memeorandum: Shutdown Deal Includes Nearly $3 Billion For Kentucky Dam Project (John Stanton/BuzzFeed)

7:20 AM ET, October 17, 2013

Top Items:

The Last Conference — At the last GOP conference meeting of the two-week government shutdown, no lawmakers went to the microphones to give their take. — Instead, after Speaker John Boehner told Republicans they had “fought the good fight,” they all rose up to offer a standing ovation.

Discussion: The Week, Vox Popoli, Ricochet Conversations Feed, The Lonely Conservative and The Gateway Pundit

Russell Berman / The Hill:

Ryan breaks from Boehner, votes ‘no’ — Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) split with his party's leadership and voted against the Senate fiscal agreement on Wednesday night. — In a statement, Ryan called the legislation to reopen the government and lift the debt ceiling “a missed opportunity” to reduce the federal debt.

Discussion: Politico and The Reality-Based Community

Shane Goldmacher / NationalJournal.com:

GOP Congressman Rips Tea Party Colleagues: 'I'm Not Sure They're Republicans' — Intra-party tensions are running high as end to shutdown nears. — Boustany (right): The tea party's allegiance is to outside interest groups, not conservative values. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Hot Air and Guardian

Fox News:

Obama signs bill ending partial shutdown, raising debt ceiling — President Obama early Thursday signed a short-term bill ending the partial government shutdown and raising the debt ceiling, capping one of the most bitter and brutal political fights in recent memory.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Right Scoop and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Jonathan Strong / National Review:
Boehner Safe — Speaker John Boehner may be preparing to bring …

Discussion: The Hill, Mediaite, The Week, Hot Air, The Plum Line, FreedomWorks, The Federalist and Politico

www.700wlw.com:
John Boehner to Willie: 'We Just Didn't Win'

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Week, Roll Call and Talking Points Memo

Daniel Strauss / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Rep. Mulvaney: Boehner ‘Hundred Percent Stronger’ Now

Discussion: Mediaite

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
Matt Drudge Predicts Pelosi Will Be Next Speaker

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, The Moderate Voice and The Raw Story

Fox News:
Boehner says House will take up Senate budget plan

Discussion: NBCNews, CNN, The PJ Tatler, The Gateway Pundit, American Spectator and The Right Scoop

David Corn / Mother Jones:
House Dems Sent Boehner a Message: Strike a Deal and Maybe We Can Help Protect Your Speakership

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Hill

Speaker.gov:
Statement on Bipartisan Senate Agreement to Reopen Government, Avoid Default

Discussion: National Review, The Hinterland Gazette, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos and Sky Dancing

Senate Conservatives Fund:

McConnell Deal Includes Kentucky Kickback — The Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) criticized U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Wednesday for allowing a $2 billion Kentucky earmark to be added to the debt deal he negotiated with U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). SCF Executive Director Matt Hoskins made the following statement:

Discussion: Washington Post, The Hill, Politico, Independent Journal Review, Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress, National Review, Liberaland and Conservatives4Palin

Phillip M. Bailey / WFPL:

McConnell-Reid Deal Includes $3 Billion Earmark for Kentucky Project — A proposal to end the government shutdown and avoid default orchestrated by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Leader Harry Reid includes a nearly $3 billion earmark for a Kentucky project.

Discussion: Doug Ross, The Gateway Pundit, Pat Dollard, Washington Post, Weasel Zippers, BuzzFeed, The Lonely Conservative and The Other McCain

Bob Cusack / The Hill:

Winners and losers of the debt-limit fight — The 2013 fiscal showdown was ugly, especially for Republicans. — Both parties have scoffed that there are winners and losers in the debate. — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently said, “This isn't a damn game!”

Discussion: Politico and Reuters

John Stanton / BuzzFeed:

Shutdown Deal Includes Nearly $3 Billion For Kentucky Dam Project — “According to the Army Corps of Engineers, 160 million taxpayer dollars will be wasted because of canceled contracts if this language is not included,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, one of the authors of the language.

