Top Items:
Jay Carney / White House.gov Blog:
President Obama and Vice President Biden's 2011 Tax Returns — Today, the President released his 2011 federal income and gift tax returns. He and the First Lady filed their income tax returns jointly and reported adjusted gross income of $789,674. About half of the first family's income …
Discussion:
Power Line, Weekly Standard, CNN, PERRspectives, Bloomberg, ABCNEWS, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Don Surber, Business Insider, Hot Air, Campaign 2012, Wonkette, Ezra Klein, Villainous Company and Politico
RELATED:
Frank Newport / Gallup:
Americans Favor “Buffett Rule” by 60% to 37% — Majorities of Democrats, independents in favor; Republicans opposed — PRINCETON, NJ — Six in 10 Americans favor Congress' passing the so-called “Buffett Rule,” which would mandate a minimum 30% tax rate for Americans with a household income of $1 million or more per year.
Discussion:
The Hill, ThinkProgress, Politico, Blue Virginia and Campaign 2012
Keith Koffler / White House Dossier:
Did Obama Pay a Lower Rate Than His Secretary? — President Obama paid a total federal tax rate in 2011 on adjusted income of $789,674 that may be lower than that of his secretary, even though she earned substantially less. — Obama has spent the past week touting the Buffett Rule …
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Weasel Zippers and Washington Free Beacon
Brendan Smialowski / ABCNEWS:
President Obama's Secretary Paid Higher Tax Rate Than He Did — President Obama today released his 2011 federal income tax, with he and his wife reporting an adjusted gross income of $789,674. The Obamas paid $162,074 in total tax - an effective federal income tax rate of 20.5%.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Business Insider and White House Dossier
David Weigel / Slate:
The “War on Women” Is Over — The life cycle of a political talking point, from birth to adolescence to death. — A moment of silence, please, for a talking point that was taken too soon. The “war on women” began its life in a February 2011 House speech about abortion.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Show Me Progress, Daily Kos, Washington Free Beacon, ABCNEWS, Weasel Zippers, The Agonist, Reuters, The Caucus and Politico
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Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
NOW president: Ann Romney lacks “life experience” and “imagination” to relate to most Americans
NOW president: Ann Romney lacks “life experience” and “imagination” to relate to most Americans
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org blogs, Mail Online, NO QUARTER, Althouse, The PJ Tatler, LifeNews.com, neo-neocon and The Other McCain
First Read / msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: The silly season
First Thoughts: The silly season
Discussion:
Politico and The Huffington Post
Dr. Keith Ablow / Fox News:
Nasty comments toward Ann Romney cast light on haters who can't handle feminine role
Nasty comments toward Ann Romney cast light on haters who can't handle feminine role
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Towleroad News #gay and The New Civil Rights Movement
Hilary Rosen / msnbc.com:
Statement from Hilary Rosen
Statement from Hilary Rosen
Discussion:
Lynn Sweet, Mediaite and Campaign 2012
Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:
Obama aides say Rosen shows president will take on friends
Obama aides say Rosen shows president will take on friends
Discussion:
Reuters, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and The Hill
Jay Cost / Weekly Standard:
Morning Jay: Obama's Troubled Reelection Strategy — Karl Rove had a spot-on column in the Wall Street Journal yesterday. He wrote, in part: … Exactly. If I had to offer a brief summary of Obama's campaign strategy this year, it would be this: — Clearly, this is not an ideal strategy, for any candidate.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and Mitt Romney Central
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Jonathan Martinand Maggie Haberman / Politico:
The Draperizing of Mitt Romney — The Draperizing of Mitt Romney is under way. — He may not drink or cheat, and he lacks the fictional ad-maker's charisma, but Democrats, despite the potential perils of such a strategy, remain determined to paint Romney as a throwback to the “Mad Men” …
Erika Johnsen / Townhall.com:
Pelosi: Thanks to Romney, “I Feel Better” about Retaking the House
Pelosi: Thanks to Romney, “I Feel Better” about Retaking the House
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air and The Hill
Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
Elections Are a Choice of Candidates
Elections Are a Choice of Candidates
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Democratic Strategist and The New Republic
New Jersey Online:
Newark Mayor Cory Booker taken to hospital after rescuing woman from house fire — NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker was taken to a hospital tonight for treatment of smoke inhalation he suffered trying to rescue his next-door neighbors from their burning house.
