The Commentariat -- April 3, 2015

Internal links removed.

Afternoon News:

Sandhya Somashekhar of the Washington Post: "Amid the backlash over Indiana's controversial religious liberties law, Gov. Mike Pence (R) and other state officials insisted the measure was never intended to permit business owners to deny service to gays and lesbians. But that is not entirely true. For the socially conservative organizations that proposed the measure, protecting the right of Christians to opt out of any involvement in gay marriage ceremonies was a primary goal. And they underscored that fact two weeks ago, immediately after Pence signed the measure into law."

AFP: "Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Friday a nuclear deal with world powers would open a 'new page' for the country's international relations and lead to greater cooperation. In a live televised address, Rouhani also said a final agreement would depend on both sides living up to their commitments."

*****

Thank you, John Kerry. -- Constant Weader

Michael Gordon & David Sanger of the New York Times: "Iran and the world powers said here Thursday that they had reached a surprisingly specific and comprehensive general understanding about the next steps in limiting Tehran's nuclear program, though Western officials said many details needed to be resolved before a final agreement in June. Both Germany's foreign office and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said that the major parameters of a framework for a final accord had been reached, after eight days of intense debate between Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif.... Speaking from the White House, President Obama made a strong case for the deal, saying that it 'cuts off every pathway' for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and that it establishes the most intrusive inspections system in history. 'If Iran cheats,' he said, 'the world will know it'":

... Here's the U.S. State Department statements which lays out the parameters of the deal. ...

... Fred Kaplan of Slate: "... it is a profoundly good deal; there has never been a nuclear deal, with any country, that is so comprehensively restrictive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the U.S. Congress to demand 'a better deal,' but his definition of such a deal -- one that bans uranium enrichment, dismantles all its facilities, and insists on a drastic change in Iran's foreign policy -- is unattainable, and, more to the point, he knows it." ...

... Robin Wright of the New Yorker: "The deal still has to go through formal drafting, but the terms announced by Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the majority of issues with more specificity than expected. Iran's capabilities will be seriously curtailed -- some for ten years, some for fifteen years, and some indefinitely -- in exchange for a phased easing of sanctions imposed separately by the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union." ...

... Ed Kilgore: "Obama's making a lot of sense, and he can already register one solid accomplishment this very day: Iran's government TV carried his Rose Guard announcement -- criticisms of Tehran and all -- live." ...

... Amy Davidson of the New Yorker: "If it is good -- and that will depend on getting the final settlement done and signed between now and June -- it will be in large part because the President avoided the temptations of resentment and self-pity. And Republicans in Congress will have failed to thwart it because they embraced them. The G.O.P. did everything that it could to scuttle this deal." ...

... Washington Post Editors characterize the deal as a gift to Iran. ...

... Mike DeBonis, et al., of the Washington Post: "Congress greeted news of a framework agreement to curtail the Iranian nuclear weapons program much as it has reacted to the months of negotiations that preceded it -- with criticism from most Republicans, optimism from most Democrats, and a strong desire from both sides to play a direct role in the deal." ...

Yes, this is an actual winger reaction, only the original is a gif/movie, which I can't figure out how to load here.... Luke Brinker of Salon: "For the crowd that believes war is always the answer, Thursday's announcement represented an utter catastrophe." Brinker shares some of their "thoughts"/hysterical howls. ...

...digby: "... the dreams of All American omnipotence and glory are hardwired into the right and very strong in the culture at large. And it's dangerous as hell. Everyone should want to negotiate peace as the default position. If there's anything on earth that should be avoided unless there is absolutely no other choice, it's war. You'd think that would be common sense but this rather silly belief in America's godlike military power is leading a whole lot of people to take us into some very dangerous territory." ...

... Michael Tomasky of the Daily Beast: "... it's laughably easy to figure out what to be against: reflexive and dogmatic opposition undertaken for the purposes of making sure you get your anti-Obama ticket stamped that will hasten the day either that a) Iran gets the bomb or b) we start a war to prevent that. Maybe it's a little cliched to say give peace a chance, but thanks to the neoconservatives, we've given war plenty of chance, and all it's done is strengthened Tehran and given us ISIS. Will these people ever look in the mirror?"

... William Booth of the Washington Post: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the framework agreement announced Thursday by six world powers and Iran to curtail the latter's nuclear ambitions 'would threaten the survival of Israel' and pave the way to an Iranian nuclear bomb. Netanyahu, who has threatened to use military force to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, spoke with President Obama on Thursday night and expressed Israel's strong opposition to the preliminary agreement, according to the prime minister's office." CW: Sorry, but Bibi reminds me of Rumpelstiltskin.

... Dan Williams & Allyn Fisher-Ilan of Reuters: "Israel dismissed celebration of a nuclear framework deal between major powers and Iran on Thursday as detached from reality and vowed to continue lobbying to prevent a what it called a bad final agreement. Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said after the announcements in Switzerland that 'the smiles in Lausanne are detached from grim reality in which Iran refuses to make any concessions on the nuclear issue and continues to threaten Israel and all other countries in the Middle East.'" ...

... Former U.S. Career Ambassador William Burns, with an important message to important wingnuts: "The history of the Iranian nuclear issue is littered with missed opportunities. It is a history in which fixation on the perfect crowded out the good, and in whose rearview mirror we can see deals that look a lot better now than they seemed then. With all its inevitable imperfections, we can't afford to miss this one." CW: Burns -- who has been a high-ranking State Department official under three presidents -- initiated the Iranian talks, & his essay on the New York Times op-ed page provides a sober -- and likely accurate -- assessment of the accord announced yesterday.

Seung Min Kim of Politico: "Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) pleaded not guilty on Thursday to 14 federal corruption charges stemming from allegations that he improperly aided a wealthy donor. In federal court [in Newark, N.J.], Judge William Walls agreed to release Menendez on his own recognizance, but ordered him to surrender his personal passport. Menendez will be allowed to retain an official passport that he has in his capacity as a U.S. senator." ...

... Nicholas Confessore & Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times: "... Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the Supreme Court's opinion in Citizens United ... that independent expenditures 'do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.' But federal lawyers do not seem to agree.... 'The indictment of Senator Robert Menendez illustrates in stark terms the corrupting role that super PACs now play in our political system,' said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, which advocates stricter limits on campaign money. 'The super PAC was used as the vehicle to buy corrupting influence with Senator Menendez.'" ...

