Day's End Round-Up

Obama's obedient lap dog
The New York Post's Michael Goodwin writes that it's the media's fault for not getting access to President Obama when he played golf with Tiger Woods.

Rubio doesn't think he needs to 'move beyond' the Bush era
The American Conservative's Daniel Larison questions Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) foreign policy stances.

Obama rolls out new infrastructure, jobs plan
At the Daily Kos, Joan McCarter discusses President Obama's plan to invest in America's crumbling infrastructure.

Game on in Oregon!
FireDogLake's Laurel Ramseyer writes about the growth in support for same-sex marriage in Oregon.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Pentagon informs Congress of plans to furlough 800K civilians
The Hill's Jeremy Herb reports on the Defense Department's latest move in light of the coming sequester cuts.

Former senator reveals secret son
Former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) revealed that he fathered a child years ago with the daughter of former Sen. Paul Laxalt (R-Nev.), according to The Hill's Judy Kurtz.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Homophobia in the GOP makes it hard for party to compete nationally
The Daily Beast's Peter Beinart says that despite the GOP's attempts to become more racially diverse, their eventual downfall lies in their refusal to accept LGBT citizens.

The marketing genius of Marco Rubio
Emily Zanotti of Daily Caller shows that Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) power (and ability to connect with more voters) lies in his ability to make great entertainment out of politics.

Republicans go from daddy party to baby party
Cato's Doug Bandow worries that Republicans are spending too much time arguing over issues that don't matter.

GOP governor to Karl Rove: Take a hike
Mother Jones's Andy Kroll details the growing backlash again Karl Rove's new super-PAC.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

Scott Brown blames phone for unusual "Bqhatevwr" tweet
The former senator claims he wasn't drinking when he accidentally sent out the strange tweets, The Hill's Justin Sink reports.

Sanford: 'I failed mightily' in personal life, but always defended the taxpayers
The former South Carolina governor is hoping voters will look past his indiscretions in office as they prepare to elect a replacement for Sen. Tim Scott's open House seat, The Hill's Meghashyam Mali reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Haley vs. health care
South Carolina Gov. Nicki Haley (R) talks about her state's fight against healthcare reform and gun control with RedState's Breanne Howe.

The many Chuck Hagel positions of John McCain
David Weigel of Slate details the many changes of Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) feelings towards the former GOP senator.

GOP civil war
Read The Economist's take on the growing fault lines among Republican legislators.

Yes, Chuck Hagel is being filibustered. Yes, that's unprecedented.
Wonkblog's Dylan Matthews examines the refusal of Senate Republicans to use the word "filibuster," and the procedural definition of the word itself.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Rangel wants women to be drafted
The Hill's Geneva Sands reports on Rep. Charles Rangel's (D-N.Y.) request that women register for the Selective Service.

House committee to hold hearing on asteroid threat
House Science, Space and Technology Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is holding a committee hearing on the threat of asteroids hitting Earth, according to The Hill's Jonathan Easley.

FROM THE BLOGS

Obama bores preschoolers
Zeke Miller of Buzzfeed lampoons a Georgia school photo-op where President Obama struggled to hold the attention of a group of pre-schoolers.

On Hagel and hostage-taking
At The Daily Dish, Andrew Sullivan highlights a reader's analysis of former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel's (R) difficulty being confirmed as secretary of Defense.

LBJ's love letters
The Corner's Katherine Connell looks at the loving, recently released courtship letters of Lyndon B. Johnson to his wife.

True love, according to the feds
Think your love is tough? Natasha Lennard of Salon.com delves into the wild world of marriages and green cards.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

Obama campaigns for universal pre-K
President Obama called again for universal pre-school for four year olds as part of his national tour, The Hill's Justin Sink reports.

Capitol's storied halls make for memorable proposal moments
A few lucky D.C. couples share their Hill proposal stories. The Hill's Emily Goodin has more.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Does subsidized preschool pay off?
The Economist's Will Wilkinson writes on why President Obama's plan for universal preschool may not be entirely effective. 

Rubio's thirst was the best thing that could have happened to him
Talking Points Memo's Brian Beutler thinks Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) gave an unimpressive response to Obama's State of the Union address.

The schizophrenic State of the Union
S.E. Cupp argues in the New York Daily News that Obama's State of the Union address was vague and inconsistent.

Obama issues cybersecurity order, does not seize control of internet
Mother Jones' Dana Liebelson discusses why the President's recent executive order on cybersecurity is more moderate than some had originally thought.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Lew defends Cayman investment
Jack Lew, Obama's nominee for Treasury secretary, on Wednesday defended his $56,000 investment in a Cayman Islands fund, according to The Hill's Peter Schroeder.

Lawmakers say they're 'very close' to deal on post office overhaul
The Hill's Bernie Becker reports on potential legislation that could help the U.S. Postal Service get back on a sound financial footing.

