Top Items:
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
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:
REPUBLICAN REDEFINED, Iowa Caucuses, Outside the Beltway, The Raw Story, Associated Press, The Page, Washington Monthly, Barefoot and Progressive, USA Today, msnbc.com, LifeNews.com, CNN, Political Insider, iOwnTheWorld.com, Daily Kos, William K. Wolfrum Chronicles, Hot Air, New York Magazine, Economics, my dear Watson, GOP 12, The Daily Caller, National Review and The Daily Dish
RELATED:
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Electoral Consequences of the Rapture — Voters nationally are evenly divided on Barack Obama's job performance at 48% approving and 48% disapproving. Despite the mixed feelings toward him he leads Mitt Romney by 7 at 49-42, Newt Gingrich by 14 at 51-37, and Sarah Palin by 17 at 54-37 in hypothetical match ups.
First Read / msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: Who wins (and loses) if Palin runs
First Thoughts: Who wins (and loses) if Palin runs
Discussion:
The Other McCain, The Daily Caller, Lisa Graas, unionleader.com, Wonkette, Jay Bookman and Ben Smith's Blog
David Weigel / Weigel:
Gallup: Herman Cain at 8 Percent in GOP Primary
Gallup: Herman Cain at 8 Percent in GOP Primary
Discussion:
The Other McCain, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Raw Story, Outside the Beltway, Iowa Caucuses and msnbc.com
Scott Conroy / Real Clear Politics:
Palin's “Exploratory” Campaign: A Nationwide Bus Tour — DES MOINES, Iowa — In a move designed to propel her closer to a presidential run, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will set out on a bus tour of the country on Sunday, making stops at symbolic sites along the way.
RELATED:
SarahPAC:
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, GOP 12, The Caucus, National Review, Pajamas Media and News Hounds
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Sarah Palin to embark on bus tour as presidential speculation builds — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will begin a nationwide bus tour on Sunday designed to drum up support for a potential presidential bid. — Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, will start her tour in Washington …
Discussion:
SarahPAC, Ben Smith's Blog and The Daily Dish
CBS News:
“Major indicator” of Sarah Palin run on the way?
“Major indicator” of Sarah Palin run on the way?
Discussion:
Roger Ailes, Conservatives4Palin and The Daily Caller
Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Palin launching multi-city tour amid 2012 buzz
Palin launching multi-city tour amid 2012 buzz
Discussion:
The Politico, The Hill, New York Times, Outside the Beltway and Weasel Zippers
Ben Child / Guardian:
Sarah Palin likened to Joan of Arc in two-hour documentary film
Sarah Palin likened to Joan of Arc in two-hour documentary film
Discussion:
Yglesias, Firedoglake, Washington Post and msnbc.com
Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:
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, Booman Tribune, Juice, Oliver Willis, Betsy's Page, Libertarian Leanings and Washington Post
RELATED:
Fuel Fix:
Dick Cheney: Arab uprisings unlikely to disrupt oil flows for long — Former Vice President Dick Cheney says he doesn't think the “Arab Spring” will significantly cut the flow of oil to world markets, but the Middle East is far different when he sought cooperation for the liberation of Kuwait in 1991.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, USA Today, Wonkette, CNN, TPMDC, The New Editor, Raw Replay, The Hill, The Daily Caller, The Page and FrumForum
The Note:
Pawlenty Says If He Were President He Would Sign Paul Ryan's Budget — ABC News' Matthew Jaffe (@JaffeMatt) reports: — After facing criticism in recent days for sidestepping the issue, Tim Pawlenty today in New Hampshire said if he were president and Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal came to his desk, he would sign it.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Monthly, The New Republic and TPMDC
Marco Rubio / MiamiHerald.com:
Looking for Medicare solutions, not politics as usual
Looking for Medicare solutions, not politics as usual
Discussion:
Hot Air, sisu and iOwnTheWorld.com
Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Dick Cheney: ‘I worship the ground Paul Ryan walks on’
Dick Cheney: ‘I worship the ground Paul Ryan walks on’
Discussion:
Healthwatch, The Note, USA Today, Salon and New York Times
JSOnline:
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:
Firedoglake, The Hill, Hot Air, Crooks and Liars, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, POWIP, Wonkette, The Volokh Conspiracy and Pajamas Media
RELATED:
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
In Britain Obama repeats his error on Israel — President Obama is in Europe, supposedly trying to dissuade the Europeans from participating in the Palestinians' attempt to gain statehood without offering peace to Israel. At his press conference he, no surprise to his critics …
Discussion:
The White House and Moe Lane
RELATED:
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
Joe Walsh's ongoing struggles with reality
Rep. Joe Walsh / The Daily Caller:
President Obama is not Israel's friend
President Obama is not Israel's friend
Discussion:
Salon, The Hill, ThinkProgress, The Debate Link, Weasel Zippers and TPMDC
David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:
‘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.
