Top Items:
Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
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:
Public Policy Polling, Washington Post, RH Reality Check, Hot Air, LifeNews.com, The Hill, Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, The Daily Caller, The Raw Story, American Prospect, Hullabaloo, CatholicVote.org, The Huffington Post, The Hill, Politicker, The Heritage Foundation, US Politics, Little Green Footballs, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Maddow Blog, ThinkProgress, The Last Tradition, Jezebel, Weasel Zippers, Rumproast, Political Mojo, The Moderate Voice, The Hinterland Gazette, Taylor Marsh, Shakesville, Daily Pundit, Michelle Malkin, Don Surber, News Desk, Right Wing News, Outside the Beltway, Mother Jones, Daily Kos, The PJ Tatler, Business Insider and Campaign 2012, more at Mediagazer »
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Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
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
Sarah Kliff / Washington Post:
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.
Amanda Marcotte / Slate:
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:
pandagon.net, Angry Black Lady Chronicles and AlterNet
Megan McArdle / The Atlantic Online:
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
Greg Sargent / 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
Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Both Catholic Health Assn and Planned Parenthood Say They're Pleased With Contraception Rule Announcement — Senior administration officials are pleased with the initial response to President Obama's pending announcement on an “accommodation” for religious organizations regarding …
Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Santorum: Birth Control Is Not Something ‘You Need Insurance For’ Because It Costs ‘Just A Few Dollars’
Santorum: Birth Control Is Not Something ‘You Need Insurance For’ Because It Costs ‘Just A Few Dollars’
Discussion:
Politics, The New Republic, The Huffington Post and American Prospect
American Prospect:
Bishops, Republicans Get Served
Bishops, Republicans Get Served
Discussion:
New York Times, Firedoglake, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Ramona's Voices, more at Mediagazer »
usccb.org:
Bishops Studying Initial White House Movement On Religious Liberty
Bishops Studying Initial White House Movement On Religious Liberty
Discussion:
Politics, Washington Post, Political Mojo, Guardian and Outside the Beltway
New York Post:
Obama amends contraception rule amid backlash
Obama amends contraception rule amid backlash
Discussion:
Power Line and Campaign 2012
Planned Parenthood:
Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America …
Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America …
Discussion:
Slate, Los Angeles Times, Jill Stanek, Daily Kos, Sky Dancing, NewsBusters.org, TBogg, The PJ Tatler and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Helene Cooper / New York Times:
Obama Offers ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Rule
Obama Offers ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Rule
Discussion:
Politico, News Desk, Truthdig, The New Republic, The Lede, The Page, Firedoglake and Gothamist
Adrian Chen / Gawker:
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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Max Fisher / The Atlantic Online:
Believing the Unbelievable: Why Kim Jong Un Death Rumors Won't Die
Believing the Unbelievable: Why Kim Jong Un Death Rumors Won't Die
Adrian Chen / Gawker:
Chinese Twitter Says Kim Jong-Un Was Assassinated This Morning In Beijing
Chinese Twitter Says Kim Jong-Un Was Assassinated This Morning In Beijing
Discussion:
Reuters and The Huffington Post
Mitt Romney for President of the United States …:
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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Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
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” …
Reid J. Epstein / Politico:
At CPAC, Mitt Romney throws red meat
At CPAC, Mitt Romney throws red meat
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Hot Air, CNN, Conservatives4Palin and The Hill
Mike Allen / Politico:
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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Michelle Fields / The Daily Caller:
‘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
RELATED:
Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:
Occupy protesters, conservatives clash at CPAC conference
Faiz Shakir / ThinkProgress:
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
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
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
RELATED:
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Making Chicken Salad: 9 Ways to Improve Housing Policy Around the Foreclosure Fraud Settlement
Making Chicken Salad: 9 Ways to Improve Housing Policy Around the Foreclosure Fraud Settlement
Discussion:
Salon, Eschaton, The Huffington Post and Washington Post
Kathleen McAuliffe / The Atlantic Online:
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
Abigail Pesta / The Daily Beast:
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
Brian Burch / CatholicVote.org:
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
Dana Blanton / Fox News:
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
Pundit Review Radio / BLACKFIVE:
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
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
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
Dan Amira / New York Magazine:
Christine O'Donnell: The ‘Door Is Open’ to Another Run — Someday, I will learn to use a camera. — A surprise guest showed up this afternoon in CPAC's media filing room, where journalists gather to bang out stories on their laptops and snack on the occasional tray of complimentary pastries …
Discussion:
The Hill