memeorandum: The Problem of Affirmative Action (Megan McArdle)

1:00 PM ET, May 30, 2009

Top Items:

Ted Rall: It's increasingly evident that Obama should resign — MIAMI — We expected broken promises. But the gap between the soaring expectations that accompanied Barack Obama's inauguration and his wretched performance is the broadest such chasm in recent historical memory.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Wake up America, Outside The Beltway, BitsBlog, Stop The ACLU and JammieWearingFool

Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain:

If Obama's lost Ted Rall . . . . . . he's lost un-America: … (Via Memeorandum.) You might also want to read this: … Of course, if Ted Rall becomes an ex-Democrat, he'll likely end up Green, but a complete 180 from far Left to far Right is not unimaginable.

Discussion: Stop The ACLU and Moe Lane

The Huffington Post:

GOP Hispanic Strategists Stunned, Outraged By Sotomayor Attacks — Top-ranking Republican strategists who specialize in Hispanic outreach say they are outraged, disturbed and concerned by the type of reception Barack Obama's pick for the Supreme Court has received from conservative activists.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, American Power, Dr. Melissa Clouthier, Jack & Jill Politics and DownWithTyranny!

CNN:
White House responds as GOP continues Sotomayor attacks

Discussion: Libertarian Republican and The Moderate Voice

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
When Democrats derailed a GOP Latino nominee

Discussion: Macsmind, PrairiePundit and The Greenroom

Matt Corley / Think Progress:
Sessions ‘uneasy’ with Gingrich's ‘rhetoric’ against Sotomayor.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and PoliticalBase.com Blog

Margery Eagan / Boston Herald:
Men in throes of Supreme panic

Discussion: Stop The ACLU

MSNBC:
Obama calls criticism of Sotomayor ‘nonsense’

Discussion: Althouse, Jules Crittenden, Washington Post, Hullabaloo, Associated Press, Political Punch, TPMDC, CBS News and Firedoglake

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
White House: Sotomayor Used ‘Poor’ Choice of Words

Discussion: Feathered Bastard, Macsmind, Sister Toldjah, Salon, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, TPMDC, PrairiePundit and Power Line

Bob Owens / Pajamas Media:
Sotomayor: Obama's End Run on the Second Amendment

Discussion: The TrogloPundit and Confederate Yankee

Sharon Theimer / Associated Press:
SPIN METER: Sotomayor has conflicting images

Discussion: New York Times, MSNBC, NewsBusters.org, pandagon.net and THE ASTUTE BLOGGER

Tom Goldstein / SCOTUSblog:

Judge Sotomayor and Race — Results from the Full Data Set — I've now completed the study of every one of Judge Sotomayor's race-related cases that I mention in the post below. I'll write more in the morning about particular cases, but here is what the data shows in sum:

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Obsidian Wings, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars and DISSENTING JUSTICE

Megan McArdle:

The Problem of Affirmative Action — HL Mencken once defined Fundamentalism as “the terrible, pervasive fear that someone, somewhere, is having fun”. I've been thinking of this a lot watching some of the attacks on Sotomayor, but I'd frame the critics as suffering from the terrible …

Discussion: PoliBlog and TigerHawk

The White House:

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Calls for Thorough and Timely Confirmation for Judge Sonia Sotomayor — WASHINGTON - In his weekly address, President Barack Obama called for a rigorous, principled and swift confirmation for his Supreme Court nominee, Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

Discussion: Politics Daily and Alex Conant

Andy McCarthy / The Corner:
Forget Whether She Qualifies as a “Racist.” …

Discussion: Associated Press, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Gateway Pundit, Pajamas Media, RealClearPolitics Video Log, THE ASTUTE BLOGGER, Bench Memos and Balloon Juice

Washington Wire:
Sotomayor Tape Reveals Views on Ricci v. DeStefano Discrimination Case

Discussion: Salon

Mark Tapscott / Washington Examiner:

White House moves to restrict criticism of stimulus projects — A new White House policy on permissible lobbying on economic recovery and stimulus project has taken a decidedly anti-First Amendment turn. It's a classic illustration of Big Government trying to control every aspect …

Discussion: Wizbang, Doug Ross, Jihad Watch, Michelle Malkin, Wake up America and Hot Air

The White House:

Update on Recovery Act Lobbying Rules: New Limits on Special Interest Influence — Another update from Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform, in the spirit of transparency as always: — I am writing with an update on the President's March 20 …

Discussion: Shopfloor, QandO, Washington Post and Sunlight Foundation

Andy McCarthy / The Corner:

Uighurs: Sometimes, the Obama Friday Night Bad News Dump Is Bad for the Left — The Obama Justice Department told the Supreme Court this evening that the Uighurs have no right to be released into the United States. The Uighurs, Chinese Muslim detainees held at Guantanamo Bay …

Discussion: the talking dog, Weekly Standard, Commentary, The American Scene, Fausta's Blog and GOP 12

Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:

Bush-Clinton Policy Talk Strikes a Congenial Tone — TORONTO — Former President Bill Clinton really misses the presidency. “All of a sudden nobody plays a song,” he told an audience here on Friday, referring to “Hail to the Chief,” the anthem played at presidential events.

Discussion: The Swamp and Economist's View

Michael James / The Note:
Presidents Bush, Clinton Team Up in Toronto; Clinton Says His View …

Discussion: Pam's House Blend

Jim Myers / Tulsa World:

U.S. Rep. John Sullivan checks in to Betty Ford clinic — WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Sullivan, who has spoken openly about former problems with drinking, announced Friday that he has checked himself into a treatment center to seek help for his alcohol addiction.

Discussion: Glenn Thrush's Blog and The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

In which the president discovers an American intelligence agency at Five Guys — On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys this afternoon, the president appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency …

Discussion: Fausta's Blog, Erick's blog, Wizbang and Hot Air

Mark Benjamin / Salon:

Taguba denies he's seen abuse photos suppressed by Obama — Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba testifies in 2004 before the Senate Armed Services Committee to answer questions about the abuse by U.S. military personnel of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com, Washington Monthly, Whiskey Fire, Hullabaloo, Nile Gardiner's blog listings, ATTACKERMAN, Taylor Marsh and Toby Harnden's blog listings

Niall Ferguson / Financial Times:

How economists can misunderstand the crisis — On Wednesday last week, yields on 10-year US Treasuries - generally seen as the benchmark for long-term interest rates - rose above 3.73 per cent. Once upon a time that would have been considered rather low. But the financial crisis has changed …

Discussion: The New Republic

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:

Tucker Carlson Starting “Right-Leaning” HuffPo — Because I just don't think you can see Jon Stewart smack down Tucker often enough. Have I properly whetted your appetite for some serious mocking? Because this is just laugh-out-loud funny: … *snicker* Oh...facts.

Discussion: The Other McCain