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Four Questions for Bill Maher — JAKE TAPPER: Bill, thanks for doing this. I just wanted to make sure that — as I cover this debate about appropriate language and such, I'm not — excluding any points you think should be made. — BILL MAHER: I don't really know all the “points,” but as I said on my show
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Rahm Emanuel Uses Limbaugh Controversy Against Romney — CHICAGO - Mitt Romney, in his bid to retake the momentum in the Republican primary from Rick Santorum with a win next week in Illinois, arrives in Chicago on Friday. But the city's mayor - and former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel …
Discussion:
Politico and Weasel Zippers


After Giving Limbaugh a Bye, Romney Blasts Maher — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney — The battle over potty-mouthed talk show hosts is getting partisan indeed. — After taking a pass on criticizing conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh for calling a Georgetown University student …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Daily Kos

Media Matters astroturfed the Limbaugh secondary boycott — The secondary boycott of Rush Limbaugh advertisers is portrayed in the media as a reaction to a groundswell of public outrage. In fact, the secondary boycott was initiated by and driven by Media Matters, which had a “Stop Limbaugh” …
Discussion:
Althouse, Politico, Cold Fury, Mediaite and The Daily Caller

Bill Maher: Rush Limbaugh attacked a ‘civilian’
Discussion:
Mediaite, Indecision Forever and Weasel Zippers

Mitt Romney's Terrible Fox News Interview — Why does he save his worst performances for the right-leaning network? — When Mitt Romney sits down with a Fox News anchor, things can get hairy. — That fact was on full display Wednesday when the candidate went on Megyn Kelly's show …
Discussion:
Guardian, Booman Tribune, Jezebel, Taylor Marsh, The Moderate Voice, Erick's blog and Ballot Box
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Romney Set to Dominate Race Through April — Three of the four candidates for the Republican presidential nomination — Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul — might soon agree with T.S. Eliot: for them, April may indeed be “the cruelest month.” — That's because their front-running rival …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Wire, his vorpal sword and American Prospect

Santorum's ‘Act of God’ Strategy: Can He Force A Brokered Convention?
Discussion:
Hot Air and The Raw Story


Romney Leads GOP Contest, Trails in Matchup with Obama
Discussion:
Frontloading HQ, msnbc.com, American Prospect, Washington Post and Guardian

Pew: 20 percent of Mitt voters pick Obama over Santorum
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, CNN, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Daily Kos and Outside the Beltway


RutherfordGate: Historian Responds to President Obama's Hayes Slur — Rutherford B. Hayes: Very much pro-phone. — It's not unusual for President Obama to criticize his Republican predecessors from time to time, but this morning, he targeted his scorn not at George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan, but ... Rutherford B. Hayes.
Discussion:
Questions and Observations and Weasel Zippers
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TPM2012 — Obama Mangles U.S., World History In Energy Speech — President Obama got a laugh out of a Maryland audience on Thursday when he mocked the Republican Party in a speech, comparing their skepticism of alternative energy to the “Flat Earth Society” in Christopher Columbus …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Mediaite, Conservatives4Palin, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Ed Driscoll and Jammie Wearing Fools

Obama knocks Rutherford B. Hayes
Discussion:
Don Surber, Wonkette, Indecision Forever, Outside the Beltway and Washington Free Beacon


Obama hits GOP on fuel rhetoric — President Barack Obama took the bully pulpit on Thursday as he assailed Republicans for suggesting they can cut gas prices even as he can't, and for dismissing the development of alternative sources of energy. — Obama didn't mention the GOP presidential contenders …
Discussion:
CNN, Don Surber, Washington Post, Clayton Cramer's Blog, The Enterprise Blog, RealClearPolitics Video Log and Ezra Klein
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Obama compares Republicans to ‘Flat Earth Society’ for stance on green energy
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Weasel Zippers, Wizbang and Liberal Values

Obama Defends Energy Policy, Hitting Back at Presidential Candidates
Discussion:
The Caucus, NewsBusters.org blogs and American Prospect

No, Obamacare's Cost Didn't Just Double. Sigh. — Sorting through the deceptive attacks on health care reform gets old, even for me. But on Wednesday the Republicans and their allies made a claim so obviously misleading that they, and the media outlets parroting them, must have known they spreading false information.
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CBO: Health law could cause as many as 20M to lose coverage
Discussion:
CBO's Publications, CNN, Weasel Zippers, ThinkProgress, Washington Free Beacon, Campaign 2012 and White House.gov Blog


