State of the Union Address 2013

Full State of the Union Address:

The New York Times' interactive analysis of the President's speech is here. Their live coverage was here. The transcript of the SOTU address is here. ...

... Here's the transcript of the Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) response. Here's the text of whatever it was Rand Paul (RTP-Ky.) said.

Mark Landler of the New York Times: "In an assertive State of the Union address that fleshed out the populist themes of his inauguration speech, Mr. Obama declared it was 'our generation’s task' to 'reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth — a rising, thriving middle class.'”

** Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker: "Since much of Obama’s agenda enjoys majority support, the trick for him is in forcing Republicans to act on it.... The dynamic that led to passage of ... three pieces of legislation [in recent weeks] was the same: the Republicans held a politically untenable position on a major issue and were forced to retreat from it after a White House campaign that embarrassed them. That’s the template for passing Obama’s agenda in 2013, and that was the point of his speech Tuesday night."

John Cassidy of the New Yorker: "Obama overshadows the Water Boy."

Greg Sargent: "If Obama’s Inaugural rooted the call for a progressive agenda in the country’s past, today’s speech offered a policy-heavy roadmap for a progressive future."

Ezra Klein: "... [President Obama's] speech was notable for the sweeping nature of the proposed changes. Obama’s agenda hasn’t been this bold since 2009. The difference between 2009 and 2013, of course, is that Democrats no longer control the House of Representatives. Most of these proposals have little chance of becoming law, at least right now."

Jonathan Cohn of The New Republic: "The most important proposal in President Barack Obama's State of the Union address may be one that gets the least attention and, quite possibly, has the least chance of becoming law in the near future: his proposal to create a universal pre-kindergarten program." CW: below is a chart, developed by conservative Nobel-laureate economist James Heckman of the University of Chicago, that shows the effective rate of return of investment in various age-specific programs. It's pretty dramatic:

Paul Steinhauser of CNN: in a CNN instapoll conducted with viewers around the country, "Fifty-three percent of speech watchers questioned in the poll had a very positive reaction, with 24% saying they had a somewhat positive response and 22% with a negative response.... According to the ... survey, 71% of speech watchers said the president's policies will move the country in the right direction, with 26% saying Obama's polices will take the nation in the wrong direction." CW: bear in mind that people opposed to Obama are way less likely than are supporters to watch his speech. I don't think these numbers mean much.

New York Times Editors: "... his speech explained to a wide audience what could be achieved if there were even a minimal consensus in Washington. Mr. Obama called for a series of steps that would provide enormous benefit for the middle class and for those hoping to enter it.... But on virtually every one of these issues, Republicans are standing in the way. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, the Republicans’ designated responder, wielded the party’s ancient cliché that the president simply wanted more 'big government.' ... His task now is to turn his widespread public support into a wedge to break Washington’s gridlock." ...

... Andy Rosenthal of the New York Times on the Rubio & Rand Paul (RTP-Ky.) responses: "Both Mr. Rubio and Mr. Paul laced their remarks with the usual G.O.P. propaganda that Mr. Obama hates jobs, small businessmen and entrepreneurs. Judging from these two speeches, the Republicans don’t intend to respond constructively to Mr. Obama’s call for a new direction in Washington. And they don’t intend to move beyond their failed 1980s-vintage economic policies." Rosenthal notes that Rubio's speech was an example of life imitating satire -- Rubio wrote his response before the President released his speech, much as ...

... Andy Borowitz wrote about Rand Paul's supposed pre-buttal: "In a break with tradition, Tea Party Republicans issued their official rebuttal to tonight’s State of the Union address a full twelve hours before President Obama was scheduled to deliver it.

