Top Items:
Politico:
Chuck Hagel blocked: Harry Reid says he doesn't have the votes — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Thursday that Republicans have told him that they plan to block Chuck Hagel's nomination to be the next secretary of Defense over demands for more information from the White House.
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Washington Post:
Senate Democrats to force vote to end debate on Hagel nomination — Senate Democrats are forcing a vote Thursday afternoon to end debate on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to serve as secretary of defense, bringing to a head a showdown over the nomination of the former Republican senator despite strong GOP objections.
Discussion:
DownWithTyranny!, The Lonely Conservative, The Plum Line, The Mahablog, LewRockwell.com Blog and The Week
David Weigel / Slate:
“Friends of Hamas”: The Scary-Sounding Pro-Hagel Group That Doesn't Actually Exist — Palestinian high school students show off their skills during a graduation ceremony from a military school course organized by the Hamas security forces and the Hamas Minister of Education on January 24, 2013 in Gaza City.
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Senate Republicans filibuster Hagel nomination — Senate Republicans delivered a sharp rebuke to President Obama on Thursday when they began a filibuster of Chuck Hagel's nomination as secretary of defense. — The confirmation process stalled Thursday when GOP senators deprived Hagel …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, TalkLeft and Outside the Beltway
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Why Republicans are filibustering Chuck Hagel — Senate Republicans have decided — against the Fix's counsel! — to require Chuck Hagel to get 60 votes in order to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense. — (There is a fair amount of legislative gobbledygook, which we explained here …
Discussion:
Politico, alan.com, Foreign Policy and Hot Air
Hayes Brown / ThinkProgress:
McCain Says He's Opposing Hagel Because Hagel Was Mean To Bush — Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told us how he really feels about Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel on Fox News this afternoon, saying “people don't forget” when you cross your own party. — Speaking to Fox News host Neil Cavuto …
Discussion:
The National Memo
Steve Kornacki / Salon:
When Republicans play with fire — Just how unprecedented is their filibuster of Chuck Hagel? In a word: Very — Whether they'll cop to it or not, Republicans are currently engaged in a filibuster of Chuck Hagel's nomination to be Defense secretary. — Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma's conservative …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Slate, The Dish, The Maddow Blog, The Plum Line, Shakesville, JustOneMinute, ABCNEWS and Post Politics
Fred Kaplan / Slate:
Why Republicans Can No Longer Be Trusted on National Security — Because their leaders have become shallow, ignorant, and totally unserious on the issue that matters most. — It's been clear, at least since the 2012 election, that the Republican Party has abrogated its role—really …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune, American Prospect, Taylor Marsh and Politico
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
G.O.P. Senators Block Vote on Defense Post for Hagel
G.O.P. Senators Block Vote on Defense Post for Hagel
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, dotCommonweal, Outside the Beltway and The Reaction
Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
McCain Satisfied With WH Benghazi Response, Ready To Press On With Hagel Vote
McCain Satisfied With WH Benghazi Response, Ready To Press On With Hagel Vote
Discussion:
msnbc.com, CNN and The Impolitic
Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Senate Republicans block Hagel nomination for Defense secretary
Senate Republicans block Hagel nomination for Defense secretary
Discussion:
Politico, Israel Matzav and Flopping Aces
Fox News:
Republicans vow to go to war with filibuster over Hagel
Republicans vow to go to war with filibuster over Hagel
Discussion:
Fox News Insider and The Right Scoop
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:
Friday showdown on Hagel
Friday showdown on Hagel
Discussion:
The Reaction, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, The Agonist, Associated Press and Politico
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Republicans Mounting Filibuster Against Chuck Hagel: Harry Reid [UPDATE]
Republicans Mounting Filibuster Against Chuck Hagel: Harry Reid [UPDATE]
Discussion:
The Maddow Blog, Daily Kos and American Prospect
Joanne von Alroth / Reuters:
In Valentine vote, Illinois Senate approves gay marriage — (Reuters) - The Illinois state Senate approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday in a Valentine's Day vote spearheaded by Democrats, as gay couples around the country used the romantic day to dramatize their quest for the right to marry.
