Top Items:
David Boaz / Cato @ Liberty:
Reagan-Appointed Judge Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban — Chuck Donovan of the Heritage Foundation denounces Judge Vaughn Walker for “extreme judicial activism” and “judicial tyranny” in striking down California's Proposition 8, which barred gay people from marrying.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway, his vorpal sword, Tom Watson, The Foundry, Will Wilkinson, The Atlantic Online and CNN
RELATED:
Dahlia Lithwick / Slate:
Judge Walker's decision to overturn Prop 8 is factual, well-reasoned, and powerful. … - Charging the WikiLeaks Leaker With Treason Would Be Absurd- How Many Americans Can't Swim? - Profitable Companies That Refuse To Restore the Benefits They Axed in 2008- Is It Possible To Write an Interesting Novel About a Nanny?
Carlos Lozano / L.A. NOW:
Judge strikes down Prop. 8, allows gay marriage in California [Updated] — A federal judge in San Francisco decided today that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, striking down Proposition 8, the voter approved ballot measure that banned same-sex unions.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Another Black Conservative, No More Mister Nice Blog, GayPatriot, The Moderate Voice, Prop 8 Trial Tracker, Left Coast Rebel, Hot Air, NO QUARTER, NewsReal Blog, Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, The Confluence, Hit & Run, Instapundit, Emptywheel, The Mahablog, The Washington Independent, Newshoggers.com, Truthdig, ACS Blog, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Law Blog, The Agonist, Pensito Review, The Right Coast, Firedoglake and Swampland
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Online:
Prop. 8 Overturned: The Facts, Not the Law, Matter — Here's what you need to know about Judge Vaughn Walker's decision invalidating California's Proposition 8, a referendum passed by voters that banned same-sex marriage. The decision itself will be appealed, and Walker's reasoning …
John / Power Line:
Today's Proposition 8 Decision — Conservatives have long said that the day would come when liberal judges declare the Constitution unconstitutional. That happened today, when a gay federal judge in San Francisco, relying on the opinions of mostly-gay “expert” witnesses …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
Dale Carpenter / The Volokh Conspiracy:
A Maximalist Decision, Raising the Stakes — I'm still studying the decision today in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which strikes down Prop 8 on both due process and equal protection grounds. I like a lot of the language, and the arguments, as a matter of rhetoric, common sense, and policy.
Discussion:
GayPatriot and Dump Michele Bachmann
Gerard Bradley / Fox News:
Why Has Media Ignored Judge's Possible Bias In California's Gay Marriage Case?
Why Has Media Ignored Judge's Possible Bias In California's Gay Marriage Case?
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Mediaite, L.A. NOW, Mother Jones, News Hounds and The Political Carnival
John Schwartz / New York Times:
In Same-Sex Ruling, an Eye on the Supreme Court
In Same-Sex Ruling, an Eye on the Supreme Court
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Page
William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
Fed Judge Finds Calif. Prop. 8 Unconstitutional
Fed Judge Finds Calif. Prop. 8 Unconstitutional
Discussion:
Newt.org, alicublog, The Moderate Voice, protein wisdom, Sister Toldjah, Pajamas Media, Michelle Malkin and The Other McCain
Chris Rovzar / New York Magazine:
Judge Hands Victory to Proposition 8 Opponents, Gay-Marriage Ban Overturned
Judge Hands Victory to Proposition 8 Opponents, Gay-Marriage Ban Overturned
Discussion:
Good As You, VivirLatino, Pam's House Blend, LAist, TechCrunch, Taylor Marsh, Above the Law, Hot Air, TPMMuckraker, L.A. NOW, Crooks and Liars, Poliglot, RHRealityCheck.org, The BRAD BLOG, The Moderate Voice, The Political Carnival, Mediaite, Gawker, Feministing and Daily Kos, more at Mediagazer »
Lisa Leff / Associated Press:
Judge overturns Calif. gay marriage ban
Judge overturns Calif. gay marriage ban
Discussion:
DaTechguy's Blog, Vox Popoli, Don Surber and The Volokh Conspiracy
James Pethokoukis:
An August Surprise from Obama? — Main Street may be about to get its own gigantic bailout. Rumors are running wild from Washington to Wall Street that the Obama administration is about to order government-controlled lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to forgive a portion of the mortgage debt …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Moe Lane, Capital Gains and Games blogs, Betsy's Page and Washington Post
Paul Revoir / Daily Mail:
Briton held for wearing a bikini in Dubai shopping mall after fight with Arabic woman — A British holidaymaker has been charged with indecency in Dubai after walking through the world's largest shopping centre in a bikini. — The woman was buying clothes and gifts in the Dubai Mall …
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, Telegraph, DaTechguy's Blog and Guardian
Edward Wyatt / New York Times:
Google and Verizon in Talks on Selling Internet Priority — WASHINGTON — Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Guardian, The Confluence, The Moderate Voice, Balloon Juice and Prairie Weather, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Todd Shields / Bloomberg:
Google, Verizon Said to Strike Deal on Web Traffic Rules — Verizon Communications Inc. and Google Inc. reached a deal on how to handle Internet traffic, striking their own accord on policy being weighed by U.S. officials, two people briefed by the companies said today.