FROM THE BLOGS

Power without politics
The American Conservative's Rod Dreher asks readers to look at new ways to change the political status quo--elections not included.

Rubio's big night: his response to the SOTU
Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin examines Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) attempt to connect Republican policies with an ever changing and expanding group of voters.

State of the Union: the thinking game
Mark Green of EnergyTomorrow creates a thinking man's BINGO for watching the State of the Union address.

Who is Cody Keenan, Obama's SOTU speechwriter?
The Atlantic's Garance Franke-Ruta reports on Cody Keenan, the young speechwriter taking over for Jon Favreau.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Medal of Honor winner turns down invite to State of the Union
Former Army staff sergeant Clint Romesha has decided to spend the evening with friends and family instead of attending the State of the Union, The Hill's Emily Goodin reports.

Obama vows further UN sanctions against North Korea after nuclear test
Obama's administration is looking into actions with the UN to issue a response to North Korea's third nuclear test, The Hill's Julian Pecquet reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

The historic report on recent CIA abuses that you're not allowed to see
The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf argues argues that at least some, if not all of the Senate Intelligence Committee's 6,000-page report on detention and interrogation techniques used by the CIA should be released to the public.

Poll: Hillary Clinton 'easily the most popular' political figure
Huffinton Post's Ariel Edwards-Levy looks into polls showing Clinton with a handy lead in popularity among politicians on both sides of the aisle.

Hot new conservative rallying cry: 'Support my campaign to thwart Karl Rove?'
Erika Johnsen of Hot Air delves into the ways Karl Rove's Super PAC might backfire in its goal of electing more "establishment" candidates.

Anti-evolution Missouri bill requires college students to learn about destiny
Mother Jones' Dana Liebelson is skeptical of a recently announced bill that would require equal teaching time for intelligent design, destiny, and evolution.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Clinton brings warning to House Democrats about 2014 campaign
The Hill's Russell Berman reports on President Clinton urging House Democrats to implement health care reform correctly in 2014.

Carney defends Obama's decision to overrule Cabinet members on Syria
The Hill's Justin Sink reports on why President Obama decided to not arm rebel forces in Syria. 

FROM THE BLOGS:

Dems to offer spending cuts
The Plum Line's Greg Sargent reports that Democrats are planning to offer a sequester deal that includes "a mix" of additional revenues and spending cuts.

Guantánamo Bay will remain open
Kelly Vlahos of The American Conservative notes that the Obama administration announced last week that it is "shuttering" the office in charge of closing Guantánamo Bay.

Gun control could cost GOP women vote
Women who, historically, don't vote in midterm elections will likely come out in 2014 because of the issue of gun control, Evan McCmorris-Santoro of TPM explains.

Bloomberg seeks another soda ban
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) is now seeking a ban on syrofoam cups, Andrew Johnson of The Corner writes. 

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

Rep. Braley after Iowa Senate seat
Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) launched a bid for retiring Sen. Tom Harkin's seat (D-Iowa), The Hill's Cameron Joseph reports.

First lady to attend funeral of Chicago teen
First lady Michelle Obama will attend the funeral of a Chicago teen who performed at the 2013 presidential inauguration, The Hill's Daniel Strauss reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Assassination rocks Tunisia
Commentary's Michael Rubin worries the so-called Arab Spring may not being going according to plan, using Tunisia as a recent example.  

Republicans hit Obama, Jack Lew for violating the law on Medicare 
The Weekly Standard's Jeffrey Anderson argues that the Obama administration broke the law by not outlining changes to increase Medicare's solvency.

Postal cuts are austerity on steroids
The Nation's John Nichols opines on why cutting funding for the United States Postal Service is a bad idea

Tim Geithner now a "distinguished fellow" at CFR
Slate's Matthew Yglesias offers his take on the former Treasury Secretary's next career move.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Obama to nominate REI chief executive Jewell for Interior Secretary
The Hill's Daniel Strauss and Ben Geman report on President Obama's latest cabinet appointee.  

Dems propose bill decriminalizing pot 
The Hill's Pete Kasperowicz reports on the Democrats' latest plan to deregulate the purchase and consumption of marijuana.  

FROM THE BLOGS:

Drones targeting Americans abroad raises questions
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey highlights an Obama administration memo arguing the legal case for drone strikes on Americans.

Obama will never please the 'Skeeters'
CNN contributor LZ Granderson says President Obama should stop trying to appease his critics with photographic evidence.

Fixing US foreign relations
Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin writes an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry: "Republicans are rooting for you."

GOP Senators obstruct CFPB
Pat Garofalo of Think Progress notes that 43 senators signed a letter vowing opposition to any new nominee to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

White House playing defense
The Hill's Amie Parnes reports on White House press secretary Jay Carney's defense of the targeting of Americans with drone strikes as "fully consistent" with the Constitution.

Pentagon extends benefits to same-sex couples
The Pentagon will announce later this week that military same-sex spouses will receive some additional benefits. The Hill's Justin Sink reports.