... Indictments Matter. Sarah Mimms of the National Journal: "With Ben Cardin [D-Maryland] taking the indicted Robert Menendez's slot as the Foreign Relations Committee's top Democrat, the White House is losing its staunchest intraparty opponent on two of the biggest foreign policy issues facing the administration -- Iran and Cuba -- and gaining an important ally. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's office made it official Thursday that Cardin will step into Menendez's role -- temporarily, at least -- while Menendez fights federal corruption charges. In style and some issues of substance, the two Democrats could not be more different."

The Many Faces of Mark

Burgess Everett of Politico: "Attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch won't need Vice President Joe Biden's vote after all. Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, who was complimentary of Lynch after meeting with her last month, said at a Thursday event in Chicago that he would vote to confirm her." ...

... Shortly thereafter Kirk compared Lynch's soon-to-be boss to Neville Chamberlain. ...

... AND Then. Nick Gass of Politico: "Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) blasted Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's decision to sign the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, calling it a form of bigotry."

Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post: "The raise at McDonald's, even though it applies only to a small fraction of the employees who work at the Golden Arches, is one of a series of remarkable, if incomplete, victories that low-wage U.S. workers have won in recent months." ...

... People Are Not Soybeans. Paul Krugman: "... there's a lot more wiggle room in wage determination than conventional wisdom would have you believe. We can, in fact, raise wages significantly if we want to.... Raising the minimum wage makes jobs better; it doesn't seem to make them scarcer.... There's no excuse for wage fatalism."

Tim Egan: "... the free market in tandem with the First Amendment has worked pretty well in a clamorous democracy such as ours. It's only when activist judges -- thy names are Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and John G. Roberts -- have tried to broaden the intent of the founders that we've gotten into trouble. In 2010, those five judges created the notion of corporate personhood -- giving companies unfettered right to dominate elections.... And in 2014, those five judges gave corporations a soul, a further expansion of business entity as a citizen. Well, they tried to. As the saying goes, a corporation will never truly be a citizen until you can execute one in Texas."

In the New York Times Magazine, Mark Leibovich has a brief interview of Tom Cotton. I don't think it's a spoof. The guy's just a walking joke.

Jeanine Lister, in a Washington Post op-ed, on the indignities of poverty.

Anthony Faiola of the Washington Post: "The co-pilot thought to have deliberately crashed Germanwings Flight 9525 had been trawling the Internet for ways to commit suicide and information about the safety mechanisms on cockpit doors, German prosecutors said Thursday. The revelations about Andreas Lubitz's surfing activities came as another break in the case emerged in France, where authorities said Thursday that they had found the second of the Airbus A320's two 'black boxes' among the wreckage in the French Alps."

Presidential Race

Annie Karni of Politico: "Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed cautious support late Thursday for President Barack Obama's Iran deal, calling it an 'important step' toward a comprehensive agreement that would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.... Clinton treated Thursday's agreement as a good step in a long process. 'There is much to do and much more to say in the months ahead,' she said in the statement, 'but for now diplomacy deserves a chance to succeed.'" CW Translation: They couldn't do it without me. ...

... Annie Karni: "The lease is signed: Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters will work out of 1 Pierrepont Plaza in Brooklyn Heights, according to a source familiar with the deal."

Pick Me! Pick Me! I'm a Genuine Dangerously Ignorant Hick. Or Why Republicans Inevitable Put Americans at Risk. Greg Sargent: In "a new interview that Scott Walker gave to a Wisconsin radio personality..., he said that not only would he undo any deal with Iran on his first day as president; he would do so even if our European allies wanted the deal to continue." ...

Not So Fast, Scottie! We're Pea-Brained Warmongers, Too. Kendall Breitman of Politico: "Potential Republican presidential contenders on Thursday accused the Obama administration of striking a seriously flawed nuclear deal with Iran that gave way too much for far too little in return." ...

... Yeah, But Walker Is Still Really Stupid. Andrew Kaczynski of BuzzFeed: "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday much of the outrage over Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act comes from 'people who are chronically looking for ways to be upset about things.'... Asked about what would happen to a baker who did wanting to provide services to a same-sex wedding in the state, Walker didn't address the scenario...."

In the Toilet with Ted. Well, actually Heidi Cruz. A lav is a lovely place to talk up Ted.

Beyond the Beltway

Unfuckingbelievable. Judd Legum of Think Progress: "Appearing yesterday on CNN, Senator Tom Cotton (R) urged critics of Indiana's 'religious freedom' law to get 'perspective,' suggesting the treatment of LGBT people in Indiana compared favorably to countries where gay people are executed. 'I think it's important we have a sense of perspective,' Cotton said. 'In Iran they hang you for the crime of being gay.'" ...

... Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times: Local groups react with appropriate horror to Cotton's remarks. ...

... Simon Miloy of Salon: "It could be worse: you could be hanged by your government for being gay sets the standard for bigotry so low that it becomes functionally nonexistent." ...

... Laura Clawson of the Daily Kos unpacks Cotton's complete remarks. ...

... Charles Pierce reminds us that Tom Cotton is "pen-pal to the mullahs." ...

... Jonathan Chait: Oh, why can't liberals see the "obvious similarities" between Iran & Indiana? CW: It turns out that Cotton's putting gay rights "in perspective" is just parroting right-wing talking points. ...

... Mollie Reilly of the Huffington Post: "Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) signed a revised version of the state's Religious Freedom Reformation Act on Thursday, one day after refusing to sign an earlier version of the bill over concerns about discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Earlier Thursday, the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a new version of the bill at the governor's request, amending provisions that would have allowed businesses to discriminate against LGBT customers. The amended legislation mirrors the federal RFRA." ...

... Tom LoBianco & Tony Cook of the Indianapolis Star: "After a week of tumult in Indiana, Gov. Mike Pence signed a revision to the state's 'religious freedom"' law late Thursday that eliminates the potential erosion of LGBT protections in communities, including Indianapolis, that have local anti-discrimination ordinances protecting sexual orientation and gender identity. But the change was not universally hailed because it does nothing to provide those protections in much of Indiana where such local ordinances do not exist." ...

... Jeff Swiatek of the Indianapolis Star: "Angie's List calls the fix to the 'religious freedom' law 'insufficient,' becoming the first major local company to reject the deal hammered out by Indiana legislators, the business community and others." ...

... Ian Millhiser of Think Progress: "The fix [Indiana GOP legislators are proposing] does nothing to expand LGBT rights beyond where they stood on the day before Gov. Mike Pence (R-IN) signed the new Indiana law. Nevertheless, it appears to be expansive enough to neutralize attempts to wield the Indiana law as a sword to cut down LGBT rights protections at the local level."

... Charles Riley of CNN Money: "Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is helping employees who are uncomfortable with Indiana's controversial religious freedom law to transfer out of the state. Benioff told CNN's Poppy Harlow on Wednesday that several employees have asked for transfers -- and he has agreed, even supplying relocation packages." ...

