memeorandum @ 12:00 AM ET, August 2, 2009

12:00 AM ET, August 2, 2009

Top Items:

Todd and Sarah Palin to divorce — Affairs on both sides — AlaskaReport has learned this morning that Todd Palin and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin are to divorce. Multiple sources in Wasilla and Anchorage have confirmed the news. — A National Enquirer story exposing previous affairs …

Discussion: Central Florida Political …, AmSpecBlog, Right Wing News, The Moderate Voice, Political Byline, American Nihilist, Mediaite, Gawker, Hullabaloo, American Power, Lawyers, Guns and Money, Macsmind, Politics Daily, Sister Toldjah, The Political Carnival, Liberal Values and Scared Monkeys

Tim Lindell / Conservatives4Palin.com:

Palin Camp Shoots Down Ridiculous Divorce Rumors Spread by CNN Stringer Dennis Zaki — From Governor Palin's Facebook page: … The release is in response to a ludicrous rumor being spread by Alaskan CNN stringer Dennis Zaki. Zaki, who previously bought into rumors of Trig Truth …

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ, Atlas Shrugs, FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog, No Sheeples Here, Riehl World View, protein wisdom and The Political Carnival

Gryphen / The Immoral Minority:

Exclusive! Sarah and Todd Palin are Splitsville! — Earlier this week one of my best sources claimed to have explosive new information for me. — It took all week for us to finally get together, but last night we finally sat down for an amazing conversation. And what I heard made my jaw drop.

Discussion: The Mudflats, The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, The Dish Rag, Mashable!, Raw Story, The Impolitic, Newshoggers.com and The Political Carnival

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Palin beats press to blog claim — Sarah Palin's spokeswoman Saturday took the unusual step of posting a statement on Facebook denying an anonymous blog report that the former Alaska governor was getting a divorce and moving to Montana. — “Yet again, some so-called journalists have decided …

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

Robert Stacy McCain / AmSpecBlog:

Palin Divorce Gossip ‘Completely False’ … PREVIOUSLY (5:08 p.m.): “Completely false,” said a source close to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in response to claims by Web sites that she and husband Todd are divorcing. — The rumor appears to have originated with one blogger who cites an unnamed …

CBS News:

Palin Spokespeople Deny Divorce Rumor — Describe Blog Report That Former Alaska Gov. and Husband Will Divorce as “Categorically False” — (CBS) An attorney for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has denied a report that she and her husband are planning to divorce.

Mark Silva / The Swamp:

Sarah Palin divorce chatter: Denials — The No. 1 search term in Google right now is “sarah palin divorce.” The reason? A couple of bloggers in Alaska posted stories this morning claiming to have inside information that former Gov. Sarah Palin is divorcing her husband, Todd.

Discussion: Dr. Melissa Clouthier and The Politico

Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain:

QUOTE FROM SARAH PALIN … Yes, that is her OFFICIAL reponse, which I got via phone at 5:35 this afternoon. Take that to the bank. — ORIGINAL POST (5:35 P.M.): More at the American Spectator. I expect to update here in a few minutes with a very recent photo of the very happily married couple.

Discussion: TigerHawk

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:

Prolonged Aid to Unemployed Is Running Out — Over the coming months, as many as 1.5 million jobless Americans will exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits, ending what for some has been a last bulwark against foreclosures and destitution. — Because of emergency extensions already enacted …

Discussion: Calculated Risk, The Moderate Voice and AMERICAblog News

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

GE's silencing of Olbermann and MSNBC's sleazy use of Richard Wolffe — (updated below) — The New York Times this morning has a remarkable story, and incredibly, the article's author, Brian Stelter, doesn't even acknowledge, let alone examine, what makes the story so significant.

John / Power Line:

Too Big to Pass — One of the most notorious news stories of the past week was Democratic Congressman John Conyers' ridiculing of the idea that he and his fellow legislators should actually read bills—here, the health care “reform” act—before voting on them:

Jonathan Alter / Newsweek:

What's Not to Like? — Reform? Why do we need health-care reform? Everything is just fine the way it is. — Go ahead, shoot me. I like the status quo on health care in the United States. I've got health insurance and I don't give a damn about the 47 million suckers who don't.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and DownWithTyranny!

Daniel Gross / Slate:
How government programs are saving insurance companies from disaster.

Discussion: CANNONFIRE

Ceci Connolly / Washington Post:

Proposed Counseling for Seniors in Health Plan Spurs New Battle — Provision for End-of-Life Counseling Is Described by Right as ‘Death Care’ — A campaign on conservative talk radio, fueled by President Obama's calls to control exorbitant medical bills, has sparked fear among senior citizens …

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, Pundit & Pundette, Crooks and Liars, DailyHowler.com, Hullabaloo, RADAMISTO and The Caucus

Mike Soraghan / The Hill:

Liberals will get single-payer vote on House floor — Seeking to dampen liberal anger about deals cut with centrists, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said House leaders have agreed to allow a floor vote on a government-run, single-payer system.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Burnt Orange Report, Hullabaloo, The Strata-Sphere, Corrente, The Confluence, The Impolitic and The Reaction

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
SINGLE PAYER WILL GET A FLOOR VOTE.... It's not going to pass …

Discussion: Corrente and CANNONFIRE

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

BEN NELSON DOESN'T CARE FOR CRITICISM.... A couple of weeks ago, Sen. Ben Nelson (D) of Nebraska and a handful of centrist and center-right allies insisted that the Senate not vote on health care reform before the chamber's August recess. Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee …

Discussion: The Sideshow and Hullabaloo