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He Wasn't The One We've Been Waiting For — Health care reform — which is crucial for millions of Americans — hangs in the balance. Progressives are desperately in need of leadership; more specifically, House Democrats need to be told to pass the Senate bill, which isn't what they wanted but is vastly better than nothing.
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U-Turn: Frank Says, With Assurances, He'll Vote For The Senate Health Care Bill — In an interview with TPMDC this evening, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) reversed course—apologizing for a harsh statement he released last night in the wake of the Massachusetts special election, and saying …

On Next Steps for Health Reform — Right now there are a lot of discussions going on about the best path forward. But let's be clear that the President's preference is to pass a bill that meets the principles he laid out months ago: more stability and security for those who have insurance …
Discussion:
Political Punch, George's Bottom Line, AMERICAblog News, TPMDC, TPM LiveWire and The Atlantic Politics Channel


Do House Democrats Realize They Already Voted for Health Care Reform?
Discussion:
The Mahablog, Opinion L.A., The Reality-Based Community, New York Times and Talking Points Memo

TRANSCRIPT: George Stephanopoulos' Exclusive Interview with President Obama
Discussion:
The Note, ABCNEWS, The Fix, Real Clear Politics, The Daily Caller, The Awl, Pajamas Media, Prescriptions and NewsBusters.org

The other health-care reform option
Discussion:
Corrente, Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, Hullabaloo, IntoxiNation, Open Congress, MyDD, Reclusive Leftist, The Impolitic, Associated Press, Washington Post and TPM LiveWire

Clyburn: ‘Magic number on healthcare reform is 50, not 60’; measure not dead


Edwards admits fathering child with mistress — Former presidential candidate promises to support his 2-year-old daughter — John Edwards' attorneys say he's been providing financial support for 2-year-old Quinn for about a year, and just signed a child support agreement with Rielle Hunter.
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John Edwards Admits He Fathered Rielle Hunter's Child — Former Aide Says Edwards Had Him Steal Diaper to Secretly Check His Paternity — Former presidential candidate John Edwards abandoned his long denial that he had fathered a child during an affair with a campaign aide and admitted today …

Edwards: Yes, I'm the father — Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards admits in a written statement to NBC's “Today” that he is the father of Frances Quinn Hunter, the 1-year-old daughter of his former mistress, Rielle Hunter. — “I am Quinn's father.

John Edwards admits paternity — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — Former senator John Edwards on Thursday admitted paternity of a daughter with former mistress Rielle Hunter, despite his previous denials, in a statement given to the “Today” show.


Glenn Beck Destroys Scott Brown: “This One Could End With A Dead Intern” — You won't see TV Glenn Beck touch the things that Radio Glenn Beck sometimes says, as he edges toward Howard Stern levels of comedy and tone. — Today he absolutely obliterated Scott Brown over the 'my daughters …
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Mark Levin Responds To Glenn Beck's Crazed Tirade Against Scott Brown
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit, Betsy's Page, Time, Riehl World View, JammieWearingFool, Stop The ACLU, Michael Calderone's Blog and Mediaite

Glenn Beck Scott Brown ‘Dead Intern’: Beck Slams Brown For …


Obama to Propose Limits on Risks Taken by Banks — WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday will publicly propose giving bank regulators the power to limit the size of the nation's largest banks and the scope of their risk-taking activities, an administration official said late Wednesday.
Discussion:
The Hill, Think Progress, Beat the Press, Marginal Revolution, Mother Jones and Economist's View
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Proposal Set to Curb Bank Giants — WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama on Thursday is expected to propose new limits on the size and risk taken by the country's biggest banks, marking the administration's latest assault on Wall Street in what could mark a return, at least in spirit …

Relieved — I want to recommend that everyone read the email we just got from a Senate staffer who will have to remain anonymous. Here's one part of the email that stood out to me. The whole thing is after the jump ... Here's the whole thing.


Brown heads to Washington after upset Senate win — BOSTON — Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown, whose surprise win in the race to fill the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's seat created the sonic boom heard all the way to Washington, was visiting the nation's capital Thursday to pay a round of courtesy calls on his new colleagues.
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An Explosive Afternoon: LDS Church — The transcripts from this afternoon read like an episode of Law and Order, with the attorneys arguing with the judge over what documents ought to be introduced as evidence. These aren't just any old documents, they are emails and letters sent …
Discussion:
Mercury News, Box Turtle Bulletin, Pam's House Blend, Raw Story, American Foundation …, Emptywheel and LGBT POV
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Documents show links between Prop. 8 campaign and church leaders [Updated]
Discussion:
Prop 8 Trial Tracker

The Massachusetts Election — If anyone should have seen it coming in Massachusetts, it is President Obama — the long-shot candidate who rode to electoral victory on a wave of popular impatience and an ability to identify and address voters' core anxieties.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Politico, Washington Post, Prairie Weather and Big Journalism
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Obama blames Massachusetts Senate loss on middle-class economic pain


Cindy McCain Poses for NOH8 — The NOH8 Campaign on Wednesday announced that Cindy McCain, the wife of former Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, has posed to demonstrate her support of marriage equality. NOH8's Adam Bouska has photographed thousands of subjects since California passed Proposition 8 in 2008.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Telegraph, The Huffington Post, American Power, New York Magazine, SFGate, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Truthdig and Althouse
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Cindy McCain Poses for Ad Supporting Gay Marriage
Discussion:
Associated Press

Obama's first year: What went wrong — As the Obama administration marks its first birthday, there is no reason to shop around for the perfect present. What President Barack Obama needs most is obvious: a new political strategy — ideally one more grounded in the realities of governance than the one he embraced a year ago Wednesday.


Buffett Says He Can't See Rationale for Bank Levy — Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) — Warren Buffett opposes President Barack Obama's proposed levy on financial institutions because firms including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. already repaid bailout funds.

Muslim police say Islam not to blame for terror attacks — Muslim police officers have rebelled openly against the Government's anti-terrorism strategy, warning that it is an “affront to British values” which threatens to trigger ethnic unrest. — The National Association of Muslim Police …


UN climate chief admits mistake on Himalayan glaciers warning — The UN's top climate change body has issued an unprecedented apology over its flawed prediction that Himalayan glaciers were likely to disappear by 2035. — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) …
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House Liberals To Pelosi: “We Cannot Support The Senate Bill. Period.” — In a private meeting in the Capitol just now, a dozen or more House liberals bluntly told Nancy Pelosi that there was no chance that they would vote to pass the Senate bill in its current form …