Top Items:
Catherine Rampell / New York Times:
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.
RELATED:
Chris Isidore / CNNMoney.com:
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
David Leonhardt / Economix:
Understated Progress on Jobs?
Understated Progress on Jobs?
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The New Republic, Daily Kos, Washington Monthly and LA Observed
Anna Holmes / New York Times:
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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James Wolcott / Vanity Fair:
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 »
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
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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The Note:
Senate Democrats Unveil Spending Bill For Rest Of Year, Plan Votes On Both Parties' Proposals Next Week
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
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Pro-Life Rep: Many GOPers Will Vote Against Spending Bill If It Doesn't Defund Planned Parenthood
Pro-Life Rep: Many GOPers Will Vote Against Spending Bill If It Doesn't Defund Planned Parenthood
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Little Green Footballs
Glenn Kessler / Fact Checker:
Democrats keep misleading on claimed budget ‘cuts’
Democrats keep misleading on claimed budget ‘cuts’
Discussion:
New York Times, The Politico, Liberty Pundits Blog, New York Times, UrbanGrounds and FrumForum
Sam Arora, Maryland Delegate:
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, The Daily Dish, PostPartisan, Maryland Politics, Joe. My. God. and AMERICAblog Gay
RELATED:
John Aravosis / AMERICAblog Gay:
Sam Arora speaks: I'm now against same-sex marriage but I'll vote for the bill anyway
Sam Arora speaks: I'm now against same-sex marriage but I'll vote for the bill anyway
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Yusef Najafi / News at Metro Weekly:
Arora Flip “a Shock”
Arora Flip “a Shock”
Discussion:
AMERICAblog Gay, PostPartisan, Pam's House Blend and Towleroad News #gay
Kevinliptak / CNN:
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
RELATED:
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
HUCKABEE TURNS HIS ATTENTION FROM A PRESIDENT TO A MOVIE STAR. …
HUCKABEE TURNS HIS ATTENTION FROM A PRESIDENT TO A MOVIE STAR. …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online and National Review
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
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 …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Gavel, TalkLeft, Daily Kos, Taylor Marsh, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and Prairie Weather
Sari Horwitz / Washington Post:
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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Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Loughner indicted on 49 counts in shooting that wounded Rep. Giffords
Loughner indicted on 49 counts in shooting that wounded Rep. Giffords
Discussion:
The Politico
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Boehner makes step toward defending DOMA in court — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court. — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court.
Discussion:
The Politico and The Note
RELATED:
Army Court-Martial Defense Specialist / The Law Office …:
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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Grist:
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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Rasmussen Reports:
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, Daily Kos, Another Black Conservative and Weigel
WKOW 27:
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
Jim Demint / Wall Street Journal:
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.
Associated Press:
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
Jon Ralston / Las Vegas Sun Blogs:
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
Jason Horowitz / Washington Post:
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
Rick Pearson / Los Angeles Times:
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
Lisa W. Foderaro / New York Times:
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
David Leonhardt / Economix:
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 …
Ezra Klein:
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
Sharyl Attkisson / CBS News:
Agent: I was ordered to let U.S. guns into Mexico — ATF agent says “Fast and Furious” program let guns “walk” into hands of Mexican drug cartels with aim of tracking and breaking a big case — WASHINGTON - Federal agent John Dodson says what he was asked to do was beyond belief.
Stephen Moore / Wall Street Journal:
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