memeorandum: Why I, Unlike Senator Rubio, Would Not Attend a Gay Wedding (Maggie Gallagher/National Review)

2:55 PM ET, April 17, 2015

Top Items:

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

McConnell plays hardball — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has dug in on Loretta Lynch's nomination to be attorney general, highlighting his willingness to play hard ball with the Democratic minority. — His maneuvers on Lynch shed light on how he will lead the upper chamber …

Discussion: Washington Post and Politico

Nick Gass / Politico:
Jeb Bush calls on Republicans to confirm Loretta Lynch

Discussion: ABC News, Hit & Run, New York Times and Bloomberg Business

The Hill:
House votes to repeal estate tax

Discussion: US News, Hullabaloo and Salon

Stephen Stromberg / Washington Post:
Blame Mitch McConnell for the Loretta Lynch gridlock

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Daily Kos, CNN and Politico

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Clashes Intensify Over Stalled Nomination of Loretta Lynch

Discussion: The Week

Zeke J Miller / TIME:
Jeb Bush Says Senate Should Confirm Loretta Lynch

Discussion: Politico, Daily Kos, BREITBART.COM, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit and Washington Post

Rachana Pradhan / Politico:

Rubio-backed insurance market covers 80 people — Obamacare, which Rubio wants to repeal, covers 1.6 million in Florida alone. — In 2008, while Democrats were declaring that the time was right for national health care reform, Marco Rubio, the speaker of the Florida House, had a ready response …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Jay Bookman, Shakesville and The Week

Marc Caputo / Politico:
Florida poll: Rollout helps Marco Rubio tie Jeb Bush in home state

Discussion: Power Line, Bloomberg Business, No More Mister Nice Blog, SaintPetersBlog and American Spectator

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard: The Rise of Rubio — A first-term Florida senator sets his sights on the White House

BostonGlobe.com:

To end the anguish, drop the death penalty — In Bill and Denise Richard's own words — The past two years have been the most trying of our lives. Our family has grieved, buried our young son, battled injuries, and endured numerous surgeries — all while trying to rebuild lives that will never be the same.

Discussion: Boston Herald, ThinkProgress, CBS Boston, New York Times, WBUR, TalkLeft, American Spectator, Outside the Beltway, Associated Press, Washington Post, Mashable, Poynter., FOX6Now.com, The Week and Sentencing Law and Policy

James Pindell / BostonGlobe.com:

The largest presidential campaign in N.H.? It's not even close. — For nearly two years, potential Republican presidential candidates have visited New Hampshire to meet with activists, interview with local media, and speak at party functions. If they're lucky, these White House hopefuls …

Discussion: Fox News and Washington Post

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Why is the 2016 Democratic field so old? — Why are the Democrats running for president so old? Blame the Clintons. — There are five Democrats who have either declared or are thinking about running for president. Three — Joe Biden, Bernard Sanders, and Jim Webb — will be over 70 years old on Inauguration Day 2017.

Discussion: Hit & Run and Hot Air

Michael Falcone / ABC News:
The Note: GOP Prospects Gather In New Hampshire Ahead Of Hillary

Discussion: Bloomberg Business and The Hill

Maggie Gallagher / National Review:

Why I, Unlike Senator Rubio, Would Not Attend a Gay Wedding — On your happy day you should be surrounded by people who can honor your vow and help you keep it. I can't do that. — Senator Marco Rubio, one of our most attractive and charismatic leaders in the rising generation, just announced he's running for president.

Discussion: Hit & Run, Right Wing Watch, Good As You, Joe. My. God. and Politico

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:

GOP Senator Explains GOP's Biggest Fear If Obamacare Goes Down In Court — In a little-noticed radio interview, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) articulated the GOP's biggest fear if the Supreme Court wipes out Obamacare tax credits for millions of Americans who buy insurance from the federal HealthCare.gov exchange.

Discussion: Jay Bookman

Liz Mair / The Daily Beast:

You Deserve Hillary's Bloodless, Condescending Campaign — An increasingly shallow and risk-averse America gets the most shallow and risk-averse candidate imaginable. — The Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign part deux is less than a week old, and already reporters and opinionators across America are complaining.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Balloon Juice, Weekly Standard, The Fiscal Times, Hot Air and Moe Lane

Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
She rides by van: The Hillary Clinton launch

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, Townhall.com, Guardian, Betsy's Page and The Week

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:
Woe of White Men, Again?

