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Bachmann Won't Seek Re-election Next Year — Representative Michele Bachmann, the Minnesota Republican who made an ill-fated run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, announced Wednesday that she would not seek a fifth term in Congress next year.
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James Carville on Michele Bachmann: ‘Sad day’ — Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville predicted on Wednesday that Republicans throughout the country would be “relieved” Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has decided to retire. — “Sad day,” Carville quipped on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” …
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New Republic, Sky Dancing, CNN, The Week, The Dish, Washington Monthly and Scared Monkeys


Bachmann's fall — Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) — the tea-party firebrand facing investigations and a daunting reelection race — abruptly announced on Wednesday morning that she will not seek reelection to a fifth term. — Her move marked a spectacular fall for a congresswoman …


Reading Between the Lines of Michele Bachmann's Retirement Speech — The U.S. representative's video announcing her decision not to run for reelection is notable for what it doesn't say. — She was the first woman to win the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa during her Republican presidential primary bid …
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A plain blog about politics, Washington Monthly and The Daily Caller

HOLDER TO MEET WITH BUREAU CHIEFS …
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Firedoglake, The Huffington Post and Alan Colmes' Liberaland


The 8 Most Outlandish Moments Of Michele Bachmann's Time In Congress
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The Maddow Blog, Taylor Marsh and American Prospect

Michele Bachmann: A Fact Checker's dream
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Yahoo! News, PolitiFact, Poynter, Business Insider, The Fix, The Spectacle Blog and Mediaite

McConnell Campaign Ad Uses IRS Scandal Against Obama
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Talking Points Memo, Mediaite and Politico

Tea Party fave Bachmann won't run for Congress again
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The Agonist and NewsBusters


Sources: Lincoln Chafee to switch parties — Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has notified senior Democratic Party officials that he intends to switch his party registration and join the Democratic Party, multiple sources familiar with Chafee's decision told POLITICO.
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CNN, Yahoo! News, The PJ Tatler, The Maddow Blog, Weasel Zippers, Conservatives4Palin, WJLA-TV and The Raw Story
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Chafee plans to run for second term as a Democrat
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The Plum Line, The Fix, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Daily Caller


A Bad Relationship: How the Press Came To Love Obama More Than Itself — As the scandals pile up, the press keeps finding excuses for the president, writes Stuart Stevens. — In Dan Brown's new novel, Inferno, the lead character is struck with amnesia, unable to remember critical events even as he's trying to save the world.
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protein wisdom, New York Post, Mediaite, Betsy's Page, The Impolitic, The PJ Tatler and Politico
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Fire Eric Holder: Column
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Holder to Get New Spokesman at Justice
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National Review

House Republicans challenge Holder testimony on reporter surveillance
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The Gateway Pundit and The Jawa Report

White House rejects Republican charges Holder misled Congress
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Politico


IRS higher-ups requested info on conservative groups, letters show — Additional scrutiny of conservative organizations' activities by the IRS did not solely originate in the agency's Cincinnati office, with requests for information coming from other offices and often bearing the signatures …
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Hot Air, New York Post, The Huffington Post, Wonkblog, protein wisdom, The Right Scoop, The PJ Tatler, Wake up America, LifeNews.com, Daily Kos, americanthinker.com, Patterico's Pontifications, Questions and Observations, Weasel Zippers, Weekly Standard, Mediaite, Government Executive and Washington Free Beacon
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When IRS scrutiny was fair and warranted
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BuzzFeed, American Spectator, Salon and The Spectacle Blog


Oklahoma Lawmaker Blasts GOP's War On Women: ‘What Happened To The Republican Party That I Joined?’ — In an op-ed published on Wednesday, an Oklahoma Republican sharply criticizes his fellow party members for focusing on enacting unnecessary legislation to limit women's access to abortion and contraception.
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Wonkette
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The GOP and abortion legislation
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Taegan Goddard's …, The Maddow Blog, Balloon Juice and The Raw Story


