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8:20 PM ET, May 20, 2010

Top Items:

David Weigel / Right Now:

Rand Paul, telling the truth — If we use “gaffe” in its proper, Kinsleyan form, that's what U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul issued to NPR yesterday, and that's what he defended on Rachel Maddow's show last night. He told the truth about his stance on the Civil Rights Act.

Ezra Klein:

Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — It's safe to say Rand Paul's first few days as the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat in Kentucky are not going well.

The Huffington Post:

Rand Paul On Civil Rights Controversy: I Shouldn't Have Talked To Rachel Maddow [UPDATED] — See new updates below. — The morning after he declined to endorse the totality of the Civil Rights Act in his much-discussed appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show, Dr. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) …

Discussion: The Politico, Raw Story, TPMDC, The Moderate Voice, Newsweek Blogs, The Corner on National …, Balkinization, Beltway Confidential, Pam's House Blend and Swampland

Lee Fang / Think Progress:

Exclusive: DeMint Says He Disagrees With Rand Paul On Civil Rights, Needs To ‘Talk To Rand About His Positions’ — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) endorsed anti-government extremist Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Kentucky US Senate primary, funneling money and resources for his successful campaign.

Discussion: Right Now, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Balloon Juice, TPMDC, The Rachel Maddow Show, Page One, Barefoot and Progressive, The Hill, Confederate Yankee, Shakesville, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Talking Dog

Mike Memoli / Real Clear Politics:

Paul: I Support the Civil Rights Act — Reacting to an avalanche of criticism over his perceived views of the Civil Rights Act, Rand Paul's campaign issues this statement today: … Sphere It!

Discussion: The Politico, Crooks and Liars, Think Progress, MyDD, TPMMuckraker, TPMDC, Below The Beltway, The Reaction, Daily Kos, The Rachel Maddow Show, Outside The Beltway, The Awl, bastard.logic and AMERICAblog News

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Paul blames ‘loony left’ for civil rights focus — Rand Paul lashed out at the “loony left” for pressing him on his view of the 1964 Civil Rights Act in an interview with Laura Ingraham this morning. — “I've never really favored any change in the Civil Rights Act,” he said.

Discussion: CNN, Page One, Newsweek Blogs, Firedoglake, TPMDC, Barefoot and Progressive, The Moderate Voice and No More Mister Nice Blog

Ezra Klein:

Area politician has some explaining to do — Rand Paul is predictably walking his statements on the Civil Rights Act back as fast as he can. “Let me be clear,” he says in a statement released today. “I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation …

Discussion: USA Today and The Daily Dish

Jake / Page One:

Rand Paul Made Same Racial Comments in 2002 — Rand Paul's appearance last evening on Rachel Maddow wasn't the first time he made comments about racial discrimination. — In a May 30, 2002 letter to the editor of the Bowling Green Daily News about the Federal Fair Housing Act …

Discussion: CNN, The Hill, Little Green Footballs, TPMDC and Daily Kos

David Weigel / Right Now:

Rand Paul in '02: I may not like it, but ‘a free society’ will allow ‘hate-filled groups to exclude people based on the color of their skin’ — Here's another wrinkle in the controversy over U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul's arguments, made Wednesday to NPR and Rachel Maddow …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, The Plum Line, New York Times and MyDD

Bruce Bartlett / Capital Gains and Games blogs:
Rand Paul is No Barry Goldwater on Civil Rights

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Erick's blog, Washington Monthly, Newsweek Blogs, Page One, Cato @ Liberty, Facing South, Right Now, Mother Jones and The American Conservative

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Paul won't back repeal of 1964 act

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, DISSENTING JUSTICE, TPMDC and Taylor Marsh

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Rand Paul spox: Fed gov't should bar businesses from discriminating

Discussion: Washington Monthly, TPMDC, Washington Post and Ben Smith's Blog

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
In Defense Of Rand Paul (Kinda)

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Washington Monthly, Outside The Beltway, No More Mister Nice Blog, Althouse and The Other McCain

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Rand Paul causes Civil Rights Act controversy with desegregation remarks

Discussion: The Politico

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
What do Rand Paul's patrons think of Civil Rights talk?

Discussion: TPMMuckraker, TPMDC, The Swamp and TPM LiveWire

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Freedom as White Supremacy

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Balloon Juice

Daniel Foster / The Corner on National Review Online:
Paul Calls Maddow Appearance ‘Mistake,’ Civil Rights ‘Settled’ — By: Daniel Foster

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Newsweek Blogs, Little Green Footballs and alicublog

Howard Fineman / Newsweek Blogs:
Rand Paul and D. W. Griffith

Discussion: NPR Topics and NewsBusters.org

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog: McConnell ‘glad to hear’ Paul supports Civil Rights Act

Adam Nagourney / The Caucus:
Paul's Views on Civil Rights Cause a Stir

Discussion: TPMDC, Gothamist, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, New York Times and FrumForum

