memeorandum: GOP Congressman Thinks Putin Is Being “Demonized” In The U.S. (Andrew Kaczynski/BuzzFeed)

6:20 PM ET, March 3, 2014

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President Obama's foreign policy is based on fantasy — FOR FIVE YEARS, President Obama has led a foreign policy based more on how he thinks the world should operate than on reality. It was a world in which “the tide of war is receding” and the United States could, without much risk, radically reduce the size of its armed forces.

Michael Cohen / Guardian:

Don't listen to Obama's Ukraine critics: he's not ‘losing’ - and it's not his fight — The ‘do something’ pundits rear their heads. Just like they did on Iraq, Afghanistan and every other crisis of US ‘credibility’ — The armchair class is certain that Putin is winning and Obama is losing.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Bloomberg View, The Huffington Post, The Dish, The Monkey Cage, Hullabaloo, American Thinker, Balloon Juice, Business Insider, Washington Post, The Fix, The Lonely Conservative and Right Turn

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

GOP Congressman Thinks Putin Is Being “Demonized” In The U.S. — California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said he doesn't support Russia taking military action in Ukraine, but “that doesn't mean Putin and pro-Russia forces in Ukraine are in the wrong.” — Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher …

Discussion: Liberaland

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Pressure Rising as Obama Works to Rein In Russia — WASHINGTON — As Russia dispatched more forces and tightened its grip on the Crimean Peninsula on Sunday, President Obama embarked on a strategy intended to isolate Moscow and prevent it from seizing more Ukrainian territory even as he was pressured at home to respond more forcefully.

CNN:

Tensions rise in Crimea amid report of Russian ultimatum — (CNN) — Russia has issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in Crimea to clear out by 5 a.m. Tuesday or face a “military storm,” according to Russian state-run news agency Interfax, which cited a Ukrainian Defense Ministry source.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Christian Science Monitor, US Department of State, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, nato.int and The Daily Caller

David Weigel / Slate:

Democratic Senator: Crimea Crisis is Happening Because America Looked Weak in Syria — Every year, a large sector of the Washington Convention Center is occupied and bedazzled for the AIPAC Policy Conference. It's an overwhelming event, with optics and booming Hollywood soundtracks …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Free Beacon and The Daily Caller

Russell Berman / The Hill:
US moves to isolate Russia from ‘community of civilized nations’

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air, kyivpost.com, The Week, The Dish and The Democratic Daily

Jeffrey Goldberg / Bloomberg View:

Obama to Israel — Time Is Running Out — When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House tomorrow, President Barack Obama will tell him that his country could face a bleak future — one of international isolation and demographic disaster — if he refuses to endorse …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Times of Israel, Guardian, Business Insider, Weekly Standard, The PJ Tatler, BizPac Review, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Taylor Marsh, Israpundit, Hot Air, Israel Matzav, Booman Tribune and The Gateway Pundit

Elliott Abrams / Weekly Standard:
If He Believes It, It Must Be So — On the eve of the Netanyahu visit …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, VodkaPundit, The Times of Israel, Right Turn, Business Insider and Power Line

Walter Russell Mead:
Putin Invades Crimea: Obama Hardest Hit?

Discussion: Ed Driscoll and Instapundit

John Podhoretz / Commentary Magazine:
The President's Prophetic Threats to Israel

Discussion: Right Turn, The Times of Israel, The PJ Tatler and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Louis Charbonneau / Reuters:

Russia: Yanukovich asks Putin for Russian military in Ukraine — UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Ukraine's ousted leader Viktor Yanukovich has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use the Russian military to restore law and order in Ukraine, Moscow's U.N. envoy said on Monday.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and kyivpost.com

Josh Rogin / The Daily Beast:
Inside Obama's Plans to Squeeze Russia

Discussion: Guardian, Forbes, National Review, Ricochet Conversations Feed, The Other McCain, Yahoo! News, Jammie Wearing Fools and NO QUARTER USA NET

