Today's edition of quick hits:
* On his first trip abroad as Secretary of State, John Kerry said today that Iran "knows what it needs to do." The comments come against a noteworthy backdrop: "Two days of talks between six world powers and Iran over its nuclear program ended on Wednesday with specific agreement for further meetings in March and April over a proposal that would sharply constrain Iran's stockpile of the most dangerous enriched uranium in return for a modest lifting of some sanctions."
* Read Rick Hasen on today's VRA arguments at the Supreme Court: "I've read the transcript from today's oral argument and I have no hope that the Voting Rights Act will continue in its current form after the Supreme Court is done with it in the Shelby County case."
* Didn't see that one coming: "Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced Wednesday it will not drill in the Arctic Ocean this year, imposing a temporary cease-fire in one of the nation's fiercest political battles over energy development and environmental protection."
* They're right: "With Washington mired deep in the manufactured crisis known as sequestration, one option for resolving the crisis is getting almost no attention: Simply repealing the sequester. That may now change. The AFL-CIO is coming out today for a repeal of the sequester."
* Ripple effect: "Vice President Joe Biden argued Wednesday that Democratic voters in yesterday's special Democratic congressional primary in Illinois illustrated that there is a larger national mandate for tighter gun restrictions."
* Reproductive rights: "The Arkansas House voted 53-28 Tuesday to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of a bill that would outlaw most abortions starting in the 20th week of pregnancy, hours after a state Senate committee approved a package of even tighter abortion restrictions."
* There are still Birthers in public office? Seriously? In 2013?
* Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) appears to have had an unpleasant experience in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, whom the congressman described on the air as "the worst excuse for a journalist I've ever seen."
* Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) probably shouldn't compare herself to Wikipedia.
* And this, alas, is true: "It may be hard to believe, given the intense partisan strafing already ignited by the automatic government spending cuts that begin on Friday, but this year's budget wars have yet to get fully under way."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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Gotta love Keith Ellison. We have so many great, tough Democrats these days.
i Love Keith too, but am not so sure "We have so many great, tough Democrats these days". The progressive caucus is not even fighting Obama's cuts to SS, Medicare, nary a word from them.
Ellison must be delusional if he thinks Hannity is a journalist or anything resembling one.
He doesn't. Read it. He thinks Hannity is an "excuse for a journalist."
None of these guys are journalist to include Ms. Maddow (who I respect), Ed, Hannity, Rush L, Lawrence, O'Rielly, Bashir....... These guys are editorial people who ften make their money by exciting us on one subject matter or another. Not journalist and sometimes I believe what's wrong with our country today. Most are Bully's who preach hate (Ms. Maddow I would say is an exception, she's pretty polite) and are the reason why we find it okay to call people stupid and bully them if they disagree with us.
"Both sides" troll.
Actually, Prog.Leaning, Rachel is one of the few journalists left in America, i.e., Old School journalists who double and triple check their sources. Unlike lying gasbags like Hannity and As the Rush Comes Limbaugh, who read made up "stuff" on right wing blogs and then report it as news! Yes, she has an opinion, but backs it up with FACTS.
Hannity says that he's "not a Republican." Yeah. Tom Brady isn't a quarterback, Tony Bennett isn't a singer, and Allen West isn't a freaking idiot.
A real journalist is one that the politicians hate.
stknmov . . . A real journalist is one that
theALL politicians hate.Real journalists allow the search for truth to take them wherever it leads. They don't ignore it when it doesn't favor the side with which they sympathize.
I think Michelle Bachmann comparing herself to Wikipedia is somewhat accurate. Wikipedia is frequently viewed as an unreliable source when citing it for a research paper, and all it takes to change Wikipedia is a little access. Bachmann has long proven to be an unreliable source of facts, and all it takes to change her opinion is a lot of money.
Touche. If a comparison to Wikipedia meant that she was widely-read and intelligent, that would be an incredible stretch. But your interpretation, Chromigula, would certainly be more palatable. She's a lightweight, even compared to the usual Republican anti-intellectual rube.
Sorry - they simply reported what they thought Bachmann said.
What she actually said was Wicca-Pedia not Wikipedia - apparently she has been getting campaigning tips from Christine O'Donnell.
Adam Wicca-pedia could also be an accurate description of Michele Bachmann. Because you can have two Wiccans and three different opinions.
What does that old fat white republican rascist Scalia mean by perpetuation of racial entitlement? Is he saying voting is an entitlement and not a right under the constitution if you are are a person of color? He is another republican that wants to take us back to the 50's.
How ironic that in the 1950's Justice Scalia could not own property in my home town. The covenants restricting property ownership to White Anglo Saxon Protestants were not struck down by the Supreme Court until 1968.
