memeorandum: Edwards goes negative (Ben Smith/The Politico)

4:10 PM ET, September 18, 2007

Top Items:

Student tasered at John Kerry forum Update: A University of Florida student/eyewitness shares what he saw; 12:15 pm Eastern 9/18 update: Another UF student speaks; Update: UF president schedules 2pm press conference...plus: Andrew Meyer, professional taunter — Update 3:10pm Eastern 9/18.

Rick Klein / Political Radar:

Kerry Condemns Heckler Arrest — ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Sen. John Kerry on Tuesday comdemned the arrest of a University of Florida student at one of his speeches, saying that he was engaged in a "good healthy discussion" with 21-year-old Andrew Meyer when he was Tasered and taken into custody.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Liberal Values, The Carpetbagger Report, Pandagon, Daily Pundit and The Raw Story

Associated Press:

Student Zapped With Taser Caught On Tape — Florida Student Who Questioned John Kerry To Be In Court — GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A University of Florida student was Tasered and arrested after trying to ask U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., about the 2004 election and other subjects during a campus forum.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Democratic Daily, Attytood, Neptunus Lex and Truthdig

Mike Carney / On Deadline:

Cops Taser student who questioned John Kerry — Original posting at 7:44 a.m. ET: Sparks flew during a townhall meeting that Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., held yesterday at the University of Florida. Journalism student Andrew Meyer interrupted the speech, prompting police to drag him away …

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Huffington Post, Shakespeare's Sister, Los Angeles Times, Blast Off!, FRAMESHOP, The Sideshow, Wake up America, The Democratic Daily and Wizbang

Nick Antosca / The Huffington Post:

Kerry Should be Ashamed, and the Cop Who Tased Andrew Meyer Should be Jailed — By now I'm sure you've seen the videos of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer being attacked and tasered by university police at a John Kerry speaking event. If not, here's one, here's another, and here's another.

Discussion: GainesvilleSun.com, Preemptive Karma, Galley Slaves and Hot Air

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Edwards goes negative — Edwards is out with the harshest negative piece of the primary, an email from Joe Trippi headed "Guess who's really coming to lunch with Hillary," which attacks Clinton's homeland-security themed fundraiser today and includes observations like:

Discussion: The Swamp and CNN Political Ticker

Ben Smith / The Politico:
Clinton responds — Here's the response to Edwards' attack, from spokesman Phil Singer:

Discussion: Taylor Marsh

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central: Edwards Camp Cranks Up Attack On "Corporate Insider" Hillary In New Email

Noah Shachtman / Danger Room:

Iraq Diary: Jammers Beat Bombers (Which May Be Bad News) — Radio-controlled bombs used to be the biggest killer of American troops in Iraq. Now, they've been rendered all-but-useless. Good news, right? Like so much else in Iraq, it's not quite that simple.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Online and Total Information Awareness

Robert Farley / American Prospect: The group blog of The American Prospect

Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:

The Constitution Needs Your Help Today — Let's hit the phones this morning, people. The Habeas Restoration Act is being put forth again — by Sens. Leahy and Dodd, among others — and they are asking for our help. Please call your Senators this morning and tell them to support Amendment S. 2202 …

Discussion: Washington Post, Crooks and Liars, TalkLeft, Macsmind, Taylor Marsh, SWJ Blog, D-Day and Chris Dodd National Blog

Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:
Please Continue Making Calls To Restore Habeas

Discussion: Open Left, techPresident, Chris Dodd National Blog, My Left Nutmeg, SamSederShow.com and Lean Left

Gallup Poll:

Giuliani still leads GOP race; Thompson in second place — PRINCETON, NJ — Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani continues to lead the national race for the Republican presidential nomination, although his support has faded to one of its lowest readings of the year.

Discussion: Hot Air, Pollster.com and National Review

Kathy Barks Hoffman / Associated Press:
AP NewsBreak: Attorney general to quit as McCain's campaign chair

Discussion: TPM Election Central and D-Day

Eric Black / Minnesota Monitor:

Paulose Under Investigation by the Feds — The federal Office of Special Counsel is investigating allegations that Rachel Paulose, U.S. attorney for Minnesota, mishandled classified information, decided to fire the subordinate who called it to her attention, retaliated against others …

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister and Democratic National Committee

Amanda / Think Progress:
U.S. Attorney Paulose Dresses Down Employee Using Terms 'Fat …

Discussion: Democratic National Committee

CREW:

CREW releases "Beyond DeLay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch)" — Today, CREW released its third annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress entitled Beyond DeLay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch).

Discussion: The Swamp, MoJoBlog, Keystone Politics and AMERICAblog

Bryan / Hot Air:

Hot Air TV: Rep. Jack Murtha confronted about Haditha accusations — We've just obtained video of Rep. Jack Murtha being directly confronted over repeatedly accusing the Haditha Marines of murdering Iraqis "in cold blood." I'm editing and processing it now, so we should have it online before too long.

Discussion: The Hill and Gateway Pundit

Redstate:

Don't Write Off NH Senate Yet (UPDATED) — Early ARG polling showing Sununu down by 20 points to Jeanne Shaheen may be off the mark. The latest Rasmussen shows him down 5 points, with similar favorables/unfavorables to the former Gov. Rasmussen is one of the two or three most accurate polling outfits …

Discussion: Rasmussen Reports, American Research Group, Inc., MyDD and TPM Election Central

Bill / INDCJournal:

Random Pictures, Two — The "Twin Towers Mosque" lights up in preparation for Ramadan as electricity becomes available in the city. — Military Transition Team Captain Theodore "Teddy" J. Folsome was tired but dryly funny, with a nametag that read "Elvis Presley."

Discussion: protein wisdom and BLACKFIVE

Bret Stephens / Opinion Journal:

Osirak II? — Israel's silence on Syria speaks volumes. — In the late spring of 2002 the American press reported that Israel had armed its German-made submarines with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. In Israel, this was old news. It was also headline news.

Discussion: BBC, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, The Newshoggers, Betsy's Page, TigerHawk, SyriaComment, Blue Crab Boulevard, Solomonia and American Footprints

Michael J. Totten:

Anbar Awakens Part II: Hell is Over — This is the second in a two-part series. Read Part One, The Battle of Ramadi, here. — RAMADI, IRAQ - In early 2007 Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's Anbar Province, was one of the most violent war-torn cities on Earth. By late spring it was the safest major city in Iraq outside Kurdistan.

Discussion: Dean's World, neo-neocon, Mudville Gazette, The Sundries Shack, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Infidels Are Cool, Sister Toldjah and Licari of Arabia

KETV Omaha's Channel 7:

State Senator Ernie Chambers Sues God — Chambers says its to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits. — OMAHA, Neb — State Senator Ernie Chambers is suing God. He says it to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits. — Chambers says senators periodically have offered bills prohibiting the filing of certain types of suits.