memeorandum: Palin attorney warns press on ‘defamatory material’ (Jonathan Martin/The Politico)

2:00 PM 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: The Daily Dish, Polimom, Too 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, The Moderate Voice 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, KN@PPSTER and The Other McCain

Sean Cockerham / Anchorage Daily News:

Palin attorney decries ‘defamatory’ rumors — LEGAL ACTION: Speculation flies in wake of governor's resignation. — scockerham@adn.com — Gov. Sarah Palin's personal attorney issued a statement Saturday denouncing rumors that Palin resigned because she is under criminal investigation …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Crooks and Liars, Wonkette, The Huffington Post, Progressive Alaska, Boing Boing and Bloggasm

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

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Concerns About Spotlight's Glare, Effect on Family, Prompted Palin's Decision

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and No More Mister Nice Blog

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

Discussion: City of Wasilla, Progressive Alaska and Don Surber

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

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

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

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 Daily Dish, The Field on the Narcosphere, Power Line, Matthew Yglesias, YID With LID, BBC, Guardian, Washington Monthly, The Sideshow, Hot Air, The Strata-Sphere, AmSpecBlog and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

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

Discussion: Informed Comment, Prairie Weather and BBC

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

Discussion: Israel Matzav, GayPatriot and Weasel Zippers

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

Washington Post:

D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry Arrested for Stalking — D.C. Council member Marion Barry was arrested last night and charged with stalking a woman after the woman reported that Barry was “bothering her” as the two traveled in separate vehicles in Anacostia Park, police said this morning.

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: Power Line, Christian Science Monitor, Israel Matzav, Hot Air, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Jihad Watch

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, Emptywheel, Donklephant and Romenesko

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

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Jennifer Parker / George's Bottom Line:

Biden: We ‘Misread the Economy’ — Big admission from Vice President Joe Biden today. — “The truth is, we and everyone else misread the economy,” Biden told me during our exclusive “This Week” interview in Iraq. — Biden acknowledged administration officials were too optimistic earlier …

Discussion: The Swamp

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