memeorandum: Supreme Court to Hear Alabama County's Challenge to Voting Rights Act (Adam Liptak/New York Times)

11:25 PM ET, February 17, 2013

Top Items:

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, Truthdig, The Gateway Pundit and The PJ Tatler

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

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

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’ — President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Pentagon, former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel, will likely be confirmed next week, one of his most dogged opponents said Sunday. — “I'm confident that Sen. Hagel will probably …

Manu Raju / Politico:
Hagel reassures Graham on Israel remark

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Israel Matzav

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

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

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation

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 Business Insider

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

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:
McDonough: Pressure is on Congress to act on immigration reform

Discussion: ABCNEWS, New York Times and Politico

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

Supreme Court to Hear Alabama County's Challenge to Voting Rights Act — EVERGREEN, Ala. — Jerome Gray, a 74-year-old black man, has voted in every election since 1974 in this verdant little outpost of some 4,000 people halfway between Mobile and Montgomery.

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

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

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: The Reaction, Little Green Footballs, Sky Dancing, Addicting Info, PoliticusUSA, 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 …

Jason Horowitz / Washington Post:

Pope Benedict XVI's leaked documents show fractured Vatican full of rivalries — VATICAN CITY — Guests at the going-away party for Carlo Maria Viganò couldn't understand why the archbishop looked so forlorn. Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Viganò ambassador to the United States …

Discussion: Hot Air and Prairie Weather