<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" xmlns:activity="http://activitystrea.ms/spec/1.0/" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><channel><title>Newsvine</title><link>http://steve-benen.newsvine.com/</link><description></description><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright 2013</copyright><lastBuildDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 21:59:51 +0000</lastBuildDate><pubDate>Fri, 24 May 2013 11:35:34 +0000</pubDate><generator>http://www.newsvine.com</generator><docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs><item><title>Thursday's Mini-Report</title>
<description><![CDATA[Today's edition of quick hits:
* A bipartisan group of senators today unveiled new legislation intended to prevent sexual assault in the military.]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18451550-thursdays-mini-report</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18451550-thursdays-mini-report</guid><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 21:30:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.newsvine.com/_nv/api/media/getMobileVideo?videoId=51978075" ><media:thumbnail url="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/f_collins_military_130523.thumb.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>'This war, like all wars, must end'</title>
<description><![CDATA[
We're accustomed to President Obama delivering big political speeches, and thinking about them in political terms -- was the rhetoric persuasive, will various constituencies approve or disapprove, how will the arguments be received, etc. But some speeches are important for reaso&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18451126-this-war-like-all-wars-must-end</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18451126-this-war-like-all-wars-must-end</guid><category>barack-obama</category><category>foreign-policy</category><category>national-security</category><category>counter-terrorism</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 21:01:32 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.newsvine.com/_nv/api/media/getMobileVideo?videoId=51982015" ><media:thumbnail url="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/f_obamafull_130523.thumb.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Senate unanimously approves Srinivasan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Of all the recent judicial confirmation votes, today's was the most important.]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18450214-senate-unanimously-approves-srinivasan</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18450214-senate-unanimously-approves-srinivasan</guid><category>judiciary</category><category>judicial-nominees</category><category>sri-srinivasan</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 19:41:12 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenC1A471F7-35FB-30CD-BA7F-8C79628AD03D.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="215" width="360" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenC1A471F7-35FB-30CD-BA7F-8C79628AD03D.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="72" /><media:description type="plain">&lt;p&gt;The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals&lt;/p&gt;</media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Virginia's McDonnell facing probe from outside prosecutor</title>
<description><![CDATA[
It's an election year in Virginia, and it doesn't help the state Republican Party that its slate of statewide candidates are dominated by right-wing extremists. It also doesn't help that the outgoing Republican governor of the commonwealth is in the middle of a scandal that now &nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18448821-virginias-mcdonnell-facing-probe-from-outside-prosecutor</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18448821-virginias-mcdonnell-facing-probe-from-outside-prosecutor</guid><category>virginia</category><category>bob-mcdonnell</category><category>ken-cuccinelli</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 18:13:17 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen615D8C90-4B86-7777-3431-5E39F8180423.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="205" width="360" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen615D8C90-4B86-7777-3431-5E39F8180423.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="69" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>At the intersection of bad policy, bad theology, and hypocrisy</title>
<description><![CDATA[
The ongoing congressional debate over the Farm Bill has made clear just how eager Republicans are to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps). Despite high unemployment, a Senate committee approved striking $4.1 billion &nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18447221-at-the-intersection-of-bad-policy-bad-theology-and-hypocrisy</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18447221-at-the-intersection-of-bad-policy-bad-theology-and-hypocrisy</guid><category>agriculture</category><category>food-stamps</category><category>hypocrisy</category><category>stephen-fincher</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 16:50:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen6C20E0B4-ECD4-D92D-4E4A-5EF1052FEBD7.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="269" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen6C20E0B4-ECD4-D92D-4E4A-5EF1052FEBD7.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="91" /><media:description type="plain">&lt;p&gt;Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.)&lt;/p&gt;</media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Getty Images</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Thursday's campaign round-up</title>
<description><![CDATA[Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R), already struggling in advance of his re-election campaign, was asked at an event last week w&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18446562-thursdays-campaign-round-up</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18446562-thursdays-campaign-round-up</guid><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdFH2RzblYA" ><media:thumbnail url="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BdFH2RzblYA/default.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>McConnell's clumsy opportunism</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), like a few too many pundits, is eager to find a common thread connecting the various political controversies of the day. And in a new Washington Post op-ed, the Republican leader thinks he's found it: that rascally President Obama &nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18446180-mcconnells-clumsy-opportunism</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18446180-mcconnells-clumsy-opportunism</guid><category>campaign-finance</category><category>mitch-mcconnell</category><category>disclose-act</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 15:24:27 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen4B8F3AE9-0989-79C2-C131-8B0E6F21AE48.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="269" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen4B8F3AE9-0989-79C2-C131-8B0E6F21AE48.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="91" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Getty Images</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Dems enjoy edge on generic ballot</title>
<description><![CDATA[
There's quite a bit of interest lately in political controversies and efforts to connect them to the White House, but as an electoral matter, there's a limit to the utility: President Obama won't be on the ballot again.
But, Republicans argue, there will be important midterm ele&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18445788-dems-enjoy-edge-on-generic-ballot</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18445788-dems-enjoy-edge-on-generic-ballot</guid><category>2014</category><category>commentid=2014</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 14:58:30 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenB01AED4E-5B5C-61CD-197C-5507F7708BF7.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="203" width="360" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenB01AED4E-5B5C-61CD-197C-5507F7708BF7.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="68" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>'There would be no investigation'</title>
<description><![CDATA[
For all of the partisan disputes on Capitol Hill, lawmakers tend to get along fairly well when it comes to sanctions against Iran. Lawmakers in both parties want more of them, and want them to harsher and more punitive.
But Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) seems a little more eager than&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18445373-there-would-be-no-investigation</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18445373-there-would-be-no-investigation</guid><category>iran</category><category>foreign-policy</category><category>tom-cotton</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:03 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenD507EDE4-B3E5-FDF6-F8AB-12126EE504B6.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="261" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenD507EDE4-B3E5-FDF6-F8AB-12126EE504B6.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="89" /><media:description type="plain">&lt;p&gt;Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)&lt;/p&gt;</media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Adventures in Fox polling</title>
<description><![CDATA[From time to time, I enjoy marveling at the kind of questions that appear in ostensibly neutral Fox News polls. This latest entry only helps reinforce suspicions that the network asks questions intended to get an ideologically satisfying result.]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18444814-adventures-in-fox-polling</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18444814-adventures-in-fox-polling</guid><category>fox-news</category><category>polls</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 13:57:39 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen0216CBA9-43BB-2B20-2358-6A7182D18EFD.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="92" width="400" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen0216CBA9-43BB-2B20-2358-6A7182D18EFD.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="28" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>'This loan program has exceeded expectations'</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Following up on an item from March, President Obama's Republican critics spent a fair amount of time in 2012 condemning the administration's loan to Tesla Motors. In the final months of the race, it was a standard line of attack: the president was recklessly using our money, Mit&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18444225-this-loan-program-has-exceeded-expectations</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18444225-this-loan-program-has-exceeded-expectations</guid><category>tesla</category><category>auto-industry</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:35 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen6D4100F7-1D71-D3AF-C733-AE37104C61A0.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="256" width="400" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen6D4100F7-1D71-D3AF-C733-AE37104C61A0.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="77" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Jobless claims show sharp improvement</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Though last week's report on initial unemployment claims was a jolt of unexpectedly bad news, the new figures out this morning point in a more encouraging direction.]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18443544-jobless-claims-show-sharp-improvement</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18443544-jobless-claims-show-sharp-improvement</guid><category>economy</category><category>jobs</category><category>jobless-claims</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:40:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen8478B72E-4BE8-4FD7-4EBB-54E1EAE0FD3C.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="205" width="400" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen8478B72E-4BE8-4FD7-4EBB-54E1EAE0FD3C.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="62" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>What Boehner considers 'inconceivable'</title>
<description><![CDATA[In "The Princess Bride," there's one word that Vizzini uses repeatedly and inappropriately: "inconceivable." The problem, of course, that the circumstances that he describes as "inconceivable" are actually quite predictable, leading Inigo Montoya to eventually respond, "You keep &nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18442865-what-boehner-considers-inconceivable</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/23/18442865-what-boehner-considers-inconceivable</guid><category>irs</category><category>john-boehner</category><category>sarah-palin</category><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhXjcZdk5QQ" ><media:thumbnail url="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qhXjcZdk5QQ/default.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Wednesday's Mini-Report</title>
<description><![CDATA[Today's edition of quick hits:
* London: "A man was killed by knife-wielding assailants on a London street Wednesday, and a bloodstained suspect at the scene holding a meat cleaver was captured on video telling passers-by: 'We swear by the almighty Allah.'"]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18427461-wednesdays-mini-report</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18427461-wednesdays-mini-report</guid><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 21:30:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.newsvine.com/_nv/api/media/getMobileVideo?videoId=51968550" ><media:thumbnail url="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/a_3k_brown_london_130522.thumb.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Bernanke urges Congress to get smarter on economic policy</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke to the Joint Economic Committee this morning, and as expected, much of the attention was on his expectations with regard to monetary policy. The Fed will, Bernanke explained, pull back from its quantitative easing, but not before the e&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18427153-bernanke-urges-congress-to-get-smarter-on-economic-policy</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18427153-bernanke-urges-congress-to-get-smarter-on-economic-policy</guid><category>economy</category><category>federal-reserve</category><category>ben-bernanke</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 20:59:41 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenFF10FE72-1AA1-72BD-F33C-029F582F6355.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="244" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenFF10FE72-1AA1-72BD-F33C-029F582F6355.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="83" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Getty Images</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>How not to deal with concerns over the IRS</title>
<description><![CDATA[
It's hardly unreasonable to think the Internal Revenue Service took some serious missteps when it came to groups seeking tax-exempt status, and will need to improve the way the agency is managed. But being critical of the IRS's missteps does not mean one should necessarily start&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18426182-how-not-to-deal-with-concerns-over-the-irs</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18426182-how-not-to-deal-with-concerns-over-the-irs</guid><category>tax-returns</category><category>irs</category><category>paul-gosar</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 19:46:03 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenFB688025-A4BC-DB66-5B60-75AB9F696C87.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="202" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenFB688025-A4BC-DB66-5B60-75AB9F696C87.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="69" /><media:description type="plain">&lt;p&gt;Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)&lt;/p&gt;</media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Heller tries to have it both ways</title>
<description><![CDATA[
In competitive states, we're seeing two kinds of politicians: those who support new measures intended to reduce gun violence and those who pretend to support new measures intended to reduce gun violence.
In New Hampshire, Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R), shortly after voting to kill the b&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18424847-heller-tries-to-have-it-both-ways</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18424847-heller-tries-to-have-it-both-ways</guid><category>guns</category><category>nevada</category><category>background-checks</category><category>dean-heller</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:04:32 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen4CAD0DC5-A27C-C801-077B-09E4984B595F.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="214" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen4CAD0DC5-A27C-C801-077B-09E4984B595F.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="73" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Why the nominating fights are on hold (but not for long)</title>
<description><![CDATA[
A week ago, it looked like the Senate was gearing up for some major nominating fights. Richard Cordray's nomination to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was ready to be brought the floor, as were Thomas Perez's Labor Secretary nomination and Gina McCarthy's EPA nomin&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18423610-why-the-nominating-fights-are-on-hold-but-not-for-long</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18423610-why-the-nominating-fights-are-on-hold-but-not-for-long</guid><category>cabinet</category><category>harry-reid</category><category>nuclear-option</category><category>filibusters</category><category>filibuster-reform</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 16:36:29 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen5EDB9665-DCEA-31AE-0B1E-F9CA06942C41.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="249" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen5EDB9665-DCEA-31AE-0B1E-F9CA06942C41.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="85" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Getty Images</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Wednesday's campaign round-up</title>
<description><![CDATA[Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* In New Jersey, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Barbara Buono has her first television ad of the cycle. It's generally just a l&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18423006-wednesdays-campaign-round-up</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18423006-wednesdays-campaign-round-up</guid><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvG3ngLfW0Q" ><media:thumbnail url="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RvG3ngLfW0Q/default.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Time to update the deficit talking points</title>
<description><![CDATA[It must be tiresome to have to update political talking points. Partisans go to a lot of trouble to write, poll test, memorize, and repeat them, and when the talking points are no longer accurate, it must be terribly inconvenient to come up with new ones.
For example, Republicans&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18422630-time-to-update-the-deficit-talking-points</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18422630-time-to-update-the-deficit-talking-points</guid><category>deficit</category><category>rand-paul</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 15:33:06 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenEDC42559-77A5-9AB4-7E41-9A49E0C58C1A.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="268" width="400" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenEDC42559-77A5-9AB4-7E41-9A49E0C58C1A.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="81" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>'The opposite of a cover-up'</title>
<description><![CDATA[
When it comes to the IRS controversy, I'm starting to get the impression that the goalposts have moved rather quickly.
The initial allegation raised by the right and other administration critics is that President Obama's White House, if not the president himself, may have been d&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18422020-the-opposite-of-a-cover-up</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18422020-the-opposite-of-a-cover-up</guid><category>irs</category><category>scandals</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 14:58:04 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenA7730F7C-E23E-0260-B012-8CEBC6629DBC.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="237" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenA7730F7C-E23E-0260-B012-8CEBC6629DBC.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="81" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Carney: reporters shouldn't be 'prosecuted for doing their jobs'</title>
<description><![CDATA[
President Obama, at a press conference last week, was asked about possible prosecutorial overreach when it came to subpoenaing reporters' communications as part of leak probes. The president, though not directly involved with the investigations, defended the inquiries.
"U.S. nat&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18421519-carney-reporters-shouldnt-be-prosecuted-for-doing-their-jobs</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18421519-carney-reporters-shouldnt-be-prosecuted-for-doing-their-jobs</guid><category>associated-press</category><category>justice-department</category><category>leaks</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 14:35:23 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenD86FF682-C908-AE36-09FB-7BEB1C68022A.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="195" width="360" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenD86FF682-C908-AE36-09FB-7BEB1C68022A.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="65" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>FBI interest adds to Bachmann's woes</title>
<description><![CDATA[
As if Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) didn't have enough troubles, the FBI has reportedly taken an interest in one of her ongoing controversies (via Laura Clawson).]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18420722-fbi-interest-adds-to-bachmanns-woes</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18420722-fbi-interest-adds-to-bachmanns-woes</guid><category>michele-bachmann</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen9A772CAE-2111-1B0C-7A1E-68A684B511DE.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="260" width="355" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benen9A772CAE-2111-1B0C-7A1E-68A684B511DE.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="88" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Associated Press</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>Steering clear of another disaster-relief fight</title>
<description><![CDATA[
In the last Congress, the fight over federal disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy victims was ugly, divisive, and for quite a while, unresolved -- Republican opposition was so widespread, the last Congress ended before an aid package could be approved. It eventually passed in lat&nbsp;&hellip;]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18420020-steering-clear-of-another-disaster-relief-fight</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18420020-steering-clear-of-another-disaster-relief-fight</guid><category>oklahoma</category><category>disaster-relief</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 13:15:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenA381C802-A161-4DDC-3445-9827AB9CD2D3.jpg&amp;width=400" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" height="258" width="400" ><media:thumbnail url="http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=steve-benenA381C802-A161-4DDC-3445-9827AB9CD2D3.jpg&amp;width=120" width="120" height="78" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs">Getty Images</media:credit></media:content></item><item><title>'A little bit bizarre'</title>
<description><![CDATA[Congressional Republicans have created quite a mess when it comes to the federal budget. The fiasco has become so ridiculous that yesterday on the Senate floor, Republican Sens. John McCain and Susan Collins blasted their own party's incoherence.]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Benen]]></dc:creator><source><![CDATA[The Maddow Blog]]></source><link>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18419266-a-little-bit-bizarre</link><guid>http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/22/18419266-a-little-bit-bizarre</guid><category>budget</category><category>debt-ceiling</category><pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000</pubDate><activity:verb>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post</activity:verb><activity:object-type>http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/generic_post</activity:object-type><media:content medium="video" url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByeTmBCD28E" ><media:thumbnail url="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ByeTmBCD28E/default.jpg" /><media:description type="plain"></media:description><media:credit role="owner" scheme="urn:yvs"></media:credit></media:content></item></channel></rss>