memeorandum: The Pit Bull in the China Shop (Frank Rich/New York Times)

3:10 PM ET, November 22, 2009

Top Items:

Why was it so hard for Dems even to start health care debate? — The extraordinary thing about the dramatic events surrounding the health care bill in the Senate is that there was any drama at all. Lawmakers were simply voting to begin debate on the Democratic version of health care reform.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, PoliBlog, American Power, GayPatriot, Stop The ACLU, Commentary, Pundit & Pundette, The Mahablog, Firedoglake and The Hill

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

Sweeteners for the South — Staffers on Capitol Hill were calling it the Louisiana Purchase. — On the eve of Saturday's showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn't secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive.

Discussion: Politics Daily, Wizbang, The Caucus, NewsBusters.org, Scared Monkeys, Mediaite, Des Moines Register and New York Times

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Senator Cements Role at Heart of Health Debate

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, MyDD, Prairie Weather, The Caucus and Firedoglake

Washington Post:
Senate Democrats vote to bring health bill to floor for debate

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Guardian, Swampland, Virginia Politics Blog, The Atlantic Politics Channel and New York Times

The Hill:
Reid pulls together Senate Dems to take huge step on health reform

Discussion: The Politico, Newshoggers.com, Talking Points Memo and MyDD

Carrie Budoff Brown / The Politico:
Democrats hold line, but cracks show

Discussion: Fausta's Blog, The Confluence, Campaign For Liberty Blog and Gateway Pundit

BBC:
US healthcare bill clears Senate test

Discussion: Truthdig and Weasel Zippers

David Espo / Associated Press: Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:

In the trenches on climate change, hostility among foes — Stolen e-mails reveal venomous feelings toward skeptics — Electronic files that were stolen from a prominent climate research center and made public last week provide a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes battle to shape the public perception of global warming.

Discussion: JustOneMinute, HazZzMat, Mudville Gazette, Hot Air, Overcoming Bias, Althouse and Dean's World

Keith Johnson / Wall Street Journal:
Hacked Emails Show Climate Science Ridden with Rancor

Discussion: Mudville Gazette

Frank Rich / New York Times:

The Pit Bull in the China Shop — AT last the American right and left have one issue they unequivocally agree on: You don't actually have to read Sarah Palin's book to have an opinion about it. Last Sunday Liz Cheney praised “Going Rogue” as “well-written” on Fox News even though …

Discussion: The Political Carnival, And So it Goes in Shreveport and Mediaite

Matt Taibbi / Taibblog:
Sarah Palin, WWE Star

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, American Power, Right Wing Nut House, Pajamas Media and The Daily Dish

Richard W. Stevenson / New York Times: Republicans Eye the Tiger of Populism

Jeff Jacoby / Boston Globe:

Where conservatives have it wrong — YOU'RE A sensible, principled conservative. You want America to be a land of boundless opportunity and freedom, where people are treated as individuals and judged on their merits. You reject the divisive identity politics of the left …

Discussion: EconLog

John E. Mulligan / Providence Journal:

Kennedy: Barred from Communion — WASHINGTON — Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has forbidden Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy to receive the Roman Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion because of his advocacy of abortion rights, the Rhode Island Democrat said Friday.

Discussion: Associated Press and Townhall.com

Martina Stewart / CNN:

Freshman Dem: Passing health care reform worth losing my seat — Washington (CNN) - A freshman Democratic senator said Sunday that he will support his party's efforts to pass health care reform legislation even if that means losing his seat in next year's midterm elections.

Associated Press:

Lawyer: 9/11 defendants want platform for views — NEW YORK (AP) - A lawyer for one of five men facing trial for the Sept. 11 attacks says the men plan to plead not guilty and use the trial to express their political views. — Attorney Scott Fenstermaker says his client Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali …

Discussion: Power Line

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Visceral Has Its Value — It's easy to dismiss Sarah Palin. — She's back on the trail, with the tumbling hair and tumbling thoughts. The queen of the scenic strip mall known as Wasilla now reigns over thrilled subjects thronging to a politically strategic swath of American strip malls.

Discussion: Althouse, Prairie Weather and Don Surber

Mark Schone / ABCNEWS:

Defense Attorney: Hasan Is Paralyzed From the Chest Down — Galligan Wants Military Justice System to Move More Slowly, Says Accused Fort Hood Shooter is in Severe Pain — Major Nidal Hasan, charged with killing 13 in the Fort Hood shooting spree, is paralyzed from the chest down and is not a flight risk …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers and TalkLeft

Robert Wright / New York Times:

Who Created Major Hasan? — Princeton, N.J. — IN the case of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan and the Fort Hood massacre, the verdict has come in. The liberal news media have been found guilty — by the conservative news media — of coddling Major Hasan's religion, Islam.

Discussion: Commentary and The Corner on National …

Barry Ritholtz / The Big Picture:

How Overrated is Sentiment in Economics? — There is a small cadre of Economists — original thinkers, contrarians, out of the box theorists — I respect a great deal. It is a modest list ranging from Richard Thaler to David Rosenberg to Robert Shiller, with lots of econ wonks in between.

Discussion: Economist's View