Top Items:
Evan Harris / ABCNEWS:
Franklin Graham: Trump Might be Candidate of Choice — The Rev. Franklin Graham, whose family has served as spiritual advisers to numerous prominent political figures, told “This Week” anchor Christiane Amanpour that businessman Donald Trump might be his candidate of choice in 2012 …
Discussion:
CNN, Little Green Footballs, Taylor Marsh, Raw Replay, TPMDC, Weigel and FrumForum
RELATED:
Justin Elliott / Salon:
Trump to Salon: “You will be very surprised” — Donald Trump has written me a personal note promising that he will release information about his net worth — and that he'll even do it earlier than is required by federal election law. — Trump's assistant sent me an email earlier today with the heading …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, TechCrunch and Gawker
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Franklin Graham would consider backing Trump
Franklin Graham would consider backing Trump
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Hot Air and ABCNEWS
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Huckabee, Trump, Romney Set Pace for 2012 GOP Field
Huckabee, Trump, Romney Set Pace for 2012 GOP Field
Discussion:
USA Today, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Taylor Marsh, Ballot Box, The Political Carnival and GOP 12
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Patients Are Not Consumers — Earlier this week, The Times reported on Congressional backlash against the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a key part of efforts to rein in health care costs. This backlash was predictable; it is also profoundly irresponsible, as I'll explain in a minute.
RELATED:
Shadowfax / Movin' Meat:
Why Patients are Not Consumers — Republican budget guru Paul Ryan …
Why Patients are Not Consumers — Republican budget guru Paul Ryan …
Discussion:
The Daily Dish
Jonathan Cohn / The New Republic:
Medicine Is Not a Consumer Good — Conservatives frequently argue …
Medicine Is Not a Consumer Good — Conservatives frequently argue …
Discussion:
Firedoglake and The Incidental Economist
Josiah Ryan / The Hill:
Collins is first GOP senator to oppose Ryan budget proposal — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.) said Friday that she will not support the 2012 budget passed by the House last week. — “I don't happen to support Congressman Ryan's plan but at least he had the courage to put forth a plan …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Guardian and TPMDC
RELATED:
David Weigel / Slate:
If the Ryan budget is so unpopular, where are the town-hall meltdowns? — These are good days to be a member of Congress. Your job is not popular, per se, and neither is the institution you work for. But at least you're not getting yelled at. A controversial Republican budget just passed the House …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Washington Post, RedState, Balloon Juice, Weigel, POWIP and Washington Monthly
Myglesias / Yglesias:
Happy Krauthammer Day — Henry Farrell reminds us that today is Charles Krauthammer Day, marking the eight anniversary of one of the greatest remarks of all time: … In a related development, Krauthammer continues to be employed as a major television commentator and newspaper columnist.
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Henry / Crooked Timber:
The Anniversary — And so the year rolls around yet again to Krauthammer Day, the day on which we all celebrate Charles Krauthammer's confident assertion eight years ago that: … Or nearly all of us celebrate it anyway. Charles Krauthammer himself seems to prefer to mark the occasion …
Discussion:
The Politico and American Power
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Statements on Syria — Obama, in what Crowley describes as a “bind” on today's violence, says: — The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of force by the Syrian government against demonstrators. This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now.
RELATED:
Bassem Mroue / Reuters:
Syria Protests Spread As Forces Open Fire On Demonstrators
Syria Protests Spread As Forces Open Fire On Demonstrators
Discussion:
Swampland
Sen. Pat Toomey / Real Clear Politics:
The Truth About the Debt Ceiling and Default — As we have been approaching the $14.3 trillion statutory limit to federal borrowing, I and many of my colleagues have insisted on real spending reforms now as part of any agreement to allow still more government borrowing.
Discussion:
Hot Air, National Review, protein wisdom, AmSpecBlog and FrumForum
RELATED:
Annie Lowrey / Slate:
Imagining the worst-case scenario if the United States even comes close to defaulting on its debt.
Imagining the worst-case scenario if the United States even comes close to defaulting on its debt.
Discussion:
Weigel and Washington Post
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
More than half of Democrats believed Bush knew — I've been looking for a good analogue to the willingness of Republicans to believe, or say they believe, that Obama was born abroad, and one relevant number is the share of Democrats willing to believe, as they say, that “Bush knew.”
