TUESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Israel: “The discord between the United States and Israel over Jewish building in East Jerusalem deepened Tuesday with Israeli officials rejecting demands by Washington and expressing anger over the public upbraiding of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the Obama administration. On a day of scattered — although, in spots, fierce — disturbances by Palestinians in East Jerusalem, news emerged that Israel was moving ahead with a second building project there.”
* Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East and South Asia, had a nuanced answer for the Senate Armed Services Committee on DADT repeal, but he acknowledged for the first time that “the time has come” to consider scrapping the existing policy.
* Don’t expect interest rates to go up any time soon: “The Federal Reserve on Tuesday repeated its pledge to hold interest rates at record lows to foster the economic recovery and ease high unemployment.”
* Nice to see a boost in consumer sentiment, for a change.
* Words of wisdom from Attorney General Eric Holder to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science.
* Important piece on U.S. Central Command and the “Israeli intransigence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” that is jeopardizing U.S. standing in the Middle East.
* There’s a fascinating tale behind the gun used at the Pentagon shooting two weeks ago. The madman, John Patrick Bedell, was able to get the gun without a background check — which would have prevented the sale — at a Las Vegas gun show, taking advantage of the gun-show loophole.
* The burden of higher-ed costs on students and their families in California is pretty extraordinary.
* And demonstrating the kind of dignity we’ve come to expect from House Republicans, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) spoke on the House floor today and said the health care reform legislation should be eaten … and then “passed.” Stay classy, Louie.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
