Top Items:
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Breakthrough in Senate immigration talks; announcement set for Thursday — Senators seeking a solution to a deadlock over border security have reached a tentative agreement they believe could win the votes of a significant number of Republican lawmakers for the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
The Border Security Ruse — For many Republicans, the border will never be secure enough. — The immigration debate has turned once again to “securing the border,” and Republicans are once again demanding more enforcement as the price of their support. Here's the real story …
Discussion:
National Review, Outside the Beltway and msnbc.com
Ramsey Cox / The Hill:
Senate votes 54-43 to reject Cornyn plan for border security ‘trigger’ — The Senate on Thursday rejected Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) immigration reform bill amendment that would have put mandatory border security triggers in place before immigrants were given legal status.
Discussion:
National Review
Ashley Parker / New York Times:
Two G.O.P. Senators Are Close to a Deal on Border Security
Two G.O.P. Senators Are Close to a Deal on Border Security
Discussion:
Post Politics, The Plum Line, Washington Monthly, Wonkblog, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and msnbc.com
Kasie Hunt / First Read:
Senators reach border deal, smoothing path to immigration overhaul
Senators reach border deal, smoothing path to immigration overhaul
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Yahoo! News, Booman Tribune and BuzzFeed
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Rubio hails border deal, hopes immigration bill finds ‘support it needs’
Rubio hails border deal, hopes immigration bill finds ‘support it needs’
Discussion:
CNN
Talking Points Memo:
Ted Cruz's Father Bribed An Official To Come To U.S. — In a report Thursday on NPR about how Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-TX) father shaped his vision on immigration, his father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, an immigrant from Cuba, said that while he “came to this country legally,” he basically bribed an official to get to the United States.
Discussion:
Daily Kos
RELATED:
David Welna / NPR:
How Ted Cruz's Father Shaped His Views On Immigration … As the Senate debates a massive overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, one of its newest members has emerged as a leading opponent of the bill's most controversial feature: a path to citizenship for millions living in the country unlawfully.
Discussion:
Post Politics, The Raw Story and National Review
Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
House rejects farm bill, 195-234 — In a blow to House GOP leaders, the House on Thursday rejected a five-year farm bill. — Members voted down the $940 billion bill in a 195-234 vote that only won 24 Democratic votes. Most Democrats voted against the bill because it cut food stamp programs by more than $20 billion.
Discussion:
Hot Air, The PJ Tatler and Politico
RELATED:
Russell Berman / The Hill:
Boehner urges Obama to ‘compel’ Senate Dems to act on student loans
Boehner urges Obama to ‘compel’ Senate Dems to act on student loans
Discussion:
Politico
Tom Goldstein / SCOTUSblog:
Power — You should decide now what kind of Supreme Court you want. Don't wait until after the Justices hand down the Term's major decisions. That will be too late. Make a real choice now about how much power you think the Court should have - before your judgment is skewed by either elation or outrage at the results.
Discussion:
The Volokh Conspiracy
RELATED:
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
SCOTUS: Aid groups not required to oppose prostitution
SCOTUS: Aid groups not required to oppose prostitution
Discussion:
New York Times and SCOTUSblog
Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Opinion recap: Easing the leash on speech
Opinion recap: Easing the leash on speech
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Slate and RH Reality Check
Republican News Watch:
Rodney Davis team member issues racist rant attacking Erika Harold — To understand why the Illinois Republican Party keeps losing elections - look no further than the racist rant (copied below) from a GOP party official. — The email was sent to Republican News Watch's Editor …
RELATED:
Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:
Illinois GOP Pol Calls Black Female Candidate A ‘Street Walker’
Illinois GOP Pol Calls Black Female Candidate A ‘Street Walker’
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Balloon Juice, Mediaite, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS and Taegan Goddard's …
Exodus International:
Exodus International to Shut Down — Thirty-seven-year-old ministry for those with same-sex attraction marks its last national conference — Irvine, Calif. (June 19, 2013) — Exodus International, the oldest and largest Christian ministry dealing with faith and homosexuality announced tonight …
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Washington Monthly, LGBTQ Nation, RH Reality Check, Truth Wins Out, The Week, Taylor Marsh, Mediaite, Firedoglake, The Dish, Joe. My. God., Guardian, New Republic, CNN, Towleroad News #gay, Gawker, BuzzFeed, TBogg, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, AMERICAblog, Outside the Beltway and Advocate
RELATED:
Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:
Leading ‘Ex-Gay’ Organization Closes, Apologizes To LGBT Community
Leading ‘Ex-Gay’ Organization Closes, Apologizes To LGBT Community
Discussion:
Exodus International and Truth Wins Out
Telegraph:
Barack Obama bombs in Berlin: a weak, underwhelming address from a floundering president — When John F. Kennedy delivered his “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 26, 1963, 450,000 people flocked to hear him. Fifty years later a far more subdued invitation …
RELATED:
Michael Hirsh / NationalJournal.com:
Obama's Turbulent European Vacation
Obama's Turbulent European Vacation
Discussion:
Questions and Observations, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, New York Times and CNN
CNN:
Longtime CNN Reliable Sources host moves on — Washington (CNN) - Longtime media reporter Howard Kurtz and CNN parted company as Kurtz and CNN confirmed the end of his 15-year run hosting CNN's Reliable Sources program. Kurtz will become a contributor to Fox News.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Politico and The Daily Caller
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Manchin hits back at NRA in new TV ad — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Thursday hit back at the National Rifle Association, accusing its leaders of shifting their stance on background checks for political gain, and unveiling a new television ad defending his bipartisan gun-control measure.