RELATED:
Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Supreme Court backs Arizona immigration law that punishes businesses
Supreme Court backs Arizona immigration law that punishes businesses
Discussion:
The Note, Ben Smith's Blog and The Politico
Walter Russell Mead / Via Meadia:
The Dreamer Goes Down For The Count — I had never thought there were many similarities between the pleasure-loving Charles II of England and the more upright Barack Obama until this week. Listening to his speeches on the Middle East at the State Department, US-Israel relations …
Discussion:
Mondoweiss, Transterrestrial Musings and FrumForum
RELATED:
Doug Saunders / Globe and Mail:
On Israel, Harper stands alone at G8 summit
On Israel, Harper stands alone at G8 summit
Discussion:
Politics, Weasel Zippers, Jihad Watch and The Daily Dish
Yossi Verter / Haaretz:
Haaretz poll: Netanyahu's popularity soaring following Washington trip
Haaretz poll: Netanyahu's popularity soaring following Washington trip
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, New York Times, Doc's Talk, Betsy's Page and AmSpecBlog
St. Petersburg Times:
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:
REPUBLICAN REDEFINED, Shakesville, Pajamas Media and GOP 12
John Eligon / New York Times:
Two New York City Police Officers Acquitted of Rape — Two New York City police officers were acquitted on Thursday of the most serious charges in the rape of a drunken woman who had been helped into her apartment by the officers while on patrol. — The verdict provides some measure …
Discussion:
Runnin' Scared, Gothamist, Feministing, Shakesville, Boing Boing, New York Magazine and Feministe
Christopher Baxter / New Jersey Online:
Gov. Christie announces N.J. pulling out of regional environmental initiative — TRENTON — In a blow to clean energy advocates throughout the Northeast, Gov. Chris Christie said this morning that the state will pull out of the region's cap-and-trade program by the end of the year.
RELATED:
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
DNC chief attacks GOP field on American ‘exceptionalism’ — Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz attacked the GOP presidential contenders on their own terms Thursday. — The Florida representative questioned just how dedicated they were to “American exceptionalism.”
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, The Note, Weasel Zippers and Nice Deb
Corey Boles / Washington Wire:
Sen. Rand Paul Delays Renewal of Patriot Act Provisions — Sen. Rand Paul has single-handedly stopped the extension of three key provisions of the Patriot Act until after they expire at midnight Thursday. Unless he folds. … The Senate voted to end debate on the measure, but Sen. Paul …
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Left Coast Rebel and Outside the Beltway
Stephen Moore / Wall Street Journal:
A 62% Top Tax Rate? — Democrats have said they only intend to restore the tax rates that existed during the Clinton years. In reality they're proposing rates like those under President Carter. — Media reports in recent weeks say that Senate Democrats are considering a 3% surtax on income …
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, The Moderate Voice, The Lonely Conservative and Wake up America
Brendan Nyhan / Sabato's Crystal Ball:
Where Are the Obama Scandals? — One of the least remarked upon aspects of the Obama presidency has been the lack of scandals. Since Watergate, presidential and executive branch scandal has been an inescapable feature of the American presidency, but the current administration has not yet suffered …
Greg Miller / Washington Post:
CIA to search bin Laden compound — Pakistan has agreed to allow the CIA to send a forensics team to examine the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed, giving the agency permission to use sophisticated equipment in a search for al-Qaeda materials that might have been hidden inside walls or buried at the site, U.S. officials said.
Discussion:
Reuters, Guardian and Battleland
Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
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:
Firedoglake and Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Wall Street Journal:
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:
Mediaite, Battleland, Outside the Beltway, newsfeed.time.com, The Mary Sue, Company Town, PopEater, Deadline.com, The Daily What and Mudville Gazette
The Independent:
Exclusive: Battered Libya sues for peace — As President Obama vows ‘We will not relent until the shadow of tyranny is lifted’, Gaddafi's Prime Minister offers Nato a ceasefire, amnesty for rebels, reconciliation, constitutional government - and an exit strategy
Discussion:
Telegraph, msnbc.com, Daniel W. Drezner, Guardian, White House Dossier and Wall Street Journal