memeorandum: Gary Miller to Retire From Congress (Updated) (Video) (Abby Livingston/Roll Call)

8:50 PM ET, February 12, 2014

Top Items:

Russell Berman / The Hill:

Why the Speaker capitulated to Obama — Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) abrupt decision to capitulate and hand President Obama a straightforward debt-ceiling increase resulted from simmering divisions that have virtually paralyzed his majority. — On an issue that once defined his Speakership …

Discussion: Politico, Booman Tribune, JustOneMinute, Fox News and New York Times

John Stanton / BuzzFeed:

Someone's Been Sending GOP Lawmakers A Bizarre Threat Over The Debt Ceiling — House Republicans have been getting a weird email in recent weeks: a threat over the debt ceiling vote that's been sent to the lawmakers' closely guarded personal email addresses. “It's got to be another member.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Daily Kos and Liberaland

Ashley Parker / New York Times:

After G.O.P. Leaders Step In, Senate Votes to Raise Debt Ceiling — WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leaders on Wednesday rescued a measure to raise the nation's borrowing limit, overcoming a threatened filibuster from members of their own party and averting a potential shock to the economy.

Discussion: Independent Journal Review and CNN

Eric Posner / The New Republic:

Now That Boehner Has Backed Down, Let's Fix The Debt Ceiling For Good — John Boehner announced to House Republicans today that he would, indeed, bring a “clean” debt-ceiling bill to a vote, eliminating the prospect of another political stand-off over whether or not the country will default on its debts.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Monthly, American Spectator, The Week, Taking Note and Daily Kos

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
An Act of Surrender May Strengthen Boehner's Control

Discussion: Washington Post

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Ted Cruz: 60 votes or else on debt ceiling

Discussion: News Desk, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Rush Limbaugh and Firedoglake

CNN:

Former New Orleans mayor guilty of bribery, money laundering, fraud — (CNN) — Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, whose desperate pleas for help during Hurricane Katrina drew national attention, walked silently out of a courthouse Wednesday after a jury convicted him of federal corruption charges.

Discussion: New Orleans Times-Picayune, Hot Air and Ed Driscoll

Robert McClendon / New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Live coverage: Ray Nagin convicted, guilty on 20 charges — Ray Nagin has been found guilty on 20 of 21 corruption charges. You can read the full list of charges penalties below. — 3:20 p.m.: The court has released a copy of the verdict form handed in by the jury and signed by its forewoman.

Discussion: CNN, Mediaite and Hinterland Gazette

Associated Press:
Ex-New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin found guilty of corruption

Discussion: Independent Journal Review and The Gateway Pundit

Erick Erickson / RedState:

‘Impeach the President’ — You guys in the press who are reading this right now can be such shameless whores. I generally try to hold to the standard these days that if I wouldn't be outraged by George Chimpy McBushitler Halliburton and Darth Cheney doing something, I shouldn't be outraged by President Obama.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Riehl World News, The Raw Story, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, FishbowlDC, The Lonely Conservative and Little Green Footballs

Gromer Jeffers Jr / Dallas Morning News:

Wendy Davis backs 20-week abortion ban that defers to women — Wendy Davis said Tuesday that she would have supported a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, if the law adequately deferred to a woman and her doctor. — Davis, a Fort Worth senator and the likely Democratic nominee for governor …

Robert Draper / New York Times:
One sunny Friday morning in late January, Wendy Davis took …

Discussion: National Review and alicublog

Andrew Wolfson / Courier-Journal:

Kentucky ban on gay marriages from other states struck down by federal judge — In a ruling that could open the door to gay marriage in Kentucky, a federal judge on Wednesday struck down Kentucky's ban on recognizing valid same-sex marriages performed in other states, saying it violates …

Discussion: KCTV, SCOTUSblog, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, Advocate, Towleroad News #gay, Liberaland and Right Wing Watch

Daniel Strauss / Talking Points Memo:
Bevin Links KY Judge Behind Same-Sex Marriage Ruling To McConnell

Discussion: Washington Post

Jenna Levy / Gallup:

