Top Items:
Mike Allen / The Politico:
GOP elite see Mitch Daniels as 2012 savior — Top Republicans are increasingly convinced that President Barack Obama will be easily reelected if stronger GOP contenders do not emerge, and some are virtually begging Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to add some excitement to the slow-starting nomination race.
RELATED:
Frank Newport / Gallup:
With Huckabee Out, No Clear GOP Front-Runner — Bachmann and Cain generate high positive intensity among those who know them — PRINCETON, NJ — With Mike Huckabee out of the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, three well-known politicians, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway, National Review, Eunomia, FITSNews, Hot Air, Daily Kos, AmSpecBlog, Pajamas Media, Fox News, Washington Post, Balloon Juice and The Daily Dish
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich apologizes to Paul Ryan — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich apologized in a telephone call to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks on “Meet the Press,” where the presidential candidate referred to Ryan's Medicare proposal as “radical change.”
Benjy Sarlin / TPMDC:
Newt Apologizes To Paul Ryan, Begs Democrats Not To Use His Own Quotes In Ads — Newt Gingrich's walk back tour reached its zenith Tuesday night, as Gingrich personally apologized to Paul Ryan for dismissing his Medicare plan as “right wing social engineering.”
Discussion:
Mediaite, Fox News, The Caucus, Mother Jones, News Hounds and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*
Associated Press:
Gingrich hit with glitter at Minneapolis event — Robert Erickson, a journeyman political activist prankster also known as Nick Espinosa, approached Gingriches during the signing event at a downtown Minneapolis hotel. He dumped a cracker box full of confetti on the pair and said, “Feel the rainbow!
Discussion:
Wonkette, The Gateway Pundit, FrumForum and American Power
Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich campaign fights for its life
Newt Gingrich campaign fights for its life
Discussion:
msnbc.com, CNN, USA Today, Salon and American Power
Juana Summers / The Politico:
Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin jump to top in new Gallup poll
Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin jump to top in new Gallup poll
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics
Michael Barone / Washington Examiner:
Gingrich and Romney run against their own party
Gingrich and Romney run against their own party
Discussion:
Conservatives4Palin
Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Daniels to headline Tennessee GOP dinner
Daniels to headline Tennessee GOP dinner
Discussion:
GOP 12, The Page and The Politico
Matthew Yglesias / Yglesias:
Catholic Church Investigation Says Hippies Made Catholic Priests Sexually Abuse Children — Laurie Goodstein reports on the release of an inquiry by American bishops into sex abuse scandals: … This hippie-blaming strategy seems unlikely to persuade anyone.
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Think Progress:
ThinkFast: May 18, 2011 — Conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said yesterday that critics of the court's decisions are either illiterate or lazy, and that their critiques are undermining “the integrity of the law.” Thomas, who hasn't uttered a word during the high court's oral arguments …
Discussion:
Gawker, Wonk Room, The BLT and Prairie Weather
Adam Folk / Metro:
Thomas defends ideals of court — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas told a packed dinner crowd of Augusta's judges, lawyers and politicians Tuesday that while discourse in American society seems to be growing coarser and angrier, the Supreme Court remains a bastion of respectful disagreement …
Discussion:
The Politico
Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:
Church Report Cites Social Tumult in Priest Scandals — A five-year study commissioned by the nation's Roman Catholic bishops to provide a definitive answer to what caused the priest sexual abuse crisis has concluded that neither the all-male celibate priesthood nor homosexuality are to blame.
Discussion:
Religion News Service, Salon, Gawker, Washington Post, Joe. My. God. and Philly.com
Felix Salmon:
Ben Stein Watch, DSK edition — Without further ado, the top ten lines from Ben Stein's article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn: — If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ever get charged until now? — This is a case about the hatred of the have-nots for the haves, and that's what it's all about.
Discussion:
Pundit & Pundette, News Desk, Paul Krugman, Gawker, Salon, Daniel W. Drezner, Jezebel, ThinkProgress, New York Magazine, Gothamist and RADAMISTO
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Pressure Is Building on Jailed IMF Chief
Pressure Is Building on Jailed IMF Chief
Discussion:
New York Times, Global Public Square, New York Magazine, The BLT and FrumForum, more at Mediagazer »
William K. Rashbaum / New York Times:
I.M.F. Chief May Claim Consensual Sex as a Defense
I.M.F. Chief May Claim Consensual Sex as a Defense
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Pajamas Media, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, This Just In, Fox News and Connecting.the.Dots
Hillary Chabot / Boston Herald:
White House shuts out Herald scribe — The White House Press Office has refused to give the Boston Herald full access to President Obama's Boston fund-raiser today, in e-mails objecting to the newspaper's front page placement of a Mitt Romney op-ed, saying pool reporters are chosen based on whether they cover the news “fairly.”