Sen. Lugar: Marion County Election Board declares senator and wife ineligible to vote in home precinct — UPDATE: The Election Board has voted 2-1 along party lines to find Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican, and his wife ineligible to vote in their former home precinct.
Discussion:
Politico, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, ABCNEWS, Ballot Box, Hotline On Call and USA Today


At NCAA Tournament, Southern Miss Band Chants 'Where's Your Green Card?' At Hispanic Kansas State Player — During their school's NCAA Tournament game against Kansas State University today, members of the Southern Mississippi University band chanted, “Where's your green card?” at a Puerto Rican Kansas State player.
Discussion:
NECN and No More Mister Nice Blog
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March Madness: Southern Mississippi's Racist Chant
Discussion:
The Raw Story and Colorlines


PA GOP Governor Defends Ultrasounds Bill: Tells Concerned Women ‘You Just Have To Close Your Eyes’ — More than 10 state legislatures are considering or have passed bills forcing women to receive an ultrasound before having an abortion. And Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering …
Discussion:
WGAL-TV, Philly.com, Taylor Marsh, Mediaite, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, Feministing, Hullabaloo, Crooks and Liars, Shakesville, Daily Kos and The Raw Story


Michael Fitzgerald, Approved on 91-6 Vote, Will Be First Out LGBT Federal Judge Outside New York — Michael Fitzgerald, an out gay California lawyer, received overwhelming approval today from the U.S. Senate, with a 91-6 vote, for his nomination to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court …
Discussion:
LGBT|POV, Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.
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BREAKING: Senate confirms gay nominee to Calif. federal court
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Towleroad News #gay


Violence Against Women Act Divides Senate — WASHINGTON — With emotions still raw from the fight over President Obama's contraception mandate, Senate Democrats are beginning a push to renew the Violence Against Women Act, the once broadly bipartisan 1994 legislation that now faces fierce opposition from conservatives.


Catholic bishops pressured Komen over Planned Parenthood — (Reuters) - When he visited the United States four years ago, Pope Benedict XVI blessed a box of silver ribbon-shaped pins for breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure and sent them to its founder, Nancy Brinker.
Discussion:
The Reality-Based Community, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice


The richest get richer — The aftermaths of the Great Recession and the Great Depression produced sharply different changes in U.S. incomes that tell us a lot about tax and economic policy. — The 1934 economic rebound was widely shared, with strong income gains for the vast majority, the bottom 90 percent.
Discussion:
ECHIDNE of the snakes and American Prospect

Kevin McCullough Claims that Nobody is Gay — After calling GLAAD a tool of the Devil, talk show host Kevin McCullough defended previous statements, listed by GLAAD's Commentator Accountability Project, that gay couples “despise” marriage and are “seeking to destroy” it.
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GLAAD launches Commentator Accountability Project
Discussion:
Good As You, ThinkProgress and National Review

20Q: Meghan McCain — Q1 — PLAYBOY: You're a blogger and political columnist, as well as a conservative pundit in the liberal wilds on MSNBC. But aside from being John McCain's daughter, why should we listen to you? — MCCAIN: Hey, I get it. People love me or hate me and there's nothing in between.
Discussion:
Wonkette, Business Insider, Mediaite, The Other McCain, The Jawa Report, The Daily Caller and Riehl World View


N.C. Democrats disown ‘racist’ state candidates — Bivins Hollar likes to post videos from his bedroom. About weight loss. About Pokemon cards. About selling chewing gum at a flea market. — But it's the video where he casually talks about “shooting” and starving black South Africans …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Poynter, The Raw Story, Jammie Wearing Fools and Washington Free Beacon


‘Vigorous’ Santorum crackdown may catch Internet porn viewers with pants down — Internet pornography could conceivably become a thing of the past if Rick Santorum is elected president. — The unapologetic social conservative, currently in second place behind Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Hot Air, Hullabaloo, Hit & Run, Mediaite, LewRockwell.com Blog, Wonkette and Jezebel

Rep. Gary Ackerman will not seek reelection — Rep. Gary Ackerman will not run for reelection to the House in 2012, his office announced Thursday. — The New York Democrat will retire after 15 terms in Congress. — “The residents of Queens and Long Island have honored me with their trust …
Discussion:
CNN, NY Daily News and The Hayride