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Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Senate Dems unveil $110B sequester-replacement bill
Senate Dems unveil $110B sequester-replacement bill
Discussion:
The Heritage Foundation
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Sequester Cuts: Senate Democrats Settle On Replacement Plan
Sequester Cuts: Senate Democrats Settle On Replacement Plan
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Russell Berman / The Hill:
Boehner challenges Senate Dems to take lead, pass Obama second-term agenda
Boehner challenges Senate Dems to take lead, pass Obama second-term agenda
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Post Politics, Politico, BuzzFeed, The Plum Line, Speaker Mobile and National Review
John M. Broder / Wheels:
That Tesla Data: What It Says and What It Doesn't — The Model S at the Tesla Supercharger in the Interstate 95 service plaza in Milford, Conn. — Elon Musk , the chief executive of Tesla Motors, has now responded in detail to the account of my test drive of his Model S electric car …
Discussion:
Wired, Green Car Reports, The Daily Caller, Brad DeLong and TechCrunch, more at Mediagazer »
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Elon Musk / Tesla Motors:
A Most Peculiar Test Drive
A Most Peculiar Test Drive
Discussion:
The Atlantic Wire, New York Times, Wired, Brad DeLong, Gawker, Wonkblog, TechCrunch, Balloon Juice, Guardian, Mashable! and The Verge, more at Mediagazer »
Matt Friedman / New Jersey Online:
Lautenberg will not seek re-election next year — Photos: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey — TRENTON — U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a pugnacious and plain-spoken Democrat who has represented New Jersey for three decades, will not seek re-election to a sixth term next year.
Discussion:
Roll Call, BuzzFeed, Truthdig, LifeNews.com, Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Mediaite, The Maddow Blog, Outside the Beltway, Post Politics and ViralRead
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David Corn / Mother Jones:
FreedomWorks Made Video of Fake Giant Panda Having Sex With Fake Hillary Clinton — The investigation at the influential tea party group could get weird. — An internal investigation of FreedomWorks—the prominent conservative advocacy group and super-PAC—has focused on president Matt Kibbe's management …
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Obama favors sacking the expensive penny — President Obama on Thursday said he supports eliminating pennies, but that it's unlikely to happen because it's so low on the list of congressional priorities. — In a Google Plus “Hangout,” Obama was asked why the U.S. Treasury continues …
Discussion:
CNN
Caroline May / The Daily Caller:
Confidential, expensive USDA sensitivity training: ‘The Pilgrims were illegal aliens’ [VIDEOS] — Footage of the United States Department of Agriculture's compulsory “Cultural Sensitivity Training” program reveals USDA employees being instructed to refer to the Pilgrims as “illegal aliens” …
Discussion:
The Volokh Conspiracy and The Right Scoop
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
Missouri Democrats Introduce Legislation to Confiscate Firearms - Gives Gun Owners 90 Days to Turn in Weapons — Missouri Democrats introduced an anti-gun bill which would turn law-abiding firearm owners into criminals. They will have 90 days to turn in their guns if the legislation is passed.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Weasel Zippers, Doug Ross, The Dana Show, The Right Scoop, protein wisdom and The PJ Tatler
Ryan Tracy / Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Grant Funded Workers' Play at LG Chem Factory — WASHINGTON—The Obama administration's electric car efforts took another hit on Wednesday after a federal inspection found a South Korean advanced battery maker never scaled up U.S. production despite receiving $142 million in federal grants.
Discussion:
Ricochet Conversations Feed, The PJ Tatler and Washington Free Beacon
Reid J. Epstein / Politico:
Obama meets 47% video guy — DECATUR, Ga. — President Obama on Thursday met the man who made “47 percent” part of Mitt Romney's legacy. — Obama and opposition researcher James Carter, who released the infamous Romney fundraiser video, met backstage before Obama's education event here …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
The Cool Kids of the GOP Show the Christian Right the Door — Today's Big Read for those who are bored with the regular news (or lack thereof) is Robert Draper's very long piece in the New York Times Magazine about the difficulty the Republican Party is experiencing in keeping up with the Obamas.
Discussion:
Mother Jones and The Mahablog
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Robert Draper / New York Times:
Can the Republicans be Saved From Obsolescence?
Can the Republicans be Saved From Obsolescence?
Discussion:
Donklephant, Politico, Mediaite, Betsy's Page, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway, Suburban Guerrilla and Washington Examiner