Top Items:
Julian Hattem / The Hill:
In first, Minnesota poll finds Obama unpopular — Half of the residents of Minnesota now disapprove of President Obama's performance, according to a new poll. — Results of The Star Tribune survey represent the first time that his approval rating has turned negative in the state since the president took office in 2009.
Discussion:
CNN, BizPac Review, Hot Air and Weekly Standard
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Simon Bowers / Guardian:
Abba admit outrageous outfits were worn to avoid tax — New book reveals band's style was influenced by Swedish laws that allowed cost of outfits to be deducted against tax — The glittering hotpants, sequined jumpsuits and platform heels that Abba wore at the peak of their fame were designed …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys
James Hohmann / Politico:
Dems' new 2014 plan: Neutralize Obamacare — Democrats know their biggest problem in this year's midterm election is Obamacare. So top party operatives have settled on a strategy to try blunting the GOP's advantage: Tell voters Republicans would make the problem worse …
Discussion:
Hot Air and americanthinker.com
RELATED:
Martin Pengelly / Guardian:
Journalists who broke NSA story in Guardian receive George Polk Awards — The three journalists who broke the National Security Agency revelations from Edward Snowden in the Guardian are among the recipients of the prestigious 2013 George Polk Awards in Journalism.
Discussion:
Liberaland and Taylor Marsh, more at Mediagazer »
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James Barron / New York Times:
Polk Awards Honor Articles on N.S.A. Surveillance
Polk Awards Honor Articles on N.S.A. Surveillance
Discussion:
Poynter, Balloon Juice and Prairie Weather
Chris Wallace / Fox News:
Battle to derail potential 2016 presidential candidates; does the president have the authority to rewrite ObamaCare? — Special Guests: Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland , Karl Rove, Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Girard Senahi — This is a rush transcript from “Fox News Sunday,” February 16, 2014.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and NewsBusters
RELATED:
Scott Johnson / Power Line:
Strickland stricken — Karl Rove demolished former Ohio …
Strickland stricken — Karl Rove demolished former Ohio …
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon and Instapundit
Juan Williams / The Hill:
Republican leaders must keep Tea Party on the run — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-Ky.) are now in position to end the Tea Party's death grip on the Republican Party's political future. — Last week, Boehner and McConnell faced down the Tea Party's threat …
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Barons of Broadband — Last week's big business news was the announcement that Comcast, a gigantic provider of cable TV and high-speed Internet service, has reached a deal to acquire Time Warner, which is merely huge. If regulators approve the deal, Comcast will be an overwhelmingly dominant player …
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Alana Goodman / Washington Free Beacon:
Restricted Access — An extensive collection of papers related to Bill and Hillary Clinton's years in the Arkansas governor's mansion remains under tight control at a public library in Little Rock, with access restricted by the Clinton Foundation. — President Bill Clinton donated his papers …
Discussion:
WND and Liberaland
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Noah Rothman / Mediaite:
Romney: Bill Clinton ‘Embarrassed the Nation,’ Shirked His Adult Responsibilities
Romney: Bill Clinton ‘Embarrassed the Nation,’ Shirked His Adult Responsibilities
Discussion:
his vorpal sword and The Daily Caller
Walter Russell Mead / The American Interest Podcast:
Slaughter in the Cities, Ineffectual Mumbling in the White House — This is what a policy looks like when it dies and goes to hell. The FT reports that violence is ramping up in Syria, with Assad agents using devastating “barrel bombs” against rebel areas. More:
Discussion:
Power Line and Right Turn
Ashley Fantz / CNN:
Reality show snake-handling preacher dies — of snakebite — (CNN) — A Kentucky pastor who starred in a reality show about snake-handling in church has died — of a snakebite. — Jamie Coots died Saturday evening after refusing to be treated, Middleborough police said.
Discussion:
WBIR-TV, Scared Monkeys, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo
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Bill Estep / Lexington Herald-Leader:
Jamie Coots, well-known Middlesboro preacher, dies from snakebite
Jamie Coots, well-known Middlesboro preacher, dies from snakebite
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Variety, Galesburg and Mashable
John Steele Gordon / Commentary Magazine:
The UAW's Waterloo — The United Auto Workers Union suffered a devastating defeat on Friday, when its attempt to organize the workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga failed on a vote of 712-626 (53-47 percent). The company had agreed not to resist the organizing effort and gave the union access to the plant and its workers.
Discussion:
OpenSecrets.org, Wall Street Journal and Betsy's Page
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
In U.S., Border Security, Immigrant Status Equally Important — Americans gave border security higher priority in past — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans now assign about equal importance to the two major aspects of immigration reform being debated in Washington.
Discussion:
Political Insider blog, Politico and Real Clear Politics
Jonathan Amos / BBC:
Missouri gun murders ‘rose after law repeal’ — There are more than 300 million handguns in circulation in the US — Researchers claim a new study provides some of the most compelling evidence yet for tighter gun controls in the US. — The team followed the consequences of the State …
Discussion:
The Raw Story
Bloomberg:
You Wouldn't Believe What I Saw in the Dachau Gift Shop — This is a piece about a photograph I took in the gift shop at the Dachau concentration camp a couple of weeks ago. — Before I go any further, a confession: This photograph would get me fired by the Associated Press, which has strict rules about manipulating imagery.
Discussion:
Ed Driscoll