memeorandum: President Obama plays golf with Tiger Woods (Erik Wasson/The Hill)

9:25 PM ET, February 17, 2013

Top Items:

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

McCain says Hagel will be confirmed — One of the leading critics of former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), President Obama's embattled nominee to become defense secretary, told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that Hagel will end up being confirmed. — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) …

Discussion: The Spectacle Blog, Israel Matzav, p m carpenter's commentary, The Moderate Voice, Washington Examiner and Booman Tribune

Michael O'Brien / First Read: McCain concedes: Hagel ‘will probably have the votes necessary’

Manu Raju / Politico:
Hagel reassures Graham on Israel remark

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Israel Matzav

Carlo Muñoz / The Hill:
Obama should head ‘back to the drawing board’ on Hagel, says McKeon

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation

Ashley Killough / CNN: Republicans still question Hagel's nomination

Erik Wasson / The Hill:
Sen. Graham: Hagel disavowed remark on Israel controlling State department

Discussion: Politico

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

President Obama plays golf with Tiger Woods — President Obama is golfing in Florida Sunday with Tiger Woods. — Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the president and Woods, the winner of 14 major golf championships, were joined on the course by United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk …

Discussion: CNN

Zack Colman / The Hill:

Green groups rally on climate, urge Obama to reject Keystone project — Environmental groups gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Sunday and marched on the White House for a climate change rally largely aimed at pressuring President Obama to reject the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline.

Discussion: Politico, The Gateway Pundit and The PJ Tatler

CNN:

Obama tees off with Tiger Woods — (CNN) - President Barack Obama hit the greens Sunday with famed golfer Tiger Woods, according to deputy White House press secretary Josh Earnest. — Obama is spending President's Day weekend at a sprawling resort in Palm City, Florida, where he's polishing his golf game.

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and Weasel Zippers

CNN:
Fighter jets chase down small planes near Obama's Florida resort

Discussion: The Hill

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Gingrich: Republicans Will Oppose Any Immigration Plan Backed By Obama Because They Hate Obama — During an appearance on ABC's This Week on Sunday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) admitted that Republicans are likely to oppose any immigration reform proposal introduced by President Obama …

Discussion: alan.com, Hot Air and New York Times

Nicki Rossoll / ABCNEWS:
Newt Gingrich: 'I'll take a Paul Ryan Position' on the Possibility of a Political Run

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Josh Israel / ThinkProgress: 65 Republicans Supported Increasing The Minimum Wage When Bush Was President

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

ABC News Calls Out Paul Ryan For Hypocrisy Over Looming Budget Cuts — ABC News' Jonathan Karl confronted Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) over his past support for the sequester, just as the one-time GOP vice presidential candidate sought to blame President Obama for the automatic across-the-board cuts scheduled to go into effect on March 1.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and The Raw Story

New York Times:

The Real Cost of Shrinking Government — In less than two weeks, a cleaver known as the sequester will fall on some of the most important functions of the United States government. About $85 billion will be cut from discretionary spending over the next seven months, reducing defense programs …

Discussion: Ricochet Conversations Feed, The Moderate Voice and Daily Kos

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

How to Unparalyze Us — I WAS struck by one particular moment during President Obama's State of the Union address. The president proposed a $1 billion investment to build a new National Network for Manufacturing Innovation to spur high-tech manufacturing in America.

Discussion: CEPR, Seeing the Forest and Hullabaloo

Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:

GOP Senator Would Take Away Health Coverage From 30 Million Americans To Avoid Military Cuts — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Sunday the government should protect the Defense Department from automatic spending cuts by slashing $1.2 trillion from the Affordable Care Act.

Discussion: Sky Dancing, Little Green Footballs, PoliticusUSA, Addicting Info, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Prairie Weather and Balloon Juice

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Robin Kelly wins rival Toi Hutchinson's support in Illinois race — Illinois congressional candidate Toi Hutchinson dropped out of the special election race for disgraced former Rep. Jesse Jackson's seat on Sunday and endorsed rival Democrat Robin Kelly. — Hutchinson's withdrawal means Kelly …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Chicago Tribune:
Hutchinson expected to drop out, endorse Kelly in Jackson Jr. contest

Discussion: Capitol Fax.com, The Hinterland Gazette and Taegan Goddard's …

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Marco Rubio Has Sold More Than 3100 Water Bottles, Raising $100,000 — The Senator has used the viral hit to launch a successful fundraising drive for his PAC, taking in more than $100,000. — When Marco Rubio paused to take a sip from a water bottle during his response to the State …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Manu Raju / Politico:

McCain: Support for gun checks — Sen. John McCain said Sunday he expects there'll be broad support in the Senate for a new bipartisan plan to broaden background checks on gun purchasers. — The Arizona Republican pointed to a plan being drafted by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Chuck Schumer …

Discussion: protein wisdom, Taegan Goddard's … and alan.com

Chuck Raasch / USA Today:

Gun dealers report shortages of ammunition — Retailers say much of the demand is from gun owners who are stockpiling in case certain weapons are banned. — Gun shops are running low on ammunition from a run by customers fearful of potential gun-control legislation, according to gun retailers and customers.

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

The End of a Catholic Moment — THE last time the Chair of St. Peter stood vacant, during Pope John Paul II's funeral in 2005, the Roman Catholic Church enjoyed a wave of unusually favorable coverage from the American press. The Polish pope had a way of disarming even his most stringent critics …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, p m carpenter's commentary, National Review and dotCommonweal