Cheat Sheet - Obama’s GOP Schmooze Fest

Today: Chávez Funeral Kicks Off , The Westboro Defectors Speak: Phelps Granddaughters Embrace Tolerance , Cardinals Likely to Hold Pope Vote Next Week March 08, 2013 NOT JUST DINNER 1. Why Obama's Schmooze Fest Matters Casual meetings with Republican leaders was once unthinkable at this White House. But this week's sudden flurry of sit-downs could open a whole new chapter for the president, writes The Daily Beast's Eleanor Clift. Read it at The Daily Beast DRAMATIC EXIT 2. Chávez Funeral Kicks Off It's a glamorous send-off fit for an infamous comandante. Venezuela's nationwide week of mourning continued Friday with Hugo Chávez's star-studded state funeral. Cuban President Raúl Castro and Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were among the dignitaries from 50 countries around the world who paid their respects to the late strongman, while guards restrained wailing citizens from rushing toward his coffin. Chávez's handpicked successor, Vice President Nicolás Maduro, will be sworn in later in the day. Read it at Associated Press Listening Tour 3. Westboro Baptist Defectors Speak Westboro Baptist Church is infamous for its hate speech, but two granddaughters of founder Fred Phelps have fled the church and their family. Now they're speaking of revelations about tolerance. Megan and Grace Phelps-Roper tell The Daily Beast's John Avlon about their new American journey. Read it at The Daily Beast DECISIONS, DECISIONS 4. Cardinals Likely to Hold Pope Vote Next Week The Roman Catholic cardinals, who have gathered at the Vatican from around the world to discuss the church's many problems, will vote later Friday on when they should seclude themselves inside the Sistine Chapel to determine the next pope. As of now, there is no clear favorite to succeed Pope Benedict, but the cardinals will likely start their decision-making process early next week. Read it at Reuters IN COURT 5. Bin Laden Son-in-Law Pleads Not Guilty Osama bin Laden's son-in-law pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiring to kill Americans on Friday during a brief appearance in Manhattan federal court. Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, who appeared in videos representing al Qaeda after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is one of the highest-ranked al Qaeda officials to undergo a civilian trial in the U.S., a few blocks from the World Trade Center. Republican lawmakers have slammed the Justice Department for bringing the al Qaeda spokesman to New York, saying he belongs in military custody in Guantánamo Bay. Prosecutors said they expect the trial to last three weeks, and the date will be set in April.   Read it at Reuters WHERE MY PEEPS? Peeps Candies Hit Record Sales Launch new TV campaign for 60th birthday. MILE-HIGH BACKLASH TSA 'Knives Allowed' Policy Sparks Fury Pilots and flight crews sign petition to overturn. NO BIGOTS ALLOWED Police Use Polygraph to Weed Out Racists In attempt to create scandal-free force. R-E-S-P-E-C-T Sheryl Sandberg Defends Marissa Mayer Slams critics of the Yahoo CEO's telecommuting ban. REBELLIOUS PHASE Justin Bieber Assaults Photographer "I'll fucking beat the fuck out of you." GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET Culture Beast Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. Pope Candidates' Absurd Attack Ads Will the news of a failed Oscar pool doom one of the Cardinals aspiring to the papacy? Last night 'The Daily Show' weighed in on the search for a new Vatican leader, broadcasting recently-uncovered (read 'fake') attack ads intended to demonize various 'popefuls.' More Videos Yahtzee! Jobless Rate Dips by Daniel Gross A Munchkin's 'Oz' Memories by Ramin Setoodeh Abortion's Oddest Enemies Yet by Lizzie Crocker

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