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, The PJ Tatler, Weekly Standard and Hot Air
RELATED:
Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Minnesota Poll results: Obama job approval — The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll surveyed 800 Minnesota adults Feb. 10-12, 2014. Respondents were reached on both landlines and cell phones. The poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus.
Discussion:
BizPac Review
Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Obama: Signing Up for Obamacare Is ‘Just Part of Growing Up’ — An interview former NBA star Charles Barkley conducted with President Obama aired last night on TNT. In the interview, President Obama defended Obamacare and called signing up for the health care program “just part of growing up”:
Discussion:
Hot Air
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:
Firedoglake, RedState and americanthinker.com
RELATED:
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
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 »
RELATED:
James Barron / New York Times:
Polk Awards Honor Articles on N.S.A. Surveillance
Polk Awards Honor Articles on N.S.A. Surveillance
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Poynter and Prairie Weather
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
Jose DelReal / Politico:
Marco Rubio on stimulus: 5 years of failure — Sen. Marco Rubio on Monday will release a video to mark the 5th anniversary of the economic stimulus bill, charging that it “clearly failed.” — “If you recall five years ago, the notion was that if the government spent all this money …
Discussion:
The Plum Line
David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:
Same-sex marriage moving swiftly back toward Supreme Court — Lower-court rulings have struck down state bans, meaning the issue could face a definitive test before justices as early as next year. — Demonstrators support same-sex marriage outside a federal courthouse in Virginia.
Al Baker / New York Times:
Common Core Curriculum Now Has Critics on the Left — The Common Core has been applauded by education leaders and promoted by the Obama administration as a way to replace a hodgepodge of state standards with one set of rigorous learning goals. Though 45 states and the District of Columbia …
Discussion:
Capitol Confidential and The Hugh Hewitt Show
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
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
RELATED:
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
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
RELATED:
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