Top Items:
New York Times:
A Brave Front, but Regrets? On Health Bill, Trump Has a Few — WASHINGTON — President Trump, the author of “The Art of the Deal,” has been projecting his usual bravado in public this week about the prospects of repealing the Affordable Care Act. Privately he is grappling with rare bouts of self-doubt.
Discussion:
Vox, Business Insider, Salon, No More Mister Nice Blog, Axios, NPR, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, New York Magazine and Reuters
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Adam Davidson / New Yorker:
What the G.O.P. Doesn't Get About Who Pays for Health Care — A few years ago, a relative of mine, an electrician who made a good living laying cable alongside highways, told me that his economic future depended on one thing: his back. He saw what happened to older guys …
Gabriel Sherman / New York Magazine:
Why Steve Bannon Might Be the Winner of the GOP's Health-Care Civil War — With hours to go before the House is set to (finally) vote on Paul Ryan's health-care bill, the Trump administration is putting a full-court press on recalcitrant Republicans to rally votes.
Axios:
The state of Trumpcare: Failure is an option — Here's the reality that President Trump and Republican leaders are facing: They want to repeal Obamacare, but not the popular parts of Obamacare. But to the most conservative Republicans, and their supporters, repeal means repeal …
Dan Balz / Washington Post:
A postponed health-care vote, a big GOP embarrassment and no good options ahead
A postponed health-care vote, a big GOP embarrassment and no good options ahead
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Occupy Democrats and Politico
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The Republican health-care proposal is breathtakingly unpopular
The Republican health-care proposal is breathtakingly unpopular
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The Hill, AOL, Politicus USA, Mediaite, Informed Comment, The Guardian, Slate, US News, Hot Air and Daily Wire
Adam Peck / ThinkProgress:
The White House may have skirted federal law to try and save its failing health care bill
The White House may have skirted federal law to try and save its failing health care bill
Discussion:
Fox News, FOX News Radio, Politicus USA, NBC News, Occupy Democrats, Common Dreams, CNBC and Fox News Insider
Scott Wong / The Hill:
Trump threatens to leave ObamaCare in place if repeal bill fails
Trump threatens to leave ObamaCare in place if repeal bill fails
Discussion:
Politico, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Political Wire
Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
The Republican health care plan is totally nuts
The Republican health care plan is totally nuts
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and Los Angeles Times
Mike DeBonis / Washington Post:
Trump delivers ultimatum to House Republicans: Pass health-care measure on Friday or he'll move on
Trump delivers ultimatum to House Republicans: Pass health-care measure on Friday or he'll move on
Philip Klein / Washington Examiner:
Here's why House conservatives think only partial repeal of Obamacare regulations will punish the sick
Here's why House conservatives think only partial repeal of Obamacare regulations will punish the sick
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, RedState, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Heat Street and Talking Points Memo
Tami Luhby / CNNMoney:
Revised Republican health care bill is more costly, but doesn't insure more people
Revised Republican health care bill is more costly, but doesn't insure more people
Discussion:
CNN, FiveThirtyEight, Mediaite, WPMT FOX43 and TheBlaze
Fox News:
Potential ‘smoking gun’ showing Obama administration spied on Trump team, source says — Republican congressional investigators expect a potential “smoking gun” establishing that the Obama administration spied on the Trump transition team, and possibly the president-elect himself …
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Mike Levine / ABC News:
Intel chair Devin Nunes unsure if Trump associates were directly surveilled — The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes, R-Calif., does not know “for sure” whether President Donald Trump or members of his transition team were even on the phone calls or other communications …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Washington Post, Hullabaloo, RT, Business Insider, Politico, Mediaite, Patterico's Pontifications, RedState, Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, CNN and The Daily Caller
CNN:
Schiff: New evidence shows possible Trump-Russia collusion — Schiff: New Trump-Russia collusion evidence — Washington (CNN)The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee is claiming that he has been presented with new information on collusion between associates of President Donald …
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE and Political Wire
Peter Hoekstra / Wall Street Journal:
Did Obama Abuse Raw Intelligence? — I couldn't have seen those transcripts when I led the House intel committee. — By — It was remarkable when Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, revealed Wednesday that Trump campaign officials were caught up in the inadvertent collection of intelligence.
