Top Items:
New York Times:
Obama Opts for Faster Afghan Pullout — WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to announce Wednesday evening that he will order the withdrawal of 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year, and another 20,000 troops, the remainder of the 2009 “surge,” by the end of next summer …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, The Huffington Post, JustOneMinute, The Politico, The Note, The Democratic Daily, The Caucus, Guardian, Sky Dancing, Hot Air, Proof Positive, Daily Kos, Taylor Marsh, Reuters, Top of the Ticket, Political Punch, The Enterprise Blog, New York Magazine, AmSpecBlog, Gothamist and The Right Scoop
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Sam Youngman / The Hill:
President Obama lays out exit strategy for the Afghanistan war — President Obama announced Wednesday he is ending the Afghanistan “surge” by withdrawing 10,000 troops by the end of the year, promising an end to the war is near. — In a prime-time address, Obama said another 23,000 troops …
Discussion:
The Politico, CNN and The Nation
The Politico:
Obama to draw down surge troops, focus on ‘nation building here at home’
Obama to draw down surge troops, focus on ‘nation building here at home’
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Mudville Gazette and The Note
Scott Conroy / Real Clear Politics:
Palin Bus Tour Takes Extended Pit Stop — Less than a month after she appeared poised to shake up the Republican presidential campaign, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has once again receded from the 2012 limelight. — When Palin launched her “One Nation” bus tour on Memorial Day amid …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, CNN, The Raw Story, TPMDC, Jezebel, Mediaite, The Hill, sisu, The Other McCain, The TrogloPundit, The Wire, Sky Dancing, No More Mister Nice Blog, Guardian, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Balloon Juice, Indecision Forever, Salon, Wonkette, Washington Post, New York Magazine, Outside the Beltway, Gawker, The Camp Of The Saints, Flap's Blog, Weigel, Hit & Run and Shakesville
RELATED:
Amy Gardner / Washington Post:
Palin cancels trip to Sudan — Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has canceled a trip next month to war-ravaged Sudan, one of the most unstable nations in the world and the focus of passionate advocacy within the U.S. evangelical community. — Palin scrapped her visit to the North African country …
Discussion:
USA Today, The Note, JustOneMinute, Flap's Blog, The Daily Dish, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Daily Caller and Conservatives4Palin
Colby Hall / Mediaite:
No Joke: Sarah Palin Reportedly Quits One Nation Bus Tour Halfway Through (Update) — Real Clear Politics is reporting that Sarah Palin has taken an “extended hiatus” from her much ballyhooed One Nation Bus Tour. While the tour was never clearly defined with specific stops (especially to the media) …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog
Tomoneil / Awards Tracker:
Sarah Palin is definitely a candidate ... for an Emmy
Sarah Palin is definitely a candidate ... for an Emmy
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool and GOP 12
Jose Antonio Vargas / New York Times:
My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant — One August morning nearly two decades ago, my mother woke me and put me in a cab. She handed me a jacket. “Baka malamig doon” were among the few words she said. ("It might be cold there.") When I arrived at the Philippines' Ninoy Aquino International Airport …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Mediaite, Washington Post, Daily Kos, Rooted Cosmopolitan, The Impolitic, America's Voice Blog, The Colorado Independent, Guardian, Pajamas Media, Swampland, New York Magazine, Hullabaloo, Towleroad News #gay, National Review, Feministing, The Wire, ThinkProgress, Don Surber, Eschaton, Gothamist and Fox Nation, more at Mediagazer »
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Chris Suellentrop / The 6th Floor:
My (Legal) Editor's Dream
My (Legal) Editor's Dream
Discussion:
The Politico, The Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Mediaite, This Just In, Washington Post and National Review, more at Mediagazer »
Rolling Stone:
Climate of Denial — Can science and the truth withstand the merchants of poison? — AL GORE — The first time I remember hearing the question “is it real?” was when I went as a young boy to see a traveling show put on by “professional wrestlers” one summer evening in the gym …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Mediaite, The Note, Power Line, The TrogloPundit, New York Times, Top of the Ticket, CNN, TPMDC, Slate, DeSmogBlog, NewsBusters.org blogs, The Politico, The Incidental Economist, Climate Denial Crock …, Taylor Marsh, ThinkProgress, New York Magazine, Weasel Zippers, The Hill, The Atlantic Wire, The Daily Caller, Washington Monthly, iOwnTheWorld.com, The Raw Story, Shakesville and msnbc.com
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Robin Bravender / The Politico:
Dana Rohrabacher: ‘Looney Tunes’ Al Gore could help Barack Obama
Dana Rohrabacher: ‘Looney Tunes’ Al Gore could help Barack Obama
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Weasel Zippers
Matt Taibbi / Rolling Stone:
Michele Bachmann's Holy War — The Tea Party contender may seem like a goofball, but be warned: Her presidential campaign is no laughing matter — Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and, as you consider the career and future presidential prospects of an incredible American phenomenon named Michele Bachmann, do one more thing.
Ezra Klein / Washington Post:
CBO: We'll only have giant deficits if Congress wants giant deficits — The Congressional Budget Office just released the latest edition of its long-term budget outlook (pdf), and it shows the same thing as always: If Congress lets the Bush tax cuts expire or offsets their extension …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Associated Press, The Hill, Grasping Reality …, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars and Hullabaloo
RELATED:
Jimmy Vielkind / Capitol Confidential:
Silver sees session end today, ready for SSM tweaks — After spending 90 minutes meeting with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, legislative leaders emerged to say they have not fully ironed out details of the “big ugly” framework containing a property tax cap, rent regulation renewal and relief of some local government mandates.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Capital Tonight, New York Magazine, Towleroad News #gay and AMERICAblog Gay
RELATED:
Michael Gormley / Associated Press:
NY leaders say no obstacles to gay marriage vote
NY leaders say no obstacles to gay marriage vote
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay and Prop 8 Trial Tracker
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Democrats Explicitly Call Out GOP For Sabotaging The Economic Recovery — They've made it explicit. Democrats are accusing Republicans of trying to sabotage the recovery — or at least stall it — by blocking all short-term measures to boost the economy, even ones they previously supported.
