Top Items:
The Carter Center:
Statement From Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on the Death of Hugo Chavez — Rosalynn and I extend our condolences to the family of Hugo Chávez Frías. We met Hugo Chávez when he was campaigning for president in 1998 and The Carter Center was invited to observe elections for the first time in Venezuela.
Discussion:
The Times of Israel, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, AEIdeas, Weasel Zippers and Ed Driscoll
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Rebecca Ford / Hollywood Reporter:
Sean Penn on Hugo Chavez's Death: ‘I Lost a Friend’ — “I mourn a great hero,” said Oliver Stone of the Venezuelan president who died on Tuesday after a long bout with cancer. — Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died on Tuesday after a long bout with cancer. He was 58.
Zack Beauchamp / ThinkProgress:
Why Democrats Shouldn't Eulogize Hugo Chavez — Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) released a statement today praising former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, despite the latter's record of harsh crackdowns on his political opponents and state-sanctioned persecution against Venezuela's Jewish population.
Discussion:
U.S. Congressman …, ABCNEWS, NBCNews.com, Mediaite and Twitchy
Frank Bajak / Associated Press:
HUGO CHAVEZ, FIERY VENEZUELAN LEADER, DIES AT 58
HUGO CHAVEZ, FIERY VENEZUELAN LEADER, DIES AT 58
Discussion:
Toronto Star, The Week, The Moderate Voice, Politico, The Daily Caller, Firedoglake, Booman Tribune and NewsBusters
William Neuman / New York Times:
Chávez Dies, Leaving a Bitterly Divided Venezuela
Chávez Dies, Leaving a Bitterly Divided Venezuela
Discussion:
CNN, The Dish, The Week, BBC, IHT Rendezvous, The Reaction, The BLT, Guardian, NBC Latino, Taylor Marsh and Politicker
Juan Forero / Washington Post:
Hugo Chavez, passionate but polarizing Venezuelan president, dead at 58
Hugo Chavez, passionate but polarizing Venezuelan president, dead at 58
Discussion:
American Spectator, Power Line and Althouse
Jon Lee Anderson / News Desk:
Postscript: Hugo Chávez, 1954-2013
Postscript: Hugo Chávez, 1954-2013
Discussion:
Spectator, Wall Street Journal, Guardian, The Week, New York Times and Fausta's Blog, more at Mediagazer »
Christopher Hitchens / Slate:
What I learned about Hugo Chávez's mental health when I visited Venezuela with Sean Penn.
What I learned about Hugo Chávez's mental health when I visited Venezuela with Sean Penn.
Discussion:
blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Guardian and Hot Air
New York Times:
Trying to Revive Talks, Obama Goes Around G.O.P. Leaders — WASHINGTON — With Republican leaders in Congress forswearing budget negotiations over new revenues, President Obama has begun reaching around them to Republican lawmakers with a history of willingness to cut bipartisan deals.
Discussion:
The Hill, The Hill, The Plum Line, Smartypants and msnbc.com
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Reuters:
Election bump over, Obama approval drops to 43 percent: Reuters/IPSOS poll — (Reuters) - Less than two months into his second term, President Barack Obama's approval rating has dropped and Americans blame him and his fellow Democrats almost as much as his Republican opponents for a fiscal mess.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Jammie Wearing Fools and National Review
Politico:
Sources: Paul Ryan to reject Medicare age shift — Rep. Paul Ryan's budget is now expected to exempt seniors 55 years old and above from his Medicare overhaul — despite his personal preference to raise that age to 56 — according to several GOP sources familiar with his plans.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, The Hill, Heritage Action for America, CNN, AEIdeas, The Plum Line and Daily Kos
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Jonathan Cohn / New Republic:
Paul Ryan Ups the Ante
Paul Ryan Ups the Ante
Discussion:
National Review, Mother Jones, PostPartisan, Politico, Talking Points Memo and The Plum Line
Adam Serwer / Mother Jones:
Obama Administration Says President Can Use Lethal Force Against Americans on US Soil — Drones: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Always Afraid to Ask — Here's Why Obama Won't Say Whether He Can Kill You With a Drone: Because He Probably Can — 8 Drones That Aren't Out to Kill You
Discussion:
Associated Press, CP Feed, American Spectator, Washington's Blog, Hullabaloo, The Plum Line, Mediaite and The Daily Caller
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Sam Baker / The Hill:
