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Todd Akin Opens Door to Possible Exit — Here's what Missouri Congressman Todd Akin said when I asked if he was in the race to stay - even if it looked like he would lose and possibly cost Republicans control of the Senate. — “Well George, I'm never going to say everything that could possibly happen.
Discussion:
TODAY on the Trail, Mediaite, Michelle Malkin, Power Line and Taegan Goddard's …
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Eleven reasons Akin didn't quit — It's after 6 p.m., and Todd Akin is still on the Missouri ballot. Why did he remain in the race? — Todd Akin declared Tuesday that he would not drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Missouri. Most East Coast journalists and politicos I've spoken …
Discussion:
Religion Dispatches, Show Me Progress, First Read, Conservatives4Palin, Politico, Hot Air and minx.cc


In Exclusive Interview, Paul Ryan Distances Self From Todd Akin — CARNEGIE (KDKA) — In Congressman Paul Ryan's first interview in Pennsylvania, Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick reacted strongly to Congressman Todd Akin's comment than women who are raped rarely get pregnant.
Discussion:
The Hill, ABCNEWS, Daily Kos, The Raw Story and The Hinterland Gazette

Bryan Fischer Says Todd Akin is Like a Victim of Rape — After likening the backlash to Todd Akin's comments on “legitimate rape” to the Pharisees' persecution of Jesus, American Family Association spokesman Bryan Fischer is now comparing Akin to a victim of rape.


GOP rejects rape exception in platform
Discussion:
CNN, Guardian, The Caucus, his vorpal sword, iOwnTheWorld.com, Connecting.the.Dots, Mother Jones and Scott Brown for US Senate

Todd Akin's looming campaign of isolation
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Washington Post and New York Times

Todd Akin Defies Mitt Romney and Stays in Missouri Senate Race
Discussion:
CNN, Politico, KFVS-TV, ABCNEWS, FishbowlDC and The Other McCain

Todd Akin, Superstar
Discussion:
Politico, Lynn Sweet, naked capitalism, The Reaction, NO QUARTER and Religion Dispatches

Todd Akin Staying Put, as Top Missouri Republicans Tell Him to Exit
Discussion:
Show Me Progress, Talking Points Memo, The Huffington Post and The Caucus


NBC/WSJ poll: Heading into conventions, Obama has four-point lead — After Mitt Romney selected his vice presidential running mate, and just days before the political conventions kick off next week, President Barack Obama maintains his advantage in the race for the White House, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
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NBC/WSJ poll: Voters split on Ryan
Discussion:
AEIdeas, Hot Air, Mediaite, theGrio, The Hinterland Gazette, The Political Carnival, Election 2012 and Hullabaloo

Ryan revives Obama gaffe, says he's ‘happy to be clinging to guns, religion’
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Politico, Mediaite and The Lonely Conservative

Prince Harry — Naked Photos of Las Vegas Rager Leaked — During Vegas Rager — Prince Harry put the crown jewels on display in Vegas this weekend ... getting BARE ASS NAKED during a game of strip billiards with a room full of friends in his VIP suite. — It all went down Friday night during …
Discussion:
Guardian, The Daily Beast, Towleroad News #gay, Telegraph, The Daily Caller, Gawker, BuzzFeed, Newsy and Joe. My. God.


Ledbetter, Baldwin, Longoria to address Dem convention — The Democratic National Convention Committee unveiled a list of prominent women Wednesday to speak at party's upcoming convention in Charlotte, including Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards and Lilly Ledbetter …
Discussion:
JSOnline
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Costs Seen in Romney's Medicare Savings Plan — WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney's promise to restore $716 billion that he says President Obama “robbed” from Medicare has some health care experts puzzled, and not just because his running mate, Representative Paul D. Ryan, included the same savings in his House budgets.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Maddow Blog, Guardian, First Read, Talking Points Memo, Politico, Paul Krugman, The Caucus and DealBook


Oklahoma kindergartner banned from wearing Michigan shirt — An Oklahoma City kindergartner was forced to turn his University of Michigan shirt inside out last week because it violated a city ban on any apparel not supportive of the state's college teams. — Cooper Barton, 5, comes from a family of Michigan fans.
Discussion:
WXYZ-TV, Hit & Run and Daily Pundit


Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Going Viral? — I had barely finished reading Niall Ferguson's takedown of President Obama when a flood of takedowns of Mr. Ferguson started hitting the web. This post, then, will not be about his Newsweek piece, but instead about his recent Bloomberg TV interview with Erik Schatzker and Sara Eisen.
Discussion:
Brad DeLong, Paul Krugman, Firedoglake, AEIdeas and Daniel W. Drezner, more at Mediagazer »
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Jake Tapper Tells Ingraham ‘Media Helped Tip The Scales’ In 2008 — In an interview on Tuesday with conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, ABC News' White House correspondent Jake Tapper addressed many of the concerns that Republicans have with the media. Tapper said that he was concerned …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Washington Examiner, Politico, Taylor Marsh, The Impolitic and The Rightnewz
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Tapper: Media Failing Country
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NewsBusters.org blogs and Jammie Wearing Fools


Labor Department spends stimulus funds for ads during Olbermann, Maddow shows — Contract shows no new jobs were created — The Labor Department paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal stimulus funds to a public relations firm to run more than 100 commercials touting …

The rise of the ‘Drawbridge Republicans’ — As Republicans head toward next week's convention something extraordinary has come into view now that their ticket is complete. — Mitt Romney came from wealth and went on to build his own quarter-of-a-billion dollar fortune.
Discussion:
Angry Bear


Rick Santorum: Here Are the Reasons That Romney Might Lose — The former senator is heading to Tampa to speak on behalf of his former rival. He tells Howard Kurtz what Romney must avoid if he is to beat Obama. — Rick Santorum has a simple formulation for how the 2012 election will turn out.
Discussion:
The Hill and The Hinterland Gazette


Officials arrest Wash. man over Obama threat — (CBS/AP) FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - Authorities have arrested a Washington state man after he allegedly emailed threats against President Obama. — Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as 31-year-old Anton Caluori.
Discussion:
The Rightnewz, New York Magazine and The Hinterland Gazette