memeorandum: Decoding Russia: A Six-Step Plan (Clifford J. Levy/New York Times)

11:55 AM ET, July 5, 2009

Top Items:

Sarah Palin not under FBI investigation, agency spokesman says — The former GOP vice presidential candidate's surprise resignation as Alaska governor had set off speculation, including rumors of a pending federal corruption probe or charges. — Reporting from Washington …

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Palin attorney warns press on ‘defamatory material’ — Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin's attorney threatened Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation.

Discussion: Polimom, Too, Associated Press and The Page

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Now, Sarah's Folly — Sarah Palin showed on Friday that in one respect at least, she is qualified to be president. — Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy. — Usually we don't find that exquisite battiness in our leaders until they've been battered by sordid scandals like Watergate (Nixon) …

Discussion: Althouse and Vox Popoli

Gateway Pundit:

It's On!... Palin's Legal Counsel Threatens to Sue Liberal Blogs & State-Run Media For Slander — Sarah Palin's legal councel released a statement quashing rumors that Governor Palin resigned due to a criminal investigation. — Her attorney, Thomas Van Flein, also threatened to take legal action …

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin.com and The Other McCain

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

Sarah Palin's 4th of July Message — On Saturday July 4th, in response to questions surrounding her sudden and largely unexplained resignation, out-going Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) released the following message ... Join the Conversation!

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Talking Points Memo

Jonathan Martin / Ben Smith's Blog:
Palin hammers media, hints at national ambitions

Discussion: Associated Press, The Other McCain, Raw Story, The Moderate Voice, The Page, The Political Carnival, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room and RADAMISTO

R. A. Mansour / Conservatives4Palin.com:
Statement from Gov. Palin's Legal Counsel on Defamatory Allegations

Discussion: Don Surber, City of Wasilla and Progressive Alaska

Sean Cockerham / Anchorage Daily News:
Palin attorney decries ‘defamatory’ rumors

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Progressive Alaska and Wonkette

Kurt Schlichter / Big Hollywood: The Force is With Sarah Palin

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
If White House Is Her Goal, Palin's Route Is Risky

Discussion: The Page and Raw Story

Mark Halperin / The Page:
HALPERIN'S TAKE: 9 Pieces of “Analysis” …

Discussion: Midwest Voices, Balloon Juice, The Huffington Post and NewsMax.com

New York Times:

Leading Clerics Defy Ayatollah on Disputed Iran Election — CAIRO — The most important group of religious leaders in Iran called the disputed presidential election and the new government illegitimate on Saturday, an act of defiance against the country's supreme leader and the most public sign …

Discussion: The Field on the Narcosphere, Power Line, Matthew Yglesias, Washington Monthly, The Sideshow, Guardian, BBC, Hot Air, The Strata-Sphere, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and AmSpecBlog

Thomas Erdbrink / Washington Post:
Mousavi Details Alleged Election Fraud in Iran

Discussion: BBC, Informed Comment and Prairie Weather

CNN:
Report: Ahmadinejad says he wants public talks with Obama

Discussion: Israel Matzav, GayPatriot and Weasel Zippers

Katharine Weymouth / Washington Post:

A Letter to Our Readers — Dear Reader: — I want to apologize for a planned new venture that went off track and for any cause we may have given you to doubt our independence and integrity. A flier distributed last week suggested that we were selling access to power brokers …

Discussion: Hot Air, Althouse, Politics Daily and Emptywheel

Rod Liddle / Times of London:

Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran — Uzi Mahnaimi in Tel Aviv and Sarah Baxter — The head of Mossad, Israel's overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran's nuclear sites.

Discussion: Israel Matzav, Hot Air, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Jihad Watch

CNN:

D.C.'s Marion Barry faces stalking charge — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former D.C. mayor, now Washington councilman, Marion Barry has been arrested again. — On July 4, the U.S. Park Police arrested Barry and charged him with misdemeanor stalking. — About 8:45 p.m. in Anacostia Park …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and Conventional Folly

Paul Krugman:

Al Franken's secret — David Broder has a column this morning calling for bipartisanship. I know, you're shocked. But what struck me was this bit about Al Franken: … Two points. — First, implicit in this characterization of Franken is the notion of the Senate as a decorous gentlemen's club.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns and Money

David S. Broder / Washington Post: For Democrats, the Perils in a Filibuster-Proof Majority

Paul Krugman:

Got those blues — This visibility thing is getting a bit worrisome. Still, there are pretty sharp limits to my celebrity. True story from last week, as I was waiting at the Newark Airport train station:WOMAN: You look familiar ... do you work for New Jersey Transit?

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias

Clifford J. Levy / New York Times:

Decoding Russia: A Six-Step Plan — MOSCOW — Barack Obama's last visit to Russia, as a senator in 2005, did not end so well. He was detained by the security services at an airport near Siberia for three hours, locked in a lounge, his passport confiscated, like a scene from a John le Carré novel.

Discussion: RealClearWorld