memeorandum: White House Says Little About Embattled Jones (Washington Post)

12:35 PM ET, September 5, 2009

Top Items:

White House Says Little About Embattled Jones — White House officials offered tepid support Friday for Van Jones, the administration's embattled energy efficiency guru, who has issued two public apologies this week, one for signing a petition that questioned whether Bush administration officials …

Discussion: Power Line, JustOneMinute, The Corner on National …, Townhall.com, Taylor Marsh, Wake up America, No More Mister Nice Blog, Blue Crab Boulevard, Kausfiles, Washington Examiner and The Other McCain

Gateway Pundit:

Sing It... Van Jones Cut Nasty Hate-Filled Music Album, Too! (Video) ...Update: Album Cover Found! — VAN JONES CUT A CD... The CD starred Van Jones and cop killer Mumia abu-Jamal. — UPDATE: Kristinn found the album (CD) cover: — Jones used his Ella Baker Center for Human Rights …

Discussion: And So it Goes in Shreveport, Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers and Stop The ACLU

Lisa Lerer / The Politico:

GOP uses Jones to launch czar revolt — Republicans who have spent months criticizing the proliferation of “czars” in the Obama White House have finally landed a major punch. — Over the past few weeks, White House green jobs czar Van Jones has been accused of being a communist …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Think Progress, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Caucus, Blue Crab Boulevard, Pat Dollard, Glenn Thrush's Blog, Townhall.com and D-Day

John McCormack / Weekly Standard:

Who Cleared Van Jones? — Bob Beckel said on Fox this morning that Obama White House green jobs czar Van Jones will be canned by Tuesday. Beckel reasoned that Jones's background is simply indefensible for a White house appointment, and wondered if the FBI screwed up because they must not have uncovered this in the vetting process.

Discussion: Breitbart.tv, Hot Air, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Dennis the Peasant, Pundit & Pundette, Commentary, Power Line, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, American Spectator, The TrogloPundit, Political Punch, Ztower, Pajamas Media and Flopping Aces

James Rosen / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Key House Dem. Clyburn: ‘half a loaf’ on health care better than nothing

Discussion: The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Angry Bear, The Politico, TPMDC, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post

CNN:
Sources: White House drafting health care bill

Discussion: AMERICAblog News, msnbc.com, TPMDC, D-Day, The Page, Salon, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, The Hill and American Power

Kit Bond / United States Senator Kit Bond:
Bond Urges Congressional Hearing on Administration's Mr. Jones

Discussion: Another Black Conservative, Right Wing News, Hot Air, Fox News, Nice Deb, Michelle Malkin, Pundit & Pundette and Gateway Pundit

New York Times:
Senate Chairman Says Health Care Bill Is Coming

Discussion: The Reality-Based Community, The Confluence, Left in the West, The New Republic, Capitol Briefing, The Washington Independent, MyDD, The Hill and The Atlantic Politics Channel

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Perfect: Van Jones also a Mumia supporter; Update: Michelle …

Discussion: Verum Serum, Blue Crab Boulevard, Betsy's Page, Stop The ACLU, theblogprof, Glenn Beck, All American Blogger, Scared Monkeys, Pajamas Media, And So it Goes in Shreveport, Ace of Spades HQ and American Power

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

The ESPN Zone of Empires — ESPN Zone New York (cc photo by bigweasel) — Afghanistan is often called the “Graveyard of Empires,” but I think the phrase is pretty misleading. It seems to imply that empires that venture in Afghanistan get defeated and die.

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:

Obama looking for retirement plan reforms — Among the changes are expanded access to 401k plans and a pledge to let workers convert vacation days into retirement savings. — President Barack Obama announced a series of policy changes Saturday aimed at making it easier for Americans to save money for retirement.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Swamp and The Politico

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Protester to Mark Warner: Which part of the Constitution says you get to take over health care? — Via CNS. We've been down this road before but it's one thing to kick around arguments in the comments and another to watch a U.S. Senator be put on the spot.

Discussion: DISSENTING JUSTICE, CNSNews, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Freedom's Lighthouse, The Other McCain and HotAirPundit

Bloomberg:

Obama May Need Sense of Crisis to Revive Health-Care Overhaul — Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama returns to Washington next week in search of one thing that can revive his health-care overhaul: a sense of crisis. — Facing polls showing a drop in his approval …

Discussion: Thoughts Of A Conservative …, RedState, Pajamas Media, MyDD and Politics Daily

Alex Koppelman / Salon:

The right way to debate healthcare reform — If you have 10 minutes on the eve of the three-day weekend, you really should take the time to watch the video below. It shows Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., talking with a group of his constituents who oppose the Democratic healthcare reform plans.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Democratic Strategist and DUSTYTRICE.COM

Richard B. Rafal / Wall Street Journal:

A Doctor's Plan for Legal Industry Reform — My modest proposal to rearrange how lawyers do business. — Printer — Friendly — Since we are moving toward socialism with ObamaCare, the time has come to do the same with other professions—especially lawyers.

Discussion: Whiskey Fire, Peoples Press Collective and The Glittering Eye

Wall Street Journal:

Afghanistan Is Not 'Obama's War' — Republicans should never do to President Obama what many Democrats did to President Bush. — Printer — Friendly — In his column for the Washington Post on Tuesday, the influential conservative George Will provided intellectual fodder …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Commentary

John Schwartz / New York Times:

Panel Rules Against Ashcroft in Detention Case — Former attorney general John Ashcroft may face personal liability for the decisions that led to the detention of an American citizen as a material witness after the Sept. 11 attacks, a federal appeals court panel ruled on Friday.

Discussion: ACLU, the talking dog and TalkLeft

The Huffington Post:

Dems: “Republicans Want To End Medicare” (VIDEO) — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele penned an op-ed in the Washington Post on Monday accusing Democrats of looking to gut Medicare. — Five days later — on the eve of a three-day weekend — Democrats are hitting back.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, MyDD, D-Day and TalkLeft

Fox News:

Gates Assails ‘Appalling’ Decision by AP to Release Photo of Dying Marine — The defense secretary went as far as to ask the AP to reconsider distributing the photo of Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard. — FOXNews.com — Defense Secretary Robert Gates has harshly criticized the decision …

Discussion: Lens, Afghan Quest, Associated Press, Christian Science Monitor, American Power, BLACKFIVE and Weasel Zippers

David Lat / Above the Law:

Reminder: DOJ Honors Program Applications Are Almost Due — This morning, we reminded you about judicial clerkships as one career option to explore. Now we'd like to remind you of another: the Attorney General's Honors Program, at the U.S. Department of Justice. The application deadline is this coming Tuesday, September 8.

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy

Frederick W. Kagan / Wall Street Journal:

A Stable Pakistan Needs a Stable Afghanistan — The fight against militant Islam must be pursued on both sides of the border. — Printer — Friendly — Winning the war in Afghanistan—creating a stable and legitimate Afghan state that can control its territory—will be difficult.

Discussion: RealClearWorld, Commentary and The Moderate Voice

Manu Raju / The Politico:

Reid may compromise on public option — SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid signaled he's open to compromising on the government-run insurance option that is roiling the health care debate back in Washington. — Speaking to reporters near the home where he grew …

Discussion: Kausfiles