Top Items:
Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Barack Obama takes opportunity Sarah Palin missed — In the span of a single news cycle, Republicans got a jarring reminder of two forces that could prevent them from retaking the presidency next year. — At sunrise in the east on Wednesday, Sarah Palin demonstrated that she has little interest …
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Richard PéRez-PeñA / The Caucus:
Christie Says Palin Needs to Go Unscripted to Contend for 2012 — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey says it's way too early to handicap the field of his fellow Republicans who might run for president in 2012, but on Wednesday he voiced a few sharp words about the most famous one.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, The Hill, ThinkProgress, The Note, The Huffington Post, CNN, Hotline On Call, New York Times, The Page, The Hill and Gretawire
The White House:
Remarks by the President at a Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona — McKale Memorial Center University of Arizona — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Please, please be seated. (Applause.)
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, News Desk, Taylor Marsh, Swampland, News Hounds, Obama London, Don Surber and neo-neocon
Michael Shear / The Caucus:
Obama and Palin, a Tale of Two Speeches — President Obama gives his speech honoring the January 8 shooting victims at McKale Memorial Center. — Wednesday was bookended by two remarkable — and remarkably different — political performances that demonstrated the vast expanse of America's political landscape.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, AMERICAblog News, Runnin' Scared and Marbury
Michelle Malkin:
Branding the Tucson massacre: “Together We Thrive” in white and blue; Updated: Liveblogging the bizarre pep rally; Gov. Brewer booed; in sum: right speech, too late, boneheaded venue (WOOT!) — President Obama used to preach that there was no “Red America” and no “Blue America,” just one America.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, Hullabaloo, Fox Nation, Tammy Bruce, Crooks and Liars, Scared Monkeys, Pundit & Pundette, No More Mister Nice Blog, Proof Positive, NewsBusters.org blogs, Liberty Pundits Blog, TBogg, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Gawker, Pajamas Media, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, The Gateway Pundit, American Power, Doug Ross and Breaking News
Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
Conservatives Criticize Free T-Shirts At Tucson Memorial Service — TUCSON, AZ — Some conservatives are upset over t-shirts bearing the logo “Together We Thrive: Tucson & America” that were handed out to attendees at tonight's memorial service in the McKale Center on the campus of the University Of Arizona here.
New York Times:
Obama's Remarks in Tucson — Following is a text of President Obama's prepared address on Wednesday to honor those killed and wounded in a shooting on Jan. 8, as released by the White House. — To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university …
New York Times:
Obama Calls for a New Era of Civility in U.S. Politics
Obama Calls for a New Era of Civility in U.S. Politics
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight, Gallup, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Guardian, Wonkette, AOL News, Outside the Beltway, PostPartisan, Gothamist and The Caucus
Associated Press:
On shootings and politics, Palin has her own rules
On shootings and politics, Palin has her own rules
Discussion:
USA Today and Sweetness & Light
Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Facing Challenge, Obama Returns to Unity Theme
Facing Challenge, Obama Returns to Unity Theme
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, The Empire and Mediaite
John Bresnahan / The Politico:
John Boehner turns down Air Force One ride to Tucson — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) turned down an offer by President Barack Obama to travel on Air Force One to Arizona for a memorial service on behalf of the victims of Saturday's shooting, a decision that has upset some Democrats.
Discussion:
USA Today, CNN, Riehl World View, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway and The Hill
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The Politico:
Pelosi is there as Giffords opens eyes — TUCSON, Ariz. — Simple sentiments, spoken by family and some of her closest friends in Congress, inspired the “miracle” of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' open eyes Wednesday evening. — Surrounded in her hospital room by her husband, her parents …
Discussion:
TPMDC, Reuters, The Page, JammieWearingFool, The Hill, The Note and Naked Politics
Wall Street Journal:
S&P, Moody's Warn On U.S. Credit Rating — LONDON—Two leading credit rating agencies on Thursday cautioned the U.S. on its credit rating, expressing concern over a deteriorating fiscal situation that they say needs correction. — Moody's Investors Service said in a report Thursday …
Discussion:
The Foundry, Outside the Beltway and Suburban Guerrilla
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Kevin D. Williamson / National Review:
U.S. on the Way toward Losing AAA Credit Rating
U.S. on the Way toward Losing AAA Credit Rating
Discussion:
Hot Air
Washington Post:
Sarah Palin's effort to defuse controversy backfires with ‘blood libel’ comment — The presidential-quality stagecraft was there: an American flag over Sarah Palin's left shoulder and another over her heart. So was the rhetorical polish, with its invocations of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution, God and Ronald Reagan.
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org blogs and Informed Comment
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The Huffington Post:
Norquist Decries Lack Of Conservative Debate On Afghanistan — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … A prominent conservative thinker is calling on Republicans to begin a serious debate about the war in Afghanistan, its costs and what Ronald Reagan would do in the same circumstances.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Daily Dish and Commentary
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William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
Person Tweeting Death Wish For Palin Now Wants Privacy — I linked earlier to a YouTube video montage [video removed, see update below] of death wishes tweeted about Sarah Palin after various bloggers maliciously linked Palin's electoral target map to the Tucson shooting.
Discussion:
Moriah Jovan, JammieWearingFool, American Power, Patterico's Pontifications, Big Journalism, Instapundit and Sister Toldjah
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Palin aide: She's getting death threats at unprecedented levels
Palin aide: She's getting death threats at unprecedented levels
Discussion:
Big Journalism, Whiskey Fire, JammieWearingFool, The Mahablog and Verum Serum
Thomas P. Melady / Washington Times:
Michael S. Steele for RNC chairman — Tomorrow, Republicans through their state chairmen and committeemen will elect the chairman of the Republican National Committee. There is special importance to the election as this chairman will lead the party in the national presidential elections of November 2012.
Discussion:
Ballot Box
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Wall Street Journal:
Suspect's Downward Spiral — Police Records Show Accused Killer Growing More Erratic Before College Suspension — TUCSON, Ariz.—Students and faculty at Pima Community College feared for their safety as Jared Lee Loughner's increasingly erratic behavior led to a series of encounters …
Discussion:
Right Wing News, Runnin' Scared and The Wire
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David Frum / FrumForum:
The Uneasiness of Talk Radio — Interesting experience listening to talk radio these past days. The tone? Extra militant and - in the case of Rush Limbaugh especially - extra provocative. Sarah Palin's video address seems to have been composed under the influence of this mood …
Discussion:
Riehl World View and Outside the Beltway
New York Post:
Prez perfect - but the crowd was appalling — Never before in the annals of national moments of mourning have the words spoken been so wildly mismatched by the spirit in which they were received. — The sentences and paragraphs of President Obama's speech last night were beautiful and moving and powerful.
Wall Street Journal:
A Fifth Star for David Petraeus — The general clearly deserves to join the rank held by MacArthur, Marshall and Nimitz. His promotion would also honor our troops and their mission in the war on terror. — On a cold December evening in 1783, at Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and Swampland
Jennifer Bendery / Roll Call:
Boehner to Host RNC Party During Tucson Memorial — Speaker John Boehner will host a cocktail party for the Republican National Committee at the same time that President Barack Obama will be addressing the nation at the memorial service for victims of the Tucson shooting.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, Los Angeles Times, Firedoglake, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, New York Times, Booman Tribune and The Maddow Blog
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Tim Mak / FrumForum:
RNC Shocker: Boehner Backs Cino for RNC Chair
RNC Shocker: Boehner Backs Cino for RNC Chair
Discussion:
Politics Daily, Weekly Standard, Ben Smith's Blog, Riehl World View and TPMDC