Working women should be molested: Saudi writer — Writer campaigning against moves to bring women into mixed-gender work environments — Abu Dhabi: A Saudi writer has urged his Twitter followers to sexually molest women hired to work as cashiers in big grocery stores …
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The Daily Caller, Jihad Watch, ThinkProgress, Weasel Zippers and Atlas Shrugs


AP EXCLUSIVE: RISE OF AL-QAIDA SAHARA TERRORIST — You are here — Home » Osama bin Laden » AP Exclusive: Rise of al-Qaida Sahara terrorist — DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — After years of trying to discipline him, the leaders of al-Qaida's North African branch sent one final letter to their most difficult employee.
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Yahoo! News, Firedoglake, Sky Dancing, Poynter, Power Line, Guardian, AMERICAblog, Open Channel, The Week, Hit & Run, Gawker, Maggie's Farm and The Monkey Cage


Larry King joins RT with brand new politics show — Award-winning interviewer Larry King will host a mold-breaking political talk show on RT from next month, speaking to both leading establishment figures, and those who are not afraid to go against the grain.
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The Week, BBC, Mediaite, The Lede, Politico, The Daily Caller, Gawker, americanthinker.com, Business Insider, Deadline.com and The Huffington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Newsweek confirms it is eyeing sale — Newsweek CEO Baba Shetty and editor-in-chief Tina Brown have sent a memo to staff confirming earlier reports that parent-company IAC is exploring a sale of the now online-only magazine. — In the memo, Shetty and Brown attributed the exploration …
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The Moderate Voice, New York Times, FishbowlNY, Gawker, Variety, The Huffington Post, Mashable and Capital New York, more at Mediagazer »

McAuliffe leads in lesser of 2 evils race — PPP's first look at the race for Governor of Virginia since January finds that as voters get to know the candidates better...more are becoming undecided. That's not the normal trend, but it's also not normal to have an election where voters dislike both candidates five months out.
Discussion:
Politico, Taegan Goddard's …, Washington Monthly and Outside the Beltway


Elizabeth Warren Praises Michelle Obama's Biceps — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) had nothing but kind words for Michelle Obama at a Democratic fundraiser Wednesday afternoon in Boston, gushing over the first lady's toughness and physique. — “I love Michelle Obama. She's a real fighter.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers


Why the Clinton Scandals Were a Bigger Deal Than the Obama Ones — Or, how to tell a personal scandal from a policy controversy — President Obama visited the Jersey Shore Tuesday, where Gov. Chris Christie presented him with a stuffed bear at an arcade and the two declared the shore open …
Discussion:
The Dish


Sexting king Weiner trolls for interns — Calling all co-eds — sexting king Anthony Weiner wants you! — The mayoral wild card has put out a call for passionate young campaign interns who can handle both the rigors of his bizarre bid for mayor and the snickers they're sure to get from their friends and family.
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Jezebel, Wake up America, Gothamist, Capital New York, The Daily Caller and Politicker


Breadwinner Moms — Mothers Are the Sole or Primary Provider in Four-in-Ten Households with Children; Public Conflicted about the Growing Trend — CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW — A record 40% of all households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or primary source …


Tim Yeo: humans may not be to blame for global warming — Humans may not be responsible for global warming, according to Tim Yeo, the MP who oversees government policy on climate change. — Mr Yeo is one of the Conservative Party's strongest advocates of radical action to cut carbon emissions
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Bishop Hill


BREAKING: ExxonMobil shareholders vote down LGBT protections — LGBT advocates, from left, Daniel Cates, Cd Kirven and Rafael McDonnell, protest outside ExxonMobil's shareholders meeting on Wednesday. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice) — As expected, ExxonMobil shareholders again voted …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress


Accused Fort Hood gunman plans to represent self at trial — Fort Hood suspect seeks to fire Army attorneys. Report from May 22. — SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Accused Fort Hood gunman Major Nidal Hasan will ask a U.S. military court on Wednesday to rule he can represent himself at his trial …
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Crime and Consequences Blog, Outside the Beltway and Atlas Shrugs