Top Items:
David Sanger / The Caucus:
On Iran, Hagel Muddles the Message — Dealing with Iran is complicated, but President Obama's policy on the question of whether a nuclear-armed Iran could be successfully “contained” - the way the Soviet Union was during the cold war - is simple. — His answer is no.
Discussion:
Right Turn, Weasel Zippers and Weekly Standard
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William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Any Profiles in Courage? — On October 3, 2005, President George W. Bush announced his intention to nominate his White House counsel, Harriet Miers, to succeed Sandra Day O'Connor as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. On October 27, after vigorous statements of opposition …
Discussion:
TBogg
Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:
TODAY IN HAGEL BASHING — Former Senator Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday in what can only be described as nothing more than a show. — There really shouldn't be as much low farce in confirming a Cabinet appointment than was on display today …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Reaction, Prairie Weather, The Right Scoop, The Plum Line, Power Line and CNN
Drew Brees / CBS News:
Schieffer: Hagel's nomination “may be in trouble” — (CBS News) White House officials told CBS' Major Garrett that they're disappointed with defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel's performance at his confirmation hearing before the Senate on Thursday. — One of the most damaging exchanges during …
Discussion:
neo-neocon
David Weigel / Slate:
The Hagel Vote: Counting to 51 or Counting to 60?
The Hagel Vote: Counting to 51 or Counting to 60?
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
John Podhoretz / New York Post:
Hagel was so bad ... Chuck just stunk up Senate
Hagel was so bad ... Chuck just stunk up Senate
Discussion:
Betsy's Page, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Weekly Standard, The Other McCain, Power Line and Slate
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:
Hagel sinking — It's fascinating, actually, to see a nominee …
Hagel sinking — It's fascinating, actually, to see a nominee …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Roger L. Simon, The Daily Beast, NationalJournal.com, NewsBusters blogs, Hot Air, The Week and Washington Post
Winslow Wheeler / TIME:
Hagel's Hearing: Profoundly Depressing
Hagel's Hearing: Profoundly Depressing
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Guardian, American Prospect and News Desk
Robert D. McFadden / New York Times:
Edward Koch, Former Mayor of New York, Dies at 88 — Edward I. Koch, the master showman of City Hall, who parlayed shrewd political instincts and plenty of chutzpah into three tumultuous terms as mayor of New York with all the tenacity, zest and combativeness that personified his city of golden dreams, died Friday morning at age 88.
Discussion:
Gawker, Algemeiner.com, New York Post, bigstory.ap.org, Twitchy, Poynter, The Daily Dish, ABCNEWS, Atlas Shrugs, New York Sun, msnbc.com, ABCNEWS, Shakesville, The Week, The Reaction, Capital New York, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Fix, Taylor Marsh, Scared Monkeys, Outside the Beltway, The Hill, Althouse, Discourse.net, Capitol Confidential, alan.com, Deadline.com, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Runnin' Scared, The PJ Tatler, Post Politics, Conservatives4Palin, Washington Wire and The Other McCain, more at Mediagazer »
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Julie Moos / Poynter:
Ed Koch's grave marker is inscribed with journalist Daniel Pearl's last words — Former New York City mayor Ed Koch died Friday morning at the age of 88. He plans to be buried in Manhattan, the three-term mayor said in 2008. His headstone and a memorial bench, placed at Trinity Church Cemetery in 2009 …
Ed Koch / The Huffington Post:
What's on My Tombstone, and Why
What's on My Tombstone, and Why
Discussion:
Capital New York, more at Mediagazer »
Dan Merica / CNN:
Opt out option expected for religious insurers who oppose contraceptives — Washington (CNN) — Religiously affiliated organizations will be able to opt out of providing their employees with insurance coverage for contraceptives under updates to an Obama administration mandate that the Department …
Discussion:
National Review, Washington Monthly, Business Insider, LifeNews.com, The Confluence, Hot Air and Weekly Standard
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Sarah Kliff / Wonkblog:
The White House's contraceptives compromise — The Obama administration proposed broader latitude Friday for religious nonprofits that object to the mandated coverage of contraceptives, one that will allow large faith-based hospitals and universities to issue plans that do not directly provide birth control coverage.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, Mother Jones, Hit & Run, The National Memo, The Maddow Blog and Say Anything
Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Hillary Clinton: ‘I am more optimistic today’ — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said goodbye to the nation's diplomatic corps and aid workers on her last day on the job, and said she was more upbeat about the fate of the world than she had been at the start of her tenure.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS
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Matthew Lee / Associated Press:
AP Interview: Clinton raps Benghazi critics
AP Interview: Clinton raps Benghazi critics
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, The Week, Washington Monthly, Taylor Marsh, Jammie Wearing Fools and Twitchy
Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:
Hillary Clinton Exits Politics: Her Enduring Legacy
Hillary Clinton Exits Politics: Her Enduring Legacy
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler, TheBlaze.com and Mediaite
Peter Nicholas / Washington Wire:
Interview: Axelrod on Hillary Clinton's Political Prospects
Interview: Axelrod on Hillary Clinton's Political Prospects
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Washington Examiner and Wall Street Journal
Matt Cover / CNSNews:
IRS: Cheapest Obamacare Plan Will Be $20,000 Per Family — (CNSNews.com) - In a final regulation issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assumed that under Obamacare the cheapest health insurance plan available in 2016 for a family will cost $20,000 for the year.
