Top Items:
David Wright / CNN:
Trump: Muslim ban ‘just a suggestion’ — Washington (CNN)Donald Trump, who issued a December press release “calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” said Wednesday such a ban “hasn't been called for yet” and it was “only a suggestion.”
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Rachael Bade / Politico:
Top Trump ally on Capitol Hill: He snubbed us — One of Donald Trump's top allies in Congress slammed the presumptive GOP nominee after he failed to meet with rank-and-file lawmakers backing his campaign during his ballyhooed trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday.
Discussion:
Bloomberg and The Right Scoop
Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Trump, Ryan signal unity — touted that they are “totally committed to working together” in a joint statement after their high-profile Thursday morning meeting, calling for “shared principles” and a “conservative agenda.” — The meeting between the two GOP heavy hitters …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal and Israpundit
Nick Gass / Politico:
Obama: Republicans likely to correct course after 2016
Obama: Republicans likely to correct course after 2016
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Slate and National Review
Matt Bai / Yahoo:
Trump needs unity less than you think
Trump needs unity less than you think
Discussion:
Hot Air, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, Bloomberg, RealClearPolitics and Latest from Crooks and Liars
Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
RNC Chair Reince Priebus Says Donald Trump ‘Gets’ How to Be Presidential
RNC Chair Reince Priebus Says Donald Trump ‘Gets’ How to Be Presidential
Discussion:
Washington Times and Politico
David Corn / Mother Jones:
On Facebook, Trump's Longtime Butler Calls for Obama to Be Killed — Anthony Senecal, who worked as Donald Trump's butler for 17 years before being named the in-house historian at the tycoon's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, has repeatedly published posts on his Facebook page …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Talking Points Memo, Daily Mail, AOL, New York Magazine, The Week, Mediaite and The Right Scoop
Peter Sullivan / The Hill:
Judge rules for House GOP in ObamaCare suit — A federal judge on Thursday ruled in favor of House Republicans in their lawsuit against the Obama administration over ObamaCare. — In a major ruling, Judge Rosemary Collyer, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said the administration does …
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Free Beacon, MishTalk and John Hawkins' Right Wing News
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David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:
Federal judge rules Obamacare is being funded unconstitutionally — The HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington. A federal judge has ruled that the Obama administration is unconstitutionally spending federal money to fund the president's healthcare law.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
Tom Howell Jr / Washington Times:
Judge rules in favor of House GOP in Obamacare lawsuit
Judge rules in favor of House GOP in Obamacare lawsuit
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Instapundit and mrctv.org/videos
Spencer S. Hsu / Washington Post:
Judge strikes down Obama health law insurance subsidy in victory for House GOP
Judge strikes down Obama health law insurance subsidy in victory for House GOP
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog and Outside the Beltway
Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:
U.S. judge hands win to Republicans in Obamacare challenge
U.S. judge hands win to Republicans in Obamacare challenge
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon and LawNewz
Tim Kenneally / The Wrap:
Caitlyn Jenner Experienced ‘Sex Change Regret,’ Might De-Transition, Biographer Says — “It hasn't been easy for Caitlyn, it's been very hard,” Ian Halperin recalls one source telling him — Caitlyn Jenner, who announced her transition from man to woman last year, has considered de-transitioning …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Hot Air, Refinery29, The Daily Caller, WNCN, Fox News, AOL, CBS Detroit, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Independent Journal …
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Valerie Boey / WOFL:
George Zimmerman's gun up for auction — LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who was acquitted in the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2013, is selling his gun. — The 9mm pistol that Zimmerman said was used to shoot and kill Trayvon Martin on February 26 …
Discussion:
Orlando Sentinel, Washington Post, USA Today, TMZ.com, New York Daily News, The Moderate Voice, TIME, Daily Mail, RedState, Hot Air, BizPac Review, CBS Miami, Friendly Atheist, NPR, NBC News, The Daily Caller, Refinery29, Scared Monkeys, Daily Kos, LawNewz, The Atlantic, WKMG, AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog …, Talking Points Memo, New York Times and Mediaite
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Faith Karimi / CNN:
George Zimmerman reportedly selling gun used to kill Trayvon Martin
George Zimmerman reportedly selling gun used to kill Trayvon Martin
Discussion:
Mediaite, TheBlaze.com, Hullabaloo, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, fox13now.com, WQAD-TV, Boing Boing and The Atlantic
Adam Housley / Fox News:
‘We could have been there’: Squadron member speaks out on stalled Benghazi response — His squadron got the alert: a “real world mission was going down.” — The team - at Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy - raced to the field and was briefed, as planes were armed and prepared to launch.
