links for 2011-02-17

Amid the third straight day of chaotic but largely peaceful protests at the Capitol, Democratic senators Thursday boycotted a Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair plan, forcing Republicans to put off further action in that house until Friday at the earliest.

With Democrats hiding out just over the Illinois border and drawing national media attention, Republicans had too few lawmakers to take a vote Thursday and had to adjourn. With thousands of demonstrators swarming the Capitol Square, GOP lawmakers vowed to come back Friday morning to try to take up the proposal, which would help solve a state budget shortfall by cutting public employee benefits and most public union bargaining rights.

Democrats holed up in the Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center in Rockford, Ill., while Republicans said they wanted law enforcement to bring them to the Capitol if they were still in Wisconsin.
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A mockery of their oath of office.

Come on……

Sarah Palin addressed a variety of issues Thursday at a gathering of business officials in Long Island, New York including her 2012 plans, first lady Michelle Obama, President Obama's proposed budget, the crisis in Egypt, and her feelings on the media.

Here's a snapshot of what she had to say:

On her 2012 ambitions:
"I am still thinking of leading this country. I am still thinking about it. I haven't made up my mind. We hired a chief of staff because Todd is getting tired of doing it for me."

When asked who else she might envision at the top of the GOP ticket Palin responded, "No one is more qualified to multi-tasking and doing all the things you need to do as a President than a woman."

She then began reciting from her resume, listing her experience as a mayor and running for Vice President.

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Sarah Palin can't let it go…..always setting herself up to be the victim.

Tennessee was a rare state where Barack Obama performed worse in 2008 than John Kerry did in 2004, albeit by less than one point on the margin. But the state now joins red-turned-blue neighbors North Carolina and Virginia as states where Obama has actually improved since the last election. While he lost to John McCain by 15 points last time, he now trails next year's crop of Republican frontrunners by no more than 12.

Neighboring Arkansas' Mike Huckabee typically does best against the president in Southern states, and he comes closest to matching McCain's margin of victory here, 53-41. The other candidate who usually runs closest to Obama, Mitt Romney, beats him here, 48-41. But neighboring Georgia's Newt Gingrich can manage only a 46-43 lead, and Sarah Palin actually ties the president at 45%.

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Tennessee is solidly red….

While most of the Democratic establishment is visibly encouraging Tim Kaine to dive into the Virginia Senate race, the same cannot be said for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in Arizona.

In fact, top Democrats are unenthusiastic about a Napolitano Senate candidacy for retiring Sen. Jon Kyl's seat, according to those familiar with the race and Arizona politics.

Beyond the routine calls that are made to any potential candidate, one source noted that there's been little outreach from typical Democratic players to urge the former governor to run.

"There's not much interest in her. She has a long, long, long record, closely tied to President Obama. She's got a lot of baggage," said a Democrat involved in the race.

Dubbed derisively as "Big Sis" by Matt Drudge, Napolitano also took a considerable amount of heat for declaring that "the system worked" after the Christmas bomber was able to board a plane.
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Time has passed Big Sis by and Jeff Flake will be the next Sen

Rather than call a “truce” on social issues as possible presidential contender Mitch Daniels suggests, Sen. John Thune tells The Brody File that, “I don’t think we can minimize those in the debate.”

Thune is mulling a presidential run and The Brody File spent the whole day with him on Capitol Hill this past Tuesday. The Brody File received exclusive access into certain meetings Thune was holding that day. All of that will be part of a feature airing on The 700 Club in a few weeks.

Thune told me, “For any conservative or any Republican to get elected to office, you have to have the support and hopefully the energetic support of people who care passionately about the social issues. So, they’re important. And we shouldn’t trivialize that.”
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Not exactly what Mitch Daniels said but is the CW that opponents will use against him – should he decide to run

Gov. Mitch Daniels is recovering at home after surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

The governor's office says the outpatient surgery Thursday morning at Indiana Orthopedic Hospital Northwest in Indianapolis was successfully performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sandy Kunkel.

Daniels is expected to return to his office at the Statehouse sometime next week.

Spokesman Jacob Oakman says he's back in charge of the executive branch of Indiana government after temporarily handing those duties to Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman.

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Get well Governor – Spring Training is just around the corner.