Top Items:
New York Times:
Seized Phone Offers Clues to Bin Laden's Pakistani Links — ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The cellphone of Osama bin Laden's trusted courier, which was recovered in the raid that killed both men in Pakistan last month, contained contacts to a militant group that is a longtime asset …
Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Obama Addresses New York Marriage Equality Bill At LGBT Fundraiser: Issue Best Left To States — President Obama spoke at an LGBT fundraiser this evening in New York City, just as the New York Senate prepares to take up marriage equality legislation. Obama addressed the measure directly …
Discussion:
Shakesville, The New Civil Rights Movement, Pam's House Blend, AMERICAblog Gay and Back2Stonewall.com
RELATED:
CNN:
President Obama backs rights for gay couples in New York fundraiser — (CNN) — President Barack Obama took his act to New York on Thursday as the featured attraction at three back-to-back fundraisers, where he touted his progressive credentials, including support for equal rights for gay couples.
Discussion:
In the Arena, The Page, LGBTQ Nation and JammieWearingFool
Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Obama: Gay equality, not marriage — President Barack Obama called for equal rights for gay couples Thursday, but stopped short of voicing support for legalizing same-sex marriage at a gala LGBT fundraiser held in the heart of a state whose legislature is on the verge of taking a vote on the issue.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and Guardian
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Weak: Obama punts on gay marriage at NY LGBT fundraiser
Weak: Obama punts on gay marriage at NY LGBT fundraiser
Discussion:
The Politico, Washington Post and RealClearPolitics Video Log
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
Obama Speech Is Interrupted by Gay Marriage Supporters
Obama Speech Is Interrupted by Gay Marriage Supporters
Discussion:
Capital Tonight and American Power
Tanya Somanader / ThinkProgress:
McConnell: GOP Would Not Voice Opposition To Libya Campaign If Obama Was A Republican — The NATO-led air campaign in Libya is causing a significant rift within the GOP. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), and House Republicans have said the U.S. involvement violates …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Althouse, TPMDC and The Politico
RELATED:
Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:
Republicans pull out of debt talks, demand Obama meet directly with GOP over taxes
Republicans pull out of debt talks, demand Obama meet directly with GOP over taxes
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Budget Talks Near Collapse as G.O.P. Leader Quits
Budget Talks Near Collapse as G.O.P. Leader Quits
Discussion:
The Note, New York Times, ThinkProgress, The Politico, The Hill, Jared Bernstein and Washington Monthly
Ezra Klein / Washington Post:
Why Eric Cantor won't make the budget deal
Why Eric Cantor won't make the budget deal
Discussion:
The Mahablog, Prairie Weather, The Talking Dog, TPMDC, The Lonely Conservative, PERRspectives, Washington Wire, The Atlantic Online, Erick's blog, Balloon Juice, The Note, The Other McCain, Washington Monthly, The Politico, Wake up America, Weigel, Felix Salmon, Outside the Beltway, Blue Virginia and Hot Air
Richard Pérez-Peña / New York Times:
New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Benefits Rollback for Work Force — TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday approved a broad rollback of benefits for 750,000 government workers and retirees, the deepest cut in state and local costs in memory, in a major victory for Gov. Chris Christie …
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Caucus, Big Government, Hotline On Call and NewsBusters.org blogs
RELATED:
New Jersey Online:
N.J. Assembly passes landmark employee benefits overhaul — TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers tonight voted to enact a sweeping plan to cut public worker benefits after a long day of high-pitched political drama in the streets of Trenton and behind closed doors.
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool, Weasel Zippers and The Reid Report
Cathy Lynn Grossman / USA Today:
Airline to Jewish rumor: ‘Delta does not discriminate.’ — Earlier today some Jewish and Christian readers in the blogosphere were fired up about stories that Delta Airlines, in its new alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines, might wind up enforcing a Saudi policy of not admitting Iraelis …
Discussion:
Israel Matzav, Jihad Watch, Hot Air, The Volokh Conspiracy, AmSpecBlog and National Review
RELATED:
Michele Chabin / USA Today:
U.S. Jews not able to fly on Delta flights to Saudi Arabia — JERUSALEM — Jews and Israelis, or passengers carrying any non-Islamic article of faith, will not be able to fly Delta Air Lines flights from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia under Delta's new partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Discussion:
The Sundries Shack, WorldNetDaily, Runnin' Scared, Weasel Zippers, YID With LID, Pajamas Media and Doug Ross
Dana Ritter / White House Wrap:
Commander In Chief Misspeaks About Soldier Killed in Afghanistan — During his remarks to troops at Fort Drum today, the President was reminiscing about the times he has spent with the US Army's 10th Mountain Division, when he got something wrong. … The problem is, Jared Monti was killed in action in Afghanistan, on June 21, 2006.
