Top Items:
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
WOULD BOEHNER SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT OVER PLANNED PARENTHOOD?.... The good news is, Democrats and Republicans have reportedly reached a general agreement on the size of the cuts for the rest of the fiscal year. As of this morning, the package is up to $34.5 billion, from $33 billion …
Discussion:
MyDD
RELATED:
New York Times:
Obama Meeting Fails to End Stalemate Over Federal Budget — WASHINGTON — President Obama and Congressional leaders said Wednesday that a late-night White House bargaining session produced no budget breakthrough that would avert a government shutdown this weekend but agreed the two sides …
Discussion:
The Politico, Wall Street Journal, The Note, Firedoglake, CNN, Wonkette, TPMDC, White House.gov Blog, The Hill, New York Magazine, Washington Monthly and Shakesville
The Hill:
Boehner: ‘Far more than one provision’ holding up agreement — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he is less optimistic about averting a government shutdown one day after a White House meeting failed to lead to a breakthrough in talks. — Reid (D-Nev.) said he is significantly …
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh and Daily Kos
Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Pelosi predicts ‘strong’ Dem opposition to GOP's one-week spending patch — Despite an enticing Pentagon-funding provision, House Democrats will unite in “strong” opposition to the Republicans' one-week spending patch, expected to hit the floor sometime Thursday, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) predicted.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS and National Review
Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Rifts Within Both Parties Test Leaders in Budget Fight — WASHINGTON — On one level, the budget showdown that continued to play out here on Wednesday is all about the balance of power between the two parties, a question of whether President Obama has regained his footing and can still control …
Discussion:
The Hill, ABCNEWS, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, msnbc.com and The Agonist
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama: I'll veto funding for the troops
Obama: I'll veto funding for the troops
Discussion:
BLACKFIVE and Pajamas Media
NationalJournal.com:
Reid Says Government Shutdown Likely
Reid Says Government Shutdown Likely
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Hill and TPMDC
Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Reid Says Government Shutdown More Likely
Reid Says Government Shutdown More Likely
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs and The Reality-Based Community
Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:
Costs of federal shutdown would be felt far and wide
Costs of federal shutdown would be felt far and wide
Discussion:
American Spectator
Carrie Dann / msnbc.com:
Reid on shutdown: “It looks like it's headed in that direction”
Reid on shutdown: “It looks like it's headed in that direction”
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Poynter and Outside the Beltway
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit:
OBAMA: Get Used To High Gas Prices. “Obama needled one questioner who asked about gas prices, now averaging close to $3.70 a gallon nationwide, and suggested that the gentleman consider getting rid of his gas-guzzling vehicle.” — High gas prices aren't a bug, they're a feature.
RELATED:
Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:
White House fears gas prices could tank Obama
White House fears gas prices could tank Obama
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, Right Wing News and James Pethokoukis
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obamateurism of the Day; Update: Video added
Obamateurism of the Day; Update: Video added
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, RealClearPolitics Video Log, Sister Toldjah, Instapundit, GayPatriot and Daily Pundit
Darlene Superville / Associated Press:
Brian Taff — More: Bio, Facebook, Twitter, News Team
Brian Taff — More: Bio, Facebook, Twitter, News Team
Discussion:
The Foundry and Associated Press
Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
Pence Lets Truth Slip On Uncompromising Stance: 'We're Trying To Score A Victory For The Republican People' — The federal government appears to be hurtling towards a shutdown following the inability of congressional negotiators to reach a compromise last night on a continuing resolution.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, CNN, TPMDC, The Hill and SFGate
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Donald Trump. Seriously? — Donald Trump finished second in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll testing the 2012 Republican presidential field. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel DunandIn the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, businessman and reality television star Donald Trump finished second behind …
Discussion:
Wonkette, The Hill, neo-neocon, Washington Monthly, Washington Wire, Swampland, Latest Open Salon Blog, USA Today and The Politico
David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars:
‘Shut It Down!’ Mike Pence and AFP Tea Partiers leave little doubt who's pushing for a shutdown
‘Shut It Down!’ Mike Pence and AFP Tea Partiers leave little doubt who's pushing for a shutdown
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, TPMDC and Balloon Juice
