memeorandum: Memo to McCain: There are no saints in America, not even St. Ronnie (Philly.com)

3:45 PM ET, March 13, 2009

Top Items:

Jon Stewart and Jim Cramer: The Extended Daily Show Interview — Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart went toe-to-toe last night. It was just like Ali-Foreman, only with more head trauma. But you didn't see everything. Much of the interview had to be cut for time. But this is the internet, where all we have is time.

Discussion: Portfolio, The Big Picture, New York Magazine, Show Tracker, MyDD, BuzzFlash.org, Tower Ticker and MoJo Blog Posts

Alessandra Stanley / New York Times:

Economic Meltdown Not a Laughing Matter — It wasn't a “Brawl Street,” or a thrilla in vanilla. It wasn't a “Daily Show” friendly feud or even much of a discussion. Mostly, the much-hyped Thursday night showdown between Jon Stewart and Jim Cramer, the mercurial host of “Mad Money” on CNBC, felt like a Senate subcommittee hearing.

Discussion: The New Republic, DealBook, New York Magazine, The Moderate Voice, Greg's Opinion, Freakonomics, Balloon Juice and TVNewser

James Fallows:

It's true: Jon Stewart has become Edward R. Murrow (updated) — Through karmic guidance, I sprang awake at the exact moment Jon Stewart was beginning his [merciless demolition of] interview with Jim Cramer of CNBC's “Mad Money.” — Yes, it is cliched to praise Stewart as the “true” …

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

There's nothing unique about Jim Cramer — Jon Stewart is being widely celebrated today and Jim Cramer/CNBC widely mocked — both rightfully so — for Stewart's devastatingly adversarial interview of Cramer (who, just by the way, is a Marty Peretz creation).

Discussion: TalkLeft and Firedoglake

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

To Catch A Predator — I watched the Daily Show with growing shock last night. Did you expect that? I expected a jolly and ultimately congenial discussion, after some banter. What Cramer walked into was an ambush of anger. He crumbled from the beginning.

Discussion: TheZoo

Amanda Terkel / Think Progress:

After Being Eviscerated By Jon Stewart, Cramer Skips Morning Show Appearance — Last night, CNBC's Jim Cramer had a brutal face-off with The Daily Show's Jon Stewart. “I understand that you want to make finance entertaining, but it's not a f*cking game,” Stewart told Cramer.

Discussion: The Politico, The Huffington Post, NewsBusters.org, Majikthise and Runnin' Scared

The Huffington Post:

Jim Cramer On “Daily Show”: Jon Stewart Hits Hard (VIDEO) — HuffingtonPost/AP — SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO EXCERPT — NEW YORK — Jon Stewart hammered Jim Cramer and his network, CNBC, in their anticipated face-off on “The Daily Show,” repeatedly chastising the “Mad Money” host for putting entertainment above journalism.

Discussion: Salon, Washington Monthly and Firedoglake

Eric Etheridge / The Opinionator:
Fight Night: Cramer vs. Stewart

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Assimilated Negro, Firedoglake, Daily Finance and Hullabaloo

Mike Allen / The Politico:

White House: Greed will help — The nation's economy used to have too much greed and not enough fear of the future, but now has too much fear and could use a little more “greed” - spending. — Lawrence H. Summers, the White House economic adviser, calls it “the paradox at the heart of the financial crisis. ”

Discussion: The Swamp, Associated Press, Gateway Pundit, The Sundries Shack and Reuters

David Leonhardt / Economix:
Lawrence Summers on the Crisis

Discussion: marbury

Frank James / The Swamp:
Larry Summers: Economy wouldn't fix itself

Discussion: The Politico

Brookings Institute:
Responding to a Historic Economic Crisis: The Obama Program

Discussion: The Atlantic Business Channel and Outside The Beltway

Washington Wire: Remarks by Lawrence Summers at the Brookings Institution

Wall Street Journal:

Obama's Poll Numbers Are Falling to Earth — It is simply wrong for commentators to continue to focus on President Barack Obama's high levels of popularity, and to conclude that these are indicative of high levels of public confidence in the work of his administration.

Discussion: Megan McArdle, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Townhall.com, Commentary, CBS News, Hot Air, RedState, No More Mister Nice Blog, Wake up America, TBogg, The Plum Line, Jules Crittenden, The Other McCain, IMAO, The Washington Independent, protein wisdom and Flopping Aces

Washington Wire:

McCain Threatens to Oppose Interior Nominee Over Reagan Remark — Stephen Power reports on politics. — Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain today denounced as “highly offensive” remarks about Ronald Reagan made by President Barack Obama's nominee for the number two spot at the Department of the Interior.