Discussion:
The BRAD BLOG, Firedoglake, The New Republic and Daily Kos
RELATED:
New York Times:
In House, Challenges Over Policy on Libya
In House, Challenges Over Policy on Libya
Discussion:
Global Public Square, Weigel and The Huffington Post
Jonathan Allen / The Politico:
House Republicans to vote on de-funding Libya conflict
House Republicans to vote on de-funding Libya conflict
Discussion:
The Hill, CNN and ThinkProgress
The Investigative Project on Terrorism:
CAIR Loses IRS Status — Donations to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) no longer are tax deductible after the organization was among 275,000 tax-exempt organizations purged earlier this month by the Internal Revenue Service. — The groups failed to file required annual reports …
Discussion:
Maggie's Notebook and Weasel Zippers
RELATED:
Dan Mitchell / International Liberty:
Andrew Sullivan Has No Idea What He's Talking about, but I Agree with His Conclusion — Even though he's become rather partisan in recent years, I still enjoy an occasional visit to Andrew Sullivan's blog. But I was rather amused last night when I read one of his posts …
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative and GayPatriot
Tanya Somanader / ThinkProgress:
Lawmakers Re-Introduce The Equal Rights Amendment In Response To Wal-Mart Ruling — This week, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to 1.5 million women by throwing out their charges of comprehensive gender discrimination by retail behemoth Walmart in a 5-4 decision.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
RELATED:
Debbie Siegelbaum / The Hill:
Lawmakers reintroduce ERA in wake of Supreme Court's Wal-Mart decision
David Beasley / Reuters:
Staff quit because “I'm different,” Gingrich says — (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Wednesday attributed the mass resignations among his campaign staff to the fact that he is “very different” from mainstream politicians. — “Philosophically …
Discussion:
Political Insider, News Desk, GOP 12, Ballot Box, Indecision Forever and The Page
Paul Bentley / Daily Mail:
Has O.J. Simpson confessed murder to Oprah? Huge TV interview planned in which convict ‘will admit he killed Nicole in self-defence as she pulled a knife on him’ — O.J Simpson has confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he murdered his former wife, it has been reported.
Discussion:
And So it Goes in Shreveport, Don Surber and Mediaite
Telegraph:
Self publishing writer becomes million seller — An entrepreneur has turned the writing world upside down by becoming the first author to sell more than a million electronic books without a publishing deal. — In the last year John has had four of the top 10 books on Amazon/Kindle at the same time, including number one and two
Discussion:
Guardian and Pajamas Media
Michael Barone / Wall Street Journal:
The Surprising Roots of Liberal Nostalgia — World War II created confidence in large institutions and big government. But few would want the cultural conformity of the mid-20th century back. — There's a longing on the left for the golden years of the 1940s, '50s and early '60s.
Discussion:
Power Line, Pajamas Media and Betsy's Page
Reuters:
WRAPUP 4-Democrats call for new spending in US debt deal — * Biden group pushes ahead in deficit-reduction talks — * CBO says benefits will swamp economy in long term (Adds quotes from Bernanke) — Democratic leaders called on Wednesday for additional spending to boost the sluggish U.S. economy …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Pajamas Media, John Lott's Website, The Page, National Review and The Lonely Conservative
Steve Tetreault / Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Reid says candidate misled him, questions fitness for Senate — WASHINGTON — Simmering tension in the still-young 2012 Nevada race for U.S. Senate burst into the open Tuesday when Sen. Harry Reid unloaded on upstart candidate Byron Georgiou, a Democratic lawyer and entrepreneur from Las Vegas.
Discussion:
Hotline On Call
Dylan Howard / RADAR:
Tobey Maguire Sued Over Multi-Million Dollar Illegal Poker Game; DiCaprio, Affleck & Damon Involved — Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire is among more than a dozen high-profile Hollywood celebrities being sued in connection with a mega-millions illegal gambling ring that ran high-stakes underground poker games …
Discussion:
Don Surber, Flap's Blog, Maggie's Notebook, ArtsBeat and National Review
ABCNEWS:
Economic Trouble Puzzles Fed Chief, Too — The economy's continuing struggles aren't just confounding ordinary Americans. They've also stumped the head of the Federal Reserve. — Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told reporters Wednesday that the central bank had been caught off guard by recent signs of deterioration in the economy.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Truthdig and Fox Nation
Mike Riggs / Hit & Run:
Barney Frank and Ron Paul will Introduce Legislation on Thursday to Fully Legalize Marijuana — Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) will introduce “bi-partisan legislation tomorrow ending the federal war on marijuana and letting states legalize, regulate, tax …
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket, Gawker, The Daily Caller and Salon
Jon Ralston / Las Vegas Sun Blogs:
Huntsman's family gave nearly $25,000 to Reid last cycle — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who said this week he prefers Jon Huntsman to Mitt Romney in the GOP Mormon presidential primary, has taken a lot of money from the Huntsman family, and the former Utah governor appointed Reid's son, Josh, to Utah's Board of Regents.
Discussion:
The Politico, The Hill, New York Magazine, Verum Serum, And So it Goes in Shreveport and The Lonely Conservative