency officials said. — The explosion occurred about 3 p.m. at the Upper Big Branch mine …
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Chris Currey / FrumForum:
How the GOP Purged Me — I am an old Republican. I am religious, yet not a fanatic. I am a free-marketer; yet, I believe in the role of the government as a fair evenhanded referee. I am socially conservative; yet, I believe that my lesbian niece and my gay grandchild should have the full protection …
John Hiscock / Telegraph:
Tina Fey interview: Sarah Palin in her sights — Tina Fey talks about her new film - and plans to revive her sensational impression of the former vice-presidential candidate. — One day Tina Fey was an actress in a little-seen television sitcom, worshipped by an ardent cult following but mainly ignored by mainstream audiences.
Gretawire:
Senator Reid pokes fun at Gov Palin - check out the video — The focus is bad (yes, I know)....but here is Senator Reid having some fun with his supporters:
U.S. Department of Transportation:
Secretary LaHood Announces DOT is Seeking Maximum Civil Penalty from Toyota — WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $16.375 million …
Discussion:
Courthouse News Service, LA Daily, Swampland, Truthdig, The Consumerist and The Washington Independent
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Micheline Maynard / New York Times:
U.S. to Seek $16.4 Million Fine Against Toyota
U.S. to Seek $16.4 Million Fine Against Toyota
Discussion:
The Page
Jack Healy / New York Times:
Vatican Declined to Pursue Accused Priest — A Catholic priest charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Minnesota has been allowed to continue working at a Catholic diocese in southern India despite warnings from an American bishop that he could still “pose a risk to minors,” according to church documents released Monday.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
Can CNN Be Saved? — Listening to Jon Stewart helped destroy CNN. Now imitating him might be the network's only hope of salvation. — It was October of 2004, the heat of the presidential campaign, when Stewart showed up on “Crossfire,” long CNN's flagship political program, and delivered a now-legendary tirade.
Glen Whitman / Cato Unbound:
The Rise of the New Paternalism — For as far back as memory reaches, people have been telling other people what's good for them — and manipulating or forcing them to do it. But in recent years, a novel form of paternalism has emerged on the policy stage.