UP-FRONT BENGHAZI NUGGET!!
First Thoughts: Benghazi vs. the Bridge (Chuck Todd et al.,) from MSNBC
"... what the Senate Intelligence Report found is pretty much what we thought we already knew -- the State Department didn’t provide enough security, there was no advance knowledge of an imminent attack, and the U.S. military was not in position to respond in enough time. But what this report didn’t find: evidence of a cover-up and more importantly for Clinton, evidence that she directed one. ... so instead of simply letting the facts tell a bad story about Clinton and calling into question her leadership abilities, too many of her detractors have claimed a more sinister storyline. And when that storyline is debunked, it’s made the original bad story look less harmful in the public."
Push for Iran Sanctions Bill Losing Momentum? (Greg Sargent) from the Washington Post
"Even Senators who support the measure are no longer pushing for any vote, and have no plans to do so for the foreseeable future, a Democratic Senator who favors the bill tells me. ... It’s unclear whether any of the bill’s Democratic supporters are even privately pushing for a vote on it at this point, in the wake of the recent announcement that the six month deal curbing Iran’s nukes is set to move forward."
The Sins of Bob Gates (Lawrence J. Korb) from the National Interest
Korb is spot-on with his assessment of the Gates memoir and Gates himself.
"Gates has always wanted to have it both ways, often been wrong on major issues, been prone to exaggerate his own reputation, demean others, and avoid blame for his own mistakes."
The U.S. Energy Boom (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
"Market forces are helping drive up production."
Judge Rejects Lawsuit Aimed At Blowing Up Obamacare from Talking Points Memo
"A legal challenge seeking to cripple Obamacare suffered a huge setback Wednesday as it was defeated in federal court. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled against the challengers, who argued that that the text of Obamacare did not allow the law's premium tax credits to be offered on federal insurance exchanges -- that they must only be available through state-based exchanges."
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL! Just yesterday, we noted how Obama and the Dems finally have the edge on this critical federal court -- and lo and behold, we get a decision like this! Thank you President Obama!
Obamacare Isn't a Success -- or a Failure (Jonathan Bernstein) from the Washington Post
"It’s a question driven by the Republican demands for repeal of the entire law. But those demands are long past their expiration date; the status quo ante, for better or worse, no longer exists and hasn’t existed, really, for some time now ... But the thing is: Just because the act won’t “fail” in this sense hardly means it will “succeed.”"
Desperate, Last-Ditch Effort for Obamacare Haters Fails (Brian Buetler) from Salon
"A federal judge's ruling suggests Obamacare foes are either dishonest or unable to read. ... Obamacare mania isn’t an ailment that afflicts reasonable people, and so conservatives turned their attention to an even more far-fetched legal challenge. ... Well, a D.C. District Court judge has looked at this argument, and concluded that it’s total nonsense."
Triumph of Omnibus Bill Is Small Pleasure Indeed (Norm Ornstein) from National Journal
"So the triumph of the omnibus spending bill that the House passed Wednesday and that will soon be voted on by the Senate is a big deal--it is the first time in a very long time that House and Senate appropriators, Democrats and Republicans, did things the way they should be done, going painstakingly through the myriad accounts and allocating scarce dollars to fit priorities, making dozens or hundreds of trade-offs to satisfy both parties and their caucuses without destroying key programs or damaging the possibility of a broad bipartisan coalition in support."
Conservatives Form Their Own Caucus Because the RSC Isn't 'Hard-Core' Enough from the National Journal
"The most conservative House Republicans quietly build an invitation-only group, seeing the Republican Study Committee as devolving into a debate society."
How Rush Limbaugh Decides What Is True (Conor Friedersdorf) from the Atlantic
As usual, Friedersdorf has a pretty insightful observation about what animates Limbaugh (and many other far-right blowhards). The simplicity of it is breathtaking!
"Were Christie and his supporters all true conservatives, they would be assured that Christie is in the right. Whereas as non-conservatives, the only way to ascertain the truth is a dispassionate analysis, qualified with hedges such as, If he's lying about everything, then he isn't blameless after all. Christie may well be innocent, Limbaugh argues, but no one can know for sure because he isn't a conservative."
Said another way, if you are moderate or liberal, it is safe to assume that you are a craven, unprincipled lier -- no other evidence is necessary. This definitely helps explain how certain lawbreaking or ethically challenged conservative GOPers (prime example: LA Senator David Vitter) get no heat from their base to resign while any Democrat simply accused of anything must resign or be impeached immediately.
Chris Christie Will Not Be the 45th President of the United States (Kevin Drum) from Mother Jones Magazine
"It's not just Bridgegate. He simply has too many negatives to overcome. ... Here's my nickel list of why I've never thought Christie can win either the Republican nomination or—in the unlikely event he does—the presidency:..."
If Chris Christie Goes Down, Who can Republican Moderates Turn To? (Bill Scher) from The Week
"Christie is the last chance to save the party from Rand Paul or Ted Cruz. ... Former Gov. Jeb Bush (Fla.) would attract moderate support, but he is saddled with an unpopular last name and also is not doing much to suggest he's running."
More Subpoenas In Bridge Scandal Investigation Could Come Thursday from Talking Points Memo
"Lawmakers in New Jersey's General Assembly could send out a fresh round of subpoenas as early as Thursday afternoon in the scandal that has consumed Gov. Chris Christie's administration."
Mr. Smith Decides to Go Home (Jessica Taylor) from The Hill
"Sacrificing time away from often young families, all to get little — if anything — done and to rank among the least liked groups in the country, no longer seems worth the prestige and $174,000 annual paycheck. “I’d be hard pressed to find one person who likes their job as a member of Congress,” laughed one GOP campaign official."
Will Hillary Clinton Face Any Challengers in 2016? (Taegan Goddard) from The Week
"Hillary Clinton isn’t expected to announce her intentions about a presidential bid until after the midterm elections, but it’s already a real possibility she won’t face any real opposition if she decides to run."
Can Anyone Stop Hillary? Why Clinton's 2016 Candidacy-Without-a-Campaign Dominates the Political Galaxy (David Von Drehle) from Time Magazine
"Clinton has not decided whether to run for President because to do so would only slow her down."
Can anyone stop her? The most likely ones to do so are herself and Bill -- and I mean this both positively and negatively.
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