According to NPR, and other sources I am told, Justice Souter will retire at the end of the Court’s current term. He will remain on the Court until he is replaced.

Much more to follow on this topic - but let’s start with this… Jeff Sessions should be Republican Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee. Not Orrin Hatch. Not Chuck Grassley.

UPDATE 2: In response to the below update regarding the Judiciary Commitee, a few folks have asked what they can do. Here you go:

1. Call Mitch McConnell at 202-224-3121.
2. Tell him that you understand there is some debate about who should be the Republican Ranking Member on Judiciary, and that you believe that person should be Jeff Sessions because:
- Sessions is next in line, is an accomplished lawyer and is a proven conservative.
- Chuck Grassley is neither a lawyer nor the right man for the job.
- Orrin Hatch has had his day.
3. Tell him also that this is a time to revisit the seniority system anyway - it is antiquated and perpetuates Washington largesse and stagnation as the same old dudes just shuffle around from committee to committee (e.g. Grassley going from Finance to Judiciary).

UPDATE: As reports have indicated, Senator Grassley is interested in the job of Judiciary Ranking Member but wants to keep his title as Finance Ranking Member AND be guaranteed the Judiciary spot in two years when he is “termed out” of Finance. To get his way, he’s enlisted the support of former Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch - trying to cut a deal to get Hatch as ranking member for the remainder of this Congress until Grassley could take over in 2011 (which would require a waiver by the Republican Conference because Hatch is term limited on Judiciary).

To have Orrin Hatch or Chuck Grassley at the helm would be an unmitigated disaster. Each are cut from the same cloth - that of the old guard Republicans in the Senate who have given us the train wreck that the Party has become. They would hire terrible staffers who would neither be the smartest lawyers nor actually conservative - and, potentially, maintain a significant number of Specter’s former staff.

Jeff Sessions, on the other hand, would field a talented team who could educate America on just who America is getting in the next Supreme Court justice . Barring something very odd and unexpected, the nominee will get confirmed. Therefore, our number one goal should be to make sure America knows who this person is and what he stands for - and you need the right people in place to make that happen.

IL Burris (D)

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Illinois finds that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) has a good chance to make next year’s U.S. Senate race a competitive one.

Kirk is tied with Alexi Giannoulias (D), 35% to 35%, and leads Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), 37% to 33%. In addition, Kirk would crush Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), 53% to 19%.

However, if Lisa Madigan (D) made a surprise decision to run for this seat it would be no contest, as she leads Kirk 49% to 33%.

CO Bennet (D)

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This report is from Roll Call:

In a move that signals a retirement announcement from Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is imminent, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R) has formed an exploratory committee to run for Senate.

In making the announcement, Grayson reiterated that he has “no plans to run against Senator Bunning” — and one Republican political strategist confirmed Thursday that Bunning did in fact give Grayson the green light to open up an exploratory committee, a clear signal that he does not plan to seek another term in 2010. A second GOP source said Grayson was likely to run now, even if Bunning decides not to retire after all.

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There is a big call that will happen tonight among Pennsylvania Republican Party Executive Committee members. I’m hearing there will probably be over 100 people involved.

If you know your local party chair, I encourage you to call that person and tell them to get behind Pat Toomey.

The Politico is running a story today that suggests the PAGOP establishment and the NRSC are trying to get Jim Gerlach to run against Toomey (Ridge is not interested in running). Gerlach could hurt Toomey in the primary, but he cannot win the primary.

Call your Pennsylvania GOP representatives and demand they unite behind Toomey.

It was not that long ago - just a few hours in fact - that Arlen Specter proudly told President Obama ‘I’m a loyal Democrat. I support your agenda.’ And so Specter did - all the way up until his first vote as a Democrat. Today Specter cast his first vote in opposition to one of Obama’s top priorities - a measure Democrats favored to make it harder for banks to foreclose on homes:

Centrist Senate Democrats joined with Republicans on Thursday to defeat a measure intended to help struggling homeowners stay in their homes.

By a 45-51 vote, Senators voted against an amendment that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to write down the terms of existing primary home mortgages. The proposal was offered to a bill that would increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp…

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This is a very quick initial response to the extraordinary announcement of the Chrysler LLC bankruptcy filing. We don’t have all the answers, but that’s partly because we don’t even have all the questions. Something very new and different is happening here.

It’s very far from clear to me that this is a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in any normal sense. For one thing, why is it being announced by the President of the United States rather than by Bob Nardelli?

In reading the news reports, there’s a tremendous number of moving parts here, and no one is being very clear about it. I have at least two very big questions, one of which is public and the other isn’t.

The public question relates to Fiat. Marchionne has been very emphatic that he will put no cash into Chrysler in return for Fiat’s stake, which starts at 20% and could go as high as 51% by 2016. Fiat is giving nothing but access to small-car technology. That can only mean that the government intends to dictate Chrysler’s production mix. That in turn means that the government has chosen to enter the auto business in a forthright and unprecedented way.

The private question relates to the current owner of Chrysler, which is Cerberus Capital Management, one of the most powerful, most wealthy, and most feared private equity groups in the world. They easily have access to billions of dollars they could invest in Chrysler. The fact that they simply don’t want to, tells you that this company isn’t worth investing in, and ipso facto the taxpayers are flushing money down the toilet.

But I want to know much more than that. I want to know exactly what consideration will be paid to Cerberus in return for the common stock that will be ceded to Fiat, to the government, and to the UAW. Are we bailing out a bunch of politically-connected billionaires?

And you can’t say you haven’t noticed how effectively they’ve kept their name out of the news. Whenever you get a chance, ask anyone who will listen: WHY HAS OBAMA NOT TOLD US WHAT HE INTENDS TO GIVE CERBERUS IN RETURN FOR CHRYSLER?

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I don’t. And neither do the New Yorkers who were terrorized by Obama’s “Air Tours of New York” fundraiser. (h/t Ericka Andersen).

It’s a shame the Republicans can’t win in the Northeast, isn’t it? If you look to New England, Republicans only hold the governorships in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, two Senate seats in Maine, and one in New Hampshire. Looking ahead to 2010, Republicans seem as likely to add to that toehold as they are to lose ground - especially if Senator Dodd is the Democratic nominee in Connecticut. If you widen the net slightly, Republicans are poised to field strong candidates in Senate and gubernatorial races in New York and Pennsylvania, and to pick off the governorship in New Jersey this year.

And now former liberal Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee is announcing an independent bid for the governorship of Rhode Island:

Former senator Lincoln Chafee is officially throwing his hat into the ring for the 2010 gubernatorial election. His web site, chafeeforgovernor.com, says he is running as an independent candidate, and Tuesday night, he told a national television audience on the “Rachel Maddow Show” he will make a run for the office.

Right now several Democrats are considering gubernatorial runs as well. They include the state’s Treasurer and Lieutenant Governor. At least as of now, only one serious Republican candidate has emerged: the Deputy Minority Leader of the Rhode Island State House, Joe Trillo. Needless to say, Republicans can only benefit from a three-way race with two liberal candidates, and one that features a divisive Democratic primary.

All in all, GOP prospects are pretty good in a region where we can’t compete.

Promoted from the diaries by Skanderbeg.  Do be sure to read down to the tabulation of the incipient green oligopoly that’s trying to coalesce around all this “AGW” nonsense….

After the “global warming” terminology morphed into “climate change”, the EPA dedicated a large section of their website to the issue. With EPA now able to provide the comprehensive information, the challenge to curtail “climate change” is now up to the Obama Administration.

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This morning I listened in on Eric Cantor’s conference call concerning the launch of the National Council for a New America (NCNA) hosted by Congressman Cantor and Senator John McCain.

One of the main points that the two men stressed is that this is “not a contract with America,” but a “conversation” with her. The GOP leaders also stressed that this is an “inclusive” effort with which they want to hear from all manner of Americans adhering to a variety opinions on today’s most pressing Issues. The two also said that this is not an attempt to “re-brand” the GOP.

The first townhall style meeting is to be held on May second in Northern Virginia and along with Cantor and McCain it is expected that Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush will be in attendance.

Additionally, several Governors past and present have joined this effort. Governor Haley Barbour, Governor, Jeb Bush, Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator John McCain, and Governor Mitt Romney.

Senator McCain also mentioned several times that they had contacted Governor Sarah Palin’s office and asked her to join them with future NCNA efforts. Senator McCain made sure to mention that fact several times.

The effort has thus far been broken down into five areas of discussion. The economy, healthcare, education, energy, and national security all will come into focus.

My impression is that it certainly is an attempt to refocus the GOP, maybe not necessarily “re-brand” it but certainly re-introduce Republican principles to the people.

It is sure that the “conversation” meme will be looked upon with skepticism, but let’s face it. They had little choice but to employ the terminology. The GOP is in a weakened state and something does have to be done to vivify the Party.

We shall have to wait and see where this goes, but I see no reason to unnecessarily scoff at the effort. Let’s give it a fair hearing, fellow Republicans, conservatives, Libertarians, Americans.

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The tea party movement is in danger of imploding.

Go re-read that first sentence again please.

The implosion is not because there is no momentum. It is not because there is no desire for more. It is not because of a lack of enthusiasm. To be clear, there is plenty of enthusiasm, plenty of desire for more, and plenty of momentum.

The tea party movement is in danger of implosion because like many truly grassroots movements, there are a host of competing egos and entities all claiming the title of “leader” and in the desire to be leader, they are not willing to work with each other. Some are using it to advance their own agendas. Some entities, which otherwise are known for nothing, have tried to claim the tea party movement as their own. Other groups, which do massively good work and just want to help, are being shut out by the so called grassroots leaders who want all the glory and are deeply suspicious of credible organizations willing to help.

The tea party movement was and is a truly organic movement. The moment the left started screaming that they were astroturf, however, some of the new organizers ran as far away from the professional organizations willing to help out as they possibly could. That was a mistake. As I mentioned, there are some organizations out to establish themselves on the backs of the tea party activists. But there are many established organizations that are simply willing to help out with forms, insurance, technology, etc.

At the same time, a number of the individuals involved in the movement have deemed themselves indispensable to the effort. No one is indispensable and those who think they are should be driven off the stage. The indispensable people are those who showed up to the protests, giving up hours on the job or time with families. And the so called leaders of the movement will fail the movement when they begin to think this effort is about them and not about the people and the passion.

I would suggest all the players sit down and see if they can get some focus. If not, the movement will be hijacked. It should not come to that when there is as much passion as there is. So what is my suggestion?

Stop having tea parties and launch a coup. Go below the fold to find out what I mean.

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Well, that didn’t take long. Less than 24 hours after Arlen Specter dropped his dirty bomb of a party switch, the asses have already begun their loud braying. Sen. Specter’s return to his long-abandoned Democrat Party is probably not proving to be the homecoming he had hoped for.

Last night we reported that Specter may have to face two challengers. Now it has been revealed that some senior party members are less than thrilled with the deal that the Majority Leader apparently promised Snarlin’ Arlen to entice him to jump ship:

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GTMO detainees could be released into the United States as early as next week.

Human Events has the details.

Brother Pejman expands on this report that Vice President Biden is telling people to avoid public transportation and yank their kids out of schools.

If President Obama wishes to handle this crisis by sending Vice President Biden to an undisclosed location until it’s over, well, sacrifices must be made.

Moe Lane

PS: Watch the video that Pej found above: it’s not every day where you see what is effectively a pet media organ of the Democratic party call for closing the border. And watch for the gaffe at about 5:15. Freudian slip there, Joe?

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

From the diaries by Erick

The highly irrational response to the Swine flu pandemic illustrates the ratings principle that fear and crisis boosts television ratings and newspaper and magazine sales.  Think of the weatherman and a snowfall that never appears, or appears at a quarter of the reported snowfall.

I want the Swine Flu because as far as I can tell, the mortality rates are equal to or less than regular flu.

And I want the immunities that getting the flu will give me, and I hope my whole family gets it too.

This will protect me in the future — from the inevitable mutations of this new flu.

The most creative political response to the flu I’ve scene so far is from the Muslim Egyptian government: let’s use the Swine Flu to get rid of all those pesky Christian’s pigs.

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Jessica Valenti, founder of the vaguely pornographic sounding Feministing.com, has decided that there is no such thing as virginity in America’s young girls and the Today Show is entirely pleased with itself to give her a national TV venue from which to say so. Never mind how silly it all sounds.

On April 22 Valenti and Today pushed the idea that sexually active girls should not be thought of as a problem, that an expectation of virginity is harmful, and that religion is a baneful influence on young women today. Valenti says that if young men can have their sexual exploits given a wink and a nod, then so should the sexual activity of young girls.

Naturally, being a good left-wing, feminist, Valenti draws all the wrong conclusions and advocates all the worst solutions to address the real problems in American society. Just as naturally, NBC gives a legitimate stage for her absurd proclamations and ill-thought-out prescriptions.

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OK, why did the corruption plagued Association for Community Activists for Reform Now (ACORN) suddenly and quietly delete from its website its ties with the corruption plagued Service Employees International Union (SEIU)?

The American Spectator’s Matthew Vadum found the strange deletion of a photo showing SEIU president Andy Stern standing in support of ACORN from February of 2002. The ACORN site was also scrubbed of any mention of two SEIU locals that used to have a prominent place on the ACORN site.

The two SEIU locals, Local 880 and Local 100, have been a part of ACORN’s site for years, but as of this month were scrubbed. Speculation is that the unions don’t want ties to ACORN too well advertised as the unions fight to get the Employee Free Choice Act passed through Congress.

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One would think that The New York Times is purposefully putting American’s in harm’s way with its latest travel section vacation suggestion. If it isn’t doing it on purpose, it certainly is acting almost criminally negligent over its reader’s safety abroad. Back on March 22, the Times suggested that Americans vacation in Deptford, one of England’s most dangerous, crime infested areas. And why would the Times want to send Americans into such a seedy and dangerous place? Because it’s “hip,” man. What else?

The suggestion by the NYTimes for American tourists to visit Deptford brought all manners of jaw-dropping, guffaws from the British press this week. The disbelief is thick over there because Deptford has some of the highest crimes stats in the country — the tenth most violent according to Britain’s Home Office — and Britons simply cannot fathom why The New York Times would willingly send Americans unawares into the heart of such violence and crime.

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APRIL 30, 2009

Sign up to get the morning briefing by email here.

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Now, meet your likely primary challengers:

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