The Bo Xilai Sideshow in China (Jonathan Fenby) from the New York Times
"... amid the rumors of an attempted coup and Politburo divisions, along with the murky death of a British businessman in Bo’s former stronghold, important elements are emerging that are likely to have a significant bearing on the way the last major state ruled by a Communist Party evolves."
Philippine Warship in Standoff with Chinese Ships from Agence France Presse via Google News
"The Philippines' biggest warship was locked in a standoff on Wednesday with two Chinese ships in the South China Sea, reigniting tensions in a decades-long dispute over the resource-rich waters. The Philippine government said the Chinese ships were blocking efforts by its navy flagship vessel to arrest Chinese fishermen that were found on the weekend to have illegally entered its territory."
A Weakened Putin is Questioned Abroad, Under Siege at Home (Lucian Kim) from the Christian Science Monitor
"Russia's President-elect Vladimir Putin may have won the presidential election, but he lost Moscow. And he faces an engaged, active generation that did not grow up as Soviets. Political legitimacy is more than an official election result; it requires trust."
Spain’s 'Lose-Lose' Struggle Reignites Euro Crisis from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"The eurozone crisis has returned with a vengeance after Spain’s mounting woes pushed 10-year bonds yields back to the danger line of 6pc and the Madrid bourse crashed to its lowest level since the 2009."
Trayvon Martin Case: George Zimmerman's Attorneys Quit, Say Client 'Disappeared' from the Huffington Post
"George Zimmerman's attorneys said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that they will no longer be representing him. The attorneys claim that Zimmerman repeatedly rebuffed their legal advice, and that they have now lost contact with him."
For Zimmerman, Time to Get New Lawyers (Josh Marshall) from Talking Points Memo
"For those inclined to have a negative opinion of George Zimmerman, this was something of a banner day."
Conservative Politics, 'Low-Effort' Thinking Linked In New Study from the Huffington Post
"Conservatives and liberals don't seem to agree about much, and they might not agree about recent studies linking conservatism to low intelligence and "low-effort" thinking."
Need some real evidence for these findings? Look no further:
Arizona Abortion Bill: Legislators Pass Three Bills, Including One That Redefines When Life Begins from the Huffington Post
"Arizona lawmakers gave final passage to three anti-abortion bills Tuesday afternoon, including one that declares pregnancies in the state begin two weeks before conception."
Hillary's State of Cool (Maureen Dowd) from the New York Times
"How one “Make my day” image of Hillary Clinton wearing shades on a military plane has endowed her with Clint Eastwood cool."
Obama Praised – and Pummeled – on Matters of Faith (Mitchell Landsberg) from the Los Angeles Times
"Few presidents have spoken more often or more articulately about their religious beliefs — or faced such hostility from some quarters about their policies on church issues."
Barack Obama’s Empathy Edge (Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake) from the Washington Post
"Presidential elections are rarely won and lost on policy. Voters instead tend to choose the person they most want to be president based on who they like. ... Call it the empathy factor. And it matters. A lot. New national polling done by the Washington Post and ABC News shows that President Obama has a significant edge over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney on the empathy question..."
Skeptics on Right Say Conservatives Still Pose Obstacle from the New York Times
"Rick Santorum’s decision to end his campaign cleared the way for Mitt Romney to claim the Republican nomination while dashing the hopes of social conservatives."
I’m Not Mitt Romney (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"I’ve got the perfect campaign slogan for 2012. And for the first time in American history, it would work for both candidates."
African Americans Nowhere To Be Found In Romney’s Orbit (Harry Siegel, Ben Jacobs) from the Daily Beast
"Mitt Romney begins his contest with Barack Obama having attracted no notable black supporters or high-ranking campaign staffers."
To Win GOP Nomination, Mitt Romney Erased His Only Credential (Joe Conason) from the National Memo
"Someone clearly advised him that an audacious attack on Obama’s character would please the partisan base, distract voters from his own opportunistic gyrations, and create space for him to draw a new, flattering, resolute portrait of himself. But as a presdidential nominee who spent most of the primary season erasing his own political record, Romney may already have eliminated any positive rationale for his candidacy."
Newt Gingrich Stiffs Utah (Paul Rolly) from the Salt Lake Tribune
"Five Republicans have filed the necessary papers and $500 fee to qualify for the June 26 Utah presidential primary election, but with Rick Santorum dropping out of the race Tuesday, only four will be on the ballot. Or possibly three. Newt Gingrich’s check bounced."
Well, if that doesn't just fill out your dance card for this GOP primary season, I don't know what will. What a farce!!
Bush Aide Blasts Torture (Jordan Michael Smith) from Salon
"Philip Zelikow tried to warn Bush on interrogations. Now he's penned an authoritative article on how he was ignored."
New Source of Funds for ‘Three Cups of Tea’ Author Greg Mortenson’s Charity (Philip Shenon) from the Daily Beast
"Unexpected good news for the scandal-plagued charity affiliated with the disgraced “Three Cups of Tea” author: the federal government just opened the door to millions in new donations for his group. Philip Shenon reports."
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