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Dominique Strauss-Kahn Resigns From I.M.F. — Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned Wednesday as head of the International Monetary Fund after explosive allegations that he had sexually attacked a cleaning lady in a midtown Manhattan hotel room. — “It is with infinite sadness that I feel compelled today …
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Dominique Strauss-Kahn: IMF head ‘hired prostitutes from Manhattan madam’ — Dominique Strauss-Kahn hired prostitutes from the “Manhattan Madam” who infamously also served Eliot Spitzer, the disgraced former Governor of New York, she claimed on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Patterico's Pontifications, Runnin' Scared, Jezebel, The Wrap and American Spectator


A Favorite Emerges for Helm of I.M.F. — PARIS — The French finance minister, Christine Lagarde, was on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this January when her usual smile turned into a frown. Next to her, Robert E. Diamond Jr., chief executive of Barclays and one of the most powerful bankers …
Discussion:
This Just In, Outside the Beltway, New York Magazine, Time, The Page and FrumForum


Smoke and Fire: Why France Was Silent About Strauss-Kahn's Womanizing — IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, at a news conference during the IMF-World Bank meetings in Washington on April 16, 2011 — When news of the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn broke in France, Emmanuel Pierrat remembered …

MESpeech: President to back democratic reform with economic incentives — Huntsman focuses on U.S. competitiveness; doesn't hit Obama or rivals - Dick Cheney takes gloves off in book - Rummy's sequel — TWITTER AS THE NEW DIAL GROUP — TIME magazine “White House Memo: To spread the Gospel of Barack …
Discussion:
The Foundry
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Can They Win, One Tweet at a Time? — Plouffe, second from left …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog

Obama to Address Arab Spring in Middle East Speech
Discussion:
New York Magazine and Political Punch

Senate rejects GOP bill to expand, speed up offshore drilling
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit


REPORT: Jon Huntsman's Secret Life As A Progressive — Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) left his post as President Obama's ambassador to China last month in order to pursue a potential bid for the presidency. During his ambassadorship, Huntsman penned multiple letters to Obama in which he praised …
Discussion:
Climate Progress and The Rothenberg Political …
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First Thoughts: Now this is change — Previewing Obama's speech …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and Washington Post

New Hampshire, meet Jon Huntsman
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, TPMDC, Swampland, Taegan Goddard's …, GOP 12 and The Caucus

Moderate Jon Huntsman, possible 2012 candidate, tests the waters in today's GOP
Discussion:
The Note, Washington Monthly, Concord Monitor and Outside the Beltway

Arab Spring Spurs Israel to Ice Peace Plan Before Obama Meeting — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been preparing to greet President Barack Obama at the White House tomorrow with a proposal to resurrect Middle East peace talks, advisers said. — That was until Palestinian …
Discussion:
The Agonist
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5 things to watch in Barack Obama's Mideast speech
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket, Hot Air, Pirate's Cove, Washington Post and White House Dossier

Stakes high — again — for Obama speech
Discussion:
New York Times, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and News Desk

Romney, Daniels feel ‘death hug’ on their healthcare records — President Obama and his liberal allies tried to kill some of the Republicans' top presidential candidates with kindness on Thursday. — The president had fun at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's (R) …
Discussion:
CNN, GOP 12 and The Daily Caller
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The Year of Living Adulterously
Discussion:
The Note and Washington Monthly


9th Circuit nominee Goodwin Liu deserves a vote — Goodwin Liu's nomination has unfairly languished for more than a year. The U.S. Senate should give him a straight up-or-down vote. — The Senate is expected to vote Thursday on whether to debate the judicial appointment of UC Berkeley professor Goodwin Liu.
Discussion:
ACS Blog and The Politico
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GOP On Track To Block Obama Judicial Nominee For First Time
Discussion:
Hot Air

Cornel West on Obama is no better than a birther — Anyone who knows me, and knows me well, knows that I have little patience for the “Blacker than thou” crowd. These are the self-appointed guardians of what it means to be black — a decidedly limited and ignorant perspective …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Booman Tribune, Sky Dancing, The only adult in the room, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, NewsReal Blog, Adam Serwer and AlterNet


Rogue tweet by Secret Service! — How embarrassing, Secret Service! (Gawker image) — Courtesy — Oh, the dangers of social media! Those instant, regrettable outbursts of unvarnished truth and scantily clad photos. Today's victim: the Secret Service!
Discussion:
Don Surber, Gawker, Big Journalism, Carol's Closet, Political Punch, FrumForum and National Review


Dick Cheney's memoir will have ‘very strong views,’ daughter Liz says — NEW YORK — Dick Cheney has finished his memoir, according to his daughter, and the book is scheduled to come out on Aug. 30. — Liz Cheney said that the former vice president's manuscript was turned in at the beginning of the month.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Weekly Standard, Betsy's Page and Wizbang
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Dick Cheney memoir set for Aug. 30 release
Discussion:
CNN and New York Magazine

McConnell leaves House GOP budget twisting in the wind — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is leaving Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget plan to its own fate in the Senate by not whipping his GOP colleagues on the vote. — Republican senators say McConnell has made it clear …
Discussion:
The Politico, ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway and msnbc.com


Private Prisons Found to Offer Little in Savings — PHOENIX — The conviction that private prisons save money helped drive more than 30 states to turn to them for housing inmates. But Arizona shows that popular wisdom might be wrong: Data there suggest that privately operated prisons …


Peter Fonda calls Obama ‘traitor’ at Cannes — CANNES, France — Peter Fonda launched a four-letter attack on US President Barack Obama at the Cannes film festival on Wednesday, calling him a traitor over the handling of the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill.
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, iOwnTheWorld.com, JammieWearingFool, Weasel Zippers and Pajamas Media


Maria Shriver Hires a Divorce Attorney — Maria Shriver, who has split from husband Arnold Schwarzenegger amid a love-child scandal, has hired a divorce lawyer, sources tell PEOPLE. — Prominent Los Angeles family law attorney Laura Wasser is now representing California's former first lady, according to sources close to Shriver.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Daily Beast, CNN, ABCNEWS, The Moderate Voice and RADAR


Many With New College Degree Find the Job Market Humbling — The individual stories are familiar. The chemistry major tending bar. The classics major answering phones. The Italian studies major sweeping aisles at Wal-Mart. — Now evidence is emerging that the damage wrought …
Discussion:
Questions and Observations, BackyardConservative, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Mother Jones


Disability-Claim Judge Has Trouble Saying ‘No’ — Near-Perfect Approval Record; Social-Security Program Strained — HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Americans seeking Social Security disability benefits will often appeal to one of 1,500 judges who help administer the program, where the odds of winning are slightly better than even.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo and Don Surber

How more stimulus could reduce the deficit, and vice versa — “Mentions of unemployment have been dwindling since they spiked to 154 in the month ending August 15, 2010; over the month ending Sunday, there were 63,” reports Clifford Marks. “Deficit mentions, meanwhile …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, AMERICAblog News and Crooks and Liars


The Debt Ceiling Fiasco — Fights over the budget are normal and proper in a democracy. But threatening to default could have dire consequences for the dollar, interest rates and the economy. — The debt ceiling “crisis” started on Monday when the U.S. government reached the legal limit …
Discussion:
Wonk Room, The New Republic, Jared Bernstein, Economist's View, Capital Gains and Games blogs, FrumForum and ThinkProgress