RELATED:
CBS News:
Newark Mayor Cory Booker: Race into home fire was a “come to Jesus moment” — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — (CBS News) Newark Mayor Cory Booker called it his “come to Jesus moment” when he ran into a burning building to save a neighbor's life. — Booker arrived home last night to discover …
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Raw Story, Human Rights Campaign, newsfeed.time.com, Newsy, Colorlines and Gothamist
Robert Schlesinger / US News:
Nazis Get Their Own Lobbyist — So Rep. Allen West thinks the Democratic Party is full of communists? Wait until he gets a load of the new Nazi lobbyist. No, seriously. — On Tuesday, the same day that West was fantasizing about 80 members of Congress being card-carrying members …
Discussion:
Politico, Business Insider, Mediaite and The Raw Story
RELATED:
Matthew Boyle / The Daily Caller:
A former North Carolina Democratic Party staffer was sexually harassed …
A former North Carolina Democratic Party staffer was sexually harassed …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute
Howard Berkes / NPR:
GOP-On-GOP Attacks Leave Orrin Hatch Fighting Mad — Utah Republican Orrin Hatch has spent 36 years in the U.S. Senate, including stints as chairman of the Judiciary and Labor committees. He's in line to become chairman of the Finance Committee if Republicans gain control of the Senate in November.
Discussion:
Hit & Run, The Daily Caller, Mediaite and The Spectacle Blog
RELATED:
Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
“I Despise These People”
Katherine Fung / The Huffington Post:
Roger Ailes: Soledad O'Brien Was ‘Named After A Prison’ … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Roger Ailes, Soledad O'Brien, Roger Ailes Soledad o'Brien, Soledad o'Brien Roger Ailes, Media News — Roger Ailes made a jaw-dropping comment about CNN's Soledad O'Brien during a college lecture on Thursday night.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Mediaite, Poynter and Hullabaloo
RELATED:
Melody Guyton Butts / Durham Herald-Sun:
Ailes lectures young journalists
Ailes lectures young journalists
Discussion:
TVNewser and The Political Carnival, more at Mediagazer »
Ted Strickland / Politico:
Romney no straight shooter on NRA — When it comes to gun rights, Mitt Romney is anything but a straight shooter. And when the presumptive Republican nominee speaks to the National Rifle Association's annual convention on Friday, he's going to have a tough time explaining …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, The Loyal Opposition, Dogs Against Romney and Washington Post
RELATED:
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Mitt Romney And The NRA: A ‘Diss’ Before Courtship
Mitt Romney And The NRA: A ‘Diss’ Before Courtship
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Caucus and GOP 12
Thomas Cloud / CNSNews:
Shovel Ready in San Fran: $205,075 to ‘Translocate’ One Shrub from Path of Stimulus Project — (CNSNews.com) — The government spent at least $205,075 in 2010 to “translocate” a single bush in San Francisco that stood in the path of a $1.045-billion highway-renovation project that was partially funded …
Discussion:
GILL REPORT, The PJ Tatler and Conservatives4Palin
T.W. Farnam / Washington Post:
Mystery donor gives $10 million to Crossroads GPS group to run anti-Obama ads — An anonymous donor has given $10 million to run ads attacking President Obama and his policies, escalating the money race that is defining the 2012 presidential campaign. And in the new, free-wheeling environment …
Discussion:
The Political Carnival
The New Republic:
If Health Insurance Mandates Are Unconstitutional, Why Did the Founding Fathers Back Them? — In making the legal case against Obamacare's individual mandate, challengers have argued that the framers of our Constitution would certainly have found such a measure to be unconstitutional.
Discussion:
Instapundit, The Volokh Conspiracy and Little Green Footballs
Tyler Cowen / The Atlantic Online:
Six Rules for Dining Out — How a frugal economist finds the perfect lunch — A BAD OR MEDIOCRE meal is more than just an unpleasant taste, it is an unnecessary negation of one of life's pleasures—a wasted chance to refine our palates, learn about the world, and share a rewarding experience.
Tim Mak / Politico:
Catholic group criticizes Paul Ryan — Nearly 60 progressive Catholic leaders released a statement Friday condemning Budget Chairman Paul Ryan's assertion that his budget proposal was shaped by his Catholic faith. — “When a high-profile Catholic congressman is mangling church teachings …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Faith in Public Life, Hot Air, The Political Carnival, Daily Kos and PERRspectives