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Marco Rubio's drinking problem — Twitter exploded during Sen. Marco Rubio's Republican response to the State of the Union, as the Florida senator appeared a little sweaty and dry-mouthed at mid-speech, taking an awkward swig from a bottle of water that had been placed off-camera.
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Marco Rubio Has Learned Nothing — Because his party has learned nothing. — OK, back up: this morning the papers and the web are full of nuance-sniffing, as people try to find omens in the SOTU and the GOP response. I don't think I can add anything useful to all that.


Everyone On Twitter Made The Exact Same Joke About Marco Rubio's Water Break — The fall of western civilization is complete.
Discussion:
Red Alert Politics, The Fix and Crooks and Liars


Marco Rubio: ‘I needed water’
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Althouse and NewsHounds blog

Rubio's sip of water lights up Twitter
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, CBS News, First Read, msnbc.com, Twitchy and Politico

Thirsty Sen. Marco Rubio makes waves with awkward grab for water
Discussion:
The Daily Currant


Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address — The following is the text as prepared for delivery of President Obama's State of the Union Address, as provided by the White House: — PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The White House, The Atlantic Online, Guardian, New York Post, Sunlight Foundation Blog, The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Washington Post, White House.gov Blog, National Review, ABCNEWS, Wonkblog, The Daily Caller, Shakesville, Colorlines, Macleans.ca, Power Line, Fox News Insider, Daniel W. Drezner, Quartz, Althouse and epic.org
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CNN Poll: 53% who watched speech give president thumbs up — Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans who watched President Barack Obama's State of the Union address said they had a very positive reaction to his speech, according to a survey of people across the country who viewed Tuesday night's address.
Discussion:
The Hill, Slate, The Week, Taylor Marsh, Taegan Goddard's … and ABCNEWS

Roy Blunt says Republicans have votes to delay Chuck Hagel nomination — Sen. Roy Blunt signaled Wednesday that there may be enough votes in the Senate to delay debate on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to lead the Pentagon. — Blunt (R-Mo.) said he believed there were 40 votes in the Senate that indicated …
Discussion:
Power Line, CNN, Hot Air, Right Turn and Israel Matzav
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John McCain might delay Chuck Hagel vote — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is backing away from his no-filibuster stance on the nomination of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary. — After saying just days ago that Senate Republicans shouldn't filibuster Hagel's nod, McCain now says he hasn't made up his mind …
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Right Turn and National Review

John Boehner's Senate-first strategy — The same House Republican majority that spent the entire past two years haranguing Senate Democrats for ignoring piles of legislation has a new strategy. — Let the Senate act first — on nearly everything. — Boehner is trying to shift …
Discussion:
CNN, Washington Monthly and Daily Kos


State of the Union 2013: Bill Shuster apologizes for saying Obama lied — House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster apologized Wednesday for calling President Barack Obama a liar after the State of the Union speech. — Shuster (R-Pa.), speaking to POLITICO from Statuary Hall minutes after the speech …
Discussion:
Post Politics
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The President's Dream State — President Obama at last night's State of the Union address — By any measure, President Obama's first term was consequential. In four years, he signed an $800 billion stimulus program into law, laid the foundation for universal health insurance …


Boehner Shoots Down Obama's Minimum Wage Hike — House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) on Wednesday shot down President Obama's proposal unveiled at the State of the Union to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9. — “I've been deadling with the minimum wage issue for the last 28 years …
Discussion:
The Plum Line and Prairie Weather
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Top Republicans Oppose Obama's Call To Raise The Minimum Wage
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Politico, Feministing, Daily Kos and Mediaite

Rep. Jackson Lee warns against more spending cuts: 'We're at the bone almost' — Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) urged her colleagues to reach a compromise to prevent spending cuts through sequestration, arguing that government programs are already as lean as they can be.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and The PJ Tatler
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Republicans predict sequester will happen
Discussion:
The Hill, Hot Air and The Maddow Blog

The Rap on Rubio — Not long ago, scrolling for a movie, I saw that “Notorious” was on. — How can you resist Cary Grant as an American spy in Rio recruiting Ingrid Bergman to seduce and betray a Nazi played by Claude Rains? — But it turned out to be a very different “Notorious,” …
Discussion:
msnbc.com
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Challenged for His Seat at 89, a Senator Does Not Go Gentle — WASHINGTON — As he approached his 89th birthday this year, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey was finally considering retirement, an option he had tried a decade earlier and hated so much that he jumped at the chance to return to political life.
Discussion:
Althouse, Ballot Box, First Read and Roll Call

Buckley Rule — According to Bill, not Karl — The Buckley Rule has been much invoked in recent weeks, in this space and elsewhere, and on almost every occasion it has been both misquoted and misapplied. As one who was present at the formulation, I feel obliged to record the “originalist” intention.
Discussion:
Riehl World News

Paul Broun: ‘I was the first to call Obama a socialist’ — Since he jumped into the U.S. Senate race last week, Paul Broun has insisted on presenting a calm, cool and constructive demeanor. — After the State of the Union address last night, the on-message Republican congressman …
Discussion:
The Hill and Taegan Goddard's …


Obama Appoints a Controversial GOP Lawyer to His Voting Commission — President Obama embraced the cause of voting rights in his State of the Union speech, which he called “our most fundamental right as citizens,” and spotlighted 102-year-old Desiline Victor, a naturalized Haitian immigrant …


Ron Paul Makes National Radio Debut With Courtside — Courtside Entertainment Group announced today that former Congressman and Presidential Candidate Ron Paul will make his national radio and podcast debut March 18, 2013. Ron Paul 's America will feature one of America's …
Discussion:
Politico and The Daily Caller