memeorandum: Romney survives two challenges (First Read/msnbc.com)

10:15 AM ET, February 13, 2012

Top Items:

Inside Media Matters: Sources, memos reveal erratic behavior, close coordination with White House and news organizations — This is the first in a Daily Caller investigative series on Media Matters For America. Daily Caller reporters Alex Pappas and Will Rahn contributed to this report.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Hot Air, Booman Tribune, DISSENTING JUSTICE, The PJ Tatler, Atlas Shrugs, FishbowlDC, Taylor Marsh, TBogg and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Severe Conservative Syndrome — Mitt Romney has a gift for words — self-destructive words. On Friday he did it again, telling the Conservative Political Action Conference that he was a “severely conservative governor.” — As Molly Ball of The Atlantic pointed out, Mr. Romney “described conservatism as if it were a disease.”

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, Bark Bark Woof Woof and Prairie Weather

First Read / msnbc.com:

Romney survives two challenges — By NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower — *** Didn't we almost have it all? Perhaps the best way to view Mitt Romney's weekend is that he survived. He couldn't afford to lose the Maine caucuses (and have the storyline exist that he lost four-straight contests).

Discussion: Washington Post and New York Times

Neil King Jr / Wall Street Journal:
GOP Momentum Is Michigan's Prize

Discussion: Politico, ABCNEWS, Los Angeles Times, The Hill and The Page

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:
Rep. Ron Paul not conceding Maine vote

Discussion: Shakesville, The Huffington Post, The Raw Story, The Impolitic, Blue Mass Group and Guardian

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

WH Chief of Staff Errs on Senate Budget Rules — As President Obama prepares to unveil his FY2013 budget Monday, White House chief of staff Jack Lew this morning was asked by CNN to defend the Senate's refusal to pass a budget in more than 1,000 days. — “You can't pass a budget in the Senate …

Discussion: Power Line, Campaign 2012, Erick's blog, Betsy's Page and ThinkProgress

Sahil Kapur / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPMDC — McConnell: GOP Will Fight To Let ANY Employer Deny Birth Control Coverage — Not satisfied with President Obama's new religious accommodation, Republicans will move forward with legislation by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that permits any employer to deny birth control coverage …

Discussion: The Maddow Blog, Pundit & Pundette, The New Republic, The Hill, Stinque, Crooked Timber, Democracy in America, Brad DeLong, Daily Kos, Firedoglake, CBS News, TBogg, The Reality-Based Community, Bark Bark Woof Woof, The Moderate Voice, Balloon Juice and Washington Monthly

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Jack Lew's misleading claim about the Senate's failure to pass a budget resolution — “But we also need to be honest. You can't pass a budget in the Senate of the United States without 60 votes and you can't get 60 votes without bipartisan support. So unless Republicans are willing to work …

Discussion: Hot Air, The Heritage Foundation, Washington Free Beacon, Power Line and Campaign 2012

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
McConnell: Birth-control debate will continue until Obama ‘backs down’

Discussion: ThinkProgress, White House.gov Blog, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Booman Tribune and Los Angeles Times

CNN: Colorado GOP Chair tells CNN: Santorum wins

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs: Now the GOP Wants to Permit Any Employer to Deny Contraception Coverage

ABCNEWS:
‘This Week’ Transcript: Jack Lew, Paul Ryan and Rick Santorum

Discussion: Althouse and Washington Post

New York Times:

Greek Parliament Passes Austerity Plan as Riots Rage — ATHENS — After violent protests left dozens of buildings aflame in Athens, the Greek Parliament voted early on Monday to approve a package of harsh austerity measures demanded by the country's foreign lenders in exchange for new loans to keep Greece from defaulting on its debt.

Discussion: Mish's Global Economic …, The Confluence, Guardian, The Raw Story and Runnin' Scared

Reuters:
Greek lawmakers pass austerity bill as Athens burns

Discussion: Power Line, Towleroad News #gay and The Raw Story

Guardian:
Greece approves austerity cuts to secure eurozone bailout and avoid debt default

Discussion: Via Meadia

BBC:
Greek MPs pass austerity plan amid violent protests

Discussion: naked capitalism, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Suburban Guerrilla

Dan Williams / Reuters:

Israel says bombs target embassies in India, Georgia — (Reuters) - Bombers targeted staff at Israel's embassies in India and Georgia on Monday, wounding four people, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of involvement.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Associated Press:
Israeli missions in India, Georgia targeted

Discussion: Israel Matzav and American Spectator

Yaakov Katz / Jerusalem Post:
Attacks target Israeli embassies in Georgia, India

Discussion: The Atlantic Online

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Cronyism 101 — I wrote about my participation in the Koch brothers' semi-annual seminar in Palm Springs two weekends ago here. Along with Peter Schweizer, I did a presentation on cronyism. My speech focused on corporate cronyism, while Peter's centered on the sort of political cronyism …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:

Contraception and the cost of culture wars — Politicized culture wars are debilitating because they almost always require partisans to denigrate the moral legitimacy of their opponents, and sometimes to deny their very humanity. It's often not enough to defeat a foe.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Eschaton and No More Mister Nice Blog

Trip Gabriel / New York Times:

Gingrich Money Hunt Faces Obstacles — Newt Gingrich recently joined Gov. Rick Perry of Texas on a conference call with more than 50 “bundlers” who had powered Mr. Perry's formidable campaign-cash machine. — Mr. Perry asked his top financial rainmakers to raise money for Mr. Gingrich …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, GOP 12, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Bark Bark Woof Woof and The Page

New Jersey Online:

Gay marriage bill to be voted on by N.J. Senate — TRENTON — New Jersey's state Senate is set to vote on a bill to recognize gay marriage. — The measure is expected to pass there today and also in the Assembly on Thursday. — But that will be far from the end of the story.

Discussion: ThinkProgress and The Raw Story

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Fox News Commenters Respond to Whitney Houston's Death With Deluge of Hatred and Racism — I don't even know what to say about this any more. There's a real sickness running rampant in the right wing; the Fox News comment thread on Whitney Houston's death is yet another disgusting deluge …

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Alternate Brain, The Daily Dish and HyperVocal