U.S. Uninsured Rate Drops so Far in First Quarter of 2014 — Rate among 26- to 34-year-olds continues to fall — WASHINGTON, D.C. — The percentage of uninsured Americans fell to 16.0% so far in the first quarter of 2014 from 17.1% in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Discussion: NationalJournal.com, ThinkProgress, Wonkblog, Daily Kos, The PJ Tatler and The Plum Line

John Podhoretz / New York Post:
No one can make ObamaCare work

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Washington Post:
The Obama administration has a mandate on the health-care law, too

Discussion: TheBlaze.com, PostPartisan and The Heritage Foundation

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:

‘Morning Joe’ Panelist Outraged That Chuck Todd Didn't Praise Chris Christie (VIDEO) — A “Morning Joe” panelist was shocked to learn Wednesday that some people weren't as dazzled by Chris Christie's visit to Chicago. — NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd stopped …

Discussion: Mediaite, New Jersey Online and Taylor Marsh

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:
Christie Ridicules Democrats for Emphasizing Income Inequality

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Hot Air, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, No More Mister Nice Blog, New Jersey Online and TIME

New Jersey Online:
Chris Christie needs to step down as RGA chief: Editorial

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo and CNN

Abby Livingston / Roll Call:

Gary Miller to Retire From Congress (Updated) (Video) — California Rep. Gary G. Miller announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election. — “It has been a great honor to spend so many years in public service, striving to make a difference for Southern California families,” Miller said in a statement.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
California GOP Rep. Gary Miller to retire

Discussion: Politico

Emma Bazilian / Adweek:

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue's Newest Model: Barbie Mattel unveils new ‘Unapologetic’ campaign in advertorial By Emma Bazilian — This year, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue turns 50, which means that plenty of SI Swim Legends will be popping up to pay tribute to this all-American institution.

Discussion: The Verge and National Review

Mark Boxley / Courier-Journal:

Eight Corvettes swallowed by massive sink hole at National Corvette Museum — A 40-foot sink hole at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green swallowed eight of the sports cars on display inside the the facility's iconic Sky Dome Wednesday morning, said executive director Wendell Strode.

Discussion: USA Today, New York Times, Mashable, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Raw Story and Shakesville

Reporters Without Borders:

Biggest rises and falls in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index — The 2014 World Press Freedom Index spotlights the negative impact of conflicts on freedom of information and its protagonists. The ranking of some countries has also been affected by a tendency to interpret national security needs …

Discussion: The Raw Story, Guardian, Jihad Watch, RT, Hit & Run, I Acknowledge, Mashable, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post and American Spectator, more at Mediagazer »

Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:

Union Drive Doesn't Bother Management, but G.O.P. Fumes — As workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., prepare to vote this week on whether to join the United Automobile Workers, they are facing unusual pressure from the state's Republican legislators to reject the union.

Discussion: Facing South, Los Angeles Times and PolicyShop

CNN:

Exclusive: Stop the NSA while we still can — Editor's note: Rand Paul is a Republican senator representing Kentucky. Matt Kibbe is president and CEO of FreedomWorks. Ken Cuccinelli is former attorney general of Virginia and a former Republican candidate for governor.

Discussion: The Verge, RAND PAC, Guardian, The Dish, Towleroad News #gay and The Lead with Jake Tapper

Jaime Fuller / Post Politics:
Rand Paul files suit against Obama, NSA Wednesday

Discussion: Taylor Marsh and Daily Kos

ABC News:

Topless Images of Olympic Skier a Scandal in Lebanon — BEIRUT - Lebanon has long been known as the most liberal Arab country in the Middle East, many of its women unafraid of baring the kind of flesh that would invite scorn and outrage elsewhere in the region.

Discussion: Riehl World News, Deadspin, Liberaland, USA Today and The Daily Caller

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

North Dakota Leads in Job Creation for Fifth Straight Year — Rhode Island replaced Maine in 2013 as state with lowest Job Creation Index — PRINCETON, NJ — For the fifth consecutive year, North Dakota topped all other states in employee perceptions of job creation at their workplaces in 2013 …

Discussion: Independent Journal Review and Real Clear Politics