memeorandum: Stupak to Retire Because of Death Threats; Entire Rest of Democratic … (David Dayen/Firedoglake)

3:10 PM ET, April 9, 2010

Top Items:

Breaking: Stupak Will Retire — Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) plans to announce his retirement today, Democrats briefed on his decision said. Stupak, the leader of a pro-life faction within his party, had received death threats and was under intense political pressure after he agreed to support …

Discussion: Associated Press, TalkLeft, The Hill, Hot Air, Political Byline, E2-Wire, Newsweek Blogs, Taylor Marsh, NPR Topics, MLive.com, DISSENTING JUSTICE and The Washington Independent

The Politico:

Stupak won't seek reelection — Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who played a central role in the health reform fight as the leader of anti-abortion Democrats, announced that he will not run for reelection Friday afternoon, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Discussion: MLive.com, No More Mister Nice Blog, Big Think, Fox News, The Swamp, Power Line, Real Clear Politics, Liberty Pundits dot net, Sister Toldjah and The Corner on National …

David Dayen / Firedoglake:

Stupak to Retire Because of Death Threats; Entire Rest of Democratic Caucus Holds Firm — Stupak campaign sign—now a collector's item (photo: Brian Rendel) — Bart Stupak will not seek re-election to Congress, Marc Ambinder reports. … If you're a politician not inclined to deliver under …

Discussion: The Caucus, Left Coast Rebel, NPR Topics and Swing State Project

Michelle Malkin:

Dear Bart Stupak: DLTDHYOTWO; Update: Farewell letter added; Silence on abortion — Yesterday, I noted the anti-Stupak Tea Party Express protests scheduled today through Sunday in Michigan — and the Gallup poll reporting the anti-incumbency backlash. — Yesterday, Stupak was still insisting he'd run again.

Discussion: Hotline On Call, Balloon Juice, Doug Ross, Temple of Mut, The Other McCain and The Eye

Washington Post:

Anger over health-care reform spurs rise in threats against Congress members — Anger over the health-care overhaul has led to a nearly threefold increase in recent months in the number of serious threats against members of Congress, federal law enforcement officials said.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, TPMDC, The Corner on National …, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Liberty Pundits dot net and AMERICAblog News

Fox News:

AP: Rep. Bart Stupak Retiring After 18 Years in Congress — Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan tells The Associated Press he'll retire from Congress rather than seek a 10th term this year.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, YID With LID, Gateway Pundit, Commentary, Scared Monkeys, Althouse, The Washington Independent and Beltway Confidential

Monica Potts / American Prospect:
Stupak's Mistake. — Bart Stupak is expected to announce …

Discussion: Ezra Klein, The Caucus, Matthew Yglesias, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Indecision Forever

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Bart Stupak to retire

Discussion: The Note, Right Now, AmSpecBlog, Washington Monthly, American Power, BuzzFlash.org and Politics Daily

Stephanie Condon / CBS News:
Bart Stupak to Retire

Discussion: The Eye, RedState, Ruby Slippers, Mediaite, Daily Kos, MLive.com, Conservatives4Palin.com, National Review Online, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Open Left

Mark Sherman / Associated Press:

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens retiring — WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, the court's oldest member and leader of its liberal bloc, says he is retiring. President Barack Obama now has his second high court opening to fill.

Discussion: TPM LiveWire, Townhall.com, Washington Monthly, Political Byline, Michelle Malkin, protein wisdom, Firedoglake, Big Government, MLive.com, Advocate, neo-neocon, Hot Air, Ruby Slippers, Jay Bookman and The Lonely Conservative

Robert Barnes / Washington Post:

Justice John Paul Stevens to retire from court in June — Justice John Paul Stevens, the longest-serving member of the current Supreme Court and the leader of its liberal wing, announced his retirement today, giving President Obama his second chance to make a mark on the nation's highest court.

Discussion: PostPartisan, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Right Now, Power Line, Law Librarian Blog, Wonkette, SENATUS, Indecision Forever, DISSENTING JUSTICE, The Washington Independent and ACS Blog

Charlie Savage / New York Times:

Justice Stevens to Retire After 34 Years — WASHINGTON — Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, the leader of the liberals on the Supreme Court, announced on Friday that he will retire at the end of this term, setting up a confirmation battle over his replacement that could dominate the political scene this summer.

Discussion: CBS News, CNN, Politics Daily, The Rachel Maddow Show, Politics, Above the Law, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, The New Republic, Below The Beltway, MyDD, Feministe, Concurring Opinions and Liberty Pundits dot net

James Vicini / Reuters:
Justice Stevens to resign, Obama to reshape court

Discussion: Associated Press, Guardian, The Foundry and AMERICAblog News

The Hill:
Justice Stevens to retire ‘in the best interests’ of the Supreme Court

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Political Punch, JOSHUAPUNDIT and CNN

CNN:
Who will Obama nominate to replace Stevens?