Anatol Lieven / Zocalo Public Square:
Why Obama Shouldn't Fall for Putin's Ukrainian Folly

Discussion: The Belgravia Dispatch, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway and Guardian

Julian Pecquet / The Hill:
Obama warns Russia of political, economic ‘isolation’

Discussion: Liberaland

Larry Hannan / Florida Times Union:

Marissa Alexander's sentence could triple in ‘warning-shot’ case — A Jacksonville woman whose case generated outrage when she was sentenced to 20 years in prison may end up behind bars for 60 years for the same crime. — The Office of State Attorney Angela Corey will seek to put Marissa Alexander …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA, The Raw Story, Gone Viral Blog, Shakesville, Black Youth Project, Dispatches from the Underclass, theGrio, ABC News, Guardian and Hinterland Gazette

Carl Hulse / New York Times:

If Given Control, McConnell Vows a Senate in Working Order — WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell still has a few obstacles to overcome to become Senate majority leader next year. First, he has to win his own primary and general election back in Kentucky, where his popularity has suffered.

Discussion: Hot Air and National Review

Michael Barone / Washington Examiner:
What to do about Putin's invasion of Ukraine?

Discussion: New York Times and Fox News

Cincinnati.com:

Boehner to Enquirer: Putin a ‘thug’ — The time has come to join with Europe to impose sanctions against Russia, House Speaker John Boehner said in an exclusive meeting at The Enquirer Monday. — But Boehner did not say what sanctions should be taken in the wake of Russia's threatening military action in Ukraine.

Discussion: CNN, Kitsap Sun, Post Politics, Politico, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller

Catherine Shoard / Guardian:

Oscars 2014: 10 things we learned — The 86th Academy Awards are over. Here's our top takeaways from the night, from Meryl's moves to Matthew's megalomania — It turns out Hollywood knows about selfies … Remember that president guy? Barack somethingorother?

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, Mashable, Bangor Daily News, Gawker, TechCrunch, The Huffington Post, Politico, TheBlaze.com, The Verge, Gizmodo, Taylor Marsh, The Daily Banter and CBS DC, more at Mediagazer »

Jasmine Sachar / The Hill:

Dems scramble to stop LaRouche candidate — Texas Democrats are scrambling to can stop a controversial pro-impeachment, anti-ObamaCare candidate from advancing in their party's Senate primary. — Winning the general election is long shot for any nominee.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Kenneth Lovett / NY Daily News:
Brooklyn senator wants five Independents tossed from Democratic Party

Discussion: Politicker

Eric Lach / Talking Points Memo:

Candidate Stockman Threatens Jail To Anyone Who Publishes His Mugshot — Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) says he's been vindicated. — The Texas conservative's underdog Senate campaign on Monday published a defiant statement, claiming that Stockman has “grounds to file criminal complaints” …

Discussion: stockman2014.com and The Daily Banter

Paul Liberatore / Marin Independent Journal:

Lib at Large: Novato contractor supplies century-old log cabins for new Twitter headquarters — WHAT'S NEW IS old at Twitter's new San Francisco headquarters. — The high-tech firm has a new look for its old logo, a new office in an old building and, in a few weeks, new dining rooms in some very old log cabins.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Verge, Associated Press, Mashable, Gawker and TechCrunch

Jackie Calmes / New York Times:

Democrats Try Wooing Ones Who Got Away: White Men — ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Frank Houston knows something about the longtime estrangement of white men from the Democratic Party. His family roots are in nearby Macomb County, the symbolic home of working-class Reagan Democrats who …

Discussion: Liberal Values, The Raw Story, Democratic Strategist, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Shakesville

Glenn Kessler / The Fact Checker:

Rep. Darrell Issa disputes his Four-Pinocchio ratings — CHRIS WALLACE: That brings up my final question for you, because you have come under fire both in the IRS and Benghazi and other investigations of your committee for political witch hunts. They point specifically to a speech you gave …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, PoliticusUSA and The Raw Story