Discussion:
The Hill and Washington Post
Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
The Note: The health care ultimatum — The big story: So there is a law of political physics that applies to Donald Trump after all. Actually, this one is basic math, in that House leaders and the White House have never had the majority they assumed they could get, as we approach today's showdown.
Discussion:
Business Insider and Raw Story
Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Nunes: I Had ‘Duty’ To Brief Trump Since He's ‘Taking Lot Of Heat’ In Media
Nunes: I Had ‘Duty’ To Brief Trump Since He's ‘Taking Lot Of Heat’ In Media
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Daniel Chaitin / Washington Examiner:
Bob Woodward: Obama officials possibly facing criminal charges for unmasking scheme
Bob Woodward: Obama officials possibly facing criminal charges for unmasking scheme
Discussion:
Fox News Insider and Balloon Juice
Nicholas Bagley / The Incidental Economist:
Confusion over essential health benefits — Last night, House Republicans released the text of the final manager's amendment to the American Health Care Act, including changes to the rules governing the essential health benefits. With these tweaks, the House hopes to pass the bill today.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice and Mother Jones
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
The Scammers, the Scammed and America's Fate — Many people are horrified, and rightly so, by what passes for leadership in today's Washington. And it's important to keep the horror of our political situation up front, to keep highlighting the lies, the cruelty, the bad judgment.
Media Matters for America:
The Life Cycle Of A Donald Trump Lie — On March 4, President Donald Trump declared himself the victim of a scandal on the level of the the Watergate crimes that brought down President Richard Nixon. In an early-morning tweetstorm apparently triggered by reading a Breitbart article …
Discussion:
PolitiFact, CNBC, Hullabaloo, Mashable and The Atlantic
Associated Press:
Ivanka Trump: A White House force, just not an ‘employee’ — President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump will have a security clearance, a West Wing office and the ear of her father on important policy matters. But don't call her an employee. — When it comes to government work, “employee” is more than just a word.
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Annie Karni / Politico:
Ivanka's lawyer, a Democrat, defends herself
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
A conservative news crack-up? Things just got real for some partisan personalities. — These should be high times for conservative news outlets, what with like-minded officials and operatives in control of virtually every important office in Washington. — And yet the news …
Lionel Barber / Financial Times:
Juncker warns Trump that anti-EU stance risks triggering Balkan war — European Commission president delivered admonition to vice-president Mike Pence — Read next … Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has delivered a blunt warning to Donald Trump against encouraging countries …
Discussion:
CNBC and Business Insider
Heritage Action for America:
“NO” ON AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT (H.R. 1628) — At some point, the House is expected to vote on the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628), which would partially repeal and replace various components of Obamacare. The proposed legislation repeals a number of Obamacare provisions …
Discussion:
The Daily Signal, Talking Points Memo and FOX6Now.com
John McCormack / Weekly Standard:
McCain Responds to Filibuster Threat: 'We're Going to Confirm Gorsuch' — Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday morning that he will try to lead fellow Senate Democrats to block an up-or-down vote on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News
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Matt Flegenheimer / New York Times:
Democrats Plan to Filibuster to Thwart Gorsuch Nomination
Democrats Plan to Filibuster to Thwart Gorsuch Nomination
Discussion:
The Hill, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, SCOTUSblog, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, DCReport, CNN, USA Today, Balloon Juice, Washington Post, Politico and Reuters
Katie Pavlich / Townhall.com:
In Wake of Rockville Rape, School Superintendent Accuses Parents of Racism — In the wake of an alleged brutal rape at Rockville High School in Maryland by two illegal aliens last week, Montgomery County Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith is accusing parents of racism and xenophobia.
Discussion:
BizPac Review, Fox News Insider and Washington Post
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Derek Hunter / Townhall.com:
Liberals Prefer Illegal Aliens Over Your Kids
Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Mulvaney: If Your State Doesn't Mandate Maternity Care, Change Your State — Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, one of the top administration officials who had been working to pass the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, on Friday morning brushed off concerns …
Discussion:
bradford-delong.com