Top Items:


U.S. Added 192,000 Jobs in February; Rate at 8.9% — America's job engine picked up some steam last month. — The nation's employers added 192,000 jobs in February, after having added just 63,000 the previous month, the Labor Department reported on Friday. — The February number was about what economists had been forecasting.
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February jobs report: Unemployment falls again — NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The jobs outlook brightened in February, as strong business hiring helped trim unemployment to its lowest level in nearly two years. — The unemployment rate fell to 8.9% last month, from 9.0% in January, the best reading since April of 2009.
Discussion:
The Note, msnbc.com, Grist, The Maddow Blog, The Moderate Voice, The Political Carnival and FrumForum

Understated Progress on Jobs?
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The New Republic, Daily Kos, Washington Monthly and LA Observed


The Disposable Woman — FORTY-THREE minutes into his “special live edition” with Charlie Sheen on Monday night, Piers Morgan finally got around to asking his guest a real question. Before that, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Sheen had mostly traded chuckles and anecdotes about multiday benders …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, The Wire, The New Republic, The Awl and Runnin' Scared
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It's Morgan In America — Where did Piers Morgan come from? And is there any way to send him back? Reviewing the debut “gets”—Oprah! Rudy! Condoleezza!—of Larry King's blustery British heir, the author examines the failures behind Morgan's success. — If you're going to go in, go in big.
Discussion:
Mediaite and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

Huckabee clarifies Portman criticism — (CNN) - Mike Huckabee is explaining comments he made earlier this week criticizing Oscar winner Natalie Portman for being pregnant and unmarried. — “In a recent media interview about my new book, A Simple Government, I discussed the first chapter …
Discussion:
The Politico, Us Weekly, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, E! Online and Indecision Forever
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The Most Important Form of Government Is A Father, Mother and Children
Discussion:
Firedoglake, AmSpecBlog, The Wire, National Review, Mediaite, GOP 12 and Media Matters for America


Why is Mike Huckabee criticizing Natalie Portman? (Poll)
Discussion:
Politics Daily, The Plum Line and Pundits Blog

HUCKABEE TURNS HIS ATTENTION FROM A PRESIDENT TO A MOVIE STAR. …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online and Media Matters for America

McConnell: White House offer to cut $6.5B is ‘unserious’ — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday rejected the White House's opening offer to cut an additional $6.5 billion in spending as “unserious.” — Speaking on the Senate floor, the GOP leader said that Republicans …
Discussion:
The Politico and The Page
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Senate Democrats Unveil Spending Bill For Rest Of Year, Plan Votes On Both Parties' Proposals Next Week
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Politico and Washington Post


Pro-Life Rep: Many GOPers Will Vote Against Spending Bill If It Doesn't Defund Planned Parenthood
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Little Green Footballs

Democrats keep misleading on claimed budget ‘cuts’
Discussion:
New York Times, The Politico, Liberty Pundits Blog, New York Times, UrbanGrounds and FrumForum

Statement on SB 116 (Same-Sex Marriage Bill) — I have heard from constituents, friends, and advocates from across the spectrum of views and have thought about the issue of same-sex marriage extensively. I understand their concern—this is a very serious issue, and one that many people feel passionately about.
Discussion:
Wonk Room, AMERICAblog Gay, PostPartisan, The Daily Dish, Maryland Politics and Joe. My. God.
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Sam Arora speaks: I'm now against same-sex marriage but I'll vote for the bill anyway
Discussion:
News at Metro Weekly, PostPartisan and Balloon Juice


GOP Aims to Tame Benefits Programs — Boehner Promises Entitlement Review — WASHINGTON—House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he's determined to offer a budget this spring that curbs Social Security and Medicare, despite the political risks, and that Republicans will try to persuade voters that sacrifices are needed.
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Boehner makes step toward defending DOMA in court
Discussion:
The Politico and The Note

How to Kill a Recovery — The economic news has been better lately. New claims for unemployment insurance are down; business and consumer surveys suggest solid growth. We're still near the bottom of a very deep hole, but at least we're climbing. — It's too bad that so many people …

