Top Items:
David Brooks / New York Times:
Why Trump Soars — Very few people have the luxury of being freely obnoxious. Most people have to watch what they say for fear of offending their bosses and colleagues. Others resist saying anything that might make them unpopular. — But, in every society, there are a few rare souls …
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Washington Post:
Economic anxiety threatens Obama in 2012, but in poll he edges GOP rivals — Deepening economic pessimism has pushed down President Obama's approval rating to a near record low, but he holds an early advantage over prospective 2012 rivals in part because of widespread dissatisfaction …
Lauraklairmont / CNN:
TRENDING: Poll shows GOP not happy with its prez candidates — Washington (CNN) - As the Republican presidential primary race continues its slow march out of the gate, a new poll suggests likely GOP voters are significantly less satisfied with the potential field of contenders than they were four years ago.
Discussion:
Washington Post and The Political Carnival
David Jackson / USA Today:
Obama to make Easter Prayer Breakfast an annual event — President Obama hosted what he called the “second annual” Easter Prayer Breakfast today, and said he wants to make it a permanent part of White House life. — “I'm going to make it annual,” Obama told Christian leaders from across the country gathered in the East Room.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Associated Press, Breitbart.tv, The Lonely Conservative and CNN
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Brad Watson / WFAA-TV:
News 8 goes one-on-one with President Obama — NEWS 8 EXCLUSIVE — WASHINGTON — News 8 sat down with President Barack Obama at the White House Monday afternoon to discuss the economy, immigration and his approval rating. — The president this week is talking up his deficit reduction plan …
Discussion:
New York Times, Associated Press, msnbc.com, Pajamas Media and HotAirPundit
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Obama revives immigration reform — In the face of mounting political pressure, President Obama will focus on the issue at a White House meeting Tuesday. — President Obama is reviving the issue of immigration reform in the face of mounting political pressure as he readies his bid for reelection.
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool, The Political Carnival, The Caucus, National Review and Weasel Zippers
Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu / Arutz Sheva:
Obama, the Interpreter of the Message of Passover
Obama, the Interpreter of the Message of Passover
Discussion:
theblogprof, Weasel Zippers, The Gateway Pundit, The Lonely Conservative and Atlas Shrugs
Dylan Smith / TucsonSentinel.com:
Brewer vetoes birther, campus gun bills — Also vetoes health care compact law — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill Monday that would have required presidential candidates to provide their birth certificates to appear on the ballot, and another that would have allowed guns to be carried on school grounds.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wonkette, MyDD, The Gateway Pundit, Towleroad News #gay and The Moderate Voice
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Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Jan Brewer vetoes birther bill, guns bill
Jan Brewer vetoes birther bill, guns bill
Discussion:
Associated Press, TPMDC and Outside the Beltway
Jan Moller / New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Gov. Jindal will sign ‘birther’ bill if it reaches his desk
Gov. Jindal will sign ‘birther’ bill if it reaches his desk
Discussion:
This Just In, Talking Points Memo and TPMDC
James Fallows / The Atlantic Online:
Today's (Needless) Hysteria: the S&P Panic — I agree with Clive Crook's puzzlement about the S&P downgrade “bombshell” today: … And I like James K. Galbraith's derisive guffaw, as reported by Dave Lindorff: … I know that markets run on fear, greed, instinct, and panic as much as on logic.
Discussion:
Paul Krugman, Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality …, The Daily Dish, Prairie Weather, CEPR, Balloon Juice and Truthdig
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Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
Donald Trump: Reagan Was A Con Man Who Couldn't ‘Deliver The Goods’ — Today, real estate mogul Donald Trump proudly declares that Ronald Reagan is the President he admires most. Here's Trump on the April 14 edition of Hannity: … Watch it: — But in his bestselling book, Art of the Deal …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Washington Post
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Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Durbin warns Gang of Six deficit plan could produce Social Security cuts — Lawmakers shouldn't be so quick to rule out changes or cuts to Social Security, a top Senate Democrat participating in bipartisan Gang of Six talks says in a new interview. — Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune and FrumForum
RELATED:
Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:
Sen. Dick Durbin: Social Security Cuts Should Not Be Ruled Out
Sen. Dick Durbin: Social Security Cuts Should Not Be Ruled Out
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News, Hot Air and AdvisorOne
Paul Bignell / The Independent:
Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq — Plans to exploit Iraq's oil reserves were discussed by government ministers and the world's largest oil companies the year before Britain took a leading role in invading Iraq, government documents show.
