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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.
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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, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, WJLA-TV and Capitol Report


Democrats hope Obama meeting means more humility in 2014
Discussion:
Hot Air, Mediaite and Jammie Wearing Fools

Obama's visit to North Carolina may be awkward for Democratic senator
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Hot Air, The Reaction and Moe Lane

Obama Announces Institute to Create Manufacturing Jobs
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, AEIdeas and Politico


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.
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Another 25 million ObamaCare victims — It now looks like ObamaCare will hurt twice as many people as it helps — because the law isn't nearly done with canceling people's insurance. — The 5 million-plus Americans who've seen their health plans canceled thanks to ObamaCare will be joined …

White House Moves Obamacare Goalposts Again
Discussion:
Salon, Off the Charts Blog, Bloomberg, Business Insider and MetroTrends Blog


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:
Firedoglake, Talking Points Memo, Politico, Mediaite, Wonkblog, No More Mister Nice Blog, ABC News and The Daily Caller
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Brown rules out presidential bid — Gov. Jerry Brown introduces his 2014-15 budget proposal at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Thursday. (Ken James / Bloomberg / January 9, 2014) — RIVERSIDE — Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that he will not run for president in 2016 …
Discussion:
NBCNews, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, Liberal Values, The Daily Caller, Sacramento Bee and PoliticusUSA


Government Itself Still Cited as Top U.S. Problem — Narrowly leads the economy, unemployment, healthcare — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans start the new year with a variety of national concerns on their minds. Although none is dominant, the government, at 21%, leads the list …
Discussion:
ABC News, Firedoglake, Politico and CBS DC
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Shaheen, Hassan lead opponents
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's … and TheBlaze.com


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:
Slashdot, Business Insider, Associated Press, The Daily Caller, Techdirt, Gawker, The Switch, AEIdeas, TIME, Online NewsHour, Mashable, Gigaom, Prairie Weather, The Verge, emptywheel and The Reaction
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NSA can't say if it collected data on lawmakers, officials
Discussion:
Firedoglake, RT, americanthinker.com and emptywheel


Senate report: Attack on U.S. compound in Benghazi could have been prevented — A long-delayed Senate intelligence committee report released on Wednesday spreads blame among the State Department and intelligence agencies for not preventing attacks on two outposts in Libya that killed four Americans …

Christie faces speculation about aides' real motives in New Jersey bridge scandal — TRENTON, N.J. — Embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) struggled Tuesday to regain his footing, giving an address in which he called upon the state to refocus on his agenda.
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com, Talking Points Memo, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air and CBS New York
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What Happens When the President Sits Down Next to You at a Cafe — Before — Thursday into Friday, my head cold got worse, so on Friday morning I walked down to a bar-cafe-restaurant in my neighborhood. I had been there for a few hours when youthful, vigorous men and women wearing …
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, Capital New York, Business Insider and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »


Wendy Davis's Campaign Mocks Greg Abbott for Being Paralyzed — Wendy Davis's campaign spin on her fundraising numbers is impressive. She wants you to know that she raised $12 million to Republican Greg Abbot's $11.5 million. What she is hoping you will ignore, and which much of the press will ignore …
Discussion:
WILLisms.com, The Hill, TIME, Unfair Park, LifeNews.com and Trail Blazers Blog
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Wendy Davis outraises Greg Abbott in Texas gov race
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and National Review


Gabriel Sherman's biography of Roger Ailes. — Gabriel Sherman is part of a group of young media reporters—many starting out at the New York Observer under the tutelage of then-Editor Peter Kaplan, an avowed media nostalgist—who have seen their subject, the power of the media, pulled out from under them.
Discussion:
Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »


GOP Congressional Candidate: Spousal Rape Shouldn't Be a Crime — Virginia state Sen. Dick Black fought to block a statue of Lincoln and invited a video crew to film him watching violent rape porn on a library computer. Now he's looking for a promotion. — Republican attorney general …
Discussion:
The Daily Banter, Wonkette, Talking Points Memo, The Raw Story and Liberaland


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 …
Discussion:
National Review, CNN and Twitchy
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FEC lawyers: Reason to believe Crossroads broke law — The Federal Election Commission's professional legal staff believes that Crossroads GPS, an innovative fundraising operation that enabled veteran GOP operatives to end-around campaign finance regulations, likely violated election law …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Talking Points Memo and Booman Tribune
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The Filibuster Does Not Protect Minority Interests — And other reasons to reject supermajority requirements. — In the era of a polarized and stymied Congress, in which legislation is especially prone to be paralyzed by the filibuster and other supermajority devices …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money