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

11:55 AM ET, May 30, 2009

Top Items:

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, Jack & Jill Politics and DownWithTyranny!

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: TigerHawk

CNN:
White House responds as GOP continues Sotomayor attacks

Discussion: Libertarian Republican, The Moderate Voice, Swampland and Think Progress

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

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

Mike Allen / The Politico:
Bush, Cheney split on Obama

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Crooks and Liars, JustOneMinute and The Daily Dish

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

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

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

Discussion: Stop The ACLU

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

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

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

Carol E. Lee / The Politico:
W.H. concedes Sotomayor misspoke

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Pam's House Blend, The Note, Not One Red Cent, Comments from Left Field and Weekly Standard

Theresa Cook / Political Punch:
White House Says Judge Sotomayor Would 'Say Her Word Choice …

Discussion: RedState, Don Surber, The Note, Commentary and Washington Post

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

Discussion: Salon

State Journal Register:

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: Wake up America, JammieWearingFool, Outside The Beltway, BitsBlog and Stop The ACLU

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

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: 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, 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, GOP 12 and Fausta's Blog

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, New York Times, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Obsidian Wings, Crooks and Liars and DISSENTING JUSTICE

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

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

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

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

CNN:

CNN Poll: Americans OK with more government influence in return for lower health care costs — WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new national poll indicates that most Americans are receptive to having more government influence over their health care in return for lower costs and more coverage.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Say Anything

James C. McKinley Jr / New York Times:

The Talk, and the Talk, and the Talk, of Austin — AUSTIN, Tex. — They call it chubbing, and while it sounds like a way to fatten pigs, it is actually a maneuver to slow business in the Legislature to a crawl — a filibuster of sorts, Texas-style. — For five pivotal days this week …

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