Joan Walsh / Salon:
Rachel Maddow demolishes Rand Paul

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Guardian, Democratic Strategist, Politics Daily, FiveThirtyEight, Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake, Moonbattery, Washington Monthly, Barefoot and Progressive and TPMDC

Political Punch:

Exclusive: President Obama To Replace Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair* — ABC News has learned that President Obama will replace the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.) His resignation will come as soon as tomorrow, sources tell ABC News.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Newsweek Blogs, Talking Points Memo, Hot Air, The Corner on National …, Israel Matzav, Daily Kos, TPMDC, NO QUARTER and The Washington Independent

Agence France Presse:

Obama's intelligence czar to resign: US official — WASHINGTON — US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair will resign on Friday as President Barack Obama's top spy chief, a US official told AFP. — “We expect Admiral Blair to offer his resignation tomorrow,” …

Discussion: Townhall.com and The Jawa Report

The Hill:
National intelligence director to resign

Discussion: The Politico

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:

Bill to Overhaul Financial Rules Clears Hurdle in Senate Vote — WASHINGTON — The Senate voted on Thursday afternoon to close debate on a far-reaching financial regulatory bill, putting Congress on a glide path to approving a broad expansion of government oversight of the increasingly complex …

Discussion: DealBook, Ezra Klein, The Other McCain, Gawker, Washington Monthly and Washington Post

Brady Dennis / Washington Post: Senate clears way to vote on financial reform

CNN:
Senate Democrats predict financial regulations victory

Discussion: The Politico and The Note

Neil Vigdor / Stamford Advocate:

Critics weigh Blumenthal's words — “I wore the uniform in Vietnam and many came back & to all kinds of disrespect. Whatever we think of war, we owe the men and women of the armed forces our unconditional support.” — The occasion was the Stamford Veterans Days parade: Nov. 9, 2008.

Discussion: The Plum Line, Hot Air, The Day newspaper, The Daily Caller, Liberty Pundits Blog, Weasel Zippers, Outside The Beltway, Beltway Confidential, Washington Post, Colin McEnroe, Daily Ructions, Moonbattery, JONATHAN TURLEY, Ben Smith's Blog, Instapundit, Weekly Standard and Taylor Marsh

Ann Coulter / Human Events:
Republicans on Track to Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory

Discussion: Swampland

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

GOP lawmaker blasts Mexican pres. comments as inappropriate — Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blasted Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday, calling the visiting dignitary's remarks on Arizona's recently implemented immigration law “inappropriate.” — Earlier Thursday …

Discussion: Hot Air, The Note, RedState, The Corner on National … and Weasel Zippers

Rasmussen Reports:

71% in Arizona Now Support State's New Immigration Law — Arizona voters now support the state's new immigration law more than ever and are still more inclined to think the law will be good for the state's economy rather than bad. A lot of voters in the state are thinking it's payback time …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Liberty Pundits Blog, Scared Monkeys and National Review

Mark Steyn / The Corner on National Review Online:

Everybody Draws Mohammed Day — By: Mark Steyn — Veronique, I initially had mixed feelings about Everybody Draws Mohammed Day. Provocation for its own sake is one of the dreariest features of contemporary culture, but that's not what this is about. Nick Gillespie's post reminds us …

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, RedState, The Daily Caller, Liberty Pundits Blog, Don Surber, Gateway Pundit, Hit & Run and Blazing Cat Fur

Zombie / Pajamas Media:
The New Free Speech Movement

Discussion: Big Hollywood, Hot Air, Telegraph, The Jawa Report and TigerHawk

Ed O'Keefe / Federal Eye:

Mother of student who questioned Michelle Obama will not face action — Your Browser DoesNot Support IFrames. — The mother of a Maryland second-grader who questioned First Lady Michelle Obama about the Obama administration's immigration policy will not be deported, federal officials said Thursday.

Discussion: Politics Daily, Gothamist, Beltway Confidential and Washington Post

The Huffington Post:
Little Girl Who Challenged First Lady Is Right: Obama Is Deporting …

Discussion: Don Surber and Suburban Guerrilla

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:

Gibbs mum on Sestak job offer — Don't ask the White House if Obama aides tried to force Joe Sestak out of the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary by offering him a job. They are keeping mum on the controversy. — Press Secretary Robert Gibbs deflected a barrage of questions about reports …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, CBS News, Associated Press, Beltway Confidential and NewsBusters.org

Sam Youngman / The Hill: Gibbs mum about Sestak's job offer

Victoria Gill / BBC:

Scientists make ‘artificial life’ — The synthetic cell looks identical to the “wild type” — Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell. — The researchers constructed a bacterium's “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.

Discussion: Don Surber and Truthdig

Jake Tapper / Political Punch:

Salahis Stopped by Secret Service Near White House Last Night — The Salahis were stopped by the U.S. Secret Service last night at around 8 p.m. ET during the State Dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderon as their stretch limousine ran a red light and seemed to be trying to turn …

Discussion: Newsweek Blogs, Swampland, Gothamist, Pundit & Pundette and AMERICAblog News