Top Items:
Michelle Malkin:
Little girl at Obama town hall has not-so-random political connections — As we always like to point out: There are no coincidences in Obama world. — Via the Boston Globe: Surprise! … Tons of readers point to this AR15.com post tracking Hall's political footprint, including this Facebook page and photo:
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Michelle Malkin:
The illustrated guide to Obamacare human props — Little Julia Hall is just the latest in-the-tank questioner with Obama campaign/Democrat ties to turn up “randomly” at presidential health care forums. — Here's your illustrated guide to Obamacare human props.
Travis Andersen / Boston Globe:
Malden girl to Obama: what about those “mean things” people say about your health plan?? — A girl from Malden asked President Obama a question at Tuesday's town hall meeting in New Hampshire about the signs outside “saying mean things” about his health care proposal.
Political Punch:
President Obama's “Senior” Moment? — Rachel Martin and Jake Tapper report: — President Obama today suggested that the health care reform legislation for which he's pushing has been endorsed by the American Association of Retired Person. — “We have the AARP on board …
Camille Paglia / Salon:
Obama's healthcare horror — Buyer's remorse? Not me. At the North American summit in Guadalajara this week, President Obama resumed the role he is best at — representing the U.S. with dignity and authority abroad. This is why I, for one, voted for Obama and continue to support him.
Discussion:
Liberal Values, Weekly Standard, Pundit & Pundette, Moe_Lane's blog, Blogs of War, CNSNews, The Moderate Voice and Sadly, No!
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Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Amid Debate, Obama Approval Rating on Healthcare Steady — Americans disapprove of his handling of the issue, by 49% to 43% — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans rate President Barack Obama's handling of healthcare policy essentially the same as they did roughly three weeks ago, remaining slightly more likely to disapprove than approve.
Edward John Craig / The Corner:
Camille Paglia, Dissident — After expressing her continuing support for Barack Obama in her first Salon paragraph, Camillle Paglia (inter alia) goes on an ugly and un-American rant on Obamacare: [I] must confess my dismay bordering on horror at the amateurism of the White House apparatus for domestic policy.
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Matthews to Obama protester: Why'd you bring a loaded gun to a town hall with the president? — Good question, especially given the sign this guy was carrying. Considering the lengths to which the Secret Service normally goes to investigate threats against the president …
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Portsmouth Herald:
Police: Man arrested before Obama event had loaded gun … By Staff reports — news@seacoastonline.com — PORTSMOUTH — Police said a man arrested at the scene of President Barack Obama's visit to the city Tuesday was found to be in possession of an unlicensed loaded gun.
Phil Izzo / Wall Street Journal:
Economists Call for Bernanke to Stay, Say Recession Is Over — Economists are nearly unanimous that Ben Bernanke should be reappointed to another term as Federal Reserve chairman, and they said there is a 71% chance that President Barack Obama will ask him to stay on, according to a survey.
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Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Santorum dips toes in 2012 Iowa waters — Add former Sen. Rick Santorum to the list of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates. — POLITICO has learned Santorum will visit first-in-the-nation Iowa this fall for a series of appearances before the sort of conservative activists …
Discussion:
The Note, Des Moines Register, MyDD, New York Magazine, Salon, GOP 12, Freedom's Lighthouse, Shakesville, The Page and The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
John Mackey / Wall Street Journal:
The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare — Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit. — Printer — Friendly — “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out — of other people's money. —Margaret Thatcher
Scott Shane / New York Times:
2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11's Wake — WASHINGTON — Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen were military retirees and psychologists, on the lookout for business opportunities. They found an excellent customer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where in 2002 they became the architects …
New York Times:
E-Mail Reveals Rove's Key Role in '06 Dismissals — WASHINGTON — Thousands of pages of internal e-mail and once-secret Congressional testimony showed Tuesday that Karl Rove and other senior aides in the Bush White House played an earlier and more active role than was previously known …
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
DOBBS AND DEAN.... CNN President Jon Klein has reportedly decided that the cable news network shouldn't have talk-radio hosts on as guests. According to a message obtained by Media Bistro, Klein told CNN producers, “Complex issues require world class reporting.”
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Scott / Power Line:
Back in the USPS — At his dog-and-pony show on health care — excuse me, health insurance — reform in Portsmouth yesterday, President Obama denied that adding a government plan to “compete” with private insurance plans would drive insurers out of business, creating a single payer system by indirection.
Discussion:
Federal Eye
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Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Morning Fix: Nelson Strikes Back — Criticized by two liberal groups about his approach to President Obama's health care reform proposal, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson is hitting back, evidence of the issue's potential political peril for the 13 Senate Democrats who represent states carried by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in 2008.
Peter Daou / ConsiderThisNews:
“Send Them Home With a Bullet in the Head” — I've gone on the record disagreeing with the term ‘Teabaggers’ and with the use of the word ‘un-American’ - I've done so because despite the astroturfing and the faux-grassroots opposition to health care reform, I place a premium on citizen activism …
Discussion:
DownWithTyranny!, Think Progress, Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, Taylor Marsh and The Washington Independent
Kenneth Rogoff / Project Syndicate:
The Confidence Game — CAMBRIDGE - Next month marks the one year anniversary of the collapse of the venerable American investment bank, Lehman Brothers. The fall of Lehman marked the onset of a global recession and financial crisis the likes of which the world has not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930's.
Hugh Muir / Guardian:
Who cares if Stephen Hawking lives or dies? Actually, we all do — So Barack Obama is facing the fight of his life (another one) as he attempts to reform the US healthcare system. The “special interests” - doctors, healthcare companies - don't like it. The “birthers” - crazy types …
Tom Blumer / NewsBusters.org:
Can't Make It Up: Dem Rep Who Opposes Photo ID To Vote Requiring Photo ID For Town Halls — This is Congressman Eugene Green (HT to an e-mailer), Democrat from Texas, telling the world that if you're not from his District, you're not welcome at his future town hall meetings — oh, and how he'll enforce his new rule (bold is his):
John Fund / Wall Street Journal:
Air Congress Hits Turbulence — The Gulfstream jet scandal is over. Next: unreturned per-diems. — Printer — Friendly — Congressional scandals form a pattern. First, there is the revelation that some members have acted in a high-handed, spendthrift or unethical manner.
James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
The ObamaCare Quagmire — Comparisons to Iraq sell President Bush short. — Printer — Friendly — President Obama's disastrous campaign to transmogrify American medicine has sent commentators and other observers in search of an equally dismal political failure to use as an analogy.
Discussion:
Cold Fury
BBC:
Japanese prices in record decline — Japanese wholesale prices were down by a record 8.5% in July compared with a year earlier, highlighting the growing deflationary pressure in the economy. — Weak demand during the downturn and the fall in the price of oil have put downward pressure on prices.
J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:
Dem healthcare talking points: Change over status quo — Senate Democratic leaders are driving home a handful of key points during this month's town hall forums on healthcare: Reform will be fully funded, will not jeopardize current doctor-patient relationships, and is the only alternative to the current, broken system.
Rasmussen Reports:
Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election — 2009 Virginia Governor: McDonnell (R) 47% Deeds (D) 38% — Republican candidate Robert F. McDonnell has opened a nine-point lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds in the race for governor in Virginia. — The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey …
Wall Street Journal:
A President as Micromanager — WASHINGTON — In briefing President Barack Obama one day this spring, White House economist Jared Bernstein delved into such arcana as the yields on different forms of credit relative to the risk. Later, Paul Volcker pulled Mr. Bernstein aside.