... Justin Moyer of the Washington Post: "... Memories Pizza ... is feeling the heat of a great debate about religious freedom and gay rights.The dust-up has proved a windfall of sorts for Memories. A GoFundMe page called 'Support Memories Pizza' set up to raise $35,000 for the embattled restaurant got almost $50,000 from more than 1,300 donors in 11 hours -- and donations continue to come in." ...

... Kathleen Gray of the Detroit Free Press: "The business community and progressives breathed a sigh of relief Thursday while social conservatives reacted with frustration to Gov. Rick Snyder's promise to veto a Religious Freedom Restoration Act if the bill makes it to his desk."

Mike Levine & Aaron Katersky of ABC News: "Federal authorities have arrested two women who were allegedly planning to detonate a bomb somewhere in the United States after being radicalized at least in part by ISIS, sources familiar with the arrests told ABC News. The public was never in danger, as it was all part of a lengthy undercover FBI operation. And court documents suggest any plotting was more aspirational than operational."

Matt Vasilogambros of the National Journal: Gwinnett County, Georgia, "the most diverse county in the Southeast is run almost entirely by white politicians." Love the lede graf:

Three days after being sworn in as the first Latino state legislator in Georgia's history, Pedro Marin had an ethics complaint filed against him. It said that he was a 'Mexican federal government agent infiltrated in the Georgia General Assembly.' There were a couple of problems with that charge: 1) Marin is Puerto Rican; 2) He's never been to Mexico.

News Ledes

AP: Ray Hinton, "a man who spent nearly 30 years on Alabama's death row, was freed Friday after prosecutors finally acknowledged that the only evidence they had against him couldn't prove he committed the crime."

Bloomberg News: "Employers in March added the fewest workers since December 2013 and the jobless rate held at 5.5 percent as companies sought to bring U.S. headcounts in line with an economy that throttled back at the start of the year."

New York Times: Somali terrorists targeted Christians in a massacre at a Kenyan university. "Officials said that by the time Kenyan commandos cornered and killed the attackers on an upper floor, 147 people lay dead. Despite new security laws, significant Western help and a heightened state of vigilance that has already put police officers on almost every major street corner in the capital, Nairobi, Kenya remains squarely in the cross hairs of the Shabab, the Somali terrorist group that immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on Thursday."

Astounding. Guardian: "A man whose family reported him missing at sea more than two months ago has been found sitting on the overturned hull of his 35ft boat far off the North Carolina coast." ...

     ... The Guardian has an updated story.

The Commentariat -- April 2, 2015

Internal links & defunct video removed.

Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times: "Senator Robert Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges on Wednesday, setting the stage for a bitter court fight and putting his political future in doubt. Mr. Menendez was charged with seven counts of bribery, which carry up to 15 years in prison on each charge. He was also charged with conspiracy, fraud, and making false statements on government documents, the Justice Department said. Mr. Menendez is the first senator to face federal bribery charges since another New Jersey Democrat, Harrison A. Williams Jr., was indicted in 1980 in the Abscam scandal." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

... Matea Gold of the Washington Post: "The federal bribery case against Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey marks the first time large-scale super PAC donations have figured prominently as evidence of a political corruption scheme, renewing questions about how truly independently such groups operate. The 22-count indictment against Menendez and wealthy Florida opthalmologist Salomon Melgen hinges in part on $600,000 that Melgen gave to the Senate Majority PAC -- a Democratic super PAC -- earmarked to support the senator's 2012 reelection." ...

... New Jersey Star-Ledger Editors: "U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez now begins a fight for his political life that could last for years. New Jersey would be better off if he would resign and conduct that battle on his own time. The state needs a respected senator who is focused on his job, not a tarnished defendant who spends his days fending off credible charges of corruption and raising money for his legal defense. Menendez vows that he will not resign. He argues that he should be regarded as innocent until he is proven guilty.... But that is the standard for imposing criminal sanctions like jail and fines. For senators, the bar should be much higher."

One Small Step for Humankind. Jana Kasperkevic of the Guardian: "McDonald's will raise pay for 90,000 of its US employees starting on 1 July, according to the Wall Street Journal. Only employees working directly for McDonald's will qualify for the increase. McDonald's says it will pay at least $1 per hour more than the local minimum wage where a company-owned restaurant is located, bringing the average hourly rate for its US employees to $9.90. The company expects the average to reach more than $10 by the end of 2016, as minimum wages increase across the US." ...

... The New York Times story, by Stephanie Strom, is here. "The company's sales in outlets open at least a year were down 4 percent in February, one of the worst performances among the largest restaurants that publicly report their sales. Several large companies that have direct contact with consumers have raised wages over the last year, including Walmart, the TJX Companies and Ikea. There was a risk that McDonald's could lose its better employees to other companies that compete for low-wage workers. Many of its franchisees face similar challenges, which could ultimately lead to broader wage gains at other McDonald's fast-food outlets." ...

... Danny Vinik of the New Republic: "... Monday's move shows that the economics are finally moving in the protesters' favor. The labor market is beginning to tighten up and McDonald's needs to offer higher wages and better benefits to retain its current workers and attract qualified new ones.... [If the Federal Reserve doesn't raise interest rates,] Millions of workers are on the precipice of a substantial increase in their living standards."

CW: I covered this yesterday via PolitiFact but the story is so extraordinary, I'll let Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post have a do-over:

The Affordable Care Act is 'a major reason why we've seen 50,000 fewer preventable patient deaths in hospitals.' -- President Obama, remarks on the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, March 25, 2015

The numbers might seem large, but the research seems solid, according to experts we consulted, and it is based on a review of an extensive database. The results likely reflect work that predated the ACA but at the same time the ACA has spurred even greater cooperation among hospitals. Since the president is using a figure more than a year old, it is likely understated.... The president's claim appears worthy of the elusive Geppetto Checkmark. -- Glenn Kessler

John Bresnahan & Rachel Bade of Politico: "The Justice Department will not seek criminal contempt charges against former IRS official Lois Lerner, the central figure in a scandal that erupted over whether the tax agency improperly targeted conservative political groups. Ronald Machen, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) in a seven-page letter this week that he would not bring a criminal case to a grand jury over Lerner's refusal to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in March 2014." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

... Right Wing Response to This "Shocking News of the Day": Impeach Obama. Of course. "Richard Nixon was impeached for less."

