memeorandum: I thought of killing myself, says climate scandal professor Phil Jones (Richard Girling/Times of London)

2:35 PM ET, February 7, 2010

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EXCLUSIVE (Update): Palin's Tea Party Crib Notes — Closer inspection of a photo of Sarah Palin, during a speech in which she mocked President Obama for his use of a teleprompter, reveals several notes written on her left hand. The words “Energy”, “Tax” and “Lift American Spirits” are clearly visible.

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

Palin's Cheat-Sheet — I was too busy tapping away at my laptop to notice this little high-school trick. Having mocked president Obama for using a TelePrompter - not long after he made mincemeat of Republicans with no such TelePrompter at their retreat - she had to scribble down her priorities …

Discussion: Jezebel

Kate Zernike / New York Times:

Palin Assails Obama at Tea Party Meeting — NASHVILLE - As Sarah Palin left the stage at the inaugural National Tea Party Convention here Saturday night, the crowd erupted into chants of “Run Sarah Run!” — “I think you like her!” said Judson Phillips, the chief organizer of the convention …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Swamp, The Moderate Voice, The Politico, NO QUARTER, PoliBlog, Mother Jones, Gothamist, Atlas Shrugs, Washington Monthly, Prairie Weather, MyDD and The Caucus

Denny McAuliffe / Washington Post:

Sarah Palin watch: She looks trim, fit — and brimming with energy and plans — It had been a while since we had seen Sarah Palin live and in person. And then she popped onto stage Saturday night at the National Tea Party convention in Nashville, and we made these observations:

Discussion: The Corner on National …, Nashville Scene, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Newsweek Blogs, Althouse and Israpundit

Judson Berger / Fox News:

Palin ‘Would Be Willing’ to Take On Obama in 2012 — Sarah Palin has President Obama in her sights, telling FoxNews.com she “would be willing” to challenge him in the 2012 presidential race.

Discussion: Think Progress, Jezebel and American Power

The Huffington Post:

Palin Considering 2012 Run, Defends Limbaugh's Use Of ‘Retard’ On Fox News Sunday — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin didn't cage her answer when pressed Sunday morning as to whether she would consider a run for president in 2012.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Jesus' General

Kleinheider / Post Politics:

Beginning Of The End: Sarah Palin Hijacks The Tea Party Movement — The tea party movement is dead. The one I was familiar with anyway. Judson Phillips held it down and Sarah Palin drove a stake right through its heart live last night on C-Span in front of an unsuspecting audience.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Globe and Mail, The Atlantic Politics Channel, The Strata-Sphere and American Power

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit:
SOME PICS FROM SARAH PALIN'S SPEECH. I had some idle time backstage, and my Lumix.

Discussion: Gateway Pundit and Althouse

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Of Course She's Running For President, Ctd

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Mike Allen / The Politico:
Dulles snow set 140-yr record …

Discussion: The Huffington Post and The Daily Caller

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press: Sarah Palin assails Obama at ‘tea party’ gathering

Michelle Krupa / New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Mitch Landrieu wins New Orleans mayor's race

Discussion: New York Times and Swing State Project

Washington Post:
With speech before tea party activists, Palin once again steps on political stage

Discussion: The Fix, The Politico, The Caucus and The Washington Independent

Mary C. Curtis / Politics Daily: Scenes from the Tea Party: A Reporter's Notebook in Nashville

Hartford Courant:

Witness To Middletown Explosion: ‘There Are Bodies Everywhere’ — (RICHARD MESSINA / HARTFORD COURANT / February 7, 2010) — MIDDLETOWN - Witnesses and authorities said as many as 100 people may have been injured and two killed when a massive explosion, which homeowners more than 10 miles away mistook …

Discussion: Riehl World View and The Jawa Report

WFSB-TV:

Explosion At Plant Kills 2, Injures 250 — Residents In Neighboring Towns Feel Houses Shake — Middletown, Conn. — Police in Middletown said there was an explosion with mass casualties just before 11:30 a.m. at the Kleen Energy plant on River Road. — Sources said at least 250 people …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Raw Story

Mike Allen / Politico Live's Blog:

Brennan briefed GOP on Christmas — White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan revealed Sunday that he briefed four Republican congressional leaders on Christmas night about the arrest and subsequent handling of the suspect in an attempted sky bombing.

Discussion: Hot Air, Taegan Goddard's … and The Page

CNN: Obama aide says Republicans playing politics with terrorism

San Francisco Chronicle:

Judge being gay a nonissue during Prop. 8 trial — The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay.

Discussion: Joe. My. God., The Corner on National …, Towleroad News #gay, American Power and AMERICAblog Gay

Richard Kerbaj / Times of London:

Amnesty International is ‘damaged’ by Taliban link — An official at the human rights charity deplores its work with a ‘jihadist’ — A SENIOR official at Amnesty International has accused the charity of putting the human rights of Al-Qaeda terror suspects above those of their victims.

Discussion: YID With LID, normblog, Jules Crittenden, JammieWearingFool and Harry's Place

Norimitsu Onishi / New York Times:

Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord — GENERAL SANTOS, the Philippines — After a day of barbering, Rodolfo Gregorio went to his neighborhood karaoke bar still smelling of talcum powder. Putting aside his glass of Red Horse Extra Strong beer, he grasped a microphone …

Los Angeles Times:

Beverage industry douses tax on soft drinks — The idea had been floated as a way to finance a healthcare overhaul while combating obesity. But the industry has lobbied key lawmakers and financed scientific studies favorable to its position. — Beverage firms launched an intense lobbying effort …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias and Mother Jones