Discussion:
Post Tech, CNET News, The Politico, GigaOM, Outside the Beltway, Engadget and Reuters, more at Techmeme »
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Gibbs dismisses Missouri vote against federal health insurance mandate — White House press secretary Robert Gibbs flatly dismissed Missouri's vote Tuesday rejecting a key part of the healthcare law. — Gibbs said Missouri's vote approving a ballot initiative to exempt residents …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, Questions and Observations, MyDD, Weasel Zippers and Beltway Confidential
RELATED:
Scott / Power Line:
What Missouri showed me — One of the most interesting of Tuesday night's primary results came in Missouri's Proposition C. What did Missouri show us? In the words of the joke: The peasants are revolting. — Proposition C asked voters whether Missouri law was to be amended to deny …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, NewsBusters.org and 24thState
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
McCaskill: ‘Message received’ from Missouri voters on health reform
McCaskill: ‘Message received’ from Missouri voters on health reform
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Weekly Standard, Hot Air, Swampland and The Note
Kerry Eleveld / Advocate:
White House Statement on Proposition 8 — A White House statement regarding Wednesday's ruling overturning Proposition 8 said President Barack Obama had spoken out against the measure because it was “divisive and discriminatory.” — A White House spokesperson sent the following statement …
Discussion:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Politico, AMERICAblog News and Pam's House Blend
RELATED:
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Pence: Obama ‘most anti-Israel’ president in modern history
Pence: Obama ‘most anti-Israel’ president in modern history
Discussion:
HotAirPundit and Israel Matzav
Celeste Katz / The Daily Politics:
Caroline Giuliani's Shoplifting Bust: Updated x 2 — Here's what we've got on the shoplifting bust of Caroline Giuliani, by our Police Bureau Chief, Rocco Parascandola. — The Ivy Leaguer daughter of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was busted Wednesday afternoon for trying to get a five-finger discount …
Discussion:
Gothamist and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
Bnyhan / Brendan Nyhan:
New CNN poll on birther myth — CNN has released a new poll on the birther myth and the news, as usual, is depressing. Only 42% of the public thinks Obama was “definitely born in the United States” and 27% of Americans specifically stated that President Obama was “probably” or “definitely” born in another country.
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias and Outside the Beltway
RELATED:
Andy Barr / The Politico:
41% of Republicans: President Obama foreign-born
41% of Republicans: President Obama foreign-born
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
Rep. Luis Gutierrez / The Huffington Post:
Why We Should Welcome McConnell's Demand for Hearings on Rescinding 14th Amendment
Why We Should Welcome McConnell's Demand for Hearings on Rescinding 14th Amendment
Discussion:
The Plum Line and The Washington Independent
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Todd S. Purdum's big question of Obama's presidency: Can he play the game, yet transcend the game? - GPG hires top Republican - How Malia used her one phone call from camp — BULLETIN — Michael Hastings, the Rolling Stone contributing editor who wrote “The Runaway General,” tells Mika …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain:
Marcela Hoeven Bikini Scandal? — North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven is 47 points ahead in a Senate campaign that is, by all odds, the closest thing to a surefire pick-up for Republicans this fall. And yet it appears that there are some fiendish Democrats who hope that “family values” …
Discussion:
Instapundit
New York Times:
Senate Vote Clears Way for $26 Billion in Aid to States — WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday cleared the way to provide $10 billion to states and local school districts to prevent teacher layoffs and an additional $16 billion in federal aid to cash-strapped states, and the Speaker …
Sharon Otterman / New York Times:
Diversity Debate Engulfs Hunter High in Manhattan — With one of its alumnae, Elena Kagan, poised for confirmation as a justice on the United States Supreme Court, it should be a triumphant season for Hunter College High School, a New York City public school for the intellectually gifted.
Discussion:
City Room, Steve Sailer's iSteve Blog and Unfogged
Gloria Park / The Politico:
Creating a hybrid for the blogosphere — Not only is the blogosphere changing how voters consume information, it's also creating new jobs in politics, policy and online communications consulting. Although there is still no formal job description for “blogger relations” staffers …