memeorandum: Senate Leader Vows to Take Up Immigration Overhaul (Julia Preston/New York Times)

8:45 AM ET, April 11, 2010

Top Items:

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:

Ron Paul: President Obama Is Not A Socialist — Near the end of the third day of this year's Southern Republican Leadership Conference, it was time for Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) to take the stage. Paul, fresh off his victory in the CPAC straw poll, gave a characteristically fired-up speech …

Discussion: Right Now, Outside The Beltway, The Lonely Conservative and The Hill

Washington Wire:

Ron Paul: Barack Obama is Not a Socialist — NEW ORLEANS-Republicans and tea party activists are fond of accusing President Barack Obama of being a socialist, but today party gadfly Ron Paul said they had it wrong. — “In the technical sense, in the economic definition, he is not a socialist …

Discussion: The Gun Toting Liberal, Economist's View and Beltway Confidential

Khopkins / Southern Republican Leadership …:

SRLC 2010 Straw Poll Results — If the primary election for president were held today, for whom would you vote? Please check the box by the candidate of your choice. — Newt Gingrich 18% — Mike Huckabee 4% — Gary Johnson 1% — Sarah Palin 18% — Ron Paul 24% (438 votes)

Discussion: Below The Beltway, The Lonely Conservative, The Moderate Voice, The Note, Ben Smith's Blog and GOP 12

The Politico:

Romney wins SRLC straw poll — NEW ORLEANS — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the Southern Republican Leadership Conference's quadrennial straw poll by a narrow margin Saturday while Sarah Palin finished a disappointing third. — Romney won with the support of 24% …

Discussion: CNN and Liberty Maven

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:

Mitt Romney Wins GOP Presidential Straw Poll — NEW ORLEANS — Mitt Romney won the straw poll at the Southern Republican Leadership conference here Saturday in a victory that will be taken as a sign of the former Massachusetts governor's strength as a 2012 presidential candidate.

Discussion: Right Now, Left Coast Rebel, The Atlantic Online, Hotline On Call, Little Green Footballs, LewRockwell.com Blog and Washington Wire

David Weigel / Right Now:

The SRLC straw poll, up for grabs — NEW ORLEANS — Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) are amused by the rumors about their straw poll prowess. — “We keep hearing about the well-organized Paul machine,” said Tim Shoemaker, a legislative campaigner for Paul's 501(c)4, the Campaign for Liberty …

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, TPMDC, Salon, Politics Nation and Balloon Juice

CNN:
Gingrich says Palin ‘tremendously important’

Discussion: The Politico, Ben Smith's Blog and Taylor Marsh

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