Quinnipiac University:
Obama Hits Losing Trifecta In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Increased Support For Offshore Drilling — President Barack Obama hits a losing trifecta with Florida voters: They disapprove 52 - 44 percent of the job he is doing; they prefer an unnamed Republican challenger …
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Post on Politics, Don Surber, Pundit Press, Hotline On Call and National Review
RELATED:
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Obama Approval Slips Among Blacks, Hispanics in March — Majorities of both groups continue to approve of the job he is doing — PRINCETON, NJ — Though majorities of blacks (85%) and Hispanics (54%) continue to approve of the job Barack Obama is doing as president, his ratings among …
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama's support among blacks slips unexpectedly, Hispanics too
Obama's support among blacks slips unexpectedly, Hispanics too
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, Proof Positive and Weasel Zippers
Telegraph:
First homosexual caveman found — Archaeologists have unearthed the 5,000-year-old remains of what they believe may have been the world's oldest known gay caveman. — The male body - said to date back to between 2900-2500BC - was discovered buried in a way normally reserved only for women …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, AOL News, The Raw Story and iOwnTheWorld.com
Lauraklairmont / CNN:
Obama friend arrested in Hawaii — (CNN) - A friend of President Barack Obama was arrested Monday for allegedly soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a prostitute, according to CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now. — Robert Richard Titcomb, 49, was arrested with three …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune and New York Magazine
RELATED:
Minna Sugimoto / Hawaii News Now:
President Obama's close friend arrested during prostitution sting
President Obama's close friend arrested during prostitution sting
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, The Raw Story and msnbc.com
Ynetnews:
Iron Dome intercepts first rocket — Ashkelon residents report seeing Grad explode in midair as dozens of rockets fired at south, meanwhile Hamas says Israel taking advantage of Goldstone's regret over Gaza war report to bomb Strip — Latest Update: — Residents in Ashkelon reported …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Pajamas Media and JOSHUAPUNDIT
John Cole / Balloon Juice:
I Can't Help Myself — Sullivan: … The Ryan/GOP Plan, as has been pointed out to Sullivan a hundred times now with little to no effect, slashes taxes by trillions and makes up for those tax cuts by slashing trillions in services to our neediest members of society.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish and Lawyers, Guns & Money
RELATED:
Ross Douthat:
Notes on the Ryan Budget
Notes on the Ryan Budget
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog, The TrogloPundit, TPMDC, The Daily Dish, Wonk Room, National Review and Yglesias
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Election fraud in Wisconsin election? — In the aftermath of close elections, allegations of fraud and manipulation almost always arise, especially when the election was fought as bitterly as the one in Wisconsin. The Daily Caller reports that accusations of both are already flying …
Discussion:
Pundit Press, The Mahablog, Blue Collar Philosophy and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
RELATED:
City Room:
Cathleen Black Is Out as City Schools Chancellor — Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott at a news conference at which he was introduced as the new schools chancellor by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Cathleen P. Black stepped down from the position Thursday. — Cathleen P. Black …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, News Desk, Ben Smith's Blog, New York Magazine, The Wire and Gawker
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
EVEN THE THREAT OF A SHUTDOWN IS EXPENSIVE.... If congressional Republicans go through with their threat and shut down the government tomorrow night, the costs will be considerable. It's ironic that those hoping to cut the budget will force a shutdown that's needlessly expensive.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Economist:
The fiscal purists go mad — A quarrel over ethanol lays bare Republican divisions on tax — IT IS bad enough that Republicans and Democrats are so divided on how much to spend and tax. But if you want to feel really gloomy about America's ability to tackle its deficit, consider the ideological …
Matt Bai / New York Times:
Mario Cuomo Still Believes — You would think that Mario Cuomo would have been proud to watch his son Andrew sworn in as governor of New York last New Year's Eve, ascending to the job his old man held for 12 years. Apparently, you would be wrong. — “You really want to know how I felt?” the elder Cuomo asked me last month.
Discussion:
Lean Left
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Barbour, Bryant lead in Mississippi — Mississippi Republicans want Haley Barbour to be their nominee for President next year, and he's doing far better in his home state than most of the other Republicans looking at the race are doing in theirs. 37% say Barbour is their first choice …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, The Raw Story, GOP 12, Hullabaloo and msnbc.com