Top Items:
Ezra Klein:
Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — It's safe to say Rand Paul's first few days as the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat in Kentucky are not going well.
Discussion:
TPMDC, First Draft, Barefoot and Progressive, Outside The Beltway, American Prospect, The Atlantic Online, Politics Daily, Gawker, United States of Jamerica, TalkLeft, The Moderate Voice, Right Now, Townhall.com, Matthew Yglesias, American Power, MyDD, FrumForum, Hit & Run, Mother Jones, DISSENTING JUSTICE, The Other McCain and The Impolitic
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David Weigel / Right Now:
Rand Paul, telling the truth — If we use “gaffe” in its proper, Kinsleyan form, that's what U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul issued to NPR yesterday, and that's what he defended on Rachel Maddow's show last night. He told the truth about his stance on the Civil Rights Act.
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The Moderate Voice, Hullabaloo, Left Coast Rebel, NY Daily News, Ben Smith's Blog, Hit & Run, Liberal Values, The Fix, Outside The Beltway, Matthew Yglesias, Newsweek Blogs, pandagon.net, Mediaite, Riehl World View, American Power, Little Green Footballs, DISSENTING JUSTICE, JustOneMinute, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Liberty Pundits Blog, The Other McCain, Page One, The Corner on National …, FrumForum, The Atlantic Online, Taylor Marsh and National Review
Washington Post:
Rand Paul comments about civil rights stir controversy — Two days after becoming the newest symbol of “tea party” politics, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky thrust himself, his party and the movement into an uncomfortable conversation about the federal government's role …
The Huffington Post:
Rand Paul On Civil Rights Controversy: I Shouldn't Have Talked To Rachel Maddow [UPDATED] — See new updates below. — The morning after he declined to endorse the totality of the Civil Rights Act in his much-discussed appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show, Dr. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) …
Ezra Klein:
Area politician has some explaining to do — Rand Paul is predictably walking his statements on the Civil Rights Act back as fast as he can. “Let me be clear,” he says in a statement released today. “I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation …
Discussion:
USA Today
Lee Fang / Think Progress:
Exclusive: DeMint Says He Disagrees With Rand Paul On Civil Rights, Needs To ‘Talk To Rand About His Positions’ — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) endorsed anti-government extremist Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Kentucky US Senate primary, funneling money and resources for his successful campaign.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, The Plum Line, The Politico, Right Now, Hot Air, Washington Monthly, Page One, TPMDC, Crooks and Liars, The Hill, Barefoot and Progressive and Firedoglake
Political Punch:
Exclusive: President Obama To Replace Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair* — ABC News has learned that President Obama will replace the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.) His resignation will come as soon as tomorrow, sources tell ABC News.
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Michael Anton / Weekly Standard:
Obama Has “More Confidence” in Brennan? — I've never been a huge fan of Admiral Dennis Blair as Director of National Intelligence—nor of the institution of DNI, for that matter. A fine naval officer, Blair seemed out of his milieu as DNI, often unaware of basic facts that someone in his position should know.
The Huffington Post:
Little Girl Who Challenged First Lady Is Right: Obama Is Deporting More Immigrants Than Ever — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A little girl became the face of the nation's immigration debate on Wednesday, when she told First Lady Michelle Obama about her mother's fear.
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Oscar Avila / Chicago Tribune:
Immigration crackdown for Illinois — Feds to step up enforcement — In the midst of an outcry over illegal immigration and Arizona's new crackdown, a top Department of Homeland Security official visiting Chicago on Wednesday said his agency intended to step up enforcement in places such as Illinois.
Rasmussen Reports:
71% in Arizona Now Support State's New Immigration Law
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Wake up America, Liberty Pundits Blog, Scared Monkeys and National Review
Brady Dennis / Washington Post:
Senate clears way to vote on financial reform — The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to end its three-week debate on a bill to rewrite the nation's financial regulations, paving the way for a final vote on the landmark legislation. — The 60-to-40 vote — the minimum required to end debate …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
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Meredith Shiner / The Politico:
Brown key to Wall St. bill passage — In January, he broke the Democrats' lock on the Senate. — On Thursday, he gave it back. — Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) effectively became the 60th vote to cut off debate on Wall Street reform Thursday - a far cry from when Republicans were hailing …
David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Bill to Overhaul Financial Rules Clears Hurdle in Senate Vote
reason-contest.s3.amazonaws.com:
And The Winner of The Everybody Draw Mohammad Contest is... To remind readers of the stakes: In recent months, a Swedish cartoonist that sketched Mohammed as a “roundabout dog” as part of a planned street installation was assaulted during a lecture and, the following week, two extremists attempted to burn his house down.
Discussion:
iowahawk, Instapundit, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Grim's Hall, Dean's World, Balloon Juice and Pajamas Media
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The Huffington Post:
Wall Street Power Play: Bankers In Bizarre Showdown With Auto Dealers — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — Wall Street has found itself battling auto dealers in a last-ditch effort to block an amendment opposed by big banks from coming to the Senate floor. The bank lobbyists are working to persuade …
Discussion:
Firedoglake
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Victoria Gill / BBC:
Scientists make ‘artificial life’ — The synthetic cell looks identical to the “wild type” — Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell. — The researchers constructed a bacterium's “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.
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Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Online:
The New Term for the War on Terror — If you blinked, you might have missed it. The Obama administration has unofficially rebranded “war on terror” phrase that dominated public discourse throughout the Bush administration. The replacement phrase, carefully chosen, is “CVE” — Countering Violent Extremism.
Glenn Thrush / The Politico:
Gibbs mum on Sestak job offer — Don't ask the White House if Obama aides tried to force Joe Sestak out of the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary by offering him a job. They are keeping mum on the controversy. — Press Secretary Robert Gibbs deflected a barrage of questions about reports …
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Zev Chafets / New York Times:
Op-Ed Contributor: The Rush Limbaugh Victory — THERE are many theories for why very conservative Republicans seem to be doing so well lately, taking their party's Senate nominations in Florida, Kentucky and Utah, and beating Democrats head-to-head in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.
RushLimbaugh.com:
Obama-Prop Calderon Rips USA, Gets Standing Ovation from Dems (But Off-Script He Admits the Truth) — BEGIN TRANSCRIPT — RUSH: I know. I know he's there. I saw it. I saw the spectacle. I watched a little bit of it, Felipe Calderon's speech to a joint session of Congress beating …
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Gateway Pundit
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