Discussion:
The Right Scoop, Pundit & Pundette, Weasel Zippers and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Pelosi: Lawmakers could bring troops home faster
Pelosi: Lawmakers could bring troops home faster
Discussion:
Sweetness & Light
Pundit Review Radio / BLACKFIVE:
President Obama's Terrible Mistake
President Obama's Terrible Mistake
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Verum Serum and American Power
New York Times:
Politicians Who Fear the Public Light — As we wrote this editorial on Thursday evening, we were still waiting for the New York State Senate to do what it should have done long ago — end a basic inequality under the law by allowing same-sex couples the full right to marry.
Discussion:
The Gist, AMERICAblog Gay and Good As You
RELATED:
Craig Robinson / The Iowa Republican:
Thaddeus McCotter Creates Chaos At Straw Poll Auction — At today's Iowa Straw Poll land auction, participating campaigns were surprised by a mystery participant who would not state which campaign she was representing. — Kellie Paschke, a lobbyist whose clients include Iowans for Tax Relief …
Discussion:
Michigan Messenger, Iowa Caucuses, msnbc.com and The Politico
RELATED:
The Note:
Mystery Candidate Leads to Walk Out at Ames Straw Poll Land Auction
Mystery Candidate Leads to Walk Out at Ames Straw Poll Land Auction
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, USA Today and Ben Smith's Blog
Michael O'Brien / Ballot Box:
Gingrich: I won't drop out of the presidential race before Iowa caucuses
Gingrich: I won't drop out of the presidential race before Iowa caucuses
Discussion:
The Politico
Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:
Fighting Words: DeMint Warns Republicans They May Be ‘Gone’ if They Support Debt Ceiling Increase — Jonathan Karl interviews Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. (ABC News) — Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint has a message to fellow Republicans in Congress: If you support increasing …
Discussion:
The Politico and The Lonely Conservative
Associated Press:
Reps. Barney Frank, Ron Paul want to end federal ban on marijuana, cede enforcement to states — WASHINGTON — Two House members introduced a bill Thursday that would remove marijuana from the list of federal controlled substances and cede to the states enforcement of laws governing pot.
Discussion:
Denver Post, MPP Blog, The Conversation, The Volokh Conspiracy and TalkLeft
RELATED:
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama, as suspected, disregarded the Afghan troop drawdown recommendation of Gen. Petraeus — Testifying before a Senate committee today, the commander of allied forces in Afghanistan confirmed under oath what many had suspected: — In his speech Wednesday evening, President Obama disregarded …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys
Mark Tapscott / Washington Examiner:
BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL — Remember the flap over foreign ships and the Deepwater Horizon cleanup? — Soon after the Deepwater Horizon disaster began, with raw crude pumping out of the seabed into the Gulf of Mexico in the worst oil spill in American history, foreign nations began offering help with the clean up.
Discussion:
Betsy's Page and American Spectator
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
Explaining ‘Penny Wise, Pound Foolish’ to Rand Paul — A Senate subcommittee held a hearing this week on funding the existing Older Americans Act, including a $2 billion investment to prevent senior hunger. The panel, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), explored how the government can actually save money through these investments.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Booman Tribune
Kelly Cobiella / CBS News:
Sterilization victim “raped by the state of NC” — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — RALEIGH - At 57, Elaine Riddick has a house full of god children, great nieces and nephews, but only one child of her own - a son. When she was 14, Riddick was raped. The day she gave birth …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Booman Tribune
Vicki Needham / The Hill:
Obama to announce $500M manufacturing investment initiative — President Obama on Friday will announce the launch of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), an initiative that would provide more than $500 million to encourage investments in promising technologies.
Discussion:
Right Wing News
Chris Tomlinson / MiamiHerald.com:
Perry gets tepid response at Latino convention — Gov. Rick Perry received a tepid response when he addressed the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials on Thursday, joking about the pronunciation of a Hispanic appointee's last name and frequently staring blankly …
Discussion:
24Ahead and The Daily Caller