memeorandum: White House cancels tours over sequester cuts, as lawmakers call decision political (Fox News)

10:45 PM ET, March 5, 2013

Top Items:

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: AEIdeas, The Lede, Weasel Zippers, Ed Driscoll and The Daily Caller

Frank Bajak / Associated Press:

HUGO CHAVEZ, FIERY VENEZUELAN LEADER, DIES AT 58 — CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez, the fiery populist who declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against U.S. influence and championed a leftist revival across Latin America, died Tuesday at age 58 after a nearly two-year bout with cancer.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Politico, Firedoglake, Hot Air, Booman Tribune and NewsBusters

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 …, BuzzFeed, Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

William Neuman / New York Times:

Chávez Dies, Leaving Bitterly Divided Nation — CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela died Tuesday afternoon after a long battle with cancer, the government announced, leaving behind a bitterly divided nation in the grip of a political crisis that grew …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, The Jawa Report, New Republic, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Outside the Beltway, Truthout Stories and Balloon Juice

CNN:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dies — Army Lt. Col. Hugo Chavez, who led a 1992 attempted coup, speaks to reporters on March 26, 1994, after he was freed from jail. Chavez was freed after charges were dropped against him for leading the first of two attempted coups against the government …

Discussion: Mediaite, Business Insider, AEIdeas, FP Passport, The Daily Pulp and Gothamist

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.

Discussion: The Spectacle Blog, Hit & Run, Twitchy, The Daily Caller, The PJ Tatler and Jammie Wearing Fools

Lori Ziganto / Twitchy:

Foul: Rep. Serrano tweets rest in peace; Praises Chavez as ‘empowering the powerless’; Update: Doubles down, photo with Chavez — Appalling. — As Twitchy reported, the Venezuelan tyrant Hugo Chavez has died. Rep. Serrano (D-N.Y.) grossly tweeted the above, upon learning of the news that had most freedom-lovers relieved.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and Weasel Zippers

Jon Lee Anderson / News Desk:
Postscript: Hugo Chávez, 1954-2013

Discussion: New York Times, The Week, Fausta's Blog, Mother Jones and The Heritage Foundation

Daniel Wallis / Reuters:
Chavez's breathing problems worsen, has severe new infection

Discussion: BBC, NBCNews.com, Babalú Blog, Pat Dollard, The Heritage Foundation, NewsBusters, Business Insider and Hit & Run

José De Córdoba / Wall Street Journal:
Venezuelan Leader Chávez Dies After Cancer Battle

Discussion: Washington Wire

William Neuman / New York Times:
Chávez Dies, Leaving a Bitterly Divided Venezuela

Discussion: NBC Latino, Taylor Marsh, Politicker and The Reaction

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: The Daily Caller, Pat Dollard, Hullabaloo, The Plum Line and Mediaite

Scott Shane / New York Times:
John Brennan, C.I.A. Nominee, Clears Committee Vote

Discussion: News Desk

Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Holder: Obama could order lethal force in U.S.

Discussion: CNN and Outside the Beltway

Rand Paul:
AG Holder Asserts Authority to Conduct Drone Strikes on U.S. Citizens

Discussion: Firedoglake, Hit & Run and Lowering the Bar

CNN:
CNN's GUT CHECK for March 5, 2013

Discussion: The Agonist and Politico

Politico:

Sources: 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.

Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:

GOP centrists balk at Ryan Medicare shift — House Republican centrists are furious that GOP leaders are considering abandoning their pledge not to change Medicare retirement benefits for people 55 years and older. — According to several sources, a handful of centrist GOP lawmakers attending …

Discussion: CNN, The Plum Line, AEIdeas, Daily Kos, Politico, Washington Post and Talking Points Memo

Jonathan Cohn / New Republic:
Paul Ryan Ups the Ante

Discussion: Politico, National Review, PostPartisan, Mother Jones, The Plum Line and Los Angeles Times

