Today's edition of quick hits:
* An interesting exchange on gun policy today between Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Expect more on this from Rachel on tonight's show.
* This is the bill they were debating: "The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a measure to reinstate a ban on assault weapons, the first major Congressional vote on the issue since the ban expired in 2004. The vote to approve the measure ... went firmly along party lines; the 10 Democrats on the committee voted aye, and the 8 Republicans of the committee rejected it. The legislation would also limit the size of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds."
* Iraq: "Eighteen people were killed and 67 were wounded on Thursday when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the Ministry of Justice compound, which he and other armed attackers had managed to infiltrate after a series of car bomb blasts nearby, the police said."
* Benghazi: "Libyan authorities have detained a man investigators believe could be an important witness or suspect in the attacks on U.S. outposts in Benghazi, Libya last September, according to people familiar with the matter."
* Speaking of Benghazi: "Republican lawmakers are threatening to subpoena U.S. survivors of the terrorist attack in Benghazi."
* More on this on tonight's show, too: "Rejecting an appeal by some Detroit leaders, Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan said Thursday that his administration was proceeding with plans to send an emergency manager to run the state's largest city, and that he favors a lawyer who worked on Chrysler's bankruptcy proceedings for the job."
* Deadly shooting: "An overnight police standoff in upstate New York ended Thursday after the man suspected of killing four people and injuring two more in a shooting spree was shot and killed by law enforcement officials."
* One party is open to compromise, one party isn't: "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that she'll consider Social Security cuts as part of a sweeping deficit-reduction package."
* I'm sorry to hear about the demise of the Boston Phoenix.
* My favorite tweet from CPAC comes by way of Julia Ioffe: "They're handing out a little book called 'The Ayn Rand Sampler.' Ironically, it's free."
* Congrats to Kevin Drum on the 10th anniversary of a blogosphere staple: Friday Catblogging.
* And a hearty congratulations to msnbc's Chris Hayes, who's headed to primetime.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.