Top Items:
David Zucchino / Los Angeles Times:
U.S. troops posed with body parts of Afghan bombers — An American soldier says he released the photos to the Los Angeles Times to draw attention to the safety risk of a breakdown in leadership and discipline. The Army has started a criminal investigation.
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Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller:
Hey, if we're going to talk about how presidential candidates treated dogs decades ago, let's talk about how presidential candidates treated dogs decades ago. — Can you name the author of this quote? … Give up? That's Barack Obama, writing about his childhood with his stepfather Lolo Soetoro …
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Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Phony Mommy Wars — Ann Romney is a good mom. — She's also a good pol. — And though her people skills are far superior to Mitt's, it turns out that Ann is just as capable as her husband of turning an advantage into a disadvantage. — After the liberal strategist Hilary Rosen …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Moderate Voice, The Daily Dish, The PJ Tatler and Daily Kos
Nick Wing / The Huffington Post:
Ted Nugent Stands By Obama Remarks, Compares Himself To ‘Black Jew At A Nazi-Klan Rally’ (AUDIO) … FOLLOW: — Video, Ted Nugent, Ted Nugent Obama, Dana Loesch, Dana Loesch Ted Nugent, Nugent, Nugent Obama, Obama Nugent, Ted Nugent Dana Loesch, Ted Nugent Nancy Pelosi, Ted Nugent Obama Comments …
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Maggie Habermanand Emily Schultheis / Politico:
The year of the ‘surrogate’ — Hilary Rosen. Bill Maher.
The year of the ‘surrogate’ — Hilary Rosen. Bill Maher.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Gawker
Alex Sundby / CBS News:
Obama, Romney in dead heat, CBS News/New York Times poll finds — CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. — Mitt Romney has closed the gap with President Obama among registered voters, a CBS News …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, ABCNEWS, CNN, Politico, Reuters, Ballot Box, GOP 12, msnbc.com, Pew Research Center … and The Moderate Voice
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Dalia Sussman / The Caucus:
Romney and Obama Are in a Tight Contest, Poll Finds — Mitt Romney has solidified support within his party for the presidential nomination after Rick Santorum's exit from the race, but is locked in a tight race with President Obama as attention turns to the general election phase of the campaign …
Discussion:
Salon, Guardian, theGrio, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Jammie Wearing Fools
Peter Van Buren / We Meant Well:
Rule No. 1: It is Poor Judgement to Talk About Fight Club — What counts as poor judgement or lack of discretion these days such that Federal employment is no longer suitable? It is a good question, because the State Department is proposing to fire me in part for my “poor judgement” …
Discussion:
Business Insider and emptywheel
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BuzzFeed:
Whistleblower Alleges Top U.S. Official Got Blowjob On Roof Of Baghdad Embassy — State Department gadfly Peter Van Buren drops a bombshell on his blog. He claims there's a sex tape. — A Foreign Service Officer who once posed for Playboy, according to State Departement official and blogger Peter Van Buren.
Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
One for the Country — I had to catch a train in Washington last week. The paved street in the traffic circle around Union Station was in such poor condition that I felt as though I was on a roller coaster. I traveled on the Amtrak Acela, our sorry excuse for a fast train …
Joel Roberts / Yahoo! News:
Santorum letter: Romney as nominee ‘truly frightens me’ — A late-arriving Rick Santorum fund-raising letter to Iowa voters is causing a stir for its harshly worded attack on presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney. — The letter, first reported on and reprinted in full by the Des Moines Register …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Des Moines Register, New York Magazine and Los Angeles Times
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Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Romney says ‘vast left-wing conspiracy’ in media is attacking him
Romney says ‘vast left-wing conspiracy’ in media is attacking him
Discussion:
CNN, Politico and Los Angeles Times
Daily Mail:
BAR RAFAEL! (A Ninja Turtle???) LOL!!!!!!! Give me a break. How full of yourself can you get “BAR?” So pretentious! Anything for some press too! Sick.... I think Bar is the least beautiful of the VS Models. — It amazes me that some of you idiots still think that these pat downs are about security.