Thank you Rep Keith Ellison for telling like it is to Hannity's face. Bravo sir!
What was that Maria I did'nt hear you.
joca
What didn't you hear exactly? Saying "hear" is a bit odd on a written blog.
I loved the look on Hannity's face! What did you say?
Steve, yes, there are still birthers in public service. There are even some still in the House and it wouldn't surprise me that some in the Senate still have their positions. That guy you linked to isn't the only one, just the most recent to open his yap and spew. There are lots more in republican dominated states, but they've learned to be more circumspect.
When is MSDNC and the Liar in Chief going to be honest about the sequester?
It was President Obamas idea!!!
President Obama signed in into law!!!
The sequester is not a DECREASE IN SPENDING but a DECREASE in the INCREASES of SPENDING!!!
Hopefully now that Comcast has bought MSDNC, they will clean house and make reporting "Fair and Balanced"
You must have seen a spliced MSDNC video because not only was Keith Ellison in the wrong, would not answer any questions Sean Hannity served up Rep, Keith Ellison on a platter and sent him on his way with his tail between his legs!!!
LMAO
But then we both know that MSDNC has been caught numerous times doctoring tapes like "Trayvon's"
It was completely unfair and “false” for the congressman to say that Obama has no responsibility for the sequester but what do you expect from a member of Congress coming across as so partisan and “clearly armed for a fight” makes it hard for Americans to trust their politicians.
Now that above is ranting...three pathetic examples of it.
NO
Entrophy this is an example of your ranting!!!!
Lol! Go ahead, stomp your tiny feet, shake your tiny fists, and shriek imprecations. You aren't hurting anybody but yourself.
EntropyRules Dontcha just love it .
You have to wonder what motivates people to put their A$$holery on public display. Do they think they are converting people with bold statements .
Being anonymous gives you all manner of power .
It takes the remarkable courage born of ignorance to post what he /she did
Great Example of someone who types someones post as being ignorant but is incapable of stating why
So So Typical of an MSDNC Viewer
LMAO
I really like this blog.
In the recent past I've posted links to at least some of the pro-Prop 8/DOMA briefs right-wing groups have been hurling at SCOTUS. I haven't seen any more of those for a while (let us fry a sausage in praise of Offler), but here is brief filed against Prop 8 and DOMA on behalf 278 employers including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, CBS, Cisco Systems, Citigroup, eBay, Electronic Arts, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Google, Intel, JetBlue Airways, The Jim Henson Company, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss, Mars, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Nike, Pfizer, Planet Fitness, Starbucks, Sun Life Financial, Twitter, Viacom, the Walt Disney Company, and Xerox. So, take that, haters.
remember one important thing. the prez can only veto or approve of any bill that comes before him. if he suggests something and the opposing party doesn't like it, they can vote no. and when you control the house of representatives nothing, and i mean nothing gets by you unless you somewhat approve. so the gop can whine and cry like babies but this fact is simple. if the gop really, really , didn't want the sequester to move forward all they had to do was vote no! thats it. end of story. the gop hasn't had any problem stopping any other important pieces of legislation. you either stand up for what you believe or you stand up and lie to everyones face like the gop does!
Finally, folks are standing up to the right and saying NO! No, Sean, you're a poor excuse for a journalist and Fox News is propoganda. No, the NRA is not going to write our law. No, Justice Scalia, this is unacceptable rhetoric coming from the supreme court. No, assault rifles are not acceptable for hunting. No, Senator Graham, background checks work to keep guns out of the wrong hands. No, Koch brothers. Your money doesn't buy votes. Keep it up. Keep the pressure on.
Small news, perhaps, especially for those of you who still insist on chowing down on "Freedom fries," but John Kerry's first trip as SecState included a press conference in France that the French press called a charm offensive. He spoke at a joint French press conference... in French! Allons enfants!
Van Cliburn died today. A national treasure... RIP sir...
Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin would both be sitting senators right now had they memorized the phrase "I support reasonable restrictions on...."
It's a good thing that they were up front about their beliefs. More Republicans should do that. While they might lose elections, it might lead to people having more respect for their views. Too many members of the GOTP hide their views behind a wall of "Frank Luntz speak" instead of being honest about what they believe.
lf Republicans REALLY believe most of what they say, someone like Rick Santorum or Ted Cruz will be their nominee in 2016.
You overlooked my point I'd imagine if numerous anti gun Senators and reps were asked "would you like to ban all concealed carry and confiscate most if not all legally owned guns" Under the correct amount of truth serum. Its also quite possible President Obama would not have been re-elected had he outlined these same policies when asked in the debate.
Welcome to the club.