Discussion:
American Power
Michael Whitney / Firedoglake:
Obama on Manning: “He Broke the Law” - So Much for That Trial? — President Barack Obama made stunning accusations about accused Wikileaks whistleblower PFC Bradley Manning, directly asserting that Manning “broke the law.” Apparently the President of the United States of America …
Discussion:
Raw Replay, Hit & Run and UK Friends of Bradley Manning
RELATED:
Naomi / UK Friends of Bradley Manning:
Barack Obama on Bradley Manning - “We're a nation of laws!”
Barack Obama on Bradley Manning - “We're a nation of laws!”
Discussion:
Firedoglake and Corrente
Justin Fenton / Baltimore Sun:
Video of beating in a Baltimore County McDonald's goes viral — A video of a vicious beating at a Baltimore County McDonald's restaurant went viral Friday, garnering hundreds of thousands of views on various websites and prompting the fast food giant to issue a statement condemning the incident.
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, iOwnTheWorld.com, JONATHAN TURLEY, The Gateway Pundit and UrbanGrounds
David Brooks / New York Times:
Creed or Chaos — You can feel a jolt of energy surge through the audience of “The Book of Mormon” about a quarter of the way into the show's first musical number. It's a jolt of joy, gratitude and laughter — a confirmation that this Broadway production is going to live up to its rave reviews.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Religion Dispatches and The Daily Dish
Remy Melina / msnbc.com:
Earth Day co-founder killed, composted girlfriend — Ira Einhorn preached against Vietnam War and violence, but had dark side — Below: — Ira Einhorn was on stage hosting the first Earth Day event at the Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on April 22, 1970.
Discussion:
American Power
Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
Town Hall Citizens Confront Rep. Sean Duffy For Voting To Privatize Medicare And Defend Tax Breaks For Rich — All across America, a Main Street Movement has broken out to defend the middle class against right-wing attacks on labor rights and basic public services.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos, The Nation and The Huffington Post
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Eric Boehlert / Media Matters for America:
The New York Times' Disappearing Birther Scoop — It was perhaps the most talked-about paragraph in the political press yesterday. And then just like that, it was gone. — From the New York Times article that appeared on the newspaper's website Thursday morning, came this passage [emphasis added]:
Paul Bedard / US News:
Earth Day Ends Obama's 53,300 Gallon Trip — President Obama declared today's 41st annual Earth Day proof of America's ecological and conservation spirit—then completed a three-day campaign-style trip logging 10,666 miles on Air Force One, eating up some 53,300 gallons at a cost of about $180,000.
Discussion:
The TrogloPundit, Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers, Michelle Malkin, JammieWearingFool and American Power
Voice of America:
Listen to what VOA's Cecily Hilleary and Steve Bangley discovered after talking to Syrian eyewitnesses on the ground involved in the protests in several cities: — Witnesses and activists say security forces used live ammunition and tear gas on protesters, who poured onto the streets …
Discussion:
Guardian and The Gateway Pundit
Justin Elliott / Salon:
Trig Trutherism: The definitive debunker — Trig Trutherism, the surprisingly resilient conspiracy theory that Sarah Palin is not actually the mother of 3-year-old Trig Palin, is experiencing a boomlet thanks to a new academic paper that endorses the concept.
Discussion:
Hot Air, The New Republic, The Huffington Post, Weigel and No More Mister Nice Blog
The Politico:
John Ensign bolted to avoid more public embarrassment — Sen. John Ensign abruptly announced his resignation after it grew increasingly clear to him that he would not be able to avoid a public review of the sordid allegations surrounding his sex scandal, including the open airing of details …
Discussion:
New York Times, FiveThirtyEight and Daily Kos
Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
Allen West: It's Fair To Call Obama A ‘Low Level Socialist Agitator’ Because He Called Paul Ryan An ‘Accountant’ — Bomb throwing tea party Rep. Allen West (R-FL) appeared on Fox News host Greta Van Susteren's show last night to defend his latest attack against President Obama …
Discussion:
Fox Nation, TPMDC, The Blaze, Weasel Zippers, Washington Monthly, Mediaite and Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Michael McAuliff / The Huffington Post:
9/11 Responders To Be Warned They Will Be Screened By FBI's Terrorism Watch List (EXCLUSIVE) … WASHINGTON — A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Atlas Shrugs, The Mahablog, Runnin' Scared, Firedoglake and FrumForum