"Rubio's Drinking Problem." Katie Gleuck of Politico: Twitter exploded during Sen. Marco Rubio’s Republican response to the State of the Union, as the Florida senator appeared a little sweaty and dry-mouthed at mid-speech, taking an awkward swig from a bottle of water that had been placed off-camera":

I needed water, what am I going to do? God has a funny way of reminding us we’re human. -- Marco Rubio, this morning

In fairness to Marco, he is not the only member of Congress who thinks he's a god. He is just one of the few who needs physical reminders. -- Constant Weader

... Not surprisingly, someone already has made a gif of the Big Gulp:

But [President Obama's] favorite attack of all is that those of us who don’t agree with him, that we only care about rich people. Mr. President, I still live in the same working-class neighborhood I grew up in. -- Marco Rubio

BUT not for long, if I can help it. Rubio quietly put his West Miami house on the market late last year as rumors swirl in Republican circles that representing Florida in D.C. is not a big enough job for him. According to Miami-Dade County records, Rubio and his wife Janette bought the 2,700-square-foot, four-bedroom home in the El Retiro subdivision in December 2005 for $550,000. MLS real estate records now confirm that Rubio put the suburban crib, at 6060 SW 13th St., on the market in November for $675,000. -- Jose Lambiet of the Miami Herald

The Modest Working-Class Pool Area in Marco's Back Yard:

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/30/3208915/marco-rubios-west-miami-home-on.html#storylink=cpyRubio quietly put his West Miami house on the market late last year as rumors swirl in Republican circles that representing Florida in D.C. is not a big enough job for him.

According to Miami-Dade County records, Rubio and his wife Janette bought the 2,700-square-foot, four-bedroom home in the El Retiro subdivision in December 2005 for $550,000.

MLS real estate records now confirm that Rubio put the suburban crib, at 6060 SW 13th St., on the market in November for $675,000.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/30/3208915/marco-rubios-west-miami-home-on.html#storylink=cpy

Since when is a 'suburban' neighborhood of houses worth more than half-a-million dollars a 'working-class neighborhood'? Apparently 'no car elevator' is Spanish for 'working-class.' -- Constant Weader

** "Putting the Rube in Rubio." Steve Benen: "Watching [the Rubio debacle] unfold over 15 minutes, it was hard not to think that if this guy is the GOP's 'savior,' the party is in deep trouble.... By any sensible measure, Rubio's entire pitch was incoherent gibberish.... [For example,] Rubio celebrates his family's history of dependence on government social programs like student loans and Medicare, while articulating a policy agenda that guts government social programs like student loans and Medicare.... The senator even thinks combating the climate crisis means asking government to 'control the weather,' which is just genuinely dumb." It appears the GOP just handed Romney's stump speech to Rubio & hoped for the best. ...

     ... CW: Benen is being a little unfair. The GOP is obliged to spew "incoherent gibberish" because the "coherent gibberish" the party really favors is anathema to most Americans. So, yeah, they're hoping for the best, the best being they can continue to pull the wool over the eyes of millions of Americans who pay almost no attention to policy issues. To get the American people to even notice Rubio, et al., you'll have to catch Rubio literally in bed with McConnell &/or Boehner, wherein salacious photos of a three-way would have optimal effect. Audio of their pillow talk could be useful, too. Write your own script. ...

... Paul Krugman: "Faced with overwhelming, catastrophic evidence that their faith in unregulated financial markets was wrong, they have responded by rewriting history to defend their prejudices.... Rubio ... and his party are now committed to the belief that their pre-crisis doctrine was perfect, that there are no lessons from the worst financial crisis in three generations except that we should have even less regulation. And given another shot at power, they’ll test that thesis by giving the bankers a chance to do it all over again." CW: Krugman is as unfair as Benen. What choice do Republicans have? They have to ignore facts & rewrite history since the facts don't conform to their unshakeable beliefs & policy preferences.

What's Wrong with This Picture?

President Obama speaks to men in government at the 2013 State of the Union address. Except for the complexion of the President, this photo might as well have been taken in the mid-20th century.

Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Obama will challenge a divided Congress on Tuesday night to embrace a second-term agenda that includes new government investments, limits on guns, a revamped immigration system and a plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, White House officials said."

The Commentariat -- Feb. 13, 2013

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -- Charles Darwin

CW: Greg Sargent, via a tweet from Alex Bolton of The Hill, answers the question I asked yesterday: "Chuck Hagel cleared the Armed Services Committee by a straight party line vote. Next up: A full Senate vote. Republican Senators continue to hint that they will obstruct the nomination, perhaps by 'hold.' So it's good to see Harry Reid announcing that he will not, in fact, honor any Republican holds on Hagel's nomination. Getting tough on GOP obstructionism is long overdue, particularly in the wake of the passage of weak filibuster reform." ...

... Steve Benen calls Sen. Ted Cruz's (RTP-Texas) remarks prior to the Committee vote for Chuck Hagel "an unnerving display of McCarthyism." Right he is:

... MEANWHILE. Dana Bash of CNN: "In personal and biting terms, House Speaker John Boehner argued that President Obama's failure to find agreement with Republicans is a result of his lack of 'courage' and 'guts' to do what it takes." A bit later Boehner said, "I've tried repeatedly to come to agreement with the president. Every time I've gotten burned." CW: now you tell me -- who lacks courage & guts?

Neil Irwin of the Washington Post: "Combined with decent job creation numbers to start the year and other data on business activity, the economy seems to be holding up OK in 2013 despite the [payroll tax rise & the] tax increases implemented as part of a deal to resolve the 'fiscal cliff' at the end of 2012." CW: Irwin's reporting is a good example of carrying the Republican message. He ledes with this clause: "the 2 percentage point increase in payroll taxes that went into effect January 1" & carries through continuing to call them "payroll tax increases." But there was not a 2% increase in payroll taxes; rather, the 2% payroll tax holiday ended and payroll taxes went back to normal. Words matter.

Michael Schmidt & Nicole Perlroth of the New York Times: "President Obama signed an executive order on Tuesday that promotes increased information sharing about cyberthreats between the government and private companies that oversee the country's critical infrastructure, offering a weakened alternative to legislation the administration had hoped Congress would pass last year."

Annie-Rose Strasser & Adam Peck of Think Progress: "The Violence Against Women Act reauthorization passed through the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, by a vote of 78 to 22. Of those opposing the legislation, all 22 were Republican men. Every female Senator supported the bill.... Two Senators -- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) -- also offered significant amendments to the VAWA bill. Grassley's amendment stripped all Native American, LGBT, and undocumented victim protections. It was voted down on Thursday of last week. Cornyn's, aimed exclusively on the bill's language relating to tribal lands, failed on Monday.... The version passed by the Senate today will next go to the House for a vote, where it is expected to encounter some difficulties, particularly over the protections of tribal women included in the bill." These smiling SOBs apparently think violence against women is A-OK:

When Did You Stop Beating Your Wife (or Significant Other)?

... "Fighting for Florida." Marco Rubio "justifies" his vote against the Violence Against Women Act. Something, something, states' rights, something, Indians! ...

... CW: Rubios's "concerns" about "the conferring of criminal jurisdiction to some Indian tribal governments over all persons in Indian country, including non-Indians," are particularly vacuous. According to the National Task Force to End Sexual & Domestic Violence Against Women, "Section 904 of S.1925 is limited to only crimes of domestic violence or dating violence committed in Indian country where the defendant is a spouse or established intimate partner of a tribal member. It does not permit tribal prosecutions unless the defendant has 'sufficient ties to the Indian tribe,' meaning he/she must either reside in the Indian country of the prosecuting tribe, be employed in the Indian country of the prosecuting tribe, or be the spouse or intimate partner of a member of the prosecuting tribe." So when Marco writes that his vote is a way he is "fighting for Florida," he is fighting for some white guy who live in, say, Everglades, Florida, & is married to a Seminole whom he likes to beat up. Well, that makes all okay, Marco.

Jon Chait of New York continues to get the best of MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, but -- remarkably -- Scarborough doesn't know it: "What makes Joe Scarborough such an enjoyable figure is his combination of affability, good intentions, high self-regard, low self-awareness, and total lack of analytical reasoning skills. He is not remotely dislikable. He is Ron Burgundy come to life." [Emphasis added.] ...

... ** James Downie of the Washington Post: "In the runup to President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night, several pundits have called on the president to focus on reducing the deficit. Early reports, though, indicate the president will talk more about jobs -- a good sign, because highlighting deficit reduction is wrong on both political and policy grounds.... The fact is, though, that not only is our national debt close to stabilized, whether or not the sequester takes effect, but also deficit reduction in the past two years 'would stand far above any other fiscal tightening since World War II.'"

ABC News: "Prominent environmental leaders ... are planning to risk arrest Wednesday at a protest outside the White House. Executive director Michael Brune would be the first Sierra Club leader to be arrested in an act of civil disobedience. The club's board of directors approved civil disobedience for the first time in its 120-year history as a way to oppose the pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. Activist Bill McKibben and actress Daryl Hannah also are participating in the protest.

LBJ & Lady Bird Johnson's grandchildren read excerpts from their love letters, which the Johnson Library will release tomorrow in advance of Valentine's Day:

Right Wing World

America's Most Famous Deadbeat Dad, Ctd. Natasha Korecki of the Chicago Sun-Times: "After insisting he wasn't a 'deadbeat dad' throughout his failed campaign for re-election, ex-U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh is still dogged by questions about child support. Walsh, a flame-throwing Tea Party Republican who was trying to land a radio deal and last week announced he was forming a new conservative SuperPAC, filed court papers seeking to end his obligation to pay $2,134 per month in child support.... Both he and his attorney say that since he is no longer employed as a congressman, they want to 'modify' the previous agreement so that he pays 20 percent of his current salary. Walsh is not currently employed and has no salary." [Emphasis added.]

Local News

Republicans Are Still Nasty. Michael Fletcher of the Washington Post: "Despite having one of the nation's highest jobless rates, North Carolina's government took steps to enact some of most severe [unemployment] benefit cuts in the country. The measure would shrink the maximum period of time someone could receive state jobless benefits to 20 weeks from 26 weeks and reduce the maximum weekly benefit to $350 from $535. The state Senate gave preliminary approval to the proposal on Tuesday, and Gov. Pat McCrory (R) has promised to sign it into law, which would take effect July 1.... Unless [the unemployed] collect at least 26 weeks of unemployment checks from the state, they are disqualified from getting jobless benefits from the federal government, which add up to an additional 47 weeks of aid." ...

... John Frank & Renee Elder of the Raleigh News & Observer: "A Republican measure to prevent major components of the federal health care law from taking effect in North Carolina will almost certainly be approved after Gov. Pat McCrory endorsed the effort Tuesday."

Rebekah Dryden of the "Rachel Maddow Show" runs down state actions -- in just the past 24 hours -- intent on limiting women's reproduction rights.

News Ledes

AP: "Pope Benedict XVI is celebrating his last public Mass as pontiff, presiding over Ash Wednesday services inside the packed St. Peter's Basilica in Rome."

Reuters: "The United States and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to push for the launch by the end of June of talks to create a free trade alliance that could be a benchmark for global partners to follow. A free trade deal would be the most ambitious ever attempted, encompassing half the world's economic output and a third of global trade flows."

Los Angeles Times: "Charred human remains have been found in the burned cabin where police believe fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner was holed up after trading gunfire with law enforcement, authorities said. If the body is identified to be Dorner's, the standoff would end a weeklong manhunt for the ex-LAPD officer and Navy Reserve lieutenant who is believed to be responsible for a string of revenge-fueled shootings following his firing by the Los Angeles Police Department several years ago. Four people have died, allegedly at Dorner's hands."

The Commentariat -- Feb. 12, 2013

Phil Stewart of Reuters: "The Pentagon announced on Monday it would extend more of the benefits offered to spouses of heterosexual troops to those of gay personnel but acknowledged some key benefits, like housing, would still be off-limits, at least for now. The step ... will affect the day-to-day lives of their spouses in ways big and small -- from allowing them to finally get military I.D. cards to granting hospital visitation rights. But outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in a memorandum explaining the move, noted his actions were limited by U.S. law, specifically the Defense of Marriage Act, which is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court and which defines marriage as a union between a man and woman."

New York Times Editors: "... two senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, say they will place 'holds' on President Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel to run the Pentagon. A hold is a kind of minifilibuster, preventing unanimous consent to take up a bill or nomination, and preventing an up-or-down vote. Using this power for showboating, as Mr. Graham and Mr. Inhofe are doing, shows how easy it has become for senators to put petty personal demands ahead of the country's needs.... This kind of posturing is exactly why holds and filibusters against nominees have to end. Any senator is free to cast a vote for or against a nominee but should not be able to prevent others from doing so." ...

... Manu Raju & Tim Mak of Politico: "Some Senate Republicans are prepared to filibuster Chuck Hagel's nomination to become the next secretary of defense, a rare maneuver to block a Cabinet-level nominee that demonstrates the lingering hostility from GOP senators toward a man who used to serve with them.... Of course, it's still possible that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) cut a deal and a Hagel filibuster is avoided -- or that GOP senator[s] backs down from their threats."

... Ramsey Cox of The Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that once work on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is finished the Senate would proceed to a vote on the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense.... 'Never in history has there been a filibuster on a defense nomination, and I hope that will continue,' Reid said on the floor Monday." CW: so does this mean Reid won't honor any individual holds put on the Hagel vote? I don't know.

Jia Lynn Yang of the Washington Post: "GOP senators plan to ask pointed questions about Jack Lew's work at Citigroup -- and his pay at the bailed-out bank -- when the Treasury nominee appears before a Senate panel for his confirmation hearing Wednesday, officials said Monday.

The White House will broadcast an online enhanced version of the State of the Union. Here's how it will work:

... Meanwhile, Margaret Hartmann of New York Magazine reports that "The House Republican Conference has launched the site http://www.gop.gov/SOTU/ so it can post fact-checking information and tweets from prominent Republicans during the speech." The comments to Hartmann's piece are quite good. Isn't "House Republican fact-checker" an oxymoron?

... Jennifer Epstein & Stephanie Gaskill of Politico: "President Barack Obama is expected to announce Tuesday night that he'll withdraw 34,000 more troops from Afghanistan over the coming year, the latest big move in his plan to transfer responsibility for the war to Afghanistan's homegrown soldiers and police." ...

... New York Times Editors: "President Obama ... [must] not forget the most fundamental democratic reform of all: repairing a broken election system that caused hundreds of thousands of people to stand in line for hours to vote last year. It is time to make good on his election-night promise." ...

... CW: here's a guess -- the President will be mentioning election reform in his SOTU address. Susanna Gamboa of the AP: "A delicate centenarian from Florida will sit with first lady Michelle Obama during Tuesday's State of the Union, symbolizing the ferocity and determination of a voter and giving testament to problems with America's voting system. Desiline Victor, 102, of Miami, endured a weather-delayed flight to Washington on Monday in order to get to town for President Barack Obama's address. She will be among the guests seated with Mrs. Obama...."

"Hearsay Economics." Paul Krugman: "... where do the reputable people get their [mis]information? Why, it's what they heard somebody in their circle say. It's hearsay economics all the way down.... It may seem hard to believe that this sort of petty small-group sociology exerts a vast influence on actual policy, and that it is actually responsible for millions of lost jobs. But the more I look at it, the more that seems to be right."

Bad Day for Deficit Hawks. Lori Montgomery of the Washington Post: "In recent weeks, the White House has pressed the message that, if policymakers can agree on a strategy for replacing across-the-board spending cuts set to hit next month, Obama will pretty much have achieved what he has called 'our ultimate goal' of halting the rapid rise in government borrowing.... Deficit hawks have reacted with alarm to the administration's position." CW: yeah, they're reacting with alarm because they might lose speakers' fees, etc. ...

... Jed Lewison of Daily Kos: "Eric Cantor, who voted for the sequester in the first place, now says it doesn't make any sense. He says he'd like to replace it, but only with spending cuts that target Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other social insurance programs. Cantor says that unless Democrats agree to such cuts, Republicans will move forward with implementing the sequester -- even though doing so will 'hurt a lot of people.' In other words, Eric Cantor has outlined the GOP position on the sequester: hurt a lot of people -- or hurt even more people." ...

... Jon Chait of New York: Wow, Joe Scarborough doesn't understand economics at all." CW: I should add that Mika Brzezinski is a good dancer. Other than that, she is MSNBC's bow to the tradition of always having an on-air dumb blond. ...

... Digby. "The Village has decided that Social Security must be cut. But will it be enough?"

Jane Perlez of the New York Times: "The nuclear test by North Korea on Tuesday, in defiance of warnings by China, leaves the new Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, with a choice: Does he upset North Korea just a bit by agreeing to stepped up United Nations sanctions, or does he rattle the regime by pulling the plug on infusions of Chinese oil and investments that keep North Korea afloat?"

Steve Benen on Ben Smith's claim -- linked in yesterday's Commentariat -- that President Obama is "screwing his base" via ObamaCare: "... the further we get from the needlessly inflammatory, please-Drudge-link-to-me BuzzFeed headline, the less outrageous the Obamacare policy is."

Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times: "... when the pope stunned the world on Monday with his resignation announcement, his supporters and detractors alike almost universally hailed the move as a moment of grace, sounding almost relieved to see the end of what has been a very turbulent journey." Goodstein takes a trip down memory lane, pausing on Benedict's greatest hits -- not a pretty review. ...

... Playwright John Patrick Shanley, author of "Doubt," in a New York Times op-ed: "POPE BENEDICT XVI quit. Good. He was utterly bereft of charm, tone-deaf and a protector of priests who abused children. He'd been a member of the Hitler Youth. In addition to this woeful resumé, he had no use for women." ...

... Jason Berry in a New York Times op-ed: "Benedict has one last chance to right some of the wrongs of the recent past by forcing out Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals and the man who, more than any other, embodies the misuse of power that has corrupted the church hierarchy. Cardinal Sodano is hardly alone: a long list of leaders betrayed Catholics everywhere with their pathological evasions, sending known sex offenders into treatment centers to avoid the law, then planting them in parishes or hospitals where they found new victims." ...

... Washington Post Editors: "This pope's response [to the challenges the Roman Catholic church faces] was to insist that only uncompromising adherence to past doctrine could preserve the faith. Catholics who seek a different answer will have to hope that a college of cardinals dominated by the pope's appointees will choose a more progressive successor." ...

... CW: There are quite a few prognosticators out there already sussing out the various candidates for the papacy. Predictions being what they are, I'm going with John Oliver's approach:

"The Man Who Killed Osama bin Ladin -- Is Screwed," by Phil Bronstein, published by Esquire, has received a lot of media attention today: the man, who is identified only as "The Shooter,' left the military after 16 years, so is not eligible for a pension. He can't reveal his expertise to potential employers. One point of the story that enraged various commentators: he can't even get health insurance. ...

... This last "travesty" would be a lot more compelling if it were true. Megan McClosky of Stars & Stripes: "Like every combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the former SEAL, who is identified in the story only as 'the Shooter', is automatically eligible for five years of free healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs." ...

     ... Update: Esquire editors defend Bronstein's piece against McClosky's assertions.

Right Wing World

Tea Party, Debunked. Kevin Grandia of Firedoglake: "Shattering the public perception that the Tea Party is a spontaneous popular citizens movement, a new academic paper provides evidence that an organization founded by David and Charles Koch, attempted to launch the Tea Party movement in 2002. The peer-reviewed study appearing in the academic journal, Tobacco Control ... shows that the group Citizens for a Sound Economy launched a Tea Party movement website, www.usteaparty.com, that went live in 2002. According to the website DeSmogBlog.com, who broke this story [Monday], CSE was founded in 1984 by the infamous Koch Brothers.... David Koch sat on the board of CSE for many years and the group's first president, Richard Fink, went on to become a senior VP at Koch Industries."

American Bridge, a pro-Obama PAC, looks at the State of the GOP Union:

Ted Nugent, the kind of person who passes for a dignitary Republicans see fit to bring to a solemn Constitutional moment.Greg Sargent: "Lots of chatter about the news that GOP Rep. Steve Stockman, who threatened Obama with impeachment over guns, has invited [crazed winger, former rocker] Ted Nugent to the State of the Union address.... 'I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama,' Stockman said in a press release. 'After the Address I'm sure Ted will have plenty to say.' ... The problem isn't so much Ted Nugent as it is the Steve Stockmans of the world telling their constituents that Obama's sensible gun reforms rise to the level of impeachment." ...

... Adam Peck of Think Progress: the Secret Service, which interviewed Nugent after he appeared to threaten the President's life, has "no comment" on his attendance at the SOTU. ...

... Steve Benen: "Republicans find themselves in the awkward position of having two GOP senators delivering post-SOTU speeches, and while they're speaking, a musician/right-wing clown will be hosting a press conference on Capitol Hill, which seems likely to become a distracting spectacle.... As the Stockman/Nugent story reminds us, the problem isn't that Republicans have some 'cranks, haters, and bigots'; the problem is that Republicans are a radicalized party in which 'cranks, haters, and bigots' routinely dominate."

