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Kagan may get confirmed, but Thurgood Marshall can forget it — Oppo researchers digging into Elena Kagan's past didn't get the goods on the Supreme Court nominee — but they did get the Thurgood. — As confirmation hearings opened Monday afternoon, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee took …
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WHAT DID THURGOOD MARSHALL EVER DO TO THE GOP?.... In early May …
Discussion:
TPMDC, Salt Lake Tribune, Pam's House Blend, The Washington Independent, Talking Points Memo and Jules Crittenden

More on Research 2000 — I have just published a report by three statistics wizards showing, quite convincingly, that the weekly Research 2000 State of the Nation poll we ran the past year and a half was likely bunk. — Since the moment Mark Grebner, Michael Weissman …
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Wall Street bill back to conference as Democrats don't have the votes — Senate and House conferees on Wall Street reform are expected to reconvene Tuesday because of Republican objections to $19 billion in fees that would be placed on big financial firms. — The meeting would follow …
Discussion:
The Hill, New York Times, Firedoglake, Wonk Room, Open Left, The Caucus and Right Wing News
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Feingold will vote ‘no’ on Wall Street bill
Discussion:
The Politico, CNN, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Washington Monthly, Wonk Room, msnbc.com and Reuters


In Ireland, a Picture of the High Cost of Austerity — DUBLIN — As Europe's major economies focus on belt-tightening, they are following the path of Ireland. But the once thriving nation is struggling, with no sign of a rapid turnaround in sight. — Nearly two years ago …
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Matthew Yglesias, Guardian, Washington Monthly, Calculated Risk and The Impolitic
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A Terrible Ugliness Is Born — Liz Alderman offers an excellent, if depressing, portrait of Ireland in austerity. To fully appreciate its significance, you want to juxtapose it with what the apostles of austerity are saying. Jean-Claude Trichet: … Uh-huh.

Obama's good for GOP, Boehner says — PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW — House Minority Leader John Boehner, the Ohio Republican with his eye on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's gavel, said the tide is turning the GOP's way. — “The American people have written off the Democrats,” …
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Top Republican: Raise Social Security's retirement age to 70
Discussion:
Pat Dollard


Sharron Angle, Camera-Shy Candidate, Shifts Coverage — RENO — There is a game in Nevada called “Where's Sharron Angle?” that the press is tired of playing. — Ms. Angle, a Nevada Senate candidate and Tea Party darling, has steadfastly refused to talk to reporters here …
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Sharron Angle Is Against Abortion In The Case Of Rape Or Incest: It Would Interfere With God's ‘Plan’ — In a radio interview with Bill Manders on Jan. 25, Sharron Angle — the GOP candidate and Tea Party darling challenging Harry Reid for Nevada's U.S. Senate seat — came out firmly against abortion.


Spy ring's ‘femme fatale’ — A ring of 11 Russian moles right out of a Cold War spy novel was smashed yesterday — and among those busted was a flame-haired, 007-worthy beauty who flitted from high-profile parties to top-secret meetings around Manhattan. — Russian national Anna Chapman …
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In Ordinary Lives, U.S. Sees the Work of Russian Agents
Discussion:
Washington Post, Guardian, Telegraph, Daniel W. Drezner, SpyTalk, Left Coast Rebel, The Daily Caller, Power Line, Questions and Observations, Taylor Marsh, Outside the Beltway, Jules Crittenden, Townhall.com, New Atlanticist, Globe and Mail, Balloon Juice, Wonkette, The United States Department …, The Corner on National …, Patterico's Pontifications, Hot Air and FrumForum

Gen. Petraeus' nomination puts some Democrats in awkward spot — President Barack Obama's nomination of Gen. David Petraeus has put some Democrats in a politically awkward position. — While Senate Democrats are expected to rally behind Petraeus to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal …
Discussion:
CNN, The Politico, Washington Post, Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, The Swamp, ABCNEWS, Taylor Marsh, Weasel Zippers, NRSC and Neptunus Lex
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Dems quietly cheer gun ruling — When the Supreme Court extended the individual right to own a gun Monday, they handed Second Amendment advocates—many of whom are at home in the GOP—one of their most significant legal victories ever. — But who won the day in politics? The Democrats.


Reward: $100,000 for Full ‘JournoList’ Archive; Source Fully Protected — I've had $100,000 burning in my pocket for the last three months and I'd really like to spend it on a worthy cause. So how about this: in the interests of journalistic transparency, and to offer the American public …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, The Awl, Weekly Standard, Vanity Fair, Mediaite, The Classless Society and Ross Douthat

Feingold leads by 2 — It's looking more and more likely that Wisconsin will be in the top tier of competitive Senate races this fall. Russ Feingold leads challenger Ron Johnson by only two points, 45-43. Johnson is polling closer to Feingold than Tommy Thompson was as he contemplated a potential campaign.

Lara Logan, You Suck — Lara Logan, come on down! You're the next guest on Hysterical Backstabbing Jealous Hackfest 2010! — I thought I'd seen everything when I read David Brooks saying out loud in a New York Times column that reporters should sit on damaging comments to save their sources from their own idiocy.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, The Daily Dish and Nitpicker, more at Mediagazer »


Aides: Byrd to lie in repose in Senate chamber — The body of Sen. Robert Byrd will lie in repose Thursday in the Senate chamber. — Washington (CNN) - The body of Sen. Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, will lie in repose in the U.S. Senate chamber on Thursday, two Senate aides familiar with the plans told CNN.
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Robert Byrd's Klan History, and the 150 Recruits He Brought With Him
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo


David Weigel joins MSNBC — Former Washington Post blogger Dave Weigel has joined MSNBC as a paid contributor, the cable network announced Monday night. — “Countdown,” host Keith Olbermann made the announcement on his show, introducing Weigel as “an MSNBC contributor.... Welcome Dave,” he said.
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An update on China — Ever since we launched Google.cn, our search engine for mainland Chinese users, we have done our best to increase access to information while abiding by Chinese law. This has not always been an easy balance to strike, especially since our January announcement …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Financial Times, RConversation, Silicon Alley Insider, Gizmodo, Guardian, Bits and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »

Wrong Track Distress — It's getting harder and harder for most Americans, looking honestly at the state of the nation, to see the glass as half full. And that's why the public opinion polls contain nothing but bad news for Barack Obama and the Democrats.