These are the top stories under discussion in The Reid Report newsroom:
Second-Guessing Obama’s Foreign Policy – “There is simply no good course of action against Vladimir Putin’s grab of Eastern Ukraine. This is a majority-Russian region, and Putin has been both ruthless and deft at using thuggish locals as cats’ paws for an eventual takeover.” [The Huffington Post]
Eight circus acrobats hurt after Rhode Island rigging collapse – “Eight circus acrobats were hospitalized on Monday, with two in critical condition, a day after the rigging they were hanging from collapsed during a performance in Providence, Rhode Island, badly injuring the performers and shocking the audience.” [Reuters]
Rand Paul Woos Rupert Murdoch at the Kentucky Derby – “Of the potential Republican 2016 presidential candidates, Rand Paul is the least coy about his presidential ambitions, so it’s no surprise that he’s already started publicly courting the News Corp. boss by parading him around at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.” [New York Magazine]
Nevada Democrat wants to oust Bundy militia – “Nevada Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford is trying to oust the pro-Bundy militia from his district, citing constituents who are bothered by the presence of the self-appointed militia, according to the Associated Press.” [msnbc.com]
Witnesses Tell of Pistorius’s Anguish After Shooting Girlfriend – “In dramatic and sometimes tearful testimony, the first people to see the double-amputee track star Oscar Pistorius after he fired the four rounds that killed his girlfriend told his murder trial on Monday that he was torn with anguish as he carried her bleeding body, saying, according to one witness, ‘stay with me, my love, stay with me.’” [The New York Times]
Under Pressure, Nigerian President Addresses Abduction Of Girls – “After mounting public pressure to say something, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan broke his silence on the abduction of some 200 school girls more than three weeks ago.” [NPR]
Schiff: Benghazi select committee a ‘colossal waste of time’ – “Establishing a select committee to investigate the State Department’s handling of the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya is a ‘colossal waste of time,’ according to Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.).” [The Washington Post]
G.O.P. Hopeful Finds Tribal Tie Cuts Both Ways – “T. W. Shannon will be Oklahoma’s first black senator if he wins the Republican nomination and is elected this November, but the quiet campaign stirring here about Mr. Shannon’s racial loyalties is not aimed at the African-American branch of his family tree.” [The New York Times]
SCHOOLS SEEK CHANGES TO HEALTHIER LUNCH RULES – “Becky Domokos-Bays of Alexandria City Public Schools has served her students whole-grain pasta 20 times. Each time, she said, they rejected it.” [Associated Press]
Leslie Jones jokes about slavery on ‘Saturday Night Live’, sparks outrage on social media – “Leslie Jones, one of the show’s new writers, made an on-air appearance during Colin Josts’ ‘Update’ segment to talk about Lupita Nyong’o’s ‘Most Beautiful’ honor, but in the process she also made jokes about slavery – a topic resonant with Nyong’o’s Oscar-winning film ’12 Years A Slave’ – that led to outrage on social media.” [New York Daily News]
Want a Good Cinco de Mayo Celebration? Go To Portland, Oregon – “It may come as a surprise to some, but Cinco de Mayo is considered a minor holiday in Mexico. And in the U.S., its historical and cultural significance has pretty much been drowned in shots of José Cuervo and frothy margaritas.” [NBCNews.com]
Alexis Stodghill