Discussion: Bloomberg View and PUNDIT PRESS

Jordan Smith / opposingviews.com/homepage.xml:

Deli Owner Closes Shop After Displaying Controversial White History Sign — There was nothing out of the ordinary about Jimbo's Deli on Main Street in Flemington, New Jersey. That was until owner Jim Boggess posted a sign in his shop window at the beginning of March which declared, “Celebrate your white heritage in March.

Discussion: New Jersey Online, FreakOutNation, Booman Tribune, Talking Points Memo and FOX News Radio

Asawin Suebsaeng / The Daily Beast:

Ted Cruz's Favorite ‘Simpsons’ Episodes — Republican senator and Presidential candidate Ted Cruz plays TV critic and opines about his favorite ‘Simpsons’ episodes. — Ted Cruz is many things. He's the star of his very own patriotic coloring book. He's a Republican senator from Texas.

Discussion: rubber hose, Raw Story, New York Magazine and Mediaite

The Federalist:
Ted Cruz's Favorite Simpsons Episodes May Surprise You

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post and Fox News

Shane Goldmacher / National Journal:

Jeb Bush Backs Hike in Social Security Retirement Age — The Republican charges into one of the more controversial issues in American politics. — MANCHESTER, NH—Jeb Bush grabbed one of the third rails of American politics on Friday, declaring that the retirement age for Social Security …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Daily Caller, Hit & Run and Eschaton

John McCormack / Weekly Standard:
Huckabee Bashes Republican Plans to Reform Medicare and Social Security

Discussion: Hot Air and FiveThirtyEight

Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:

Jeb Bush on Terri Schiavo: 'I don't think I would have changed anything' — MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former Florida governor Jeb Bush on Friday once again defended his decision to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, a Florida woman whose death capped an intense national debate about ethics and politics …

Discussion: Daily Kos and Hullabaloo

Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
The world according to Jeb Bush

Discussion: Politico, Outside the Beltway, SaintPetersBlog, Prairie Weather, FOX News Radio, The Moderate Voice and Daily Kos

Hadas Gold / Politico:

Judge Carville? — The ragin' cajun political consultant James Carville filmed a pilot for a Judge Judy-style courtroom show called “Carville's Court,” the On Media blog has learned. — The reality show featured the former Bill Cinton campaign strategist presiding over small claims cases …

Discussion: Mediaite and FishbowlDC

Aurelius / PUNDIT PRESS:

College Apologizes for Serving Mexican Food During Sci-Fi Event — Stevenson College is apologizing to its students for serving Mexican food during “Intergalactic” night. — In a letter sent out to students, the college apologized for having “a Mexican food buffet,” while also featuring spaceships and aliens.

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, protein wisdom, The Daily Caller and davidthompson

Vanessa Peng / KCCI-TV:

Town shocked by exorcism, bartered sex for services case — According to documents released by the Iowa Board of Chiropractic on Wednesday, the license of a chiropractor has been suspended for “engaging in sexual contact with several patients.” — Watch video

Discussion: Raw Story and FreakOutNation

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

How ‘Negative Partisanship’ Has Transformed American Politics — A new paper explains Bush, Obama, and Clinton's 2016 prospects. — Shares — President Obama's approval ratings are hovering a few points below 50 percent, and his party is seeking a third straight term in the White House.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, Vox and The Week

Eun Kyung Kim / TODAY.com:

Tulsa Reserve Deputy Robert Bates apologizes to Eric Harris' family, dismisses false records report — Speaking publicly for the first time since he shot and killed an unarmed man during a police raid earlier this month in Oklahoma, 73-year-old reserve deputy Robert Bates apologized to the family …

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Common Dreams, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, Raw Story and Tulsa World

Frances Robles / New York Times:

Fee to Be Charged for Video of South Carolina Shooting, Publicist Says — NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The video of a North Charleston police officer shooting an unarmed man in the back will now cost news outlets that want to run it $10,000, according to a publicist representing the man who shot it.