Top Items:
Mike Flynn / Big Government:
Long Hot Summer Begins: Congressman Attacks Student — Maybe it is my Catholic upbringing, but I've always been cursed with a bit too much empathy. It is often difficult to witness people bearing the full weight of the consequences of their decisions, even when it is richly deserved.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, The Hill, CNN, Ben Smith's Blog, Althouse, AmSpecBlog, Instapundit, Right Now, Mother Jones, Questions and Observations, Freedom's Lighthouse, The Moderate Voice, 24Ahead, Mediaite, Pirate's Cove, theblogprof, Moe Lane, Cassy Fiano, Wake up America, Outside the Beltway, Weasel Zippers, Politics Daily, Pundit & Pundette, Sister Toldjah, Fausta's Blog, JammieWearingFool, The Other McCain, Cold Fury, Beltway Confidential and Riehl World View
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Rep. Bob Etheridge / Etheridge:
Etheridge Statement on Viral Video — Washington, DC, Jun 14 - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) released the following statement on the viral video which appeared on the internet today: — “I have seen the video posted on several blogs. I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Note, Weasel Zippers, Freedom's Lighthouse, Mediaite, Gateway Pundit, Blogs of War, TPMDC, HotAirPundit and The Eye
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Dems defend Etheridge, attack Breitbart — Bob Etheridge's abject apology for roughing up an anonymous conservative videographer is being accompanied by a defense of the congressman from national Democrats. — “Motives matter, and I think you can see who was behind this,” said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse just now.
David Weigel / Right Now:
Who TMZ'd Rep. Bob Etheridge? — Last week Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.), who's seen as a safe bet for re-election this year despite representing a somewhat conservative (Cook R+2) district, ran into two self-described students with video cameras outside of a fundraiser.
Discussion:
The Fix, AmSpecBlog, The Jawa Report, Ben Smith's Blog, JammieWearingFool, Wonkette, The Political Carnival and Riehl World View
WTVD-TV:
Etheridge apologizes for on-camera confrontation — RALEIGH (WTVD) — North Carolina Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) apologized Monday after a conservative blogger posted video on YouTube showing him in a confrontation with men carrying cameras on a Washington D.C. street.
Colby Hall / Mediaite:
Congressman Loses Cool To Students With A Flip Cam, But Comes Out The Hero? — No he's not a hero. He's a jerk. But...as is always the case, there is more to the story. — The democratization of communications technology (flip cams, home editing suites and YouTube) …
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Video: Rep. Etheridge assaults student on street; Update: Video restored; Update: YouTube didn't pull video — Meet Congressman Bob Etheridge, Democrat from North Carolina's Second CD. Rep. Etheridge doesn't much like people asking him whether he supports Barack Obama's agenda …
James Risen / New York Times:
U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan — WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, Danger Room, The Moderate Voice, Washington Post, ATTACKERMAN, naked capitalism, Indecision Forever, The Jawa Report, democracyarsenal.org, Instapundit, Newshoggers.com, TIME.com, NO QUARTER, New Atlanticist, BuzzFlash.org, TPMMuckraker, The Political Carnival, Daily Kos, Jules Crittenden, Outside the Beltway, Military Space News …, Guardian, TPMCafe, Mother Jones, Power Line, AmSpecBlog, The Reaction, Hot Air, AMERICAblog News, This Just In, Abu Muqawama, Unqualified Offerings, Commentary, The Lede, unbossed.com, The Nation, Taylor Marsh, Don Surber, Wonk Room, Left Coast Rebel, MyDD, Pileus, The Washington Independent, Ross Douthat, JustOneMinute, No More Mister Nice Blog, Wonkette, Washington Monthly, Pundita, Right Wing News, Prairie Weather, www.thetakeaway.org, Talking Points Memo, Rumproast, The Awl, Politics Daily, FT Alphaville, Fausta's Blog, Gates of Vienna, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, BLACKFIVE, Moe Lane, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Hit & Run, The Corner on National …, Townhall.com, Connecting.the.Dots, Shakesville, RealClearWorld, Blogs of War, Balloon Juice, Hullabaloo, JammieWearingFool, Truthdig, The Page, Angry Bear, Dean's World, Gateway Pundit and A plain blog about politics
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The Atlantic Online:
The Mineral Miracle? Or A Massive Information Operation? — Were it not for the byline of James Risen, a New York Times reporter currently in a legal battle with the Obama administration over the identity of his sources, a second read of his blockbuster A1 story this morning …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Outside the Beltway, The Political Carnival and Balloon Juice
Blake Hounshell / FP Passport:
Say what? Afghanistan has $1 trillion in untapped mineral resources? — I'll get to the main point in a little bit, but bear with me for a second ... A series of recent news stories has deeply damaged the Obama administration's case for continued patience with U.S.-led counterinsurgency campaign …
Jason R. Latham / Las Vegas News …:
Hosts Mangle Angle's ‘FOX & Friends’ Debut — Inaccuracies Tar GOP Nominee's National Debut — LAS VEGAS — Harry Reid may not need to spend millions of dollars to marginalize his opponent in the U.S. Senate race. — He can just let “FOX & Friends” handle it.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Think Progress, Ben Smith's Blog, TPMDC, Right Now and Outside the Beltway
RELATED:
Chris Stirewalt / Washington Examiner:
Harry Reid dares Nevadans to vote against him
Harry Reid dares Nevadans to vote against him
Discussion:
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Cassy Fiano, Weasel Zippers, Beltway Confidential and JammieWearingFool
Dave Zirin / NPR:
The Nation: Why the Far Right Hates Soccer — Every World Cup, it arrives like clockwork. As sure as the ultimate soccer spectacle brings guaranteed adrenaline and agony to fans across the United States, it also drives the right-wing noise machine utterly insane.