Jackie Northam of NPR: "President Obama issued an executive order Wednesday creating the nation's first sanctions program to combat 'malicious' cyberattacks and cyberspying. President Obama said cyberthreats pose one of 'the most serious economic and national security challenge' to the U.S., and that the executive order offers a 'targeted tool' for countering that threat. The sanctions would apply to individuals and groups involved in cyberattacks that harm or compromise critical infrastructure, steal trade secrets and hobble computer systems, among other things." The order is here.

Ben Protess of the New York Times: "On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission penalized the technology and engineering firm KBR for forcing employees to sign 'restrictive' confidentiality agreements, the regulator's first such action against a company suspected of stifling potential whistle-blowers. The S.E.C. has escalated enforcement of its whistle-blower protections as part of an effort by the agency to turn a historical sore spot into an advantage. After missing warning signs about Bernard L. Madoff's Ponzi scheme, the S.E.C. created a whistle-blower program and vowed to punish companies that muzzle potential tipsters."

Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "Negotiations over Iran's nuclear program will be extended for a second day beyond Tuesday's deadline, as Secretary of State John F. Kerry announced he would stay in Switzerland to continue the talks into Thursday. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said progress had been made, but she pointedly said Kerry would be staying 'until at least Thursday morning.' The short time period appeared to reflect a sour turn in negotiations on Wednesday, as the six world powers negotiating with Iran failed to reach a preliminary agreement over restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in return for relief from crippling international sanctions imposed on Tehran." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

     ... Update. Michael Gordon & David Sanger of the New York Times: "Negotiators appeared to be moving wearily on Thursday toward a preliminary accord on limiting Iran's nuclear program, but they remained at odds about how specific that agreement would be." ...

... Paul Waldman: "If you believe that the negotiations with Iran are the equivalent of those in Munich in 1938, what you're basically saying is that war with Iran is inevitable, so we might as well get started on it right away." ...

... AFP: "Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said Thursday that all options including military action were on the table in the face of the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Speaking to public radio as crunch talks on Iran's nuclear programme continued in Switzerland, Steinitz said Israel would seek to counter any threat through diplomacy and intelligence but 'if we have no choice we have no choice... the military option is on the table.'" ...

With his Iran deal, Barack Obama is for the 300 million souls of the United States what Andreas Lubitz was for the 150 souls on the German Wings flight -- a deranged pilot flying his entire nation into the rocks. After the fact, among the smoldering remains of American cities, the shocked survivors will ask, why did he do it? -- Michele Bachmann, in a Facebook post

No longer a member of Congress, but still a crazy hatemonger. -- Constant Weader

You think someone like Bachmann represents the rightmost point on the bell curve of crazy, and it turns out that she's not alone at the far edge, because of plenty of others are right there with her. At this point, the right is so deranged that she may be closer to the middle of the curve than the far end. -- Steve M.

Jon Ralston: "Now that CNN's Dana Bash has found Harry Reid to be unrepentant about his Mitt Romney tax lies, it's finally time to publish a column I wrote contemporaneously with the Nevada senator's McCarthy-like tactic during the 2012 campaign. The column was never published because Las Vegas Sun Editor Brian Greenspun attempted to protect his friend, Reid, from the criticism. I never wrote for the Sun again."

Presidential Race

Playing to His Audience(s). "Yes, you can too fool all of the people all of the time." Maggie Haberman & Vindu Goel of the New York Times: "Jeb Bush appeared to modify his public comments about Indiana's 'religious freedom' law on Wednesday in a closed-door Silicon Valley fund-raiser, telling a small group of potential supporters that a 'consensus-oriented' approach would have been better at the outset. Mr. Bush's comments were strikingly different in tone and in scope from what he said on Monday night in an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. In that interview he praised Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana for doing the 'right thing' and said that the new law was similar to one in Florida and to a law signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993." ...

... Margaret Hartmann of New York: Also Chris Christie came up with a mealy-mouthed endorsement or not of Indiana's law, but we do know that he thinks Mike Pence is a wonderful guy. Rand Paul, according to Hartmann, is the only major GOP presidential candidate who has succeeded in ducking the issue.

CruzMentum. Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling: "PPP's newest Republican national poll finds that Ted Cruz has the big momentum following the official announcement of his candidacy last week. His support has increased from 5% to 16% in just over a month, enough to make him one of three candidates in the top tier of GOP contenders, along with Scott Walker and Jeb Bush. Walker continues to lead the field with 20%, although that's down from his 25% standing a month ago. Bush continues to poll at 17%, followed by Cruz at 16%, Ben Carson and Rand Paul at 10%, Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee at 6%, Chris Christie at 4%, and Rick Perry at 3%."

Patrick Marley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Speaking before a conservative audience Wednesday, Gov. Scott Walker suggested he would not allow Wisconsin to set up a health care exchange if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a portion of Obamacare.'We're going to push back,' the likely Republican presidential candidate said of President Barack Obama's signature health care law. 'This president of the United States -- they've got to come up with a solution....They're going to try to put the pressure on us but we need to put the pressure right back on them.'" CW: So never mind that ObamaCare saves lives. Risking -- and taking -- the lives of tens of thousands of Americans for personal political advantage is disgusting & immoral.

Absent Actual ObamaCare Horror Stories, Ted Cruz Set to Manufacture His Own. Brian Beautler of the New Republic: Ted Cruz is "signing his family up for health insurance in a market he wants the Supreme Court to destroy.... If his plan gets canceled or his premiums mushroom after a bad Court ruling in June [-- King v. Burwell, for which Ted filed an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiffs --], he can play up his own Obamacare horror story to frothing Republican primary voters, while omitting the fact that he quite literally asked for it." BTW, Ted & family, because they're rich, would not qualify for a subsidy, except for that lovely 75 percent Congressional subsidy, which Ted says he'll eschew.

Steve M.: Rick Santorum is proud ISIS is quoting him -- correctly! -- unlike the sloppy so-called journalists at the New York Times. The fact that Santorum is propagandizing for ISIS doesn't phase him a bit: "Santorum is doing what ISIS wants, and is quite pleased with himself for doing it. Oh, and by the way, Obama and The New York Times still suck!"

Washington Post Editors: "... it is very disturbing to see evidence that four undeclared candidates for the presidency, from both parties, have made questionable judgments about campaign finance laws. According to complaints filed by two activist groups that favor more openness, the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21, the four are sidestepping restrictions on fundraising and spending activity on those who are 'testing the waters' before deciding whether to run. Those named in the complaints are former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R), former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley (D), former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R). All deny doing anything wrong.... In this era of 'dark money' in American politics, Mr. Bush has taken another step that causes deep concern:... a friend and former staffer has set up a nonprofit 'social welfare' organization, tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, that will reportedly develop policy options that are 'consistent' with those held by Mr. Bush.... Mr. Bush seems to have adopted every dark-money trick in the book.... Americans want a president with the right stuff, and that does not mean bags of secret cash."

Beyond the Beltway

Campbell Robertson & Timothy Williams of the New York Times: "Facing a backlash from businesses and gay rights advocates, Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas on Wednesday called on state lawmakers to either recall or amend legislation billed as a religious freedom measure so that it mirrored a federal law approved in 1993. Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, said he understood the divide in Arkansas and across the nation over the question of same-sex marriage and its impact on people's religious beliefs. His own son, Seth, he said, had asked him to veto the bill, which critics say could allow individuals and businesses to discriminate against gay men and lesbians." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

... Daniel Kloap of Arkansas Online: "The Arkansas Senate on Wednesday night approved transmitting two amended existing ['religious freedom'] bills to the House that add language that mirrors the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act." CW: It's unclear to me exactly what the amendments accomplish.

... Frank Rich on "how much damage these laws are inflicting not just on gay people but on the GOP's national electoral prospects that conservatives who should know better are desperately trying to defend the indefensible by suggesting that liberals and gay-rights activists are overreacting." Rich goes on to knock his old colleague David Brooks' "deceptive" column on the subject. ...

May Not Be The Anthem of His Life. Mike Pence "added that the 'issue of discrimination' has been an 'anthem throughout my life.' You have to wonder how stupid he thinks people are. Pence has a consistent record of supporting anti-gay discrimination, from speaking against the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' in 2010 to opposing state laws that protect the rights of gays and lesbians." -- Frank Rich

... Jonathan Cohn delves into the possible effects of Indiana's RFRA law. ...

... Gail Collins: "Pence did have another explanation for why Indiana needed a religious freedom law right now. He said he wanted to expand the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision.... 'With the Supreme Court's ruling, the need for a RFRA at the state level became more important, as the federal law does not apply to states.'... Think about that for a minute. Indiana passes a law that is widely regarded as a sop to the state's social conservatives for their inability to ban same-sex marriage. The Republican establishment expresses dismay at this interpretation, and insists that its only intention was to deprive female residents of the right to get birth control. Yippee." ...

... CW: Yes, do think about that. For some reason, the "business community" has taken up the cause of gay rights. But these business interests don't give a flying fuck about women's ability to obtain contraceptives. Nor about minorities' right to vote. Where were Apple & WalMart & Angie's List when the Hobby Lobby decision came down? Or when states merrily passed voter suppression laws? (And of course, right-to-work laws?) It's almost as if the business community, not to mention some civil rights activists, have chosen gay people as their cute little pets so everybody can ignore the shattering of the rights of other groups.

... Keeping Up Appearances. Steve Benen: "Ove[r] the course of just six days, [Mike] Pence has endorsed the [IRFRA] law, then endorsed changing the law, then opposed changing the law, then re-endorsed changing the law, only to then oppose changes again.... I suspect the governor himself is a little confused about his own intentions.... if you watched Pence's press conference closely [Tuesday], there was one word he used 12 times: 'perception.'... It seems Pence is convinced that there is no real problem with his anti-gay measure; there's only the appearance of a problem. We should expect, then, a resolution that doesn't fix the problem, so much as it gives the appearance of fixing the problem." ...

... Tony Cook & Tom LoBianco of the Indianapolis Star: "Indiana Republican leaders are set to announce a deal Thursday morning that alters Indiana's controversial 'religious freedom' law to ensure it does not discriminate against gay and lesbian customers of Indiana businesses.... The compromise legislation specifies that the new religious freedom law cannot be used as a legal defense to discriminate against patrons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The proposal goes much further than a 'preamble' that was proposed earlier in the week, and, if it stands, would be the first time any protections against discrimination have been extended to gays and lesbians in state law. But it doesn't go as far as establishing gays and lesbians as a protected class of citizens statewide or repealing the law outright...." ...

     ... Update: "Indiana Republicans said Thursday morning that they are presenting an addition to the controversial RFRA legislation that will make it clear no one 'be able to discriminate against anyone at any time.'" ...

... Chris Geidner of BuzzFeed: "Amid a national debate over religious liberty bills being considered in several states, nearly 40 top tech leaders have joined together in urging states to provide protections for LGBT people in state civil rights laws and explicitly ban denial of services to people." ...

... Erick Erickson of Red State: "In the last twenty-four hours, much of the mainstream media has shown itself perfectly willing to serve as agents of Satan.... Jesus.... Hell fire.... Christians.... The left.... God.... Evil...."

... The Catering News. Pizza Joint Specializes in Exclusive* Pizza Party Wedding Receptions. Golden Crust in Shape of Wedding Ring. Pick-up or Deliver. Napkins Extra. *For Opposite-Sex Couples Only. Alyssa Marino of ABC 57 News: "A small-town pizza shop is saying they agree with Governor [Mike] Pence [R-Straight-Ind.] and the signing of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The O'Connor family, who owns Memories Pizza, says they have a right to believe in their religion and protect those ideals. If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no,' says Crystal O'Connor of Memories Pizza." ...

... CW: Yes, I know it's Good Friday & the illustration is offensive. I'm sorry for that, but it was not my idea to promote Totally Straight Pizza during Holy Week. ...

... Michelle Sokol of the Elkhart Truth: "Since the story aired ... thousands of people from across the country have targeted the business's Facebook and Yelp pages. The pizzeria's rating on both sites has plummeted to a single star. The business's website was also hacked to display gay pornography and graphic language.... A Concord High School coach has been suspended after she tweeted about arson in relation to a Walkerton pizzeria whose owners told the media they agree with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act." ...

... TMZ: "Memories Pizza -- the first Indiana business to declare it would refuse LGBT business -- got blasted on the Internet and by phone, but the owner says there's been a huge misunderstanding ... sorta. Kevin O'Connor tells TMZ he's had to temporarily close his business after he told a reporter he would refuse to cater a gay wedding under Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act. O'Connor says he was immediately flooded by threatening phone calls, and social media postings."

MEANWHILE, in Georgia Greg Blustein & Jim Galloway of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Call it coincidence, but two of the losers in [Tuesday] night's [Georgia legislature] vote on a transportation funding bill were also the two business interests who voiced opposition to the 'religious liberty' legislation.... H.B. 170 goes to Gov. Nathan Deal with a provision ending a $23 million-a-year aviation fuel sales tax break that was largely enjoyed by Delta Air Lines, whose CEO Richard Anderson had riled GOP lawmakers with his opposition to 'religious liberty' bills and statements on immigration reform. The big surprise in last night's deal-making was a new $5 surcharge on hotel and motel stays.... It just so happens that Jim Sprouse and Ron Fennel, top dogs at the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, were also the only two members of the business community to personally testify at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing ... [at which] they warned of a sharp drop-off in convention business if the measure moved forward."

Matthew Simon of Channel 3000: Madison, Wisconsin, city council"... members unanimously voted to make discriminating against atheism, and others who do not believe in God, illegal.... The vote amends the city's equal opportunity ordinance, adding atheism as a protected class in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations."

News Ledes

Washington Post: "The Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the televangelist who drew millions of followers with his 'Hour of Power' broadcasts from the Crystal Cathedral, the glittering house of worship recognized around the world as the locus of his signature brand of motivational Christianity, died April 2 at a care facility in Artesia, Calif. He was 88."

AP: "Al-Shabab gunmen attacked a college in northeast Kenya early Thursday, targeting Christians and killing at least 15 people and wounding 60 others, witnesses said." ...

     ... New York Times Update: "Gunmen attacked a university campus in northeastern Kenya early Thursday, clashing with guards, forcing their way into dormitories, taking hostages and singling out non-Muslims, the authorities said. Kenya's interior minister, Joseph Nkaissery, said that 147 people had been killed, including four attackers."

The Commentariat -- April 1, 2015

Internal links removed.

Afternoon Update:

Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times: "Senator Robert Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges on Wednesday, setting the stage for a bitter court fight and putting his political future in doubt. Mr. Menendez was charged with seven counts of bribery, which carry up to 15 years in prison on each charge. He was also charged with conspiracy, fraud, and making false statements on government documents, the Justice Department said. Mr. Menendez is the first senator to face federal bribery charges since another New Jersey Democrat, Harrison A. Williams Jr., was indicted in 1980 in the Abscam scandal."

Campbell Robertson & Timothy Williams of the New York Times: "Facing a backlash from businesses and gay rights advocates, Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas on Wednesday called on state lawmakers to either recall or amend legislation billed as a religious freedom measure so that it mirrored a federal law approved in 1993. Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, said he understood the divide in Arkansas and across the nation over the question of same-sex marriage and its impact on people's religious beliefs. His own son, Seth, he said, had asked him to veto the bill, which critics say could allow individuals and businesses to discriminate against gay men and lesbians."

John Bresnahan & Rachel Bade of Politico: "The Justice Department will not seek criminal contempt charges against former IRS official Lois Lerner, the central figure in a scandal that erupted over whether the tax agency improperly targeted conservative political groups. Ronald Machen, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) in a seven-page letter this week that he would not bring a criminal case to a grand jury over Lerner's refusal to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in March 2014."

Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "Negotiations over Iran's nuclear program will be extended for a second day beyond Tuesday's deadline, as Secretary of State John F. Kerry announced he would stay in Switzerland to continue the talks into Thursday. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said progress had been made, but she pointedly said Kerry would be staying 'until at least Thursday morning.' The short time period appeared to reflect a sour turn in negotiations on Wednesday, as the six world powers negotiating with Iran failed to reach a preliminary agreement over restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in return for relief from crippling international sanctions imposed on Tehran."

*****

Neil Eggleston of the White House: "Building on his commitment to address instances of unfairness in sentencing, President Obama granted 22 commutations [Tuesday] to individuals serving time in federal prison. Had they been sentenced under current laws and policies, many of these individuals would have already served their time and paid their debt to society. Because many were convicted under an outdated sentencing regime, they served years -- in some cases more than a decade -- longer than individuals convicted today of the same crime."

Louis Jacobson of PolitiFact: "In a recent speech marking the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama [said the ACA has] helped reduce hospital readmission rates dramatically. It's a major reason why we've seen 50,000 fewer preventable patient deaths in hospitals.... The statement is accurate but needs clarification, so we rate it Mostly True." CW: That's impressive, especially if you're one of the not-dead people.

Coral Davenport of the New York Times: "The White House on Tuesday introduced President Obama's blueprint for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by nearly a third over the next decade. Mr. Obama's plan, part of a formal written submission to the United Nations ahead of efforts to forge a global climate change accord in Paris in December, detailed the United States' part of an ambitious joint pledge made by Mr. Obama and President Xi Jinping of China in November.... [SO, NATURALLY,] Republican leaders immediately savaged the plan Tuesday and announced their intent to weaken or undo it -- and, by extension, to block the international efforts to reach a climate accord in Paris."

John Bresnahan & Manu Raju of Politico: "An indictment of Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez on federal corruption charges is expected as early as Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the case."

Department of Justice: "The Justice Department announced today the filing of a lawsuit against Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern) and the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) for violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against a transgender employee on the basis of her sex and retaliating against her when she complained about the discrimination."

Stating the Obvious. Bernie Becker of the Hill: "The IRS commissioner on Tuesday brushed aside GOP proposals to abolish his agency, insisting the U.S. would have to have a tax collector one way or another. 'You can call them something other than the IRS if that made you feel better,' the agency's chief, John Koskinen, said after a speech at the National Press Club."

A Rocky Transition, After All. Burgess Everett & Manu Raju of Politico: "A feud between Sens. Dick Durbin and Chuck Schumer escalated further on Tuesday, with spokesmen for the two Democratic leaders offering sharply different on-the-record accounts of whether the two men reached a power-sharing deal. Durbin's office insists Schumer agreed last week to support him as the party's whip when current Minority Leader Harry Reid retires at the end of 2016. But Schumer's office is denying any such deal was struck.... Schumer is said to be open to elevating Sen. Patty Murray of Washington to the whip job...."

David Dayen in Salon: In his autobiography, Barney Frank provides another reminder that Barack Obama could have forced banks to provide foreclosure relief in exchange for TARP money, as Frank wanted. But Obama refused to do so. CW: Obama's abandonment of homeowners with underwater mortgages is, in my mind, the low-water mark of his legacy. You might say it is drone killings of civilians, & I won't disagree, but there is an argument to be made that drone attacks are simply another gruesome war tactic not much unlike "collateral damage" by other means.

Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "U.S. officials said Tuesday that they might continue negotiating a preliminary Iran nuclear deal past a midnight deadline as they struggled to resolve key issues." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

     ... Update. Jordan Fabian & Kristina Wong of the Hill: "The Obama administration's effort to reach a nuclear deal with Iran stretched past its latest deadline Tuesday, as U.S. officials expressed confidence that they could still reach an agreement. 'We've made enough progress in the last days to merit staying until Wednesday,' State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said. 'There are several difficult issues still remaining.'" ...

     ... Update 2. Michael Gordon of the New York Times: "Secretary of State John Kerry renewed his push on Wednesday to secure a preliminary accord that would limit Iran's nuclear program, a day after negotiators extended the March 31 deadline. With the diplomacy at a pivotal point, President Obama convened a teleconference on Tuesday night with Mr. Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and other top members of the administration to review the status of the negotiations."

Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Seeking to patch up relations with a longtime regional ally at a time of spreading war and instability in the Middle East, President Obama on Tuesday lifted an arms freeze against Egypt that he first imposed after the 2013 military overthrow of the country's elected government. Mr. Obama removed his holds on the delivery of F-16 aircraft, Harpoon missiles and M1A1 tank kits and in a telephone call assured President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt that he would continue to support $1.3 billion in annual military assistance for the Cairo government...."

Nicholas Kulish of the New York Times: "The co-pilot at the controls of the German jetliner that crashed last week had informed Lufthansa in 2009 about his depressive episodes, the company said Tuesday. In a statement, Lufthansa said the co-pilot had conveyed the information when he sought to rejoin the airline's flight school after a monthslong pause in his studies. Lufthansa said that it had shared with prosecutors email correspondence between the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, and the flight training school, which included medical records about a 'deep depressive episode.' Lufthansa is the parent company of Germanwings, the operator of the Airbus 320 on which Mr. Lubitz was co-pilot." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Jack Gillum of the AP: "Hillary Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, seemingly contradicting her explanation that she exclusively used a personal email address on a so-called 'homebrew' server so that she could carry a single device, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

... AFP: "A US congressional panel investigating the 2012 Benghazi attacks has called for Hillary Clinton to testify by May 1, following a scandal involving her exclusive use of private emails while secretary of state." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Presidential Race

Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times: "... two leading campaign finance groups charged on Tuesday that the spread of ... unofficial campaigns in recent months was not only deceptive, but also illegal. The groups, the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21, filed formal complaints with the Federal Election Commission against four undeclared candidates for president: Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Rick Santorum, all Republicans, and Martin O'Malley, a Democrat.... Among the prospective White House candidates, those four have been particularly aggressive in appearing at fund-raisers, visiting crucial states like Iowa and New Hampshire, hiring staff members and setting up offices, and positioning themselves for a possible bid, Paul S. Ryan, a lawyer for the center, said in an interview. Yet they have skirted federal election law that requires candidates who are 'testing the waters'..."

For the umpteenth time, Elizabeth Warren says she's not going to run for president. Also, she's not exactly endorsing Hillary Clinton. But Warren is willing "'to give her a chance to decide if she's going to run and to lay out what she wants to run on,' ... when asked whether the Clinton would be the right Democratic candidate to fight for the middle class."

Philip Rucker & Robert Costa of the Washington Post: "The national debate over an Indiana religious-liberties law seen as anti-gay has drawn the entire field of Republican presidential contenders into the divisive culture wars, which badly damaged Mitt Romney in 2012 and which GOP leaders eagerly sought to avoid in the 2016 race. Most top Republican presidential hopefuls this week have moved in lock step, and without pause, to support Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) and his Religious Freedom Restoration Act.... The position puts the Republican field out of step with a growing national consensus on gay rights, handing Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Democrats a way to portray Republicans as intolerant and insensitive." ...

... Dana Milbank: "Pence backed down Tuesday and called for new legislation 'that makes it clear that this law does not give businesses a right to deny services to anyone.' Alas for Republican 2016 hopes, the leading candidates had already backed the original, discriminatory version of the law.... The candidates' rush to endorse the now-doomed law doesn't even make much political sense: GOP voters place gay issues at the bottom of their list of concerns."...

... Dominic Holden of BuzzFeed: "Sen. Rand Paul said he doesn't buy into the concept of gay rights because they are defined by a gay person's lifestyle. 'I don't think I've ever used the word gay rights, because I don't really believe in rights based on your behavior,' the Kentucky Republican told reporters in a videotaped interview ... recorded in 2013." ...

... Steve M.: "... Senator Paul is one of the most uncompromising supporters of gun rights in Washington (which is quite a high bar to clear).... I guess he thinks gun ownership is so fundamental to the makeup of certain human beings, is so hard-wired, that it simply can't be considered 'behavior.'... Gay sex? A choice. Owning an assault rifle? An essential part of who you are." CW: C'mon, Steve. GOP rationales for discrimination don't have to make sense or be intellectually consistent.

Jebbie's Secret Admirers. Ed O'Keefe & Matea Gold of the Washington Post: "Jeb Bush has given his tacit endorsement to a new group that can collect unlimited amounts of money in secret, part of a bold effort by his advisers to create a robust external political operation before he declares his expected White House bid.... While ideological nonprofits have become major players in national politics in recent years, this marks the first time one has been so embedded in the network of a prospective candidate." ...

... Making New Hampshire as Antediluvian as Iowa & South Carolina. Ben Schreckinger of Politico: "Taking aim at Jeb Bush, a group of leading New Hampshire conservatives and libertarians are preparing to stage their own caucus three months before the state's first-in-the-nation primary -- and then unify behind the winner. Sick of the string of centrist GOP-ers who’ve dominated the state's primary in recent years -- including John McCain (twice) and Mitt Romney -- conservatives and libertarians are hoping to defy the conventional wisdom that the Granite State is moderate-friendly turf between the evangelical-dominated Iowa caucuses and socially conservative South Carolina."

CW: I skipped over Scott Walker's dog dander dilemma, but Margaret Hartmann of New York handles it with all the seriousness it deserves.

Harry Reid assesses the GOP field.

Beyond the Beltway

** My Religious Beliefs Are Your Problem. Amy Davidson of the New Yorker: "... the idea of religious practice seems to have morphed to include a vague sense of offense at the lives of others." ...

... Campbell Robertson & Richard Perez-Pena of the New York Times: "Despite intensifying criticism from business leaders both within and outside of Arkansas, the state legislature on Tuesday passed its version of a measure billed as a religious freedom law, joining Indiana in a swirl of controversy that shows little sign of calming. The Arkansas bill, passed when the General Assembly concurred on three amendments from the State Senate, now goes to the state's Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, who expressed reservations about an earlier bill but more recently said he would sign the measure if it 'reaches my desk in similar form as to what has been passed in 20 other states.' The Arkansas Senate passed the measure last week." ...

... Dominic Rushe & Jessica Glenza of the Guardian: "Walmart ... came out swinging on Tuesday against state legislation legalising discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, calling the move against its 'core basic beliefs'. The retail giant is headquartered in Arkansas...." ...

... Margaret Hartmann: Way last month, the Arkansas bill was all about the right to discriminate against teh gays, but (even though the language of the bill hasn't changed) suddenly it isn't anymore. Something about hamburgers & pizzas. CW: And here's a factor that makes the bill even worse: it works in conjunction with a law the Arkansas legislature passed last month "which prevented cities and counties in the state from passing their own anti-LGBT discrimination ordinances." Because discrimination needs to be statewide. Also, what's with gay people complaining about discrimination when mean people discriminate against white, straight, married politicians? Also, it isn't fair for gay people to have a "special right" to marry each other when straight people always get stuck in opposite-sex marriages. (On this last point, also see Steve Beshear story, linked below.)

Mark Berman of the Washington Post: "Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) vowed Tuesday morning that the state would alter a religious liberties bill that has drawn widespread criticism, even as he defended the law and insisted it was being unfairly portrayed in the media. Pence urged lawmakers to pass legislation making it clear 'that this law does not give businesses the right to deny services to anyone.'... He did not support a repeal of the legislation, nor did he say that language would be added explicitly protecting gay or transgender people. He also spent a significant portion of the news conference defending the bill and criticizing the media, insisting that the current legislation did not allow for discrimination. 'This law has been smeared,' he said." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

By Tom Stiglich.

... Jill Lawrence of US News: "... maybe, cosseted in the Christian right echo chamber, [Mike Pence] was oblivious to how all of this would be received in the wider world.... His action, and its reflection on his party, is about as forward-looking as the revived Republican hostility to immigration reform. Forget about the future, it doesn't even acknowledge the world as it exists today."

... Jonathan Chait: "One lesson to draw from this chain of events is that Pence and his allies either overreached or blundered, and were properly forced to retreat when liberal opponents raised well-founded objections. Instead, conservatives have reached the opposite conclusion: They have been victimized by bullying social liberals, delirious with culture-war victory." ...

Andrew Kaczynski of BuzzFeed: "'Smoking Doesn't Kill' And Other Great Old Op-Eds From Mike Pence. The Indiana governor ... wrote some interesting op-eds 15 years ago." Or this one that begins, "Global warming is a myth." "He also mixes up India and Indonesia." ...

... CW: I remain surprised that all of the commentary concentrates on discrimination against gays. It's true, of course that this was -- from the beginning -- the primary motivation for passing the law. But the law also permits rampant discrimination against myriad other groups. Suppose the owners of a big, family-held company like Hobby Lobby "believed" that it was disgraceful for pregnant women to go out in public. Under the law, they could refuse to allow obviously pregnant women into their stores. Suppose a corporate owner believed men should sport facial hair. Or that tank tops were inappropriate attire. Whatever. As long as the particular group is not "protected," large corporations as well as mom-&-pop bakers & florists can claim a religious exemption from serving any number of classes of people. ...

... CW: I wasted little time on David Brooks' Politeness Pitch yesterday, but Driftglass goes to the heart of it: "... for Republican apologists like Mr. Brooks, inconvenient facts are always sent out of the room so he can set up yet another, simple-minded morality puppet show about the virtues of not making people like Mr. Brooks uncomfortable, Because once a hated out-group has fought its way to a place where the in-group is forced to stop treating them like vermin (even though they still may really, really want to) Mr. Brooks' answer to their grievances is always to make them step back into a posture of supplication and ask pretty, pretty please for the basic human rights which every member of Mr. Brooks' privileged in-group takes for granted as their birthright." ...

... AND Charles Pierce lets Brooks have it: "David Brooks, who would like all those hysterical gay people to start using their inside voices and to understand that their desire for equal protection under the law would be better served if they understood the feelings of the people who think they are sodomite insects who are all going to hell."

Try to Wrap Your Head around This. Andrew Wolfson of the Louisville Courier-Journal: "Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear [D] says the state's ban on gay marriage should be upheld in part because it is not discriminatory in that both gay and straight people are barred from marrying people of the same gender. In an argument labeled absurd by gay marriage advocates, Beshear's lawyer says in a brief filed last week at the U.S. Supreme Court that 'men and women, whether heterosexual or homosexual, cannot marry persons of the same sex' under Kentucky law, making the law non-discriminatory. The argument mirrors that offered by the state of Virginia nearly 50 years ago when it defended laws barring interracial marriage there and in 15 other states, including Kentucky, by saying they weren't discriminatory because whites were barred from marrying blacks just as blacks were barred from marrying whites. The Supreme Court in 1967 rejected that argument in the historic case of Loving v. Virginia...." Thanks to contributor Forrest M. for the lead.

Privacy Rights, Arizona-Style: Between a Woman and Her Doctor & the State Legislature & the Governor. Yvonne Sanchez of the Arizona Republic: Arizona "Gov. Doug Ducey [R-Misogynist] on Monday signed into law a bill that requires physicians to tell women receiving medication-induced abortions that the procedure can potentially be reversed. Senate Bill 1318 also bars insurance companies from providing abortion services to women who purchase medical coverage through the federal health-care exchange, except in cases of rape and incest." ...

... Arizona, a Good Place to Leave. Steve Benen: "Under the new law, consumers who want to receive health care coverage through an exchange will be prohibited from buying private insurance through a private business covering a legal medical procedure that Republicans don't like.... Medical professionals will now be legally required to give patients unscientific information, simply because far-right politicians in the state say so. Or as Amanda Marcotte recently put it, 'You should be able to get through an abortion without having to indulge a right-wing delusion.'"

Jaime Fuller of New York: "A new Chicago Tribune poll has incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel with 58 percent of the vote, and Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia with 30 percent."

News Ledes

New York Times: "Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of the Beatles' John Lennon, who chronicled their troubled marriage in two memoirs, died on Wednesday at her home in Mallorca, Spain. She was 75. The cause was cancer, according to a memorial on the website of her son, Julian."

Los Angeles Times: California "Gov. Jerry Brown, standing on a patch of brown grass in the Sierra Nevada that is usually covered with several feet of snow at this time of year, on Wednesday announced the first mandatory water restrictions in California history. 'It's a different world,' he said. 'We have to act differently.'"

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "'Guilty,' Judge Jerry Baxter read the jury's verdicts for conspiracy for 11 of the 12 defendants in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating trial. The conspiracy charge was the most serious and could bring sentences up to 20 years. Only one defendant, Dessa Curb, walked away with no conviction on any charge.... The scandal, one of the most notorious to strike a U.S. school district, was uncovered by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2008, when it found improbably improved scores on on the tests."

Los Angeles Times: "Authorities investigating the death of Andrew Getty, an heir to the Getty oil fortune, said a preliminary investigation suggests foul play was not involved.The death appeared to be natural or an accident, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office."