Not a headline I’d have predicted in this universe or pretty much any other. “Russell Simmons Apologizes For Harriet Tubman Sex Tape“

GOP leaders’ attempts to squelch Obamacare shutdown mania spurs revolt.

Because, of course.

As you may have heard, Business Insider (we and others picked it up from them) reported that RNC Chair Reince Priebus had called Romney’s ‘self-deportation’ “horrific” and “racist.” It turned out that he actually said not “racist” but “it hurts us.” And everyone corrected. But at first, the RNC actually confirmed that Priebus had said “racist.”

These things happen, of course. But I can’t help but thinking that there’s some element in this that signals the rudderlessness or perhaps the multiple rudders operating within the GOP at the moment. As in, the comms folks may not know from one day to the next which GOP is coming down the pike. If someone asks for confirmation that Priebus said, “No Justice No Peace” or “Justice for Trayvon” … I mean, who knows, maybe he did?

The Senate Conservatives Fund – founded by former Sen. Jim DeMint (R) and credited with making it virtually impossible for Republicans to win back the Senate – is now running ads against Mitch McConnell in Kentucky. It’s not terribly surprising in itself. But taking on the party leader in the Senate takes it to a different level. This comes on the heels of McConnell’s saying yesterday that there were some things in Obamacare that he liked.

Last month Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler (R) released a relatively small list (17 people) of confirmed cases of non-citizens voting in November 2012. Turns out they were all citizens.

A very ‘normal’ truck fire on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge sparks some unsettled memories for New Yorkers. Pictures from TPM Reader CS after the jump … Read More

RNC Chair Priebus calls ‘self-deportation’ “horific” and “racist.”

Late Update: I was a little surprised when Reince Priebus called the moronic concept of ‘self-deportation’ racist. And it turns out he didn’t. The quote originally came from Business Insider. But it now turns out he said not “racist” but “it hurt us.”

CIA acknowledges existence of Area 51 testing ground.

So today the RNC, in its summer meeting in Boston, will hold a vote on whether to boycott CNN and NBC over plans to run Hillary Clinton made for TV movies.

A Marist poll out today put the New York City Mayor’s race at a dead heat between Chris Quinn and Bill de Blasio at 24%. Former Comptroller Bill Thompson was at 18%. That’s different than the Quinnipiac Poll from Tuesday which put de Blasio in the lead at 30% with Quinn 6 points and Thompson 8 points back. But I think the upshot is clear: the Q poll was no fluke. From looking to be all but out of the running several weeks ago, he’s consistently gained ground over recent weeks and now likely holds at least a small lead in what is shaping up as a three way race.

Also, notable, Christine Quinn, who was started off as the almost prohibitive frontrunner in the race, looks to be in some trouble. She might well still come in first in the primary. But if you don’t get 40% of the vote, which seems highly unlikely for any contender at this point, you go to a run off. And the polls have consistently shown her losing to either Thompson or de Blasio in a hypothetical run off.