GOP lawmakers say spending bill should target contraception mandate — A group of House Republicans said Tuesday that a bill to fund the federal government should include provisions targeting the contraception mandate in President Obama's healthcare law. — GOP lawmakers reintroduced …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo and Smartypants
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Yahoo! News:
Zimmerman Stuns Court, Waives Right to ‘Stand Your Ground’ Hearing in Trayvon Martin Case — ABC News - Zimmerman Stuns Court, Waives Right to ‘Stand Your Ground’ Hearing in Trayvon Martin Case (ABC News) — George Zimmerman's attorneys stunned court observers Tuesday when they waived …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and National Review
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Mike Fleming Jr / Deadline.com:
Jon Stewart Taking Summer ‘Daily Show’ Hiatus To Direct First Film And “Challenge” Himself, John Oliver To Sub — UPDATE: After I broke the news, Jon Stewart told the media his feelings about going from television to movies. “I am a television person who is accustomed to having a thought …
Discussion:
The Times of Israel, ABCNEWS, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, Gawker and The Week, more at Mediagazer »
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Brooks Barnes / ArtsBeat:
Jon Stewart to Direct Serious Film, Will Take Hiatus From ‘Daily Show’
Jon Stewart to Direct Serious Film, Will Take Hiatus From ‘Daily Show’
Discussion:
Guardian, Red Alert Politics and The Raw Story
Fox News:
White House cancels tours over sequester cuts, as lawmakers call decision political — Sorry, Washington-bound spring-breakers. Your White House tours have been canceled. — The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it will cancel all tours starting this weekend, due to sequester cuts.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Right Turn, The Hill, Politico, Patterico's Pontifications and Washington Times
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Evan McMorris-Santoro / Talking Points Memo:
White House Cancels Tours Due To Sequester
White House Cancels Tours Due To Sequester
Discussion:
The Maddow Blog, The Huffington Post, Politico, Political Watch and msnbc.com
splcenter.org:
New Report: Radical antigovernment movement continues explosive growth; SPLC urges government to review resources devoted to domestic terrorism — The number of conspiracy-minded antigovernment “Patriot” groups on the American radical right reached an all-time high in 2012 …
Zev Chafets / Vanity Fair:
Exclusive Excerpt: Roger Ailes Off Camera — Roger Ailes is one of the most powerful—and controversial—characters in television media, pilloried by critics and many in the mainstream media and lionized by conservative viewers who can't get enough of his posse of charismatic hosts.
Discussion:
Mediaite and Politico, more at Mediagazer »
Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:
WATCH: Bill O'Reilly Harasses Gay Colorado Speaker Over Child Molester Laws — As expected, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly is continuing his smear campaign against Colorado House Speaker Mark Ferrandino (D), who is openly gay, because of his opposition to instituting “Jessica's Law,” …
Discussion:
Advocate, NewsHounds blog and Towleroad News #gay
Willon / L.A. NOW:
L.A. mayor's race: Garcetti and Greuel top the field — City Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel remained ahead of the pack in the race for mayor of Los Angeles early Wednesday morning with all city precincts reporting. — The top-two finishers in Tuesday's election …
Discussion:
Washington Wire, First Read, Towleroad News #gay, New York Times, KTLA 5, Taegan Goddard's …, Diane Ravitch's blog and Post Politics
Aaron Kalman / The Times of Israel:
‘If Iran reaches critical point in nuke drive, Israel will attack’ — Outgoing US Central Command chief James Mattis: I take the Israelis at their word, and they won't need our help — In a little-noticed exchange Tuesday at the Senate Armed Services Committee, a top US general …
Discussion:
Power Line, Algemeiner.com and Weekly Standard
Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
McConnell campaign shakes it up with Harlem Shake — (CNN) - The dance craze that's been sweeping the nation has made it to the campaign trail. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's re-election team Wednesday put out a web video of a person wearing a mask of the Republican senator from Kentucky dancing to the Harlem Shake.
Discussion:
Ballot Box
Ruby Cramer / BuzzFeed:
Cory Booker Will Make Senate Announcement After Governor's Race — The Newark mayor says he'll wait to make his campaign announcement until after the N.J. gubernatorial race this fall. “It would would be wrong to hold a press conference,” says Booker. — Image by Larry Bussaca / Getty Images
Discussion:
First Read