Discussion: Brian Beutler, Think Progress, Washington Monthly, Matthew Yglesias, PoliGazette, The Impolitic and The Huffington Post

Philly.com:
Memo to McCain: There are no saints in America, not even St. Ronnie

Discussion: Associated Press

Jennifer Parker / George's Bottom Line:
“Twitterview” With Sen. John McCain Tuesday

Discussion: New York Magazine

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

Beck: People ‘Pushed To The Wall’ By ‘Political Correctness’ Launch Spree Killings — There was a remarkable segment on Glen Beck's show yesterday, thankfully captured by Matt Corley in which Beck was basically outlining his view that the reason you see spree killings like the one in Alabama …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and PoliGazette

Matt Corley / Think Progress:
Beck: People ‘Pushed To The Wall’ …

Discussion: Shakesville, Washington Monthly, BuzzFlash.org, USA Today and The Impolitic

Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:

Waters fights back on bank conflict allegations — Rep. Maxine Waters, under fire for a potential conflict of interest involving a bank in which she has a financial interest, is pushing back hard on the allegations with a long, unapologetic statement justifying her advocacy for minority owned banks.

Discussion: Firedoglake and The Washington Independent

TBlumer / BizzyBlog:
So Why DID H. Rodgin Cohen Withdraw as Treasury's No. 2?

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Portfolio and Pajamas Media

David Cho / Washington Post:
Fourth Nominee Withdraws From Treasury's Roster

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Top of the Ticket, Law Blog, MSNBC and Wall Street Journal

Leslie H. Gelb / New York Times:

How to Leave Afghanistan — ONLY if our troop levels hit 100,000 and fighting floods over into Taliban havens in Pakistan will Washington be likely to look hard at the alternative policy for Afghanistan — withdrawing most American forces and refocusing our power on containing …

Discussion: MyDD, Swampland, ATTACKERMAN, New York Times, The Nation, Defense Tech, The Washington Independent and democracyarsenal.org

New York Times:
How to Surge the Taliban — “DONT worry, we are not going to lose this war.”

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Hullabaloo, The Washington Independent, The Washington Note, Commentary, ATTACKERMAN and Associated Press

Portfolio:

Ann Coulter's Book Sales Head South — Though never exactly shy, Ann Coulter has been especially noisy in her self-promotion lately, inventing a beef with NBC News, arguing with Keith Olbermann over the meaning of a Cornell degree and taking her act on the road with Bill Maher as foil.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, The Raw Story, Democracy in America, The Daily Dish and Liberal Values

Manu Raju / The Politico:

Coleman v. Franken — The Senate's top Republican Friday urged Norm Coleman to take his fight against Al Franken all the way to the Supreme Court “until we know who won.” — Franken holds a 225-vote lead after a hand recount of ballots cast in November. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell …

Discussion: Associated Press, TIME.com and The Politico

Joe McDonald / Associated Press:

China “worried” about US Treasury holdings — BEIJING (AP) - China's premier expressed concern Friday about its massive holdings of Treasuries and other U.S. debt, appealing to Washington to safeguard their value, and said Beijing is ready to expand its stimulus if the economy worsens.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Donklephant and Right Wing News

Ann Scott Tyson / Washington Post:
Destroyer to Protect Ship Near China

Discussion: Taylor Marsh

David Rogers / The Politico:

Ya can't make it up: House praises pi — With the world swirling about it, the House took a moment Thursday to honor pi, the Greek letter symbolizing that great constant in mathematics representing the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Discussion: Lean Left, QandO and Betsy's Page

Ali Frick / Think Progress:

SC student Ty'Sheoma Bethea's hopes dashed by Sanford's decision to reject $500m in education funds. — Yesterday, ThinkProgress reported that Gov. Mark Sanford's (R-SC) decision to reject $700 million of stimulus funds could result in the firing of up to 7,500 teachers across the state …

Discussion: CNN and Washington Monthly

James Traub / New York Times:

The Academic Freedom Agenda — WHEN A MARINE HELICOPTER bore George W. Bush away from the Capitol the afternoon of Jan. 20, the American people turned their attention, and desperate hopes, to his successor. Bush, meanwhile, moved into a new home in Dallas and took up the work of his post-presidency.

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

LA-Sen: Perkins Turns Down Vitter Primary Challenge — This hasn't been a very good week for Louisiana Sen. David Vitter but it's ending on a positive note: Family Research Council president Tony Perkins has decided not to challenge him in next year's Republican primary.

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room