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Politico, The Hill and Democratic Strategist

The Huffington Post:

Stephanopoulos Defends Asking Obama About Palin Critique — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — ABC News' George Stephanopoulos is defending his decision to ask President Barack Obama to respond to Sarah Palin's criticism of his nuclear non-proliferation policy, after several observers questioned …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Plum Line, Washington Monthly and TPM LiveWire

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

WRONG QUESTION, RIGHT ANSWER.... President Obama sat down with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos for an exclusive interview in Prague yesterday, on the heels of the president signing in a new arms treaty with Russia. The interview, portions of which were aired this morning on “Good Morning America …

Discussion: The Hill, ABCNews.com, Daily Kos, The Note, Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!, Gateway Pundit and msnbc.com

Karen Travers / ABCNEWS:
EXCLUSIVE: President Obama on Nukes, Palin, Confederacy and Iran

Discussion: Washington Wire, Taylor Marsh, Commentary, Outside The Beltway, New York Times, Political Punch, Newsweek Blogs, Below The Beltway, Politics Daily, Townhall.com, The Note and NPR Topics

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
QUOTE OF THE DAY.... I appreciate the role a nuclear arsenal …

Discussion: The Note

Matthew Continetti / Weekly Standard:
Sarah Palin on the Obama Doctrine: Advance Copy

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Right Now, Sister Toldjah, Top of the Ticket and Conservatives4Palin.com

Tabassum Zakaria / Reuters:
President Obama questions Sarah Palin's nuclear acumen

Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:

Gingrich Pledges Government Shutdown If GOP Wins Back House And Senate — On Wednesday night, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Sean Hannity that he's been tasked by the House Republican leadership to “to organize an effort over the next four or five months to develop a [new] compact or contract [with America].”

Discussion: Right Now, Matthew Yglesias, CNN, Below The Beltway, Daily Kos, Suburban Guerrilla, AMERICAblog News and msnbc.com

Ron Fournier / Associated Press:
Gingrich: Obama is ‘most radical president ever’

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, CBS News, The Daily Dish, Swampland, Left Coast Rebel, The Caucus, Pajamas Media, PoliBlog, Shakesville, Washington Post, Washington Wire and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Mike Madden / Salon:
Newt Gingrich: Say yes to government shutdowns!

Discussion: Daily Kos, Washington Monthly, Wonkette, Newshoggers.com, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and msnbc.com

Jennifer Rubin / Commentary:
Liz Cheney: Maybe We Should Be Nice to Our Allies

Discussion: Right Now, Pajamas Media and ATTACKERMAN

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Palin defends Karzai, echoes Cheney

Discussion: Washington Monthly and The Plum Line

Peterhamby / CNN:
RNC members sign letter in support of Steele

Discussion: The Hill and Ben Smith's Blog

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

Generic Ballot Points Toward Possible 50+ Seat Loss for Democrats — A couple of weeks ago, we examined the potential upside case for Democrats in November's midterms. If the party were able to limit their losses to about 20 House seats and 3-4 Senate seats, it might not have as deleterious …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, The Daily Dish, The Strata-Sphere, Townhall.com, Zandar Versus The Stupid and The Corner on National …

Jason / Tea Party Patriots Live:

VIDEO: Alan Grayson Interrupts Republican District Meeting — On Thursday, April 8th, 2010, Congressman Alan Grayson, Democrat in Florida's 8th district, interrupted a district meeting of the local Orange County Republican Executive Committee. The meeting was being held at Perkins, a family restaurant.

Discussion: YID With LID, NewsReal Blog and JammieWearingFool

Michelle Malkin:
Alan Grayson goes nuts at a Perkins family restaurant

Discussion: The Lonely Conservative and Political Byline

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

A New Buckley? — Jon Rauch gushes over David Frum. I can't gush over David (which is probably a relief to him), but I do respect him and have known him almost as long as Jon has. And on the critical point right now, we are in agreement: conservatism is about applying a skepticism toward government …

Discussion: Change of Subject

Jonathan Rauch / National Journal Online:
David Frum, A Buckley For Our Time

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy

Tim Reid / Times of London:

George W. Bush ‘knew Guantánamo prisoners were innocent’ — George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld covered up that hundreds of innocent men were sent to the Guantánamo Bay prison camp because they feared that releasing them would harm the push for war in Iraq …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Mediaite, The Confluence, Crooks and Liars, Outside The Beltway, Below The Beltway, Think Progress, The Agitator, Unqualified Offerings, Emptywheel, Unfogged, The Political Carnival and The Washington Independent

WCBS-TV:

Union Memo Hints At Gov.'s Death — Teachers Union's Memo The Latest Salvo In War Of Words With Gov. Christie — HACKENSACK, N.J. (CBS) ― New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie isn't laughing about a teachers union's memo that hints of his death. — The memo is the latest salvo in a war …

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative and RedState