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:
Politico, ThinkProgress, The Hill, New York Times, The Huffington Post, Don Surber, News Desk, Taylor Marsh, Jezebel, Weasel Zippers, The Hinterland Gazette, The Raw Story, Hot Air, Rumproast, The Page, Shakesville, Right Wing News, Campaign 2012, Outside the Beltway, Business Insider, The PJ Tatler and Daily Kos
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Wall Street Journal:
Low Turnout and the Big Tune-Out — Voters aren't bothering with the GOP, but Obama has lost their attention too. — The Romney campaign is better at dismantling than mantling. They're better at taking opponents apart than building a compelling candidate of their own.
Discussion:
GOP 12 and Business Insider
Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Obama retreats on birth control — The White House will announce a retreat from its controversial rule requiring religious organizations like charities and hospitals to include contraception in their healthcare plans. — President Obama has come under heavy criticism from the Catholic Church …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
Washington Post:
White House to announce adjustment to birth-control rule — Seeking to allay the concerns of Catholic leaders, the White House is planning to announce an adjustment to its health care rule requiring religious employers to provide women access to contraception, a senior administration official said.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Big Government and The Atlantic Online
Nick Baumann / Mother Jones:
Most of Obama's “Controversial” Birth Control Rule Was Law During Bush Years
Most of Obama's “Controversial” Birth Control Rule Was Law During Bush Years
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Political Mojo, THEROOT.COM, Daily Kos, The Last Tradition, Feministing, MoJo Articles and ThinkProgress
Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
They're back: Social issues overtake US politics
Michael Muskal / Nation Now:
No Child Left Behind: Obama administration grants 10 waivers
No Child Left Behind: Obama administration grants 10 waivers
Discussion:
Politicker, Campaign 2012, Hot Air, The PJ Tatler, Washington Post and The Lonely Conservative
Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Fierce White House Debate Over Contraception Mandate
Fierce White House Debate Over Contraception Mandate
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Don Surber, The Hill, Pundit & Pundette, Shakesville, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, The PJ Tatler, CBS New York, Hullabaloo, The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, The Daily Beast, The Atlantic Online, Opinionator and GetReligion
Jon Ward / The Huffington Post:
Mitt Romney's Struggles Take Republican Angst To New Heights … Barack Obama , Mitt Romney , Republican Presidential Primary , Rick Santorum , Cpac , Elections 2012 , Newt Gingrich , Rick Perry , Video , Politics News — WASHINGTON — The angst within the Republican Party …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Chicago Tribune, New York Magazine, Politico and Wall Street Journal
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Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Rep. King predicts critical day for GOP presidential candidates — Influential Tea Party conservative Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said the speeches given by the GOP presidential candidates at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday will be critical in determining who returns to the campaign trail with the momentum.
Discussion:
CNN
Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:
Santorum, Romney to face off at CPAC in high-stakes appeal to party faithful
Santorum, Romney to face off at CPAC in high-stakes appeal to party faithful
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, New York Times, msnbc.com, GOP 12, Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal
CNN:
Romney meets privately with conservative leaders at CPAC
Romney meets privately with conservative leaders at CPAC
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, New York Times, NationalJournal.com, Yahoo! News, Erick's blog, Campaign 2012 and Hot Air
Debra Erdley / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Pa. GOP voters quit Gingrich for Santorum
Washington Post:
Rep. Spencer Bachus faces insider-trading investigation — The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Business Insider, The Maddow Blog, CBS News, Politico and Big Government
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Santorum says ‘other types of emotions’ could preclude women in combat — For a candidate with virtually no staff and who tends to talk off the cuff, Rick Santorum has been nearly gaffe-free. However, this evening might have been his first, and it comes at a time when he is trying …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Althouse
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Craig Whitlock / Washington Post:
Pentagon to ease restrictions on women in some combat roles
Pentagon to ease restrictions on women in some combat roles
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, New York Times, msnbc.com and Althouse
John Hinderaker / Power Line:
Is 2012 Slipping Away From the GOP? — For a long time, I was confident that Republican voters would oust Barack Obama in 2012, hold the House and, in all likelihood, take the Senate. Obama is a weak incumbent, who has been chronically unpopular since early in his term.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
Associated Press:
Romney ‘glitter bomber’ fired from internship — DENVER — The college student accused of “glitter bombing” Mitt Romney after the Colorado caucuses has been fired from his unpaid internship with state Senate Democrats. — Police say 20-year-old Peter Smith threw glitter at Romney …
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon
David Brooks / New York Times:
The Crowd Pleaser — At first glance, President Obama and Mitt Romney share some similar traits. Both Harvard Law School grads are smart and analytical. Both are emotionally reserved rather than touchy-feely. Both are traditionalist in their family and personal lives.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Bloomberg:
Foreclosure Deal to Spur U.S. Home Seizures — The $25 billion settlement with banks over foreclosure abuses may result in a wave of home seizures, inflicting short-term pain on delinquent U.S. borrowers while making a long-term housing recovery more likely.
Discussion:
Hot Air and Wall Street Journal
Joe Battenfeld / Boston Herald:
Poll: Joe Kennedy III has huge lead in U.S. Rep race — Joseph P. Kennedy III's famous family ties have handed him a huge early lead in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, a new UMass Lowell/Boston Herald poll reveals. — Kennedy, the son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
Julie Bykowicz / Bloomberg:
Gingrich Seeks to Ease Fundraising Woes as Las Vegas Checks Slowing Down — Newt Gingrich was just days away from the Jan. 31 Florida Republican presidential primary when he told reporters that his campaign was down to its last $600,000. — Five losing contests later, Gingrich and Winning Our Future …
Discussion:
Ballot Box
Faiz Shakir / ThinkProgress:
Fox Pundit Tells CPAC Crowd That Rachel Maddow Is ‘The Best Argument In Favor Of Her Parents Using Contraception’ — In the “closed circuit world on the right,” MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is often the subject of ugly denigrations. Whether it's being mocked for her sexual orientation, her name …
Discussion:
The Last Tradition, No More Mister Nice Blog, Towleroad News #gay, The Moderate Voice and The Raw Story
Nicole Neroulias / Reuters:
Washington state governor to sign gay marriage bill on Monday — (Reuters) - Governor Christine Gregoire plans to sign newly passed legislation on Monday to legalize gay marriage in Washington state, making it the seventh with a law on the books to recognize same-sex nuptials, her office said on Thursday.
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay, Feministing and BuzzFeed
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Christian Heinze / GOP 12:
Romney previews CPAC speech — On Fox News last night, Mitt gave a brief outline of what he'll say during his 12:55 PM speech at CPAC today. — The two most important things. — a. He'll talk about his record in Massachusetts — something he hasn't been trumpeting from every rooftop.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Ben Geman / The Hill:
Evangelical group holds firm on ‘pro-life’ link to EPA rule — A green evangelical group won't bow to conservative anti-abortion-rights leaders or Republicans who are pressuring them to stop casting support for new EPA pollution rules as a “pro-life” position.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress