Rand Paul’s Filibuster Win, Bill O’Reilly Apologizes, and More

Drone Droning Works:

Rand Paul’s nearly 13-hour filibuster has yielded results. On Thursday, the White House responded to the controversy that erupted over its drone policy by saying it will not kill American citizens on U.S. soil. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Attorney General Eric Holder sent the Kentucky senator an email clarifying the Obama administration’s policy on drone strikes. “The president has not and would not use drone strikes against American citizens on American soil,” Carney told reporters. He added, “Does the president have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil? …The answer to that question is no.” (Read more)

‘Realm of the Ridiculous’: Former maverick John McCain slammed Rand Paul a day after the Kentucky senator filibustered John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA. Telling him to “calm down,” the Arizona senator called Paul’s suggestion that the government could use the military to target people like Jane Fonda “ridiculous.” “If Mr. Paul wants to be taken seriously he needs to do more than pull political stunts that fire up impressionable libertarian kids,” McCain said. “I don’t think what happened yesterday is helpful to the American people.” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham echoed McCain’s criticism of Paul’s display. (Read more)

Highlight Spiel: If you have any semblance of a life, you most likely missed most—if not all—of Rand Paul’s epic filibuster of John Brennan’s nomination Wednesday. Not to worry, though. Roll Call has compiled a list of the event’s top 10 “best moments.” Making the lineup: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joining at the 11th hour and voicing his opposition to the Brennan nomination; famous sipper and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio giving Paul some “free advice” by reminding him to “keep some water nearby”; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz reading Paul reaction to the filibuster from Twitter; and the pro-life Paul bringing up the Supreme Court’s decision in Griswold v. Connecticut (a case regarding the right to privacy that was cited several years later in Roe v. Wade) and voicing his support for it. (Read more)

Looking (Way) Ahead: It’s not too early apparently to see whom voters want to succeed Barack Obama in the White House. With more than three years until the election, a new Quinnipiac Poll shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the favorite in the presidential race. In hypothetical matchups, Clinton tops New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. By contrast, Vice President Joe Biden doesn’t fare as well. The poll shows he would lose if pitted against Christie, but that he would emerge victorious over Ryan and Rubio. (Read more)

Not Bothering With Ballot: Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez has an interesting explanation for why voter turnout—a measly 16 percent—in L.A.’s mayoral election Tuesday was so low. Lopez points to a poll that shows most residents in the city get their news from local television stations. This is problematic, Lopez writes, because these stations “devote far more time to covering the weather — which is exactly the same 320 days a year — than to local politics and government.” L.A. voters will have another opportunity to head to the polls—or not—when the runoff election pitting City Controller Wendy Greuel against City Councilman Eric Garcetti is held May 21. (Read more)

Video of the Day: Fox News host Bill O’Reilly apologized to Alan Colmes a day after he accused the liberal of lying by claiming that President Obama offered to cut entitlement programs. Colmes made the comment while debating O’Reilly on Obama’s attitude toward spending cuts. O’Reilly addressed his outburst on his program Wednesday night, saying he was sorry for calling his guest a liar.