Discussion: The Week, The Daily Beast, National Review and Power Line

David Edwards / The Raw Story:
Cruz: It was a ‘remarkable victory’ until Senate Republicans caved on the shutdown

Discussion: Firedoglake

New York Times:

Republicans Back Down, Ending Crisis Over Shutdown and Debt Limit — WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans conceded defeat on Wednesday in their bitter budget fight with President Obama over the new health care law as the House and Senate approved last-minute legislation ending a disruptive 16 …

Dylan Scott / Talking Points Memo:

Senate Votes To Re-Open Government, Raise Debt Limit — In the first step of a two-step process, the Senate voted Wednesday night to re-open the federal government and raise the debt ceiling. — The bill passed 81-18. Among the senators who voted against the bill: Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn …

Discussion: his vorpal sword and The Raw Story

Washington Post:
Obama signs bill to raise debt limit, reopen government

Discussion: Federal Eye, The Moderate Voice, Post Politics, PostPartisan, Wonkblog, Business Insider, The Fix and The BLT

Yahoo! News:
Senate and House pass bill to re-open the government, raise the debt ceiling

Discussion: Weekly Standard and The Gateway Pundit

Matthew Boyle / BREITBART.COM:
CONGRESSMAN: ‘CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS’ IF GOP CAVES ON DEBT CEILING

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and protein wisdom

Elizabeth Titus / Politico:

Cory Booker wins New Jersey Senate seat — Democrat Cory Booker won the special election for New Jersey's Senate seat on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported. The Newark mayor and heavy favorite in the race defeated Republican and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Discussion: Power Line, NewsBusters, Talking Points Memo and OpenSecrets.org

Alexandra Jaffe / Ballot Box:

Booker wins New Jersey Senate race — Newark Mayor Cory Booker won the New Jersey Senate special election on Wednesday night in an unsurprising finale to a surprisingly contentious race. — The Associated Press called the race for Booker, who led Lonegan 56 percent to 43 percent, with 52 percent of precincts reporting.

New Jersey Online:
Live coverage: Booker defeats Lonegan in U.S. Senate election

Discussion: Independent Journal Review, Roll Call, BizPac Review, Obsidian Wings and Weekly Standard

CNN:
Booker wins special Senate election in N.J.

Discussion: Hot Air and Scared Monkeys

Maggie Haberman / Politico:
Cory Booker spent less than $1 million on TV

Discussion: Yahoo! News

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press:

Tea Party's Image Turns More Negative — Ted Cruz's Popularity Soars among Tea Party Republicans — The Tea Party is less popular than ever, with even many Republicans now viewing the movement negatively. Overall, nearly half of the public (49%) has an unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party, while 30% have a favorable opinion.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Hill, The Fix, Mediaite, Balloon Juice, CNN, AMERICAblog News, CANNONFIRE, The Moderate Voice, Liberal Values, Yahoo! News, Politico, Political Algebra, Post Politics and Taegan Goddard's …

Fox News:
Hume: Tea Party pushed budget stand-off because GOP ‘utterly failed’ to restrain bloated gov't

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, The Dish, Independent Journal Review, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and RedState

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Limbaugh: GOP Most ‘Irrelevant’ Political Party I Can Remember

Discussion: The Raw Story

William A. Galston / Wall Street Journal:
The Tea Party and the GOP Crackup

Discussion: Doug Ross

Politico:

House stenographer hauled from floor — A House floor stenographer was abruptly hauled out of the chamber after charging the dais and screaming during Wednesday's late night vote on raising the debt ceiling and funding the federal government. — As the bill sailed toward final passage …

Peter Schroeder / The Hill:

S&P: Shutdown cost economy at least $24B — The government shutdown cost the nation's economy at least $24 billion and shaved 0.6 percent off the nation's economic growth, according to new analysis from Standard & Poor's. — With a deal seemingly headed for the finish line …