Top Items:
Washington Post:
Once critical of financial regulation bill, Republicans change their tone — Key Senate Republicans on Tuesday began to back away from their sharp criticism of proposed new financial regulations and expressed optimism that a bipartisan deal on a bill that would drastically change …
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Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Sen. Carper: Dems should drop areas of disagreement from Wall St. reform bill — Democrats should drop areas of disagreement with Republicans from their Wall Street reform bill in order to move forward, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) suggested Wednesday. — Carper, a member of the Senate Finance Committee …
The Politico:
Dems haunted by corporate ties
Dems haunted by corporate ties
Discussion:
Townhall.com, The Note, USA Today, Michelle Malkin, Beltway Confidential, The Plum Line and Doug Ross
Quinnipiac University:
Obama's Bounce Goes Flat, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; But Voters Confident He Will Pick Good Judge — President Barack Obama's job approval, which bounced slightly to a 45 - 46 percent split March 25 in the wake of his health care victory, has flattened out at 44 - 46 percent …
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Jonathan Weisman / Washington Wire:
Next Up? Obama Calls Sen. Scott Brown About Immigration — President Barack Obama called Massachusetts' new Republican senator, Scott Brown, from Air Force One today to deliver some news: Democrats are moving forward with an immigration overhaul in a month.
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Supreme Court pick to be made by May 26
Supreme Court pick to be made by May 26
Discussion:
McClatchy Washington Bureau, CNN, Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, Cato @ Liberty and Washington Wire
St. Petersburg Times:
U.S. attorney, IRS and FBI investigating Florida GOP credit card use — Federal law enforcement agencies have launched a criminal investigation into the use of American Express cards issued by the Republican Party of Florida to elected officials and staff, according to sources familiar with the probe.
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Geoffrey Dickens / NewsBusters.org:
Matthews: Republicans Like Rubio Taking Part in ‘Stalinesque’ Purge of GOP
Matthews: Republicans Like Rubio Taking Part in ‘Stalinesque’ Purge of GOP
Discussion:
The Corner on National …, Hot Air, The Other McCain, Scared Monkeys, NewsReal Blog, Outside The Beltway, The Hill, TRAIL BLAZERS and AmSpecBlog
Matt Towery / Southern Political Report:
SPR exclusive bulletin: Crist to run for Florida Senate as an independent
SPR exclusive bulletin: Crist to run for Florida Senate as an independent
Discussion:
Politics Daily
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Most transparent White House ever... Police chased reporters away from the White House and closed Lafayette Park today in response to a gay rights protest in which several service members in full uniform handcuffed themselves to the White House gate to protest “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”
Discussion:
Big Journalism, Mediaite, Questions and Observations, Confederate Yankee, No More Mister Nice Blog, NO QUARTER, The Sundries Shack, Towleroad News #gay, Top of the Ticket, Wonk Room, Another Black Conservative, AMERICAblog Gay, Pat Dollard, American Power, AMERICAblog News, NewsBusters.org, Pam's House Blend, RedState, Hot Air, Daily Kos, Left Coast Rebel, The Hill, Weekly Standard, Riehl World View and The Foundry
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Reuters:
Obama backers show signs of disappointment — (Reuters) - Gay rights activists heckled President Barack Obama this week at a Democratic event that exposed signs of disenchantment threatening the party in November's congressional elections. — Five million first-time voters turned out in 2008 …
Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:
Obama falters on immigration reform promises
Obama falters on immigration reform promises
Discussion:
The Hill
Associated Press:
Ariz House: Check Obama's Citizenship — PHOENIX — The Arizona House on Monday voted for a provision that would require President Barack Obama to show his birth certificate if he hopes to be on the state's ballot when he runs for reelection. — The House voted 31-22 to add the provision to a separate bill.
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Mark Leibovich / New York Times:
Mike Allen, the Man the White House Wakes Up To — Before he goes to sleep, between 11 and midnight, Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, typically checks in by e-mail with the same reporter: Mike Allen of Politico, who is also the first reporter Pfeiffer corresponds with after he wakes up at 4:20.
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
EVEN LINDSEY GRAHAM DOESN'T DESERVE THIS.... I'm not generally in the habit of defending Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), but some of the abuse he's been receiving from the right is ridiculous. — Over the weekend, an even-crazier-than-usual Tea Party event was held in Greenville, South Carolina …
Discussion:
Salon, Hullabaloo, slacktivist, Joe. My. God., American Power, Riehl World View and Indecision Forever
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Reid Wilson / Hotline On Call:
RNC Spent $340K On Hawaii Meeting — The RNC spent more than $340K at a semi-annual meeting in Honolulu in Jan., the latest example of the party spending lavishly on itself while GOP officials worry they won't have enough money to take advantage of a promising national landscape this fall.
JammieWearingFool:
Earthquake in New Jersey: Majority of School Budgets Defeated — In a crushing rejection of the thug tactics of the teacher's unions, voters turned out in unusually high numbers Tuesday to reject a majority of proposed school budgets across the state of New Jersey, handing Governor Chris Christie …
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
GOPer Tries to Ape My Snark — I'm not quite sure what to make of this. A couple weeks ago our Eric Kleefeld came up with video showing Nevada Senate candidate Sue Lowden suggesting that “bartering” for medical care would be a good way to rein in spiraling health care costs.
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Noah Shachtman / Danger Room:
Would the U.S. Shoot Down an Israeli Jet? Top Officer Won't Say — MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — I'm not going to make a big deal of this, although some dug deep in the trenches of the Middle East debate might. But America's top military officer wouldn't rule the possibility today …
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Bill Gertz / Washington Times:
Iran boosts Qods shock troops in Venezuela — Pentagon predicts U.S. clash with Islamist paramilitary — Iran is increasing its paramilitary Qods force operatives in Venezuela while covertly continuing supplies of weapons and explosives to Taliban and other insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq …
John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Arizona has turned into a police state: ‘Show me your papers’ — I had a friend who isn't into politics, but would say that Bush's goal was to enact martial law over the country. I told her she was not based in reality. But this new law in Arizona gives the police exactly that type of power …
Discussion:
CNN, The Huffington Post, Philly.com, Media Matters Action Network and American Prospect
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Randal C. Archibold / The Caucus:
McCain's Tough Stance on Arizona Immigration Bill
McCain's Tough Stance on Arizona Immigration Bill
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Arizona Republic, The Huffington Post, Corrente, BAGnewsNotes and The Politico
Amanda Terkel / Think Progress:
Alaska Governor Up For Re-election Joins Lawsuit Suing Federal Government Over Health Care — Yesterday, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell (R) announced that Alaska will join 20 other states suing the federal government over the constitutionality of health care reform.
R. Jeffrey Smith / Washington Post:
Both national party committees spend big chunks on fancy meals, hotels, travel — Both the national Democratic and Republican party committees spend about two-thirds of the money they take in on the care and comfort of committee staffs and on efforts to raise more funds, with lavish spending on limousines …
Wall Street Journal:
Paulson Confronts Goldman Fallout — Hedge Fund Allays Investors' Concern; ‘I Felt Reassured’ — John Paulson hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing. But the hedge-fund billionaire has gone on the offensive to reassure investors that his huge firm will emerge unscathed from a case …
Allan Hall / Telegraph:
Roots of Islamic funamentalism lie in Nazi propaganda for Arab world, book claims — The roots of Islamic fanaticism can be traced to Adolf Hitler's radio messages broadcast around the Arab world during the Second World War, according to a new book. — “Your only hope for rescue …
Discussion:
Jihad Watch