RELATED:
James Fallows / The Atlantic Online:
The Best Picture to Come From the World Cup — I am no big fan of soccer, but the whole World Cup extravaganza, angry-bee-swarm horns and all, will be worth it for having produced this photo: — Of course it is Barack Obama's instantaneous reaction, to David Beckham's instantaneous reaction …
Discussion:
Swampland
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Near-Record 49% Say Democratic Party “Too Liberal” — More Americans than in 2009 say Republican Party's views are about right — PRINCETON, NJ — In the past two years, Americans have become increasingly likely to describe the Democratic Party's views as “too liberal” (49%), and less likely to say its views are “about right” (38%).
John Bresnahan / The Politico:
Dems tout breakthrough on bill — House Democrats have reached an agreement with the National Rifle Association on campaign-finance legislation that would roll back the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, removing a major obstacle on the bill, according to House sources.
Washington Post:
Lawmakers' committee assignments and industry investments overlap — Rep. Ron Paul is captivated by gold. Over the past two decades, he has written books about the virtues of gold-backed currency. He has made uncounted speeches about the precious metal.
David Catanese / The Politico:
Rawl to protest Greene victory — South Carolina Democratic candidate Vic Rawl announced Monday he'll lodge a protest against the June 8 primary vote that handed the little-known Alvin Greene the Democratic nomination for Senate. — Citing a “cloud” hanging over the result …
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Olson surprises many conservatives by seeking to overturn gay-marriage ban — Cocktails had been served on the terrace, the ubiquitous Washington buffet of tenderloin and salmon consumed, and the gay law students settled in to hear from the famed legal mind who is leading the battle to make sure …
Scott Gottlieb / New York Post:
You're losing your plan — Late last week saw the first leaks of the administration's draft regulations for imple menting the ObamaCare law — and everything is playing out just as the critics warned. — The 3,000-odd pages of legislation left most of the really important (and controversial) …
Reuters:
Iranian aid ships head for Gaza — Source: Reuters — * First ship left Iran Sunday, another leaves this week — * Iran says will continue until Gaza blockade lifted — * 100,000 Iranians volunteer to crew ships - report — Iran is sending aid ships to blockaded Gaza …
Wall Street Journal:
BP Outlines Oil-Capture Plans — BP PLC, under U.S. pressure to contain the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, has outlined plans to capture all of the oil currently estimated to be flowing from the damaged well. — In a letter sent Sunday to U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral James Watson …
Bloomberg:
Fannie-Freddie Fix at $160 Billion With $1 Trillion Worst Case — The cost of fixing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage companies that last year bought or guaranteed three-quarters of all U.S. home loans, will be at least $160 billion and could grow to as much as $1 trillion after the biggest bailout in American history.
Courier-Journal:
Paul's medical practice in good standing — Boukas of the American Board of Medical Specialties said its 24 member groups, including the widely recognized American Board of Ophthalmology, have stricter standards for board certification than the other groups.
Discussion:
Right Now, Ben Smith's Blog, Vanity Fair, TPMMuckraker, The New Republic and AMERICAblog News
Paul Singer / Roll Call:
Pelosi Paying $18K a Month for New San Francisco Office — Last fall, Speaker Nancy Pelosi moved her district office into the new federal building in San Francisco. The move quadrupled the rent she pays, and her new $18,736 monthly bill is almost double the next-highest rental paid by a Member of the House.
Paul Krugman:
The Bad Logic Of Fiscal Austerity — So, one more time: here's an attempt to put together some key arguments about why the rush to fiscal austerity is deeply misguided. — Let me start with the budget arithmetic, borrowing an approach from Brad DeLong. Consider the long-run budget implications …