Top Items:
The Note:
Bill Clinton to Paul Ryan on Medicare Election: ‘Give me a Call’ — ABC News' Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) reports: — The day after the stunning upset in the special congressional election in upstate New York, Rep. Paul Ryan is a man under fire. — But ABC News was behind the scenes …
RELATED:
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate rejects Ryan budget — The Senate on Wednesday resoundingly rejected a budget sponsored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) that calls for significant cuts to future Medicare benefits. — Five Republican senators voted against the ambitious budget plan …
Discussion:
Healthwatch, The Nation, AmSpecBlog, Booman Tribune, Barefoot and Progressive, The Raw Story and Ballot Box
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Medicare — The GOP continued its bloody walk into the Medicare buzzsaw Wednesday, when 40 out of 47 Senate Republicans voted in support of the House GOP budget, and its plan to phase out and privatize the popular entitlement program.
Discussion:
Jack & Jill Politics and Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Five GOP senators jump ship in Ryan budget vote — Five Republican senators jumped ship and voted against House Republicans' 2012 budget on Wednesday. — Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined four other Republican senators who'd previously announced their opposition to the budget …
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Weasel Zippers and FrumForum
Jake Sherman / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich now defending Paul Ryan
Newt Gingrich now defending Paul Ryan
Discussion:
CNN, The Hill, Healthwatch, The Note, Nice Deb, Weasel Zippers, TPMDC, The Gateway Pundit, The Mahablog, newsfeed.time.com and FrumForum
Peter Orszag / Bloomberg:
About Peter R Orszag — Peter R. Orszag, vice chairman …
About Peter R Orszag — Peter R. Orszag, vice chairman …
Discussion:
Yglesias, Firedoglake, Mother Jones, Wall Street Journal and The Maddow Blog
David Rogers / The Politico:
Senate rejects Ryan budget
Senate rejects Ryan budget
Discussion:
CNN, Crooks and Liars, Outside the Beltway, The Note and Ross Douthat
Henry Olsen / National Review:
A Blue-Collar Warning Sign
A Blue-Collar Warning Sign
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, The New Republic, Washington Post, Erick's blog, FrumForum and The Reality-Based Community
E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
NY 26: Democrats should thank Paul Ryan
NY 26: Democrats should thank Paul Ryan
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Associated Press, JSOnline, The Democratic Daily, The Politico, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and sisu
Budget Committee:
The Facts on Medicare and How to Save It
The Facts on Medicare and How to Save It
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative, The Foundry, TPMDC and RedState
Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Ryan blames NY-26 on Dem ‘scare tactics’
Ryan blames NY-26 on Dem ‘scare tactics’
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Moderate Voice, National Review, FrumForum, The New Republic, Guardian, Hotline On Call and Indecision Forever
Laura Ingraham / Facebook:
Response to Ed Schultz — Re. the crude comments made about me by Ed Schultz on his radio program: First, I was surprised to learn that Ed Schultz actually hosted a radio show. Is it only available online? Second, I have to get back to recording the audio edition of my new book “Of Thee I Zing.”
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Jezebel, Moe Lane, AmSpecBlog, Weasel Zippers and FrumForum
RELATED:
Lauren Skowronski / nbcuniversal.presscentre.com:
STATEMENT FROM MSNBC REGARDING ED SCHULTZ — STATEMENT FROM MSNBC REGARDING ED SCHULTZ: — MSNBC management met with Ed Schultz this afternoon and accepted his offer to take one week of unpaid leave for the remarks he made yesterday on his radio program.
Benjy Sarlin / TPMDC:
UPDATED: MSNBC's Ed Schultz Calls Radio Host Laura Ingraham A ‘Right Wing Slut’ — Late Update [7:08 pm ET]: MSNBC has suspended Schultz for one week. — MSNBC host Ed Schultz is known for his hyperbolic attacks on Republicans but it looks like he may have crossed the line on his show yesterday …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Reaction, ThinkProgress, BeggarsCanBeChoosers.com, Gawker, ECHIDNE of the snakes, The Daily Caller, Fox Nation and Salon
Brian Maloney / The Radio Equalizer:
Libtalker Ed Schultz Uses Vulgarity To Attack Conservative Host — DEPRAV-ED — MSNBC'S Schultz: Laura Ingraham's ‘A Slut’ — *** RIP: CNBC'S MARK HAINES, ONE OF THE LAST HONEST BUSINESS JOURNALISTS *** — *** EVENING UPDATE: MSNBC SUSPENDS SCHULTZ FOR ONE WEEK *** — *** BUT IS IT ENOUGH?
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, REPUBLICAN REDEFINED, Wake up America, theblogprof and The Other McCain
Marc Lacey / New York Times:
Suspect in Shooting of Giffords Ruled Unfit for Trial — TUCSON, Ariz. — A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Jared L. Loughner was not mentally competent to stand trial on charges of opening fire at a constituent event for an Arizona congresswoman in January, killing 6 and injuring 13.
Discussion:
Arizona Republic and Law Blog
RELATED:
Arizona Daily Star:
Loughner found incompetent to stand trial
Loughner found incompetent to stand trial
Discussion:
USA Today, Reuters, Gawker, The Gateway Pundit, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Page
Jacques Billeaud / Associated Press:
Judge: Ariz. shooting suspect mentally incompetent
Judge: Ariz. shooting suspect mentally incompetent
Discussion:
TalkLeft and Pajamas Media
Alana Goodman / Commentary Magazine:
Key Jewish Donor Breaks With Obama — One of the most important Democratic donors in the past two decades, whose generous contributions helped pay for the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C., has indicated that he will not contribute to President Obama's reelection campaign in 2012, because of the administration's stance on Israel.
