Top Items:
Jeff Zeleny / CNN:
First on CNN: Biden expected to skip first Democratic debate — Washington (CNN)Vice President Joe Biden has extended his window for deciding whether to jump into the 2016 presidential campaign, several Democrats say, allowing the contest to play out even longer before he answers …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Booman Tribune, Hot Air, Mock Paper Scissors, NPR, Outside the Beltway, Althouse, Liberal Values and Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
CNN:
House Republicans repudiate McCarthy comments on Benghazi probe — McCarthy said Tuesday night that the GOP-led Congress had succeeded by bringing down Clinton's poll numbers because of the Benghazi probe — Washington (CNN)House Republicans on Wednesday sharply repudiated …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, msnbc.com, Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Politico, Hot Air, The Federalist, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg Business and Fox News
Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Benghazi Committee Distances Itself From McCarthy's Remark — After Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Tuesday touted the Select Committee on Benghazi's success in politically hurting Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Republican members of the Benghazi panel tried to distance themselves from his comment.
Discussion:
RedState, ABC News, The Moderate Voice and Mock Paper Scissors
Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
The Biden Campaign: One Hand Clapping — I just love the way this stuff is being reported right now: … That's from CNN's Jeff Zeleny, and you don't need any crib notes from me to notice that he's reporting lack of activity as activity and Biden's continuing stasis as a plan “he is likely to reveal” on down the road.
Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:
‘Morning Joe’ Wonders Whether McCarthy Just Hurt His Chances To Be Speaker (VIDEO)
‘Morning Joe’ Wonders Whether McCarthy Just Hurt His Chances To Be Speaker (VIDEO)
Discussion:
Mock Paper Scissors
John Archibald / al.com:
Alabama sends message: We are too broke to care about right and wrong — Alabama might as well just send an invitation to the Justice Department. Come on in guys. Come on down. — No need to reply with an RSVP. Because we know you'll be here. How could you resist?
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
David Edwards / Raw Story:
Alabama to stop issuing driver's licenses in counties with 75% black registered voters — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — The state of Alabama, which requires a photo ID to vote, announced this week that it would stop issuing driver's licenses in counties where 75 percent of registered voters are black.
Discussion:
LiberalAmerica.org, addictinginfo.org, Mock Paper Scissors and Outside the Beltway
Mike Cason / al.com:
State to close 5 parks, cut back services at driver license offices — State parks and driver license offices were the first casualties announced because of the reduced state budget, which goes into effect Thursday. — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced today that driver license examiners …
Discussion:
Shakesville
Kyle Whitmire / al.com:
Voter ID and driver's license office closures black-out Alabama's Black Belt
Voter ID and driver's license office closures black-out Alabama's Black Belt
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News
Ralph Peters / New York Post:
Putin wants to humiliate Obama with airstrikes in Syria — Barack Obama extends his hand to Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly. — The first thing to understand about Vladimir Putin is that he's not content just to win. He has to destroy his opponents, foreign or domestic.
Discussion:
National Review, Power Line and Daily Mail
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Russia vehemently defends Syrian airstrikes and denies targeting U.S. -backed rebels
Russia vehemently defends Syrian airstrikes and denies targeting U.S. -backed rebels
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, Telegraph, Political Wire, Guardian and ABC News
Wall Street Journal:
Russian Airstrike in Syria Targeted CIA-Backed Rebels, U.S. Officials Say
Russian Airstrike in Syria Targeted CIA-Backed Rebels, U.S. Officials Say
Discussion:
Business Insider, Jihad Watch, Hot Air, Pamela Geller, Washington Post and Bloomberg View
MJ Lee / CNN:
Russian airstrikes in Syria ‘OK’ with Trump
Russian airstrikes in Syria ‘OK’ with Trump
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Times, The Counter Jihad Report, Liberaland, The PJ Tatler and Hot Air
Rich Lowry / Politico:
It's the Abortion, Stupid — <p>If there's one thing Republicans established at this week's Planned Parenthood hearing it is that the organization's CEO, Cecile Richards, makes more than $500,000 — and probably deserves a raise. </p><p>Judging by the hearing, the only thing more painful …
RELATED:
Maria L. La GangaContact / Los Angeles Times:
Why the founder of #ShoutYourAbortion had to go into hiding
Why the founder of #ShoutYourAbortion had to go into hiding
Discussion:
Q13 FOX News and The Week
Evan HalperContact / Los Angeles Times:
New batch of Hillary Clinton's emails shows her cautiousness on gay rights — Hillary Rodham Clinton has lately positioned herself on the forefront of gay rights, but tucked into a newly disclosed batch of her emails is a reminder that she had long taken a more cautious approach to the issue.
