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Obama: On the way to a failed presidency? — Ronald Reagan famously quipped that the Democratic Party left him before he left the party. Like many progressive supporters of Barack Obama, I'm beginning to have the same feeling about this president. — Consider what we've seen since …
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The Deal — So the tax deal is out. Obama extracted some concessions, with the big surprise being a payroll tax cut. How much better do these concessions make the thing? — Well, for starters we have the two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts. As I pointed out yesterday …

Senior White House Official: ‘We Wanted a Fight,’ too. Congressional Dems 'Wouldn't Throw a Punch' — Vice President Biden heads to Capitol Hill today to lobby Senate Democrats to support the tax cut compromise, as President Obama faces criticism from congressional Democrats …

Obama sells out the left: a Republican win on taxes — There really is no other way to say it: the Republicans won, the liberal Democrats lost, and the president sided with the Republicans. The subject, of course, is an agreement to extend all the Bust tax cuts.

Sen. Durbin: Dems could ‘walk out’ on tax cut deal — A bloc of Senate Democrats could decide not to support a White House-brokered deal on tax cuts and unemployment benefits, thereby putting the plan in danger, according to the second-ranking Senate Democrat.
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The Hill, Washington Post, Ben Smith's Blog, CNN, Roll Call, Wonkette, ABCNEWS, Washington Monthly, James Pethokoukis and Right Turn


Wonkbook: Everything you need to know about the Bush tax cut deal — I'll admit it: I didn't think they had it in them. A temporary extension of the Bush tax cuts? Sure, they could manage that. Fear is a powerful motivator in Washington, and nothing scares politicians like the threat of a tax hike on their constituents.


Tax Deal Suggests New Path for Obama — WASHINGTON — President Obama announced a tentative deal with Congressional Republicans on Monday to extend the Bush-era tax cuts at all income levels for two years as part of a package that would also keep benefits flowing to the long-term unemployed …
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Bush tax cuts just 37 percent of the total deal — From msnbc.com's Tom Curry: Despite being billed as a great debate over the Bush tax cuts, the struggle between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans appears to have ended with an extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts representing …

Tax deal a good, not great, bargain for Republicans — It's victory! It's defeat! It's the end of Obama! It's the end of the world! The deal to keep the current tax rates in place has received soaring praise and bitter criticism on the Right, but the truth is that the deal winds …
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Outside the Beltway, Commentary, Nice Deb, South Capitol Street, driftglass and Power Line

Obama Seeks to Deflect Anger in Party Over Tax Deal
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Firedoglake, Green, TPMDC, National Review, The Atlantic Online and ECHIDNE of the snakes


Liberal Dems to Obama: Fight harder
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The Atlantic Online, Top of the Ticket, Hot Air, Taylor Marsh and The Other McCain

Tax and Unemployment Agreement Leads to Jobs Growth
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Washington Monthly, Ezra Klein, The Politico and Democracy in America

Poll: Obama supporters strongly opposed to deal extending Bush tax cuts
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TPMDC, Little Green Footballs and Hot Air

Left sees tax surrender, says Obama reelection bid now crippled
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The Note

Pelosi attacks Obama-GOP tax plan as House Dems signal fight
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The Hill, Daily Kos and Open Congress

In tax defeat, Dems pay the price for old tricks
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Betsy's Page

Tax cut deal and surprise stimulus - the cost
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The Atlantic Online, CNN, Parker Spitzer and Swampland

Just How Big of a Dive is Obama Taking on Tax Cuts?
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NationalJournal.com, The Daily Dish, AmSpecBlog, The Plum Line, Salon, Eunomia and alicublog

Does President Obama have a liberal problem?
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The Atlantic Online, The Plum Line, Questions and Observations and Commentary

Obama's tax cut extension part of strategy to show bipartisanship
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The Fix, Right Wing News and Prairie Weather

MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION.... At the surface …
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The Note, New York Times, The Politico, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, RedState and msnbc.com

British Court Denies Bail to Assange in Sex Inquiry — LONDON — Julian Assange, the founder of the beleaguered WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group, was denied bail by a London court on Tuesday and said that he would resist extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning in connection with alleged sex offenses.
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The Wikileaks sex files: How two one-night stands sparked a worldwide hunt for Julian Assange — A winter morning in backwoods Scandinavia and the chime of a church bell drifts across the snowbound town of Enkoping. Does it also toll for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange?


Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London — Julian Assange denies sexually assaulting the two women — The founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been arrested by police in London. — The 39-year-old Australian, who was the subject of a European arrest warrant …


Anti-WikiLeaks lies and propaganda - from TNR, Lauer, Feinstein and more — (updated below - Update II) — (1) In The New Republic today, Todd Gitlin writes an entire anti-WikiLeaks column that is based on an absolute factual falsehood. Anyone listening to most media accounts would believe …
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Newshoggers.com, The Daily Dish, Guardian, The New Republic, AlterNet, CNN and The Excavator, more at Mediagazer »


Prosecute Assange Under the Espionage Act
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Technology Liberation Front, Guardian, Right Turn, LewRockwell.com Blog, BLACKFIVE and Raw Story

Don't shoot messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths
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The Moderate Voice, NPR, New York Times, Guardian and Examiner, more at Mediagazer »

WikiLeaks: US Senator Joe Lieberman suggests New York Times could be investigated
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Media Diary, ThinkProgress, Hullabaloo, Techdirt, Raw Story, National Review and Associated Press, more at Mediagazer »

The WikiLeaks founder is an unscrupulous megalomaniac with a political agenda.
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New Atlanticist and The Daily Caller, more at Mediagazer »

Julian Assange Captured by World's Dating Police
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Associated Press, Raw Story and AMERICAblog News, more at Techmeme »

Elizabeth Edwards gravely ill with cancer — WASHINGTON (AP) — Elizabeth Edwards over the past six years has seen her husband's presidential ambitions thwarted, retreated from public life as their marriage disintegrated over his affair, then emerged to advocate for changes …
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WTVD-TV
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Christie's bully act getting old — Two years ago, when Chris Christie announced he was running for governor, he dismissed questions about his days as the Godzilla freeholder — when he breathed fire on almost every issue, insulted Morris County colleagues and needlessly stomped on countless toes.

Palin Success Triggered FCC Complaints — Voting, hug angered “Dancing with the Stars” viewers … In the days after Bristol Palin was voted into the finals of “Dancing with the Stars,” viewers from across the country wrote to the Federal Communications Commission accusing the ABC show …
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Cubachi, Mediaite and Liberty Pundits Blog
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Rebuffed by Sarah Palin, tea party group picks Saul Anuzis
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USA Today

U.S. to Host World Press Freedom Day in 2011 — Press Statement — Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs — Washington, DC — The United States is pleased to announce that it will host UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day event in 2011, from May 1 - May 3 in Washington …
Discussion:
Gizmodo and Boing Boing


U.S. Unloads Citi Stake for a $12 Billion Profit — The U.S. Treasury sold the last of its Citigroup Inc. common shares in a $10.5 billion offering that capped the government's biggest bank bailout of the financial-market meltdown. — The stock sale, which was finalized Monday evening …
Discussion:
The Political Carnival and msnbc.com


New Start: Ratify, With Caveats — The treaty helpfully reinstates on-site verification of Russian nuclear forces, but senators should make it clear to Moscow that they don't see it as limiting U.S. missile defenses. — When U.S. President Bush and Russian President Putin signed the Moscow Treaty in 2002 …
Discussion:
The Politico, Washington Monthly, Wonk Room, msnbc.com and ThinkProgress