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Democrats' Oil Subsidy Repeal Bill Is Actually Unconstitutional — Republicans may have a point that Democrats are playing politics with oil subsidies. To understand why, look no further than the fact that the bill Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring to the floor for a vote Tuesday evening …
RELATED:
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Senate Refuses to End Tax Breaks for Big Oil
Senate Refuses to End Tax Breaks for Big Oil
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Outside the Beltway, ThinkProgress, Prairie Weather and Climate Progress
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Democrats' plan for millionaire surtax intended to soften-up GOP
Democrats' plan for millionaire surtax intended to soften-up GOP
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News
Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:
Vote to hike taxes on oil fails in Senate 52-48; Dems vow to revive it
Vote to hike taxes on oil fails in Senate 52-48; Dems vow to revive it
Discussion:
Climate Progress
Keith Koffler / White House Dossier:
Obama: “My People, You Continue to Have My Blessing.” — What kind of political leader tells his supporters this? … President Obama does. That's what he said toward the end a speech at a campaign fundraiser last night in Washington to a relatively youthful crowd of supporters …
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, theblogprof, The Gateway Pundit, Doug Ross, Pundit & Pundette, AMERICAN DIGEST, UrbanGrounds and Weasel Zippers
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
‘Gang of Six’ on verge of collapse as Republican Sen. Coburn withdraws — View Photo Gallery — "You've got to have Republicans and Democrats talking and trying to find common ground," says Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). But in these immoderate times, his aisle-reaching is politcially dangerous.
Discussion:
Yglesias, Washington Monthly, TPMDC, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Wonk Room, The Hill, News Desk, msnbc.com and Erick's blog
RELATED:
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
Senate Group on Debt Loses a Key Republican
Senate Group on Debt Loses a Key Republican
Discussion:
The New Republic
Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:
State Department snubs the Elders — Former President Jimmy Carter and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari were hoping to visit the State Department this week to brief officials on their recent trip to North Korea, but nobody at the State Department was available to meet with them.
Discussion:
YID With LID, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Pajamas Media and AmSpecBlog
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Healthcare reform waivers part of ‘crony politics,’ Pawlenty says — Likely GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday added to already widespread criticism of healthcare reform law waivers, calling the practice an example of “crony politics.” — Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor …
Marissa Bagg / WPTV Newschannel 5:
Prayer request for Osama bin Laden at Catholic Church in West Palm Beach — Priest to honor request at Sunday Mass — Last Updated: 3 hours and 54 minutes ago — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The name of Osama bin Laden appears in the Holy Name of Jesus Sunday bulletin. There's a cross next to it.
Discussion:
Atlas Shrugs, Wonkette, JammieWearingFool and iOwnTheWorld.com
Chris Ariens / TVNewser:
What CNN's story on political sex scandals left out: Eliot Spitzer — A TVNewser reader Tweeted at us today: … The answer: yes it did. — Suzanne Malveaux's story, which aired at 2:30pmET, made mention or showed images of politicians ranging from John F. Kennedy to John Edwards …
Discussion:
theblogprof, Mediaite, Big Journalism, NewsBusters.org, Pajamas Media and ProfessorBainbridge.com
Roni Caryn Rabin / New York Times:
Fewer Emergency Rooms Available as Need Rises — Hospital emergency rooms, particularly those serving the urban poor, are closing at an alarming rate even as emergency visits are rising, according to a report published on Tuesday. — Urban and suburban areas have lost a quarter …
Discussion:
Simply Left BehindThe … and blogs.wsj.com
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Ron Paul fears US will invade Pakistan next — GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is worried the U.S. could invade Pakistan after Osama bin Laden's death. — “I am absolutely afraid we will be in Pakistan trying to occupy that country,” Paul, a congressman from Texas and a critic of the wars …
Discussion:
The Politico and Weasel Zippers
Greg Miller / Washington Post:
CIA flew stealth drones into Pakistan to monitor bin Laden house — The CIA employed sophisticated new stealth drone aircraft to fly dozens of secret missions deep into Pakistani airspace and monitor the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed, current and former U.S. officials said.
Discussion:
FrumForum
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
All Giuliani now — Mike Allen scoops this morning that Jon Huntsman is basing his campaign in Orlando, Florida, setting up a showdown in that state with Romney. — Planting a flag like that in Florida will inevitably bring comparisons (first!) to Rudy Giuliani's late strategy …