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Obama to Offer ‘Accomodation’ on Contraception Rule — With the White House under fire for its new rule requiring employers including religious organizations to offer health insurance that fully covers birth control coverage, ABC News has learned that later today the White House …
Discussion:
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GOP Ups The Ante, Introduces Legislation To Allow Any Employer To Deny Any Preventive Health Service — Earlier today, in response to criticism from Catholic groups, the White House altered its regulation requiring employers and insurers to provide no-cost contraception coverage as part of their health care plans.
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Hullabaloo


Obama Punks the GOP on Contraception — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and President Obama — After two solid weeks of Republicans rapidly escalating attacks on contraception access under the banner of “religous freedom,” Obama finally announced what the White House …
Discussion:
Esquire, The Impolitic, pandagon.net, Angry Black Lady Chronicles and AlterNet

The catch in Obama's contraceptives compromise — The White House has given reporters the rundown on the “accommodations” that President Obama will announce on the health reform law's requirements for hospitals run by faith-based groups to cover the costs of employees' contraceptives. Here's how it works.

Santorum: Birth Control Is Not Something ‘You Need Insurance For’ Because It Costs ‘Just A Few Dollars’ — Rick Santorum told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this morning that insurance plans shouldn't cover contraception services because birth control …
Discussion:
Politics, The New Republic, The Huffington Post and American Prospect

Administration Backtracks on Birth Control, but at What Cost? — It looks like the Obama administration is pretty much completely caving on the rule forcing religious organizations to provide free contraception coverage for employees at facilities with a secular purpose (hospitals, schools, etc.).
Discussion:
Washington Post

Birth control may now be wedge issue against GOP — At his press conference this morning announcing the new shift in contraception policy, Obama said: “I understand that some folks in Washington may want to treat this as another political wedge issue. But it shouldn't be.”
Discussion:
The Left Call, pandagon.net, Daily Kos, Newshoggers.com and US Politics

Both Catholic Health Assn and Planned Parenthood Say They're Pleased With Contraception Rule Announcement


Obama amends contraception rule amid backlash
Discussion:
Power Line and Campaign 2012

Bishops, Republicans Get Served
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New York Times, Firedoglake, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Ramona's Voices, more at Mediagazer »

Bishops Studying Initial White House Movement On Religious Liberty
Discussion:
Politics, Washington Post, Political Mojo, Guardian and Outside the Beltway

Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America …
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Slate, Los Angeles Times, Jill Stanek, Sky Dancing, Daily Kos, NewsBusters.org, TBogg, The PJ Tatler and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Obama Offers ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Rule
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Politico, News Desk, Truthdig, The New Republic, The Lede, The Page, Firedoglake and Gothamist


How a Birthday Party at the North Korean Embassy Started the Kim Jong-un Death Rumor — The internet is aflame with rumors, launched by Chinese micro-blog users, that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was assassinated in Beijing this morning. We believe we've figured out what's behind the rumor …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Hot Air and Business Insider
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Believing the Unbelievable: Why Kim Jong Un Death Rumors Won't Die

Chinese Twitter Says Kim Jong-Un Was Assassinated This Morning In Beijing
Discussion:
Reuters and The Huffington Post


MITT ROMNEY DELIVERS REMARKS AT CPAC — This year, here at CPAC, we've got a great crowd. It's been a great conference. For that I suppose we should acknowledge President Obama, the conservative movement's top recruiter. Turns out, he really is a great community organizer.
Discussion:
Power Line, Los Angeles Times, Daily Kos, The Spectacle Blog, Big Government, Hit & Run, 2012 Decoded and About.com Conservative …
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Appealing to Activists, Romney Calls Himself ‘Severely Conservative’ — Mitt Romney addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference attendees in Washington on Friday. — Mitt Romney faced thousands of conservative activists on Friday and urged them to stand “shoulder to shoulder” …

At CPAC, Mitt Romney throws red meat
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Hot Air, CNN, Conservatives4Palin and The Hill


Koch fights back: Obama ‘trying to intimidate’ — Responding more aggressively than in the past, Koch Industries' political arm on Friday accused President Barack Obama and his allies of “trying to intimidate into silence those who may disagree with them.” — The statement came in response …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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‘Occupy CPAC’ protesters paid $60 for the day [VIDEO] — Protesters at Friday's “Occupy CPAC” event, organized by AFL-CIO and the Occupy DC movement, told The Daily Caller that they were paid “sixty bucks a head” to protest outside the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.
Discussion:
Don Surber, Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, The PJ Tatler, Big Government and The College Fix
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REPORT: By A Nearly 2 To 1 Margin, Cable Networks Call On Men Over Women To Comment On Birth Control — TP interns Zachary Bernstein and Fatima Najiy conducted the research for this report. — President Obama's regulation mandating that health insurance plans offer free birth control is an issue that most directly affects women.
Discussion:
ECHIDNE of the snakes


There Is No Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Term Sheet — Don't worry, be happy. — Well, so much for my first “making chicken salad” option. We are more than 24 hours removed from the foreclosure fraud settlement and the terms have, shockingly, not been released.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post and American Banker
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Making Chicken Salad: 9 Ways to Improve Housing Policy Around the Foreclosure Fraud Settlement
Discussion:
Salon, Eschaton, The Huffington Post and Washington Post

How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy — Jaroslav Flegr is no kook. And yet, for years, he suspected his mind had been taken over by parasites that had invaded his brain. So the prolific biologist took his science-fiction hunch into the lab. What he's now discovering will startle you.
Discussion:
Sky Dancing and Boing Boing


Komen Exec Karen Handel Calls Planned Parenthood a ‘Gigantic Bully’ — In an interview with The Daily Beast, former Komen VP Karen Handel says Planned Parenthood broke a secret pact and launched an ‘Armageddon.’ She calls the organization ‘a gigantic bully, using Komen as its own personal punching bag.’
Discussion:
Jezebel, TBogg, The Atlantic Online and Daily Kos

The Bettor's Case for Santorum — During the 2008 Democratic primaries, I had a lot of success in forecasting outcomes from state to state based solely on demographic variables. Those projections did slightly better than the polls, although that was a low bar to clear because the polls had a lot of misses that year.
Discussion:
Enik Rising and American Prospect

West: Liberals think we're selfish robots — The U.S. safety net is the unfortunate result of liberals who believe people are selfish robots, Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) argued Friday. — West delivered a forceful rebuke of both Democrats and government programs to help the needy …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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Unacceptable — former Vatican Ambassador, Prof. Robert George, others respond — The following letter was signed by former Vatican Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Princeton Prof. Robert George, Notre Dame Law Prof. Carter Snead, Catholic University of America President John Garvey, and EPPC Fellow Yuval Levin.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Wake up America and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog


Obama Targets Military Meritocracy — It's time to bust some chops here. — The Military is a meritocracy. It's up or out. There are plenty of challenges and opportunities, and this author is one who took (or tried to) make the most out of an even playing field.
Discussion:
The PJ Tatler


Fox News Poll: Santorum surges nationally after three-state sweep — Rick Santorum has surged nationally in the race for the 2012 Republican nomination after his three-state sweep this week, while Mitt Romney has lost ground among GOP primary voters. In addition, most GOP voters …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Firedoglake, American Research Group, Politico and National Review