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GOP Freshmen On Medicare Attacks: Let's Let Bygones Be Bygones — House Republican freshmen admit that their so-called “MediScare” attacks on Democrats helped them win a big majority in 2010. Democrats had voted for the health care law, which included $500 billion in “cuts” to Medicare …
Discussion:
Wonkette, Daily Kos and Paul Krugman
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Trump blames Ryan budget for GOP woes in NY special election — If Republican Jane Corwin goes down in defeat in the May 24 special election in New York's 26th congressional district, blame Rep. Paul Ryan's (R) budget, Donald Trump said Wednesday. — Trump, speaking in the first-in-the …
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight, Nashuatelegraph.com, Taylor Marsh, Ballot Box, Capital Tonight, The Politico, Daily Kos and The Caucus

A serious Trump turns up in New Hampshire — (CNN) - Potential 2012 presidential candidate Donald Trump took a departure from his sideshow topics Wednesday to tout his past remarks on Osama bin Laden, weigh in on the budget negotiations and assess his chances of moving into the White House.
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Hill and Ballot Box

House Democrats say Medicare vote already hurting GOP with voters, cite NY special election — Washington (CNN) - House Democrats are pointing to a special election to fill an upstate New York congressional seat as evidence that House Republicans' support for a proposal to dramatically change Medicare …
Discussion:
The Other McCain, The Politico, The Lonely Conservative and Ballot Box

House GOP freshmen conveniently forget 2010
Discussion:
The Impolitic, The Politico, The Reid Report and Eschaton

Paul Ryan takes aim at AARP, but misses
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Balloon Juice


Obama's Running Mate — Mitt Romney's ObamaCare problem. — Mitt Romney travels to Ann Arbor today to deliver what his campaign bills as a major address laying out his “2012 principles for health-care reform.” These are likely to be sensible, but what we'll be listening for is how he explains …
Discussion:
Swampland, Blue Mass Group and Booman Tribune
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Romney Death Watch, Even Deathier Edition — Tomorrow Mitt Romney ventures straight into the lion's den — Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of Jonathan Cohn, where he will deliver a health care speech attempting to explain the unexplainable. Just as Luke Skywalker was bound to seek out and confront Darth Vader, Romney must confront Cohn.
Discussion:
The Hill, Weasel Zippers, Blue Mass Group and National Review


Florida Senate fails basic biology, accidentally outlaws sex. — Question: If your elected officials fail basic taxonomy, promote anti-science curriculum, and consistently attempt to undermine the fundamental unpinning of all biology, what happens when they start trying to legislate from this flawed view of reality?
Discussion:
Election Law, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Balloon Juice, Discourse.net, Politics and Gawker

Catholic Academics Challenge Boehner — A group of prominent Catholic academics have signed a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, on the occasion of his forthcoming commencement address at the Catholic University of America. I will provide commentary later today …
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Critical Letter By Catholics Cites Boehner On Policies — Speaker John A. Boehner, a Republican who grew up in a Roman Catholic family in Ohio, is scheduled to give the commencement address on Saturday at the Catholic University of America in Washington, a prestigious setting in church circles …
Discussion:
Bold Faith Type, Hit & Run and Booman Tribune


WikiLeaks Threatens Its Own Leakers With $20 Million Penalty — Julian Assange. Photo: Wikimedia Commons — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange now makes his associates sign a draconian nondisclosure agreement that, among other things, asserts that the organization's huge trove of leaked material is …
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WikiLeaks: US opens grand jury hearing
Discussion:
Danger Room, NPR, Salon, Truthdig and msnbc.com


May 12'ers taking over NYC! — Leading up to Thursday, the On May 12 Coalition has been paying surprise visits to JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and House Speaker John Boehner! — The momentum for Thursday's On May 12th actions to hold big banks and corporations accountable for crashing …
Discussion:
Seeing the Forest
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Members of Congress see bin Laden photos — Washington (CNN) — More members of Congress are seeing something cleared for only a select group of Americans: Photos of Osama bin Laden's corpse. — Republican Sen. James Inhofe told CNN's Eliot Spitzer on Wednesday he saw about 15 photos of bin Laden's body …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, YID With LID and Vos Iz Neias
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Removing the Boot from the Throat of American Businesses — President Obama has the opportunity to prove that he cares about keeping jobs for working class families in America. He can speak up about his appointees at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) who have their boots on The Boeing Company's neck.
Discussion:
Cubachi, The Politico, Taylor Marsh and Washington Wire
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Reid defends labor board's decision
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, National Review and FrumForum