Discussion:
BizPac Review, Independent Journal …, Scared Monkeys, RedState and The Daily Caller
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Todd Gitlin / Washington Post:
Donald Trump's secret for avoiding hard questions — Do your homework. Ask the follow-up. — The constant spotlight fixed on Donald Trump for the last year would have overwhelmed any other candidate, particularly one so evasive. But not him: Trump now campaigns as pro-life — but he was …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Media Matters for America
Annie Karni / Politico:
Biden wanted Warren as his VP — Joe Biden took months to decide he wouldn't run for president — but he was sold on Elizabeth Warren as his running mate from the start, people familiar with the situation told POLITICO. — And he still thinks the Massachusetts firebrand …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, The Week and ABC News
Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:
I Saw Trump's Tax Returns. You Should, Too. — In January, Donald Trump had this to say when he was asked about whether he would release his tax returns: “I have very big returns, as you know, and I have everything all approved and very beautiful and we'll be working that over in the next period of time.”
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, CANNONFIRE, BillMoyers.com, Vox, The Week, USA Today and Slate
Joshua J. McElwee / ncronline.org:
Francis to create commission to study female deacons in Catholic church — Pope Francis has announced he will create a commission to study the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons in the Catholic church, signaling an historic openness to the possibility of ending the global institution's practice of an all-male clergy.
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Washington Post, CBS San Francisco, Religion News Service, Mother Jones and The Week
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Cindy Wooden Catholic / Catholic News Service:
Pope tells women religious Vatican will study women deacons
Pope tells women religious Vatican will study women deacons
New York Times:
Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold — LOS ANGELES — Dozens of Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, including at least 15 medal winners, were part of a state-run doping program, meticulously planned for years to ensure dominance at the Games …
Discussion:
New York Post, Gizmodo, ABC News and The Week
Daily Mail:
‘Screw the next generation’: Anonymous congressman writes tell-all and slams ‘nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep’ as he admits he never reads bills he votes on — ‘My main job is to keep my job, to get reelected. It takes precedence over everything,’ an anonymous member of Congress writes in a new book
Discussion:
The Week
Philip Shenon / Guardian:
Saudi officials were ‘supporting’ 9/11 hijackers, commission member says — First serious public split revealed among commissioners over the release of the secret ‘28 pages’ that detail Saudi ties to 2001 terrorist attacks — A former Republican member of the 9/11 commission …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, The Daily Beast, Washington Post, Hit & Run, Raw Story, Boing Boing and Common Dreams
Andrew J. Tobias / Plain Dealer:
Artist organizing mass photo shoot of 100 nude women during Cleveland Republican National Convention — Volunteers—2754 people—pose nude on the E. 9th St. pier on Saturday, June 26, 2004 as part of a photo shoot organized by New York art photographer Spencer Tunick.
Discussion:
Mediaite, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, BizPac Review and The Daily Caller
Jed Graham / Investor's Business Daily:
POLICY — Wendy's (WEN) said that self-service ordering kiosks will be made available across its 6,000-plus restaurants in the second half of the year as minimum wage hikes and a tight labor market push up wages. — It will be up to franchisees whether to deploy the labor-saving technology …
Discussion:
Independent Journal …, RedState, twitchy.com, Hot Air, Red Alert Politics, The Daily Caller and The Right Scoop
David Wade / Politico:
Bernie Sanders, the Zombie Candidate — When he first decided to run for president, Bernie Sanders had a goal in mind: to start a political revolution by getting big money out of politics. — If he wants to do it—if Sanders wants to build a lasting movement to fight money's outsize influence …
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
The Party Surrenders — With Marco Rubio's grudging, painful statement this week that he intends to support “the nominee” (for many Republicans, He Who Must Not Be Named), and with Paul Ryan possibly contemplating assimilation, it's a good time to take one last look back at what I got wrong …
Discussion:
Washington Post and bradford-delong.com