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Kevin Drum / Mother Jones:
Conservatives Shocked to Discover Healthcare in America is Really Expensive — “Can you respond to this?” asks a reader via Twitter. “Conservative friends are posting it all over.” It turns out that “this” is a headline from CNS: … Apparently conservatives are outraged by this …
Discussion:
Shakesville and americanthinker.com
Post Politics:
Scott Brown won't run for Senate — Former Massachusetts Republican senator Scott Brown will not run in the special election for outgoing Democratic Sen. John Kerry's seat, according to a Republican source familiar with his plans. Brown's decision means Kerry's seat is very likely to remain in Democratic hands.
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Suzan Fraser / Associated Press:
POLICE: SUICIDE BOMBING AT US EMBASSY, 2 DEAD … ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the entrance of the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital on Friday, killing himself and one other person, officials said. — U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardione …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, BBC, Wired, The Gateway Pundit, The Jawa Report, The Heritage Foundation, rubber hose, americanthinker.com, Viral Read and Taylor Marsh
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Jonathon Burch / Reuters:
Suicide bomber kills guard at U.S. embassy in Turkey
Suicide bomber kills guard at U.S. embassy in Turkey
Discussion:
Associated Press, WorldViews, Weasel Zippers, Ricochet Conversations Feed and Mashable!
Energy.gov:
Letter from Secretary Steven Chu to Energy Department Employees Announcing His Decision Not to Serve a Second Term — U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu during an online town hall to discuss President Obama's clean energy and innovation agenda on January 11, 2011. Photo by Charles Watkins, Contractor, Energy Department
Discussion:
Washington Wire, CNN, Wonkblog, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Twitchy and Post Politics
RELATED:
Darius Dixon / Politico:
Energy Secretary Steven Chu to resign
Energy Secretary Steven Chu to resign
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online and This Just In
Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:
Hannity Explodes After Being Confronted By ThinkProgress About Previous Offer To Be Waterboarded For Charity — Fox News host Sean Hannity is so adamant that waterboarding is not torture that he once offered to be waterboarded at a charity event and donate the proceeds to soldiers' families.
Discussion:
NewsHounds blog and Mediaite
Wall Street Journal:
Economy Adds 157,000 Jobs — WASHINGTON—The job market plodded along in January, signaling slow economic growth to start the year. — Employers added 157,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate, obtained by a separate survey of U.S. households …
Discussion:
americanthinker.com and Taegan Goddard's …
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Catherine Rampell / New York Times:
Job Growth Steady Amid Snags Holding Back Economy
Job Growth Steady Amid Snags Holding Back Economy
Discussion:
Wonkblog, White House.gov Blog, The National Memo, Economix, Quartz, AMERICAblog, The Week, Outside the Beltway and Angry Bear
Alexis Simendinger / Real Clear Politics:
2nd Oval Office Readied in White House Rehab Project — This summer there will be two Oval Offices in the White House complex, and it won't be a case of double vision. — In preparation for a major, two-year renovation of the West Wing, the government is undertaking extensive work to complete …
Discussion:
Politico
Frank Newport / Gallup:
Alabama, North Dakota, Wyoming Most Conservative States — Americans slightly less conservative, slightly more liberal — PRINCETON, NJ — Alabama, North Dakota, and Wyoming were the most conservative states in the union in 2012, with between 49% and 50% of residents in each identifying their ideology as conservative.
Discussion:
Politico, Say Anything and Weasel Zippers
Sam Baker / The Hill:
White House adviser: Obama willing to cut Medicare, but not Medicaid — Sperling said the White House is no longer willing to make even the Medicaid cuts it had previously supported, but acknowledged that puts more pressure on Medicare. — “We are not willing to accept even the Medicaid savings …
Discussion:
Firedoglake and Political Watch