Top Items:
Robert Draper / New York Times:
This Year's Maverick — Lindsey Graham was sitting in a sedan early one morning and contentedly discussing the various fellow South Carolina conservatives who dislike him — Tea Partiers, Constitutionalists, immigration hardliners — when Van Cato, his upstate regional director …
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People-Press.org:
Voting Intentions Even, Turnout Indicators Favor GOP — Older Americans Eager to Vote... Republican, That Is — With four months to go before Election Day, voting intentions for the House remain closely divided, and neither party has gained or lost much ground over the course of 2010.
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Independent Voters Favor GOP in 2010 Election Tracking — Prefer Republican candidate to Democrat by an average of 45% to 35% — PRINCETON, NJ — By an average 10 percentage-point margin since March, 45% to 35%, independent registered voters have consistently preferred the Republican …
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Sen. Graham predicts Tea Party movement will eventually ‘die out’ — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has earned the ire of Tea Party groups for his penchant for negotiating with Democrats, predicted this week the movement will “die out.” — Graham, who has partnered with Democrats …
Michael Memoli / The Swamp:
Boehner fires back at ‘whining’ White House — House Minority Leader John Boehner today escalated a growing battle with Congressional Democrats and the White House, accusing the latter of “childish partisanship” after President Obama criticized him for remarks about the financial crisis.
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Gail Collins / New York Times:
The Most Unhappy Fellow — Our Independence Day weekend winner of the title of Most Unhappy Person in Washington is: John Boehner, the House minority leader. — I know this is a bit of a surprise since the award almost always goes to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, whose job is frequently compared to herding cats.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Think Progress, PostPartisan, The Daily Dish, The Moderate Voice and Prairie Weather
Fox News:
Pelosi: Unemployment Checks Fastest Way to Create Jobs — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill June 24. (AP Photo) — Unemployment benefits are creating jobs faster than practically any other program, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.
The Huffington Post:
Unemployment Extension Fails: Senate Rejects Jobless Benefits 58-38 — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — The Senate rejected Wednesday — for the fourth time — a bill that would have reauthorized extended benefits for the long-term unemployed, by a vote of 58 to 38.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Washington Monthly, Indecision Forever, Center for American Progress, Wonk Room and The Monkey Cage
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Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
With Millions Losing Benefits, Ben Nelson Blocks Extension Of Unemployment Insurance
With Millions Losing Benefits, Ben Nelson Blocks Extension Of Unemployment Insurance
Stephen Ohlemacher / Associated Press:
1.3 million unemployed won't get benefits restored
1.3 million unemployed won't get benefits restored
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Daily Kos, The Washington Independent, The Huffington Post, Sweetness & Light and DownWithTyranny!
The White House:
Remarks by the President on Comprehensive Immigration Reform American University School of International Service, Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Everyone please have a seat. Thank you very much.
Discussion:
White House.gov Blog Feed, Democracy in America, Cato @ Liberty, Mother Jones and Gateway Pundit
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Devin Dwyer / ABCNEWS:
Obama Targets ‘Polarization’ and ‘Pettiness’ in Push for Immigration Reform — With Arizona Law Set to Take Effect, Obama Calls for ‘Clear National Standard’ and ‘Accountability’ — President Obama today sought to tap into national frustration over the country's “fundamentally broken” …
Tara Siegel Bernard / New York Times:
Google to Add Pay to Cover a Tax for Same-Sex Benefits — Working for a company as rich as Google comes with an incredible number of fringe benefits: the free food, the free laundry, the doctor on duty at company headquarters and the impressive five months of maternity leave with full pay and benefits, to mention a few.
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Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
First look at Daily Kos's lawsuit: Charges Research 2000 with “fraudulently manufacturing phony results” — I've obtained a copy of the lawsuit that Daily Kos just filed against Research 2000, and this going to get nastier than you thought. — The suit contains striking new details …
Courtland Milloy / Washington Post:
In Clarence Thomas's gun rights opinion, race plays a major role — He hardly ever speaks during oral arguments, often appearing asleep on the bench. But in his written opinion Monday supporting the right to bear arms, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas roared to life.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Democrats to punt on taxes — Democratic leaders are likely to punt the task of renewing Bush-era tax cuts until after the election. — Voters in November's midterms will thus be left without a clear idea of their future tax rates when they go to the polls.