Josh Marshall: new conspiracy theory -- John Brennan is a secrety Muslim.

Local News

Suzi Parker of Reuters: "Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, a Democrat, signed into law on Monday a bill that allows concealed-carry permit holders to take their weapons into churches. The Church Protection Act would allow individual places of worship to decide whether to allow concealed handguns and who could carry them. Churches that take no action will remain off-limits to guns."

Lucy Morgan of the Tampa Bay Times: "After two weeks of behind-the-scenes wrangling, former GOP party chairman Jim Greer walked into court Monday morning and pleaded guilty to theft and money laundering charges that could put him behind bars for 3 and 1/2 years. Greer responded 'guilty your honor' to charges he stole and laundered GOP campaign contributions through a company he created, Victory Strategies. He declined to talk with a crowd of reporters as he left the courtroom. The plea, which came moments before jury selection was set to begin, ends the prospects of a two-week trial that promised testimony from former Gov. Charlie Crist and a who's who of Republican politicians." CW: looks as if Greer fell on his sword for somebody.

News Ledes

Tuesday, February 12, 2013.

Here's the Los Angeles Times page with live updates of the Christopher Dorner standoff. It includes video. The New York Times has live video & updates here. MSNBC reports that the cabin Dorner is believed to be in has been "engulfed in flames." The AP is reporting Dorner "never emerged" from the cabin; also, a single shot was heard coming from inside the cabin before flames overtook the cabin. ...

     ... AP Update: "The extraordinary manhunt for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of three murders converged Tuesday on a mountain cabin where authorities believe he barricaded himself inside, engaged in a shootout that killed a deputy and then never emerged as the home went up in flames. A single gunshot was heard from within, and a charred body was found inside." ...

     ... OR NOT. Los Angeles Times: "There were conflicting reports about whether a body was located inside the burned-out cabin Tuesday night where Christopher Jordan Dorner was believed to have kept law enforcement authorities at bay. Several sources told The Times and many other news organizations that a body was located in the rubble. But LAPD officials said that the cabin was still too hot to search and no body has been found."

New York Times: "North Korea confirmed on Tuesday that it had conducted its third, long-threatened nuclear test, according to the official KCNA news service, posing a new challenge for the Obama administration in its effort to keep the country from becoming a full-fledged nuclear power." ...

... Reuters: "North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of existing U.N. resolutions, drawing condemnation from around the world, including from its only major ally, China, which summoned the North Korean ambassador to protest." ...

... Politico: "President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday that the United States and its allies will take 'swift and credible action' over North Korea's latest nuclear test -- a move he denounced as a 'highly provocative act.' In a written statement issued just before 2 A.M. Eastern Time Tuesday morning, Obama promised that the U.S. will be 'steadfast' in its commitments to allies in the region. However, he was not specific about what steps the U.S. might take against North Korea or to shore up allies."

New York Times: "As it prepares for two sets of negotiations with outsiders on its disputed nuclear program, Iran said on Tuesday that it was converting some of its enriched uranium into reactor fuel, the state news agency IRNA reported, potentially limiting the expansion of stockpiles that the West fears could be used for weapons." ...

... Reuters: "The U.N. nuclear watchdog, [the International Atomic Energy Agency {IAEA},] said on Tuesday it would seek in talks in Iran this week to bridge differences that have prevented it restarting an investigation into the Islamic state's atomic activities. The agency has been trying for more than a year to revive its inquiry into suspected nuclear weapons research by Iran, which denies Western allegations that it is seeking to develop the capability to make atomic bombs."

AP: "The Vatican is acknowledging for the first time that Pope Benedict XVI has had a pacemaker for years and that its battery was replaced a few months ago in secret. Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said Benedict had the pacemaker installed 'a long time' before he became pope in 2005. He called the latest medical procedure 'routine.'"

ABC News: "President Barack Obama is spending up to $50 million from the Pentagon's budget to assist Chad and France in their efforts to combat militants in Mali< in North Africa. The United States has been supporting the French military's operations in northern Mali by providing refueling services for French forces and airlift support for French and Chadian forces. Obama issued a memorandum to the State and Defense departments Monday advising them of his directive to use the $50 million. The State Department already had notified Congress of Obama's intent to tap Pentagon funds."