Top Items:
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
In Wisconsin, the gap widens between GOP and Dems — “They've painted themselves in a corner,” Wisconsin Republican state senator Randy Hopper says of his Democratic colleagues. “There's no way for them to get out of it.” — Democratic senators last week fled Wisconsin rather than allow …
Discussion:
Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and FrumForum
RELATED:
New York Times:
Union Bonds in Wisconsin Begin to Fray — JANESVILLE, Wis. — Rich Hahan worked at the General Motors plant here until it closed about two years ago. He moved to Detroit to take another G.M. job while his wife and children stayed here, but then the automaker cut more jobs.
Discussion:
The Confluence, Unfogged, Conservatives4Palin and Balloon Juice
Eugene Robinson / Washington Post:
Starving Wisconsin's unions — Let's be clear: The high-stakes standoff in Wisconsin has nothing to do with balancing the state's budget. — It is about money, though - but only in the sense that money translates into political power. At this point, it's clear for all to see that Gov …
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Rasmussen Poll on Wisconsin Dispute May Be Biased — We've noted before that the automated polling firm Rasmussen Reports has had problems with bias in a statistical sense: in the election last fall, its polls overestimated the standing of Republican candidates by roughly 4 percentage points on average.
RELATED:
Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Billionaire Brothers' Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute — WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News, New York Magazine and CBS News
George F. Will / Washington Post:
Out of Wisconsin, a lesson in leadership for Obama — Hitherto, when this university town and seat of state government applauded itself as “the Athens of the Midwest,” the sobriquet suggested kinship with the cultural glories of ancient Greece. Now, however, Madison resembles contemporary Athens.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Moonbattery, The Politico, Big Government, TPMDC and OpenMarket.org
Sky News Australia:
Cleric orders Gaddafi killed — Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi has issued a fatwa that any Libyan soldier who can shoot dead embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi should do so ‘to rid Libya of him.’ — 'Whoever in the Libyan army is able to shoot a bullet at Mr Gaddafi should do so …
RELATED:
BBC:
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appears on state TV — Col Gaddafi signalled his defiance over a mounting a revolt against his rule — Libya's leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi, has dismissed reports that he had fled amid the unrest sweeping the country, calling foreign news channels “dogs”.
Discussion:
The Foundry, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, ABCNEWS, Guardian, Mediaite, The Other McCain and FrumForum, more at Mediagazer »
Andrew Solomon / News Desk:
How Qaddafi Lost Libya — It seemed unlikely that Libya, sandwiched between regime collapse in Tunisia and regime collapse in Egypt, could be untouched by the movement. Qaddafi has had dominion over an increasingly malcontent country, and the citizens have been increasingly disgusted …
RELATED:
Guardian:
Libya defectors: Pilots told to bomb protesters flee to Malta
Libya defectors: Pilots told to bomb protesters flee to Malta
Discussion:
Reuters, Talking Points Memo, Sense of Events and Truthdig
Washington Post:
Gaddafi appears in Tripoli as top officials abandon regime
Gaddafi appears in Tripoli as top officials abandon regime
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Joshua Holland's Blog, Reuters, Sky Dancing, Ben Smith's Blog, Power Line and New York Times
Guardian:
Libya in crisis - live updates
Libya in crisis - live updates
Discussion:
Jihad Watch, Maggie's Notebook, beliefnet, Firedoglake and Hot Air
Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:
Wisconsin State Senator Smacks Down Chris Matthews: 'You're Completely Uninformed' — MSNBC's Chris Matthews tried Monday to push the liberal media meme that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker exempted police and firefighters from his budget repair plan because their unions endorsed him in last November's election.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Politics Daily, Badger Blogger and Verum Serum
RELATED:
Stephen C. Webster / The Raw Story:
Exclusive: Troopers would ‘absolutely’ use force on Wisc. protesters if ordered, police union president tells Raw
Exclusive: Troopers would ‘absolutely’ use force on Wisc. protesters if ordered, police union president tells Raw
Discussion:
blue cheddar, CBS News and WISC-TV
Jonathan Amos / BBC:
New Zealand earthquake: 65 dead in Christchurch — Eyewitness Tania Galbraith: “The whole building began to shake and it just wouldn't stop” — New Zealand's prime minister says at least 65 people have died after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch.