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Doug Powers / Michelle Malkin:
NAACP, NY Times Whitewash Robert Byrd's Past — Somebody at the NAACP either needs a history lesson or is being intentionally deceptive about somebody's horrid past just because the person in question was a liberal Democrat (don't tell me which it is and ruin the suspense). — From Mike Riggs at the Daily Caller:
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Mike Riggs / The Daily Caller:
What does a Klansman - like Robert Byrd - have to do to win …
What does a Klansman - like Robert Byrd - have to do to win …
Discussion:
The Greenroom
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Breitbart, Sullivan in JournoList spat — Andrew Breitbart's $100,000 offer for the full archives of the now-defunct liberal listserve JournoList has prompted a fight between Breitbart and Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan. — Breitbart has not yet had any takers for the offer …
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh
CEPR:
Deficit Committee Co-Chair Reveals Himself as Numerologist — Erskine Bowles, the Democratic co-chairman of President Obama's deficit commission, revealed that he was a numerologist yesterday when he suggested that the commision should set a limit on federal government spending at 21 percent of GDP.
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Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
N.R.A. Says It Opposes Kagan — WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association said on Thursday that it would oppose the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, and would publicize how senators vote on her nomination. The move could drive down support for her among senators from states where gun rights are at issue.
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Sherrilyn A. Ifill / THEROOT.COM:
Trashing Thurgood Marshall
Trashing Thurgood Marshall
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Mondoweiss, The Moderate Voice, ACS Blog and Think Progress
Brian Stelter / Media Decoder:
Huckabee Trying Out a Daily Show for News Corp. — Mike Huckabee, the weekend Fox News Channel host and possible 2012 presidential candidate, is getting a six-week tryout as a daily talk show host. — Called “The Huckabee Show,” it will have a preview run on weekdays for six weeks …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Ben Smith's Blog, New York Magazine, Taegan Goddard's …, The Page and Romenesko
Sarah Kliff / The Politico:
Health site promotes vodka, P. Diddy — With HHS's rollout of a new web portal, HealthCare.Gov, you can investigate health insurance plans and provisions of the new health care law. And for a while, you could also learn some not so health-related information, like that HealthCare.Gov enjoys P. Diddy and Indian politicians.
Discussion:
White House.gov Blog Feed, Washington Wire, Ezra Klein, The New Republic, Mediaite, Moonbattery and Weasel Zippers
Washington Post:
Pentagon recommends Medal of Honor for a living soldier — The Pentagon has recommended that the White House consider awarding the Medal of Honor to a living soldier for the first time since the Vietnam War, according to U.S. officials. — The soldier, whose nomination must be reviewed by the White House …
Stu Woo / Wall Street Journal:
Police Reopen Al Gore Case — Police in Portland, Ore., are reopening an investigation over allegations that former Vice President Al Gore fondled a masseuse in a hotel in 2006. — The city's Police Bureau disclosed the move in a brief statement Wednesday, but did not explain the decision to reopen the investigation.
Discussion:
Beltway Confidential, AmSpecBlog, The Jawa Report, JustOneMinute, The BLT, Liberty Pundits Blog and Ben Smith's Blog
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Harsh Words for G.O.P. From Obama — RACINE, Wis. — President Obama leveled a harsh indictment against Congressional Republicans on Wednesday, accusing them of doing the bidding of bankers and oil executives while cutting “working folks loose to fend for themselves.”
Discussion:
Fox News, Wonkette, The Moderate Voice, Latest Open Salon Blog, The Caucus and The Gavel
Erick Erickson / RedState:
NRA Now Leans Toward Endorsing Harry Reid — Multiple sources tell me the National Rifle Association is planning to endorse liberal Harry Reid against pro-gun champion Sharron Angle. — Two weeks ago, I told you about the carveout the NRA received in exchange for their support for the DISCLOSE ACT deal.
Cynthia Laird / ebar.com:
Speier: 5 years for ENDA — Congresswoman Jackie Speier put a damper on hopes for swift House passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, telling the Bay Area Reporter over the weekend that she doesn't see the LGBT workplace protections becoming law anytime soon.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog Gay, The Bilerico Project, Wonk Room, Pam's House Blend and Towleroad News #gay
Christopher Hitchens / Vanity Fair:
An Update from Christopher Hitchens — I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me. I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice. — Keywords:
Discussion:
Wonkette, Politics Daily, Reliable Source, Pundit & Pundette, Outside the Beltway and Hot Air