Discussion:
Wonk Room, Ben Smith's Blog, Doug Ross and Capital J | JTA
RELATED:
Jeffrey Goldberg / Bloomberg:
About Jeffrey Goldberg — Jeffrey Goldberg, a national correspondent …
About Jeffrey Goldberg — Jeffrey Goldberg, a national correspondent …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Mondoweiss and Unqualified Offerings
SpyTalk:
Gingrich wife worked for committee heavily lobbied by Tiffany — At the same time Tiffany & Co. was extending Callista (Bisek) Gingrich a virtual interest-free loan of tens of thousands of dollars, the diamond and silverware firm was spending big bucks to influence mining policy in Congress …
Discussion:
The Raw Story, Ben Smith's Blog, Gawker, Washington Post, Roger Ailes, Washington Examiner and FrumForum
RELATED:
James Rosen / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Racism to blame for Obama's problems, key Democrat says — WASHINGTON — House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, on Wednesday blamed most of President Barack Obama's political problems on racism. — Clyburn, who's from South Carolina …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Weasel Zippers and Hot Air
New York Times:
Signs Grow That Palin May Run — WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin is fortifying her small staff of advisers, buying a house in Arizona — where associates have said she could base a national campaign — and reviving her schedule of public appearances. The moves are the most concrete signals yet that Ms. Palin …
Spencer Ackerman / Danger Room:
There's a Secret Patriot Act, Senator Says — You may think you understand how the Patriot Act allows the government to spy on its citizens. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) says it's worse than you've heard. — Congress is set to reauthorize three controversial provisions of the surveillance law as early as Thursday.
Discussion:
TPMDC, Emptywheel and Cato @ Liberty
Jeff Cox / CNBC:
CNBC Anchor Mark Haines Dies Unexpectedly at Age 65 — Veteran journalist Mark Haines, a fixture on CNBC for 22 years, died unexpectedly Tuesday evening. He was 65 years old. — Haines, founding anchor of CNBC's morning show “Squawk Box,” was co-anchor of the network's “Squawk on the Street” …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, Mediaite, MarketBeat, The Daily Caller, TigerHawk, DealBook, Gawker, Freedom's Lighthouse and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »
Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Have Democrats cracked the code for 2012? — The battle over the federal deficit hasn't flipped in favor of the Democrats. The GOP isn't suddenly at grave risk of losing its House majority. — But after two years of getting pummeled over spending and the size of government …
Discussion:
Power Line, National Review and Taylor Marsh
RELATED:
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Six Months After Midterm Disaster, Hopeful Signs for Democrats
Six Months After Midterm Disaster, Hopeful Signs for Democrats
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Huffington Post, Emptywheel, Washington Post, Firedoglake, Right Wing Nut House, Hit & Run, Opinionator, AMERICAblog News, New York Times, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Michelle Malkin, The Monkey Cage, Public Policy Polling, Booman Tribune, Daily Kos, GayPatriot, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Feministing, Indecision Forever, The Mahablog, Examiner, Libertarian Leanings, The Other McCain, The Reaction, Washington Monthly and The Agonist
Associated Press:
AP sources: Army chief picked to head Joint Chiefs — WASHINGTON (AP) — A general installed just last month as the Army's top officer is President Barack Obama's surprise choice to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two people familiar with the selection process said Wednesday.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Danger Room and Oliver Willis
J. Bradford DeLong / Grasping Reality …:
Time to PANIC!!: Second-Quarter Real GDP Growth Looks Slow Enough to Put No Upward Pressure at All on the Employment-to-Population Ratio — Time to push the panic button. — Macroeconomic Advisers is revising their tracking forecast of real GDP growth in the second quarter.
Discussion:
MarketBeat, PERRspectives, Paul Krugman, The Lonely Conservative, The Other McCain and Hullabaloo
Tina Korbe / Hot Air:
EPA Administrator Confirms: No fracking water contamination — The spelling, however, is still in question. Fracking? Fraccing? Fracing? — At a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing yesterday, President Barack Obama's EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, admitted the environmental risk …
Discussion:
Pundit Press and Transterrestrial Musings
The Atlantic Online:
At What Price the Moon? — JFK challenged Americans to take to the skies half a century ago — but as human space flight embraced rockets rather than reusable spacecraft, what did we lose? — Wikimedia Commons — Fifty years ago, on May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood …
Discussion:
Moe Lane and Pajamas Media
Lupe / RADAR:
California's Attorney General Launching Criminal Inquiry Into Arnold Schwarzenegger — The Californian Attorney General will conduct what's being termed an “inquiry” into former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's alleged misuse of tax payer funds to cover up sexual liaisons.
Discussion:
PopEater and Clusterstock
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Walker's numbers continue to get worse — Scott Walker's popularity has continued to decline over the last three months and Wisconsin voters now say they would vote to recall him if there was an election today. They also say they would pick either Russ Feingold or Tom Barrett over Walker in a head to head match up.
Discussion:
Firedoglake and Daily Kos