Top Items:
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Ads Attacking Health Law Stagger Outspent Democrats — WASHINGTON — Democrats are increasingly anxious about an onslaught of television ads hitting vulnerable Senate and House candidates for their support of the new health law, since many lack the resources to fight back in the early stages of the midterm campaign.
Discussion:
The Plum Line, Booman Tribune and Althouse
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Politico:
Obama's plan to save the Senate — President Barack Obama has a plan to save the Senate's tenuous Democratic majority: Sell a populist message, try to make Obamacare work better and raise lots of cash. — And unlike previous years when Senate Democrats were mostly left to fight on their own …
Discussion:
CNN, Capitol Report, WJLA-TV and The Hill
The Hill:
Democrats hope Obama meeting means more humility in 2014 — Frustrated Senate Democrats hope a meeting set to take place on Wednesday with President Obama will help them turn a corner with a White House they see as too distant and insular. — Aides say the new faces joining …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Jammie Wearing Fools and Politico
Politico:
The GOP's Obama obsession — It's just two weeks into 2014, but House Republicans are already convinced that the key to winning November's elections is to talk about President Barack Obama as much as possible. — In both public and private discussions, Obama remains the single-minded obsession of all top House Republicans.
Russell Berman / The Hill:
GOP to use economy as weapon — House Republican leaders are increasingly confident the economy will be a winning issue for their party in the 2014 midterm elections. — Republicans believe they can exploit the underlying weakness of the job market and argue voters should expect …
Discussion:
First Read
Kathleen Hennessey / Los Angeles Times:
Obama's visit to North Carolina may be awkward for Democratic senator — President Obama comes to a struggling North Carolina with an economic message, but the state's Democratic senator, facing reelection, won't be there. — President Obama unveiled his jobs bill in Raleigh, N.C., in 2011.
Reason:
They Lied — Obamacare's 12 false premises and broken promises
They Lied — Obamacare's 12 false premises and broken promises
Discussion:
Conservatives4Palin and The Daily Caller
Ted Mann / Metropolis:
Christie, Official Who Arranged Bridge Closures Were Together During Fiasco … Gov. Chris Christie was with the official who arranged the closure of local lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 11, 2013 — the third day of the closures, and well after they had triggered outrage …
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Washington Post:
Christie faces speculation about aides' real motives in New Jersey bridge scandal
Christie faces speculation about aides' real motives in New Jersey bridge scandal
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and CANNONFIRE
Hunter Walker / Talking Points Memo:
Christie's Office Blasts ‘Wild-Eyed Conspiracy’ Theories In Bridge Scandal
George Packer / News Desk:
The Trouble with Christie
The Trouble with Christie
Discussion:
CNN, Balloon Juice and New York Times
Margaret Carlson / Bloomberg:
Christie's Next Lesson: How to Apologize
Politico:
Jim Moran to announce retirement — Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran will retire after 23 years in the House, according to multiple Democratic sources. — The retirement is the third for Democrats this week: On Monday, California Rep. George Miller said he would leave Congress after 40 years …
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Emma Dumain / Roll Call:
Virginia's Moran Announces Retirement From Congress — Moran will leave Congress after 2014. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo) — Senior appropriator and progressive stalwart James P. Moran will step down at the end of this year, making him the third House Democrat in just three days to announce his retirement.
Discussion:
National Review and Moe Lane
Jessica Taylor / The Hill:
Rep. Jim Moran won't seek reelection
Tulsa World:
Discussion:
Wonkette, Talking Points Memo, Off the Kuff, Daily Oklahoman and Shakesville
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Erik Eckholm / New York Times:
Federal Judge Rejects Oklahoma's Gay Marriage Ban
Federal Judge Rejects Oklahoma's Gay Marriage Ban
Discussion:
The Other McCain and The Raw Story
Human Rights Campaign Blog:
U.S. District Judge Rules Oklahoma Ban on Marriage Equality Unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Rules Oklahoma Ban on Marriage Equality Unconstitutional
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Advocate, Balloon Juice and Towleroad News #gay
Chris Geidner / BuzzFeed:
Oklahoma Ban On Same-Sex Marriages Is Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules
Oklahoma Ban On Same-Sex Marriages Is Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules
Discussion:
Associated Press, Hot Air, National Review, GLAAD and Deseret News
New York Times:
N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers — WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency has implanted software in nearly 100,000 computers around the world that allows the United States to conduct surveillance on those machines and can also create a digital highway for launching cyberattacks.
Discussion:
The Switch, TIME, Techdirt, Gawker, Mashable, Gigaom, The Verge, emptywheel and Prairie Weather
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
WH delays another ObamaCare deadline — The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it was again extending the ObamaCare enrollment deadline for people with pre-existing conditions. — The administration said it will extend the Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan (PCIP), slated to end January 31, until March 15.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, New York Post, Right Wing News, Betsy's Page, Viking Pundit, First Read and Jammie Wearing Fools
Tampa Bay Times:
Stand Your Ground already an issue in theater shooting — TAMPA — Soon after authorities say a retired Tampa police captain shot a fellow moviegoer over a cell phone dispute Monday, a question now common in Florida arose: — Could the shooter be defended under Stand Your Ground?
Benjy Sarlin / msnbc.com:
This Democrat thinks he can win in 2016 as the anti-Obama — Brian Schweitzer, the former two-term Democratic governor of Montana, is rarely speechless. Once he gets going on a topic, he's almost impossible to stop. As he builds up steam, he'll slap his knee to emphasize his points.
Discussion:
ABC News
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Eliza Newlin Carney / Roll Call:
Super PAC, Outside Spending Chiefs Make Big Bucks — Recently released tax forms shed light on the big salaries that an elite corps of political organizers earned during the 2012 elections — and those who made the most often boasted the fewest wins. — The new disclosures reveal fresh specifics …
Erik Wemple:
Politico's Mike Allen and Fox News PR — In Sunday's edition of “Playbook,” Politico's Mike Allen included a massive excerpt of the new biography of Fox News chief Roger Ailes by journalist Gabriel Sherman, “The Loudest Voice in the Room: How the Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News-and Divided a Country.
Discussion:
Gawker, The Daily Beast, Capital New York and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
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Mario Trujillo / The Hill:
NSA can't say if it collected data on lawmakers, officials — The National Security Agency said it is lawfully unable to search its database to determine if it has swept up phone records from members of Congress or other elected officials. — NSA Director Keith Alexander said, however …
Discussion:
RT and emptywheel
Marguerite Reardon / CNET:
Appeals court strikes down FCC's Net neutrality rules — Broadband providers aren't “common carriers,” court says, and that makes all the difference in a decision certain to shake up the fixed broadband and wireless industries. — A federal appeals court in Washington on Tuesday struck …
Discussion:
Slate, Los Angeles Times, Gigaom, American Spectator, New York Times and Washington Monthly, more at Mediagazer »
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