After approving NBC buyout, FCC Commish becomes Comcast lobbyist — Meredith Attwell Baker, one of the two Republican Commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission, plans to step down—and right into a top lobbying job at Comcast-NBC. — The news, reported this afternoon …
Discussion:
The Hill, Comcast Official Site, Reuters, Emptywheel and Gawker, more at Techmeme »
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Republican FCC Commissioner Baker Expected to Leave Post
Discussion:
Hit & Run and Oliver Willis


Referring To Grammy-Winning Hip-Hop Artist, Rove Slams The Obamas For ‘Inviting A Thug To The White House’ — Tonight, the president and first lady will host an evening of American poetry at the White House to celebrate the art form's influence in American culture and, apparently …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Washington Times, Mediaite, No More Mister Nice Blog and Washington Monthly
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Two Men Arrested in New York Terror Case — Two men who the authorities said intended to carry out a terrorist attack in New York City were arrested late Wednesday, two law enforcement officials said. — Details were not immediately available, and the identities of the men were not released.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Oliver Willis

Rand Paul: If You Believe In A Right To Health Care, ‘You Believe In Slavery’ — Conservatives have slung all kinds of hyperbolic, outlandish, and phony attacks on attempts to provide health care to all Americans over the years, but tea party darling Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) …
Discussion:
Lez Get Real


Donald Trump Lets His Hair Down — A conversation with the host of The Celebrity Apprentice — Like you, we've always wondered what's inside Donald Trump's wallet. So, on a recent visit to his office at the top of Trump Tower in Manhattan, the epicenter of his vast real estate empire …
Discussion:
Gothamist, NY Daily News, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Runnin' Scared, Pajamas Media, CNN, Outside the Beltway and AMERICAblog News

Latest AP Poll Sample Skews to Democrats by 17 Points — Wow! The AP poll has Obama's approval rating hitting 60 percent! And 53 percent say he deserves to be reelected! — And on the economy, 52 percent approve of the way Obama's handling it, and only 47 percent disapprove!
Discussion:
Guardian, The Hill, Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative
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And the award for the most ridiculous poll sampling goes to ...
Discussion:
The New Editor, Pajamas Media, Moe_Lane's blog, JammieWearingFool, The Moderate Voice, Freedom's Lighthouse and Gawker


Survey: 85% of New College Grads Move Back in with Mom and Dad — The kids are coming home to roost. — Surprise, surprise: Thanks to a high unemployment rate for new grads, many of those with diplomas fresh off the press are making a return to Mom and Dad's place.
Discussion:
Firedoglake and The Lonely Conservative


Obama way ahead of Republicans for 2012 election — (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has a wide lead over potential Republican rivals for the presidential election in 2012, but faces serious doubts about his handling of the U.S. economy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found Wednesday.
Discussion:
Public Policy Polling, Salon, The Reid Report, The Raw Story, Gallup, Weigel, Taegan Goddard's … and The Politico


Hamas accepts 1967 borders, but will never recognize Israel, top official says — Speaking to Palestinian news agency Ma'an, Mahmoud Zahar says recognition of Israel would deprive future Palestinian generations of the possibility to ‘liberate’ their lands. — Hamas would be willing to accept …

Rep. Lungren blasts Obama's joke about moats and alligators for border security — Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) on Wednesday night said he is “disappointed” that President Obama chose to mock those who are demanding tighter border security in his Tuesday speech in El Paso.

Huntsman's pro-civil unions stance breaks with GOP orthodoxy — In the days after he was nominated as U.S. ambassador to China, congratulations poured in to former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., including one from Bob Page, a North Carolina businessman. — “I write to thank you for your leadership …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Oliver Willis


Upstate New York man says sign pointing to mosque stating ‘BOMB MAKING NEXT DRIVEWAY’ stays — An angry upstate New York man says there's not a prayer that he'll remove a nasty sign prompted by a feud with the mosque next door. — “BOMB MAKING NEXT DRIVEWAY,” reads the stenciled message on the front lawn of Michael Heick.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Gawker and Gothamist