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Romney, Palin Lead Reduced GOP Field for 2012 — PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney (17%) and Sarah Palin (15%) now lead a smaller field of potential Republican presidential candidates in rank-and-file Republicans' preferences for the party's 2012 nominee. Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich …
Discussion:
Weigel, Washington Monthly, CNN, GOP 12, New York Magazine, Political Insider, Daily Kos, iOwnTheWorld.com, Outside the Beltway, USA Today, Ben Smith's Blog, Iowa Caucuses, The Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Washington Post, msnbc.com, Economics, my dear Watson, The Daily Dish and National Review
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First Thoughts: Who wins (and loses) if Palin runs — Who wins if Palin runs: Romney and Obama... Who loses: Pawlenty and Huntsman... Does Palin moving to AZ raise Team Obama's chances of being able to play in the state in 2012?... A reality check: Palin's polarizing poll numbers …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Lisa Graas, unionleader.com and Washington Post

DNC chief attacks GOP field on American ‘exceptionalism’
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers

Romney, Palin top narrowed field
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, Associated Press and Weasel Zippers

Signs Grow That Palin May Run
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Crooks and Liars, Guardian, Wonkette, The Politico, The Agonist, Jay Bookman, The Caucus, New York Times, msnbc.com, Booman Tribune, Washington Post, Conservatives4Palin, Balloon Juice, FrumForum, Ben Smith's Blog, Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic Online, Salon, Mother Jones, Jezebel, Mediaite, TBogg, Iowa Caucuses and Indecision Forever


Why the Republican Lost in NY-26 — The Ryan Medicare plan needs a clearer and more populist defense. — Five and a half weeks after House Republicans passed their budget, Democrats and liberal pundits have decided it is political kryptonite that will fatally weaken the GOP.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Washington Monthly, Oliver Willis, Washington Post, Libertarian Leanings and Betsy's Page
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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 …

Dick Cheney: ‘I Worship The Ground Paul Ryan Walks On’
Discussion:
The Note and New York Times

Bill Clinton to Paul Ryan on Medicare Election: ‘Give me a Call’
Discussion:
Lisa Graas, Crooks and Liars, Hot Air, Jack & Jill Politics, Althouse, Sky Dancing, The Caucus, The Hill, The Moderate Voice, The Politico, Donklephant, Marbury, No More Mister Nice Blog, Buffalo News, The Hill, TPMDC, Outside the Beltway, The Gateway Pundit, Left Coast Rebel, Fox Nation, Mediaite, Ben Smith's Blog, Don Surber, Gawker, The Lonely Conservative, National Review, Weigel and New York Magazine


BREAKING: Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin Makes History By Signing Into Law Single Payer Health Care — Last month, the Vermont Senate passed legislation, approved earlier by the House, that would establish a single payer health care system in the state. The legislation would make Vermont …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
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Only One Of The Major Approaches To Controlling Health Care Costs Is Unproven
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Wall Street Journal

House passes measure to ban funds for teaching abortion techniques in health centers
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, Daily Kos and Shakesville


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.”
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STATEMENT FROM MSNBC REGARDING ED SCHULTZ
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The Moderate Voice, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, Examiner, The Daily Caller, AmSpecBlog, Patterico's Pontifications, The Last Tradition, Taylor Marsh, The Raw Story, GayPatriot, The Jawa Report, Don Surber, Wake up America, Raw Replay, TPMDC, The Lonely Conservative, theblogprof and The Radio Equalizer, more at Mediagazer »

MSNBC suspends Schultz for calling Ingraham a ‘slut’
Discussion:
theblogprof and Fox Nation

President Obama is not Israel's friend — It pains me to say this, but President Obama is not pro-Israel. After last Thursday's speech, that should be clear. His call for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement based on the 1967 borders should leave no doubt where he stands.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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Joe Walsh's ongoing struggles with reality — Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), one of Congress' more notable right-wing freshmen, has an angry column in the Daily Caller today on U.S. policy towards Israel. Take a wild guess what the Republican lawmaker argued. … It pains me to say this, but Rep. Joe Walsh is not smart.

Republican lawmaker says US Jews should be more pro-Israel
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Doug Ross and TPMDC


Stubborn Jobless Claims Still Keep On Climbing Higher — New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly climbed to 424,000 last week from a revised 414,000 in the prior week, pointing to a painfully slow improvement in the nation's job markets. — The Labor Department on Thursday revised …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Sky Dancing and The Lonely Conservative
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Dane County judge strikes down collective bargaining law — By Jason Stein and Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel — Madison - A Dane County judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker's legislation repealing most collective bargaining for public employees.
Discussion:
Hot Air and Pajamas Media


House wrestles over war-on-terror measure — House Republican leaders will attempt Thursday to beat back an effort by Democrats and at least a few GOP lawmakers to defeat a legislative proposal that critics contend will expand and indefinitely extend the war on terror.
Discussion:
FrumForum
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Libya Effort Is Called Violation of War Act
Discussion:
The Daily Dish and Lawfare

Who would you rather have lunch with - Obama, Palin or Romney? — A new Sachs/Mason Dixon poll gets to the heart of the presidential choices in front of us. Who would you rather have lunch with? More than three times as many Americans - 53 percent - would choose to have a one-on-one lunch chat …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and GOP 12

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 …


Top Serbian War Crimes Suspect Caught — PARIS — Serbian President Boris Tadic announced at a news conference in Belgrade on Thursday that Ratko Mladic, the fugitive accused of masterminding the massacre at Srebrenica in 1995, had been captured but refused to give details.
Discussion:
The Lede, New York Magazine and The BLT
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‘Business death penalty’ for hiring illegal workers is upheld by Supreme Court — The 5-3 decision gives states more authority to act against illegal immigrants. Justices rule that states can take away the business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Discussion:
Pat Dollard


Walt Disney Surrenders to Navy's SEAL Team 6 — Less than a month after a daring raid on Osama bin Laden's secret hideout, the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team 6 notched a victory over the Magic Kingdom. — Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that it would pull an application with the U.S. Patent …
Discussion:
Company Town, The Mary Sue, Outside the Beltway, Battleland, newsfeed.time.com, PopEater, Deadline.com, The Daily What and Mudville Gazette


Barack Obama snubs British scientists by refusing to receive Royal Society medal — Barack Obama has snubbed Britain's most eminent scientists by refusing to attend a Royal Society banquet in his honour at which he was to be awarded with a prestigious medal.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Obama Gets Big Bump In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Nelson Leads Gop Challengers, With No Clear Leader — President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Florida is 51 - 43 percent approve, a jump from his negative 44 - 52 percent score April 7, before the killing of Osama bin Laden …
Discussion:
The Hill, Taegan Goddard's …, Polling Matters and Washington Post