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

White House cancels tours due to sequester — The White House announced Tuesday that it was canceling tours of the executive mansion beginning on Saturday until further notice due to “staffing reductions resulting from sequestration.” — An e-mail sent to lawmakers from the White House visitor's office …

Discussion: CNN, Politico, Mediaite and Pat Dollard

Fox News:
White House cancels tours over sequester cuts, as lawmakers call decision political

Discussion: Washington Times and Patterico's Pontifications

Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:
More sequester pain: White House cancels tours

Discussion: Hot Air, Red Alert Politics and The Daily Caller

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:
White House cuts tours, citing sequester

Discussion: msnbc.com and CNN

Mike Fleming Jr / Deadline.com:

Jon Stewart Taking Summer ‘Daily Show’ Hiatus To Direct ‘Rosewater;’ John Oliver To Sub — EXCLUSIVE: Jon Stewart will take a 12-week hiatus from hosting Comedy Central's The Daily Show to make his feature directing debut this summer. Stewart has written the script, and will direct Rosewater …

Discussion: Mediaite, ABCNEWS, Taylor Marsh, Gawker and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Brooks Barnes / ArtsBeat:
Jon Stewart to Direct Serious Film, Will Take Hiatus From ‘Daily Show’

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, Red Alert Politics and The Raw Story

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

Orlando Sentinel:
Lawyer: State's most important witness in George Zimmerman murder case lied

Discussion: Los Angeles Times and Patterico's Pontifications

Nate Thayer:

A Day in the Life of a Freelance Journalist—2013 — Here is an exchange between the Global Editor of the Atlantic Magazine and myself this afternoon attempting to solicit my professional services for an article they sought to publish after reading my story “25 Years of Slam Dunk Diplomacy …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Felix Salmon, The Other McCain, Poynter and Slate, more at Mediagazer »

Cindy Adams / New York Post:
Hotel boots rowdy Rodman over Kim Jong Un scene

Discussion: Red Alert Politics, Gothamist and Jammie Wearing Fools

NK News:
25 Years of Slam Dunk Diplomacy

Discussion: Washington Monthly

O. Kay Henderson / Radio Iowa:

Bill would forbid parents from getting no-fault divorce — Seven Republicans in the Iowa House are pushing a bill to prohibit parents of minor children from getting a “no fault” divorce and the proposal could be debated in a House committee this week. — A three-member subcommittee debated the bill today.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Shakesville, Politico, The Hinterland Gazette and The Raw Story

The Huffington Post:
Iowa GOP Lawmakers Try To Curtail Divorce, Worry It Makes Young Women More ‘Promiscuous’

Discussion: Daily Kos

Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:

Email tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised — The Obama administration denied an appeal for flexibility in lessening the sequester's effects, with an email this week appearing to show officials in Washington that because they already had promised the cuts would be devastating, they now have to follow through on that.

Discussion: Mediaite, Doug Ross, The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers, NetRight Daily, The PJ Tatler, The Daily Caller, Michelle Malkin and Pat Dollard

Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo:

Jeb Bush Bashes Romney, Obamacare In New Book — Jeb Bush's new tome, “Immigration Wars: Forging An American Solution,” hit bookstores on Tuesday and is already making waves in the immigration debate and 2016 sweepstakes alike. — Bush's book, co-authored by Goldwater Institute director Clint Bolick …

Discussion: msnbc.com, Latino Decisions, New Republic, Business Insider, American Prospect and Brad DeLong

Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo:
Is Jeb Bush Already Backing Down On A Path To Citizenship?

Discussion: ThinkProgress, msnbc.com and The Political Carnival

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 …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Guardian and AL.com

Toddstarnes / Fox News:

Obama Admin Wants to Deport Christian Home School Family — The Romeike family fled their German homeland in 2008 seeking political asylum in the United States - where they hoped to home school their children. Instead, the Obama administration wants the evangelical Christian family deported.

Discussion: TBogg, Outside the Beltway and nation.foxnews.com