Top Items:
Ezra Klein / Wonkblog:
Nine reasons the filibuster change is a huge deal — 1. The change the Senate made today is small but consequential: The filibuster no longer applies to judicial or executive-branch nominees. It still applies to bills and Supreme Court nominations. — Goodbye, filibuster. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
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Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
Partisan Fever in Senate Likely to Rise — WASHINGTON — President Obama will get a short-term lift for his nominees, judicial and otherwise, but over the immediate horizon, the strong-arm move by Senate Democrats on Thursday to limit filibusters could usher in an era of rank partisan warfare beyond …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Prairie Weather and NBC Politics
Zachary A. Goldfarb / Washington Post:
Senate's filibuster rule change should help Obama achieve key second-term priorities — The Senate vote Thursday to lower the barriers for presidential nominations should make it easier for President Obama to accomplish key second-term priorities, including tougher measures on climate change …
Discussion:
PostPartisan, The Daily Caller, Booman Tribune and Wonkblog
Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
NUCLEAR OPTION TRIGGERED: Dems Make Historic Change To Filibuster Rules — After years of threats and warnings, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and his Democratic majority on Thursday executed the “nuclear option” to eliminate the filibuster for executive branch and judicial nominees, except for the Supreme Court.
John Dickerson / Slate:
The Old Senate Was Already Dead — Passing filibuster reform just made it official. — If West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd were still in the Senate, it would be fascinating to see which side of the recent filibuster debate he would take. Byrd was a defender of Senate traditions …
Joel B. Pollak / BREITBART.COM:
NUCLEAR: REID, DEMOCRATS DESTROY FILIBUSTER, 52-48 — The Senate voted Thursday, 52-48, to end the filibuster rule for all executive and judicial appointments except for Supreme Court nominees, which would still need a 60-vote supermajority to end debate and move to a majority vote on confirmation.
Discussion:
Washington Post and Little Green Footballs
Roger Pilon / National Review:
Harry Reid's Nuclear Hypocrisy — Harry Reid is set to “go nuclear.” He wants to end the filibuster as it applies to appellate court nominations — not by a two-thirds vote of the Senate, as Senate rules require, but by a simple majority. And given the short memories now in evidence, he may just succeed.
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications and protein wisdom
Brian Beutler / Salon:
Reid goes nuclear — now bring on the liberal activist judges!
Reid goes nuclear — now bring on the liberal activist judges!
Discussion:
Liberaland, The Week, The Plum Line and Wonkblog
Dylan Scott / Talking Points Memo:
McCain: Dems Will Pay ‘Heavy, Heavy Price’ For Changing Filibuster
McCain: Dems Will Pay ‘Heavy, Heavy Price’ For Changing Filibuster
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Daily Kos
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Reid, Democrats trigger ‘nuclear’ option; eliminate most filibusters on nominees
Reid, Democrats trigger ‘nuclear’ option; eliminate most filibusters on nominees
New York Times:
Democracy Returns to the Senate
Democracy Returns to the Senate
Discussion:
Taking Note, Patterico's Pontifications, The Mahablog and Power Line
Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Norm Ornstein: Republicans Forced Reid's Hand On The Nuclear Option
Norm Ornstein: Republicans Forced Reid's Hand On The Nuclear Option
Discussion:
The Plum Line
Paul Waldman / American Prospect:
Don't Believe the Republican Cries of Vengeance
Don't Believe the Republican Cries of Vengeance
Discussion:
First Read, Mother Jones, Right Turn, BBC, The Dish and ThinkProgress
Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:
Why Harry Reid Went Nuclear
Why Harry Reid Went Nuclear
Discussion:
Guardian and Prairie Weather
Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Senator: Nuclear Option Is ‘Obamacare II’
GOP Senator: Nuclear Option Is ‘Obamacare II’
Discussion:
NewsBusters, National Review and Mediaite
Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
Obama approval rating sinks to new low in CNN poll — Washington (CNN) - As President Barack Obama's approval rating hits another all-time low, a new national survey also indicates that Americans say the President has less power than congressional Republicans when it comes to shaping events over the next year.
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …, TruthRevolt.org, Politico, Hot Air, Talking Points Memo, Power Line, Weasel Zippers and National Review
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CNN:
CNN Poll: JFK tops presidential rankings for last 50 years — Washington (CNN) - John F. Kennedy is the most popular president of the last half century, according to a new national poll — A CNN/ORC International survey released Friday indicates that 90% of all Americans approve of how Kennedy handled his job as President.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
CNN Poll: More than half back Iranian nuclear deal
Politico:
Older hill aides shocked by Obamacare prices — Veteran House Democratic aides are sick over the insurance prices they'll pay under Obamacare, and they're scrambling to find a cure. — “In a shock to the system, the older staff in my office (folks over 59) have now found …
John Boehner / Speaker.gov:
My Attempt to Sign Up For Health Care … Earlier this afternoon, I sat down to try and enroll in the DC exchange under the president's health care law: — Like many Americans, my experience was pretty frustrating. After putting in my personal information, I received an error message.
Discussion:
Political Capital, Talking Points Memo, Post Politics, Hot Air, Politico, Business Insider, TIME and Washington Free Beacon
Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Health Law Is Dividing Republican Governors — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Republicans are planning to use the troubled health law against Democrats in next year's midterm elections, but the Affordable Care Act is increasingly dividing their party, too. — At the annual meeting …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
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Peter Hamby / CNN:
How Chris Christie took over the Republican Governors Association
How Chris Christie took over the Republican Governors Association
Discussion:
Guardian, Texas Politics, The Week and Washington Post
Dylan Byers / Politico:
Obama holds off-record meeting with MSNBC hosts, liberal pundits — President Obama held an off-the-record meeting with MSNBC hosts and liberal pundits on Thursday, POLITICO has learned. — Present at the meeting: MSNBC's Ed Schultz and Lawrence O'Donnell, Washington Post economics blogger Ezra Klein …
Discussion:
Hot Air and Weasel Zippers
Washington Post:
Suspected U.S. drone kills six; U.S. denies Pakistan's claim that seminary was target — PESHAWAR, Pakistan — American and Pakistani officials sharply disagreed Thursday about whether an Islamic school was struck by a U.S. drone, in an unusual attack that inflamed tensions over the CIA drone campaign.
Discussion:
NBCNews, Informed Comment, Jihad Watch and The Jawa Report