Federal grand jury indicts Loughner in Ariz. shootings — A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted accused Tucson gunman Jared Lee Loughner on 49 counts in the January rampage that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others and left six dead, including a chief federal district judge.
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, The Page, Talking Points Memo and National Review
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Loughner indicted on 49 counts in shooting that wounded Rep. Giffords
Discussion:
The Politico and Runnin' Scared

PFC Manning Stripped Naked Again — PFC Manning was forced to strip naked in his cell again last night. As with the previous evening, Quantico Brig guards required him to surrender all of his clothing. PFC Manning then walked back to his bed, and spent the next seven hours in humiliation.
Discussion:
Firedoglake and The Atlantic Online
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Before George Will was against high-speed rail, he was for it — Remember how we told you the other day that Newsweek columnist George Will thinks high-speed rail is a sinister progressive plot to undermine American individualism? — Well, big thanks to reader Ed D'Amato …
Discussion:
Yglesias and A plain blog about politics
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Wisconsin Governor Walker: 43% Approval Rating — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won his job last November with 52% of the vote, but his popularity has slipped since then. — A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds that just 34% Strongly Approve of the job he is doing …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Outside the Beltway, JSOnline, TPMDC, WisPolitics Budget Blog, Another Black Conservative, Daily Kos and Weigel

Rep. Nick Milroy tackled while trying to enter Capitol — MADISON (WKOW) — Representative Nick Milroy (D-South Range) had a confrontation with Capitol police as he tried to enter the building Thursday night. — Milroy was trying to get clothes from his office but police would not let him into the building.
Discussion:
TPMDC, TPMMuckraker, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and MoveOn.Org

Public Broadcasting Should Go Private — If these outfits can afford to pay lavish salaries to their heads, they don't need taxpayer help. — When presidents of government-funded broadcasting are making more than the president of the United States, it's time to get the government out of public broadcasting.


NASA satellite rocket launch fails, lands in ocean — WASHINGTON (AP) — A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite plummeted into the Pacific Ocean after a failed launch attempt Friday, the second-straight blow to NASA's weakened environmental monitoring program.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Weasel Zippers, Babalú Blog, JammieWearingFool and LewRockwell.com Blog

Rory Reid's gubernatorial campaign circumvented contribution limits, created 91 shell PACs to infuse $750,000 into campaign — Who funded Rory Reid's PAC — California bigwig, Vegas cab magnate, unions, gamers — PAC names were designed to cover true purpose


James Franco Straddles Two Roles at Yale — On Sunday night he was in Hollywood, as co-host of the Oscar telecast in black tie. At 9 the next morning, he was in a Starbucks in New Haven, hunched over a book and barely recognizable in a gray sweatshirt, but still wearing his tuxedo pants.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Weekly Standard, Prairie Weather, Gothamist, PopEater, ArtsBeat, Shakesville and The Reality-Based Community

Daley: U.S. a ‘country of whiners’ — Retiring Mayor Richard Daley on Thursday contended America is a “country of whiners” that's spent the last four decades fearing the impact of foreign governments on the nation's economy instead of showing the confidence and sacrifice to lead on a global stage.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Swampland

The Wisconsin Wobblies — Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect on the collective-bargaining reform vote. — Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect on the collective-bargaining reform vote.
Discussion:
First Draft

Washington is bad at scheming — As far as I can tell, “The Adjustment Bureau” is about a group of superplanners who've mapped out every right turn, McDonald's combo meal and life decision we'll face. I say “as far as I can tell” because I won't see it. I can't bear it.
Discussion:
A plain blog about politics, Mother Jones and The Daily Dish


The Struggles of Men — 11:35 a.m. | Updated to correct percentage decline in median wages since 1969. — The Hamilton Project has produced a fairly stunning chart, suggesting that median real wages for men have dropped significantly more than is commonly understood:
Discussion:
Yglesias and Grasping Reality …


Presidential hopefuls Huntsman, Romney share Mormonism and belief in themselves — IN SALT LAKE CITY — Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mitt Romney go way back. — In the Huntsman Corp. headquarters below Red Butte Canyon, Peter Huntsman, the younger brother of Jon Huntsman Jr. …
Discussion:
GOP 12, Ben Smith's Blog and msnbc.com