Discussion:
The Page
RELATED:
New Zealand Herald:
Deaths in Christchurch quake
Deaths in Christchurch quake
Discussion:
New York Times, The Other McCain and Pajamas Media
Joe Morgan / Associated Press:
Quake in New Zealand kills at least 65
Quake in New Zealand kills at least 65
Discussion:
Firedoglake and Balloon Juice
Ford Vox / The Atlantic Online:
Wisconsin's Real Doctors and Their Fake Sick Notes for Protesters — Fears over becoming hostage to soaring health insurance premiums has Wisconsin's teachers and other public employees protesting in downtown Madison for the second week running. It's a very real threat to their economic stability …
Discussion:
Human Events, protein wisdom, Big Government, The Daily Caller, Cubachi, Pajamas Media, American Power and Physicians Page
RELATED:
ABCNEWS:
Election Day: Rahm Ahead in Chicago — Rahm Emanuel, the former Obama Chief of Staff, seems poised to win the Chicago mayor's race when polls open today. After defeating legal challenges that sought to throw him off the ballot for living in Washington while he worked for President Obama …
Discussion:
FrumForum
RELATED:
Kevin Bohn / CNN:
Rahm Emanuel waits as Chicago votes
John / Power Line:
Think Stupidity — We generally follow Ronald Reagan's injunction to “always fight up, never fight down.” Consequently, we critique liberal politicians and leading Democratic Party newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post, and rarely pay attention to the left-wing web sites that blight the landscape.
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, Da Techguy's Blog, Obsidian Wings, ThinkProgress and Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
WI State Rep Busted For Sexual Misconduct - Says Charges Are a Distraction From Larger State Issues — Now we know what they do when they're not at work... Wisconsin State Rep. Gordon Hintz told reporters today that his arrest for sexual misconduct is a distraction from larger issues facing the state.
Discussion:
The Other McCain
Media Matters for America:
Rush: “Dare I Say This: It Doesn't Look Like Michelle Obama Follows Her Own Nutritionary, Dietary Advice” — From the February 21 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show: — Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Hullabaloo
RELATED:
Lbentzterp / CNN:
Limbaugh takes aim at Michelle Obama's waistline
Limbaugh takes aim at Michelle Obama's waistline
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Politics Daily, AMERICAblog News, Mediaite, Vail Daily, Scared Monkeys and FrumForum
BREITBART.COM:
Cables show China used debt holdings to press US — Leaked diplomatic cables vividly show China's willingness to translate its massive holdings of US debt into political influence on issues ranging from Taiwan's sovereignty to Washington's financial policy.
Discussion:
Conservatives4Palin
Daily Mail:
Four men slashed teacher's face and left him with fractured skull ‘for teaching other religions to Muslim girls’ — Four men launched a horrific attack on a teacher in which they slashed his face and left him with a fractured skull because they did not approve of him teaching religion to Muslim girls.
Discussion:
Jihad Watch and Atlas Shrugs
Thers / Whiskey Fire:
Canadians Who Look Like Justin Bieber — Austin Hill takes on Justin Bieber and emerges from the fray looking ill-informed, petty, and callow. Indeed, next to Justin Bieber, Austin Hill appears rather... juvenile. … Oh look, Sarah Palin just tweeted something.
Discussion:
pandagon.net and The Impolitic
Matt Schneider / Mediaite:
Chris Matthews Furious About Poll Showing Reagan As America's Favorite President — Every year in honor of Presidents Day, Gallup conducts a poll where they ask Americans who is the greatest United States president? This year's results revealed Ronald Reagan as the favorite choice among Americans …
Discussion:
CNN and The Raw Story
Javier Manjarres / The Shark Tank:
Allen West Confronted by Koran-Wielding CAIR Executive(VIDEO) — At a townhall meeting hosted by Congressman Allen West on Monday evening in Pompano Beach, the Q&A segment of the meeting featured a Koran wielding Nezar Hamze, Executive Director of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Discussion:
All American Blogger, Weasel Zippers and Nice Deb