memeorandum: ‘F**k the EU,’ frustrated Nuland says to Pyatt, in alleged leaked phone call (UPDATED) (Christopher J. Miller/kyivpost.com)

6:35 PM ET, February 6, 2014

Top Items:

CNN:

CNN Poll: Is Bush still to blame for economy? — Washington (CNN) - Although nearly two-thirds of Americans still give the nation's economy a thumbs down, the percentage who rate the current economic conditions as good now stands at its highest level in six years, according to a new national poll.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Ginger Gibson / Politico:

O'Reilly reporter confronts Pelosi — A reporter from Bill O'Reilly's television program attended House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's weekly press conference to confront her about why she won't sit for an interview with the Fox News anchor. — “Bill O'Reilly has a quick question for you …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and TheBlaze.com

Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:

Cantor takes mission impossible — House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is taking the lead on crafting the GOP's Obama-Care replacement proposal. — The extraordinarily tough task faces many obstacles and is complicated by election-year politics and an unruly GOP conference.

Discussion: Daily Kos, Washington Monthly and Politico

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate GOP buoyant about midterms

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Politico and The Hugh Hewitt Show

Deirdre Walsh / CNN:
Boehner signals immigration unlikely this year

Discussion: Politico

Wall Street Journal:

Russian Officials Fire Back at Olympic Critics — One Sochi Defender Claims Only 103 Registered Complaints; ‘Surveillance Video’ in Hotel Rooms — SOCHI, Russia—Rooms without doorknobs, locks or heat, dysfunctional toilets, surprise early-morning fire alarms and a Welcome Wagon of stray dogs …

Discussion: TechCrunch, The Raw Story, ThinkProgress, AMERICAblog News, The Verge, Gawker, CBS DC, The Daily Caller, The Daily Banter, Mediaite and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Guardian:
Ban Ki-moon condemns persecution of gay people in Russia

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Towleroad News #gay, Advocate and ThinkProgress

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Racing to Save the Stray Dogs of Sochi

Discussion: Voices

Ted Barrett / CNN:

Senate fails to advance unemployment bill — Washington (CNN) - A Democratic proposal to continue long term unemployment benefits failed Thursday to get the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural hurdle in the Senate despite support from some Republicans. — It was defeated 58 to 40.

Discussion: Liberaland

Ramsey Cox / The Hill:

Senate rejects jobless benefits — Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked Democrats' third attempt to pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits. — The Senate voted 58-40 Thursday on a proposal that would have continued unemployment insurance for three months, just short of the 60 votes needed to end debate.

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Senate Fails to Pass 3-Month Extension of Jobless Benefits

Discussion: The World's Greatest … and Prairie Weather

Julian Pecquet / The Hill:

Obama official: ‘F—k the EU’ — President Obama's top diplomat to Europe has been caught on tape saying “F—k the EU.” — The conversation between Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt was anonymously leaked on YouTube.

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Christopher J. Miller / kyivpost.com:

‘F**k the EU,’ frustrated Nuland says to Pyatt, in alleged leaked phone call (UPDATED) — In a conversation leaked online and posted to YouTube on Feb. 4, voices closely resembling those of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland discuss loosely …

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Business Insider, Hot Air, New York Times, Firedoglake and Mediaite

Dylan Scott / Talking Points Memo:

New Bogus GOP Obamacare Attack Debuts In 2014 Political Ad (VIDEO) — Despite the consistent refutation of their claim that the Congressional Budget Office said Obamacare would cost the country 2 million jobs — even from within their own party — Republicans are now putting the attack in congressional ads.

Discussion: The Plum Line, americanthinker.com and ThinkProgress

Chicago Tribune:
Obamacare and the incentive to work

Discussion: Shakesville, Weekly Standard and Hot Air

White House.gov Blog:
Six Economic Benefits of the Affordable Care Act

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, WRAL-TV, National Review, Politico, The Daily Banter, AEIdeas and No More Mister Nice Blog

Froma Harrop / Real Clear Politics:
Obamacare Bad-News Report Not So Bad

Discussion: Mediaite and VodkaPundit

USA Today:

Texas candidate keeping distance from Christie — ASBURY, N.J. — Not even a trip to the Lone Star State is allowing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to get away from the George Washington Bridge scandal. — Christie, as chairman of the Republican Governors Association …

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Hullabaloo

Mario Trujillo / The Hill:
Romney floats Martinez, others for 2016

Discussion: Politico

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Alaska Miscellany —For the first time in its polling PPP finds …

Discussion: Daily Kos, TheBlaze.com and Firedoglake

Cheryl Hurd / nbcbayarea.com:

Controversy Surrounds Lunch Menu at Concord High School — Administrators at a Northern California private school are facing tough questions and offering a big apology after a menu controversy. — Students at Carondelet High School for Girls in Concord wanted to come up with ways …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and The Raw Story

ThinkProgress:

Taliban Fighters Claim To Have Captured U.S. Military Dog — The Taliban this week released a video that may well be the first of its kind — one that shows a dog they claim to be a U.S. military service dog, still wearing its gear, and that they say was captured after a lengthy firefight with American troops.

Discussion: Washington Post and Liberaland

BBC:
Afghan Taliban capture British military dog

Discussion: Mediaite and Telegraph

Kevin Drum / Mother Jones:

Paul Ryan Is the Odds-On Favorite to Win the Republican Nomination in 2016 — There's been a lot of blathering about who the front-runner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination is, and so far I've resisted taking part. But I guess I'm kind of curious: Is there much of a case to be made for anyone other than Paul Ryan?

Discussion: Hot Air and CANNONFIRE

Bloomberg:

Jails Enroll Inmates in Obamacare to Pass Hospital Costs to U.S. — Being arrested in Chicago for, say, drug possession or assault gets you sent to the Cook County Jail to be fingerprinted, photographed and X-rayed. You'll also get help applying for health insurance.

Discussion: Crime and Consequences Blog, Rush Limbaugh and Weekly Standard

Mother Jones:

The Koch Brothers Left a Confidential Document at Their Last Donor Conference—Read It Here — A list of one-on-one meetings between VIP donors and the Kochs and their operatives offers a revealing look into their mighty political machine. — Charles Koch: Bo Rader/ZUMA; David Koch: Sonia Moskowitz/ZUMA

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Raw Story, Firedoglake, BillMoyers.com, Washington Post, Liberaland and susiemadrak.com

Laura Vozzella / Washington Post:

At Executive Mansion, McAuliffe puts out the welcome mat — RICHMOND — Gov. Terry McAuliffe has added a potent weapon to his bipartisan charm offensive: better booze. — Desperately in need of Republican friends to get his agenda through a divided General Assembly, McAuliffe (D) …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, National Review and Mediaite

James Carville / The Hill:

Days ahead for Dems not so dark — When one has retired from the ranks of American domestic political consulting, as I have, you are not really allowed to just quit. You become emeritus, of counsel, senior status and God knows what. Basically your role becomes one of trying …