Discussion:
Don Surber and Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:
Kelly wins GOP primary in contest for former Rep. Giffords's seat — Jesse Kelly won a special primary election in Arizona on Tuesday, securing the Republican nomination to replace former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). — Kelly, an Iraq War veteran and project manager …
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Rebekah L. Sanders / Arizona Republic:
Kelly to face Barber for Giffords' seat
Kelly to face Barber for Giffords' seat
Discussion:
msnbc.com
Christopher Bedford / The Daily Caller:
Joe Kennedy III calls for ending ‘cheap oil’ — As gas prices continue to soar around the country, Joe Kennedy III, the Democratic candidate for Rep. Barney Frank's seat, wrote an online letter to supporters calling for an end to “cheap oil.” — “Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin
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Joe Kennedy / Joe Kennedy for Congress:
Around the Fourth: A Note from Joe
Around the Fourth: A Note from Joe
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
Investor's Business Daily:
IRS Might Have Stalinist Powers Under New Law — Liberty: The Republican House of Representatives may soon follow the Democratic Senate and give the IRS the power to confiscate your passport on mere suspicion of owing taxes. There's no place like home, comrade.
Discussion:
Hot Air and Questions and Observations
ABCNEWS:
The List of Top Republican VP Candidates — Mitt Romney's search for a vice presidential running mate has only just begun, but speculation among top Republicans and Romney's close allies is well under way. Here is how the list of potential running mates looks today. — Top Tier
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:
Democrats punt on Senate budget bill for 3rd year — Committee chairman to revisit Bowles-Simpson plan of 2010 — In a stunning backtrack that virtually guarantees Congress for the third year will be unable to produce a budget, Senate Democrats' top budget writer Tuesday canceled …
Discussion:
The Heritage Foundation, RedState, NewsBusters.org blogs, americanthinker.com and UrbanGrounds
Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times:
North Korea Says It Will Abandon Deal With U.S. — SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Tuesday that it was abandoning an agreement it made in February with the United States, in which it promised to suspend uranium enrichment, nuclear tests and long-range missile tests.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The PJ Tatler and National Review
Tennessean.com:
'Don't Say Gay' bill advances in the House — Tennessee's elementary and middle school teachers could face more pressure not to talk about homosexuality with their students next year after the so-called Don't Say Gay bill cleared a House education committee Tuesday.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Towleroad News #gay and Human Rights Campaign
David Ignatius / Real Clear Politics:
A Deal in the Works With Iran? — WASHINGTON — The nuclear talks with Iran have just begun, but already the smart money in Tehran is betting on a deal. That piece of intelligence comes from the Tehran stock index, which on the day after the talks opened posted its largest daily rise in months and closed at a record high.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Swampland and Israel Matzav
WalesOnline:
Archbishop of Wales says gay marriage deserves welcome of church — The Archbishop of Wales has lent his support to gay marriage today, saying: “All life-long committed relationships deserved the welcome, pastoral care and support of the Church.” — In his presidential address to members …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and PinkNews.co.uk
Gregory J. Krieg / ABCNEWS:
From his first days on the political scene, Sen. Marco Rubio has never strayed far from his close friend, Rep. David Rivera. The men first met while volunteering for then Florida State Senator Lincoln Diaz-Balart's first congressional campaign in 1992. A few years later …
Discussion:
Ballot Box, Washington Post and GOP 12
Darrell Calhoun / CNN:
Police: Man strips naked at Oregon airport in TSA protest — (CNN) — A 50-year-old man who said he felt that airport screeners were “harassing” him stripped naked at Portland International Airport, police in Oregon said. — Police charged John E. Brennan with disorderly conduct …
Discussion:
Gawker and The Latest Word
msnbc.com:
NBC: Prostitute's $50 fee for two agents triggered Secret Service scandal — U.S. Secret Service director Mark Sullivan has been briefing members of Congress about the allegations that the Secret Service and military personnel brought prostitutes back to their hotel in Colombia last week.
Discussion:
New York Magazine and emptywheel