RELATED:
Jane C. Timm / msnbc.com:
Manchin unveils fiery new ad against the NRA
Manchin unveils fiery new ad against the NRA
Discussion:
The Week and Post Politics
Emily Goodin / The Hill:
Dems start Obama-to-Clinton transition — Democrats in Washington are starting to shift from the Obamas to the Clintons. [WATCH VIDEO] — Hillary Clinton has already racked up a couple of endorsements for the 2016 presidential race — and she hasn't even announced she's running yet.
Discussion:
CNN, Politico, Taylor Marsh and ABCNEWS
Hunter Walker / Talking Points Memo:
Virginia Lt. Gov. Candidate Says Social Programs Hurt ‘Black Family’ More Than Slavery (Video) — The Virginia GOP's nominee for lieutenant governor, E.W. Jackson, gave a speech Wednesday in which he claimed government social programs have done more harm to the “black family” than slavery.
Discussion:
The Hinterland Gazette
RELATED:
Todd Allen Wilson / Hampton Roads Daily Press:
E. W. Jackson marks Juneteenth at Newport News event
E. W. Jackson marks Juneteenth at Newport News event
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Taegan Goddard's … and The Raw Story
Charles M. Blow / New York Times:
A Nation Divided Against Itself — Along with — and because of — dramatic social and demographic changes, America is quickly dividing itself into two separate nations, regional enclaves of rigid politics, as the idea of common national priorities fades further into a distant past.
Discussion:
Vox Popoli
Ernesto Londoño / Washington Post:
Scrapping equipment key to Afghan drawdown — KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Facing a tight withdrawal deadline and tough terrain, the U.S. military has destroyed more than 170 million pounds worth of vehicles and other military equipment as it rushes to wind down its role in the Afghanistan war by the end of 2014.
Discussion:
WorldViews, Business Insider, The Week, Outside the Beltway and Hot Air
Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Tea party scalds Marco Rubio — The tea party returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, but this time the don't-tread-on-me crowd trod upon one of its own. — Much of the scene was familiar: the yellow flags, the banners protesting tyranny and socialism, the demands to impeach President Obama and to repeal Obamacare.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
James Hohmann / Politico:
GOP poll has Gabriel Gomez down 3 in Mass. — A Republican poll conducted for a Super PAC boosting Gabriel Gomez found the GOP candidate trailing by only 3 points ahead of next week's Massachusetts special election. — The survey—conducted Monday through Wednesday by conservative pollster John McLaughlin …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard and Gabriel Gomez for U.S. Senate
ThinkProgress:
Congressman Says Gays Should Hide Their Orientation At Work — Joseph Diebold is an intern with ThinkProgress. — Credit: Gage Skidmore — WASHINGTON, DC — Following a speech at an anti-IRS Tea Party rally in front of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) …
Discussion:
Shakesville, Dependable Renegade, The Huffington Post and Advocate
Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Chuck Hagel Jokes That Indian Man Asking Him A Question Is A Member Of The Taliban — He was a college professor. Hagel was speaking at the University of Nebraska where he went to school. He had previously answered a question on Afghanistan and negotiating with the Taliban before the exchange.
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, Washington Free Beacon, Politico, Jammie Wearing Fools, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Red Alert Politics and Power Line