memeorandum: What's not to like about Ellen? (Sandy Rios/OneNewsNow.com)

4:30 PM ET, February 10, 2012

Top Items:

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

Obama to Offer ‘Accomodation’ on Contraception Rule — With the White House under fire for its new rule requiring employers including religious organizations to offer health insurance that fully covers birth control coverage, ABC News has learned that later today the White House …

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

Both Catholic Health Assn and Planned Parenthood Say They're Pleased With Contraception Rule Announcement — Senior administration officials are pleased with the initial response to President Obama's pending announcement on an “accommodation” for religious organizations regarding …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post, TalkLeft, The American Independent, National Review, Taylor Marsh, The Reality-Based Community and Pundit & Pundette

Sarah Kliff / Washington Post:

The catch in Obama's contraceptives compromise — The White House has given reporters the rundown on the “accommodations” that President Obama will announce on the health reform law's requirements for hospitals run by faith-based groups to cover the costs of employees' contraceptives. Here's how it works.

Discussion: Associated Press, The Loyal Opposition, usccb.org, Business Insider, LifeNews.com, Swampland and Balloon Juice

Planned Parenthood:

Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on Obama Administration Announcement on Birth Control Coverage Benefit: — “In the face of a misleading and outrageous assault on women's health, the Obama administration has reaffirmed its commitment …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Sky Dancing, Jill Stanek, Daily Kos and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Politico:

President Obama boxed in on birth control — It was no secret inside the West Wing that Bill Daley, a Catholic with deep connections to the church hierarchy, vehemently opposed the administration's proposal to require church-run hospitals and universities to give their employees free contraception.

Discussion: CNN, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Taylor Marsh, Washington Wire, Sky Dancing and Weasel Zippers

Washington Post:
White House to announce adjustment to birth-control rule

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Riptide 2.0, Outside the Beltway, Ballot Box, ACS Blog, TBogg, The College Fix, The Moderate Voice, Big Government, Firedoglake, Rod Dreher, The Lonely Conservative, The Atlantic Online, Associated Press and The Hill

Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Obama shifts on birth control mandate after heavy criticism

Discussion: Washington Post, ABCNEWS, Politico, The Week and New York Times

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
I Still Want My Free Lunch

Discussion: ACS Blog

Helene Cooper / New York Times:
Obama Offers ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Rule

Discussion: Truthdig, The New Republic and The Page

American Prospect:
Bishops, Republicans Get Served

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, Ramona's Voices, Campaign 2012 and The Colorado Independent

Steven Ertelt / LifeNews.com:
Obama Revises Mandate: Free Abortion-Causing Drugs for Women

Discussion: Hot Air, The Daily Caller, The PJ Tatler, Ed Driscoll and Wake up America

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Birth control may now be wedge issue against GOP

Discussion: pandagon.net, Daily Kos and US Politics

Nick Baumann / Mother Jones:
Most of Obama's “Controversial” Birth Control Rule Was Law During Bush Years

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Public Policy Polling, Political Mojo, HorsesAss.Org, Balloon Juice, Feministing, THEROOT.COM, Daily Kos and The Last Tradition

Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:
Bishops Were Prepared for Battle Over Birth Control Coverage

Discussion: The Huffington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, ThinkProgress, The Confluence, Balloon Juice, Firedoglake, tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com, Mother Jones and Hullabaloo

Janet Hook / Washington Wire:

Santorum Gets Spirited Reception at CPAC — Rick Santorum got such a positive reception from a meeting of the party's conservative base Friday morning, the former senator almost cut his speech short while he was ahead. Well, almost. … Halfway through a speech to the Conservative Political …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Rick Santorum / CNN:
TRENDING: Santorum blasts Obama for ‘coercion’

Discussion: Politico and The Hinterland Gazette

Mj Lee / Politico:
Allen West: Tea party is like ‘The Blob’

Discussion: Mediaite and CNN

John Hinderaker / Power Line:
Is 2012 Slipping Away From the GOP?

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Hot Air, Daily Pundit and The Moderate Voice

Rick Santorum / CNN: Santorum rolls into CPAC

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Rep. King predicts critical day for GOP presidential candidates

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Washington Post:

Rep. Spencer Bachus faces insider-trading investigation — The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.

Discussion: New York Times, Firedoglake, Big Government, The Maddow Blog, Los Angeles Times, RedState, Business Insider, ThinkProgress, CBS News and Politico

Dana Blanton / Fox News:

Fox News Poll: Santorum surges nationally after three-state sweep — Rick Santorum has surged nationally in the race for the 2012 Republican nomination after his three-state sweep this week, while Mitt Romney has lost ground among GOP primary voters. In addition, most GOP voters …

Discussion: Politico and National Review

American Research Group:
Presidential Primary Preference:

Discussion: CNN and Guardian

Kathleen McAuliffe / The Atlantic Online:

How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy — Jaroslav Flegr is no kook. And yet, for years, he suspected his mind had been taken over by parasites that had invaded his brain. So the prolific biologist took his science-fiction hunch into the lab. What he's now discovering will startle you.

Discussion: Boing Boing

The White House:

FACT SHEET: Women's Preventive Services and Religious Institutions — Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans will cover women's preventive services, including contraception, without charging a co-pay or deductible beginning in August, 2012.

Discussion: National Review, Democracy in America, Guardian, The Heritage Foundation, Jezebel, Wonkette and RedState

Bloomberg:

Paul Krugman vs. the World — The escalating battle of ideas between the Nobel Prize-winning economist and his illustrious peers — What has been getting the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist so riled up lately? In the last few weeks, what began as a semi-civil battle …

Discussion: Paul Krugman, National Review and TheMoneyIllusion

Sabrina Tavernise / New York Times:

Education Gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say — WASHINGTON — Education was historically considered a great equalizer in American society, capable of lifting less advantaged children and improving their chances for success as adults. But a body of recently published scholarship suggests …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, THEROOT.COM, ThinkProgress, Rod Dreher and Neptunus Lex

Amanda Terkel / The Huffington Post:

CPAC 2012: Conservatives Rap About America, Don Colonial-Style Wigs (VIDEO) … Cpac , Video , 2012 Cpac , Conservative Political Action Conference , Chris Loesch , Conservative Political Action Conference 2012 , Conservative Rap , Cpac 2012 , Dana Loesch , Steven Crowder , Politics News

Discussion: GOP 12, The Raw Story, Rumproast and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Wall Street Journal:

Low Turnout and the Big Tune-Out — Voters aren't bothering with the GOP, but Obama has lost their attention too. — The Romney campaign is better at dismantling than mantling. They're better at taking opponents apart than building a compelling candidate of their own.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Outside the Beltway, Business Insider, Patterico's Pontifications, GOP 12 and Hot Air

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

Santorum says ‘other types of emotions’ could preclude women in combat — For a candidate with virtually no staff and who tends to talk off the cuff, Rick Santorum has been nearly gaffe-free. However, this evening might have been his first, and it comes at a time when he is trying …