Discussion:
Althouse and Washington Post
RELATED:
George Rede / Oregonian:
Sweet Cakes owners who refused to make same-sex wedding cake now refuse to pay $135,000 damages — “They are entitled to ... review of the case, but do not have the right to disregard a legally binding order.” — The Oregon couple who made national headlines when they refused to bake …
Discussion:
Conservative Intelligence …, Towleroad, Guardian, PinkNews, Q13 FOX News, Raw Story, Slantpoint, addictinginfo.org, Joe.My.God. and Willamette Week
Ali Vitali / NBC News:
Donald Trump in New Hampshire: Syrian Refugees Are ‘Going Back’ — KEENE, N.H. — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would send Syrian refugees “back” if he were elected to the White House. — In New Hampshire for the first time since he failed to correct …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Hollywood Life and Daily Mail
RELATED:
Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
Donald Trump, Jeb Bush take on Marco Rubio in New Hampshire
Donald Trump, Jeb Bush take on Marco Rubio in New Hampshire
Discussion:
Hot Air, Fox News, CNN, OnPolitics, Business Insider, SaintPetersBlog and Vocativ
Victorville Daily Press:
Cougar sightings rattle residents — Big cats seen in Lucerne Valley, Hesperia
Discussion:
CBS San Francisco and The Week
RELATED:
Peter Day / Victorville Daily Press:
Mountain Lion perched up pole near Cougar Buttes
Mountain Lion perched up pole near Cougar Buttes
Discussion:
Below are the posts from news., WGN-TV and KTLA
Dallas Franklin / KFOR-TV:
Woman says she is happier than ever after fulfilling lifelong wish of becoming blind — NORTH CAROLINA - A North Carolina woman says she is happier than ever after she fulfilled her lifelong wish of becoming blind. — Jewel Shuping, 30, has Body Integrity Identity Disorder, according to Barcroft TV.
Discussion:
WGN-TV
Vanessa Vitiello Urquhart / Slate:
Why Pope Francis' Meeting With Kim Davis Is Such a Disaster — I woke up this morning to reports that during his recent U.S. visit, Pope Francis met with Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk best known for refusing to issue lawful marriage licenses, interfering with the ability of her deputies …
Discussion:
The Week, The American Conservative and America | Papal Visit 2015
RELATED:
Pete Williams / NBC News:
Kentucky Governor: Kim Davis' Statements Show ‘Absurdity’
Kentucky Governor: Kim Davis' Statements Show ‘Absurdity’
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., Mediaite and Towleroad
Linda Greenhouse / New York Times:
A Chief Justice Without a Friend — Lest anyone suppose that the beating Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. is taking from Republican candidates might cause liberals to enfold him in a comforting embrace, the current issue of The Nation puts that thought to rest.
Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Cancels Virginia Rally Due To Hurricane With His Own Humblebrag — Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump regrets to inform you that his Friday rally in Virginia has been canceled on account of some inclement weather. — But he wants you to know that he called the whole thing off …
Discussion:
Political Wire
Greg Grandin / Gawker:
Kissinger Biography Is Great, Says Pal of Author and Kissinger in New York Times — This Sunday, the New York Times Book Review will publish a review of the first volume of Niall Ferguson's authorized biography of Henry Kissinger, Kissinger: The Idealist. The reviewer is Andrew Roberts.
Discussion:
New York Times, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Crooked Timber and Marginal REVOLUTION
Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:
Exclusive: Obama brushed off Reid's plea on Palestinian state — <p>Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on two different occasions this year went to White House chief of staff Denis McDonough seeking a public commitment from President Barack Obama that he would veto any U.N. resolution calling …
Discussion:
Independent Journal and The PJ Tatler