FROM THE BLOGS:

Dems to campaign on guns and minimum wage in 2014
DCCC chair Steve Israel revealed in an interview with Plum Line's Greg Sargent that House candidates will campaign aggressively on gun control and minimum wage in 2014.



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FROM THE BLOGS

Why Barack Obama and Joe Biden are gambling on social media
Howard Kurtz of The Daily Beast discusses potential pitfalls when politicians play too heavily into social media.

10 complaints about Karl Rove
Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin pokes holes into recent critiques at Karl Rove from members of the Tea Party.

Mark Sanford: If I can't have your forgiveness, can I at least have your vote?
Ramesh Ponnuru & Margaret Carlson of Bloomberg View break down their opposing views on Mark Sanford's return to the political sphere.

The conservative media needs to self-police itself for its own sake
The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf believes that for right-wing media, the first step toward legitimacy is keeping in line with journalistic standards.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

GOP Sen. Shelby says he will vote to confirm Hagel for Defense
The Alabama senator is the third Republican to publicly back President Obama's Cabinet pick, The Hill's Daniel Strauss reports.

Sanford loses key endorsements in SC
Times are tough for the former governor as two House members throw their support behind a rival primary candidate, The Hill's Cameron Joseph reports.

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:

New Simpson-Bowles plan is uneven
The new Simpson-Bowles plan is at the "ideological midpoint" between President Obama and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), writes Greg Sargent at The Plumline.

His idea
RedState's Erick Erickson asks if sequestration is so bad, why did the president propose it?

Obama vs. Reporters
Matthew Cooper, writing at the The Atlantic, wonders whether President Obama is mean to reporters or are reporters just whiny?

Liberals' hypocrisy on drones
Salon's Joan Walsh writes about a new study that finds liberals are OK with targeted killings if it is Obama's policy.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

High Court to look at unlimited campaign contributions
The Supreme Court has decided to take on controversial case regarding campaign contributions, The Hill's Sam Baker reports.

Rubio, White House spar over immigration
White House press secretary Jay Carney disputed claims the White House has not contacted Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to discuss immigration reform, The Hill's Justin Sink reports.

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

Graham's Clear Path
National Review's Katrina Trinko notes that despite continually angering many members of the South Carolina Tea Party, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham will likely win reelection.

The right's war on renewable energy could doom red states
Salon's Brad Jacobson worries that the financial opportunities in the clean-energy sector won't be able to find a home in red states with prohibitive laws to alternative energy development.

Rand Paul's SOTU response: Key to the Tea Party's future?
Scott Conroy of Real Clear Politics details how Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) response comes at a pivotal moment in the future of the fledgling party.

Two roads diverge
William Galston predicts for the New Republic that the looming budget fight will determine the eventual evolution of the Republican Party.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

Executive action is expected on climate
The president's second term is expected to include a major push for climate change legislation, The Hill's Ben Geman reports.

Panel to vote Thursday on Brennan
The Senate Select Intelligence Committee will make a decision Thursday on the approval of John Brennan as the nation's top spy, The Hill's Carlo Muñoz reports.