Discussion:
Truthdig
Myglesias / Yglesias:
Climate Denialism Promoter Fred Hiatt Hits American Conservatives For Embrace of Climate Denialism — The earth's climate is shifting. Most generally, the planet is getting warmer. And while many factors contribute to the earth's climate, the key factor in the warming trend is human industrial activity.
Bernie Becker / The Hill:
Wall Street puts the squeeze on Washington with ‘negative’ outlook — Wall Street on Monday sent Washington officials a concrete signal that it's worried about long-term deficits, with Standard & Poor's unveiling a new “negative” outlook on U.S. debt. — The ratings agency's revision …
Discussion:
New York Times
RELATED:
Barry Eichengreen / New York Times:
Is Anyone Listening to the S.&P.? — Stocks fell on Monday …
Is Anyone Listening to the S.&P.? — Stocks fell on Monday …
Discussion:
New Deal 2.0 and The Big Picture
TBogg:
“How much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.” — Having been forced by the EPA to ship her signature little black dress (seen here and here and here) to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory where it will be processed and incinerated, Ann Coulter announces …
Discussion:
Rising Hegemon
John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
There was a time when Paul Ryan thought the Federal Debt was too small — Well, well, well. Paul Ryan is a typical Republican hypocrite. Who could have predicted that? — Remembering When Paul Ryan Worried the Debt Was Too Small
Angelique Chrisafis / Guardian:
Andres Serrano's Piss Christ destroyed by Christian protesters — • Intruders vandalise photo day after Christian protest — • Exhibitor blames Sarkozy speech for inflaming issue — When New York artist Andres Serrano plunged a plastic crucifix into a glass of his own urine …
Discussion:
Althouse, Pharyngula, Harry's Place, Outside the Beltway, Little Green Footballs, The Awl and Towleroad News #gay
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
2011 Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced — The New York Times won Pulitzer Prizes on Monday for its economics commentary and for its reporting on Russia in 2010, while The Los Angeles Times received the coveted public service Pulitzer. — The prizes, which are administered by Columbia University …
Discussion:
Connecting.the.Dots, Guardian, Phlog, The Gateway Pundit and No Left Turns, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Paul Steiger / ProPublica:
A Note on ProPublica's Second Pulitzer Prize
A Note on ProPublica's Second Pulitzer Prize
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Felix Salmon, Concurring Opinions, Guardian and Runnin' Scared, more at Mediagazer »
Glenn Blain / NY Daily News:
Classic kids games like kickball deemed unsafe by state in effort to increase summer camp regulation — State bureaucrats have created a list of ‘risky activities’ for kids at summer camp. The list includes freeze tag, Wiffle Ball and kickball, among other games and activities.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool
Royal Wedding / Telegraph:
Muslim group applies for permission to protest outside Westminster Abbey — A group called Muslims Against Crusades has applied for permission to protest outside Westminster Abbey on the day of the royal wedding, Scotland Yard said. — The force said it had rejected the application …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Why P.J. Crowley went rogue — To friends, colleagues and even critics, there are few more unlikely candidates than P.J. Crowley to become a free speech martyr and a darling of the left. A veteran of three decades in the Air Force public affairs division, Crowley was a notoriously tight-lipped spokesman …
Discussion:
The Nation
Bloomberg:
Fidel Castro Says He Won't Be Part of Communist Party's Central Committee — Former Cuban President Fidel Castro said he had resigned from the Communist Party's leadership and called on a new generation of leaders to change the island's economy as officials gathered to debate ways to revive growth.
Discussion:
Gawker
Washington Examiner:
If America faces economic crisis, why are our leaders on recess? — It seems impossible to turn on a television set, open up a newspaper, or click through an Internet news site without finding government leaders proclaiming doom if America doesn't get its financial house in order.
Dr. Milton R. Wolf / Washington Times:
Molesting kids won't win war on terror — Frisking tots while neglecting the border undercuts seriousness of security — Our government has become a serial groper. There's no part of our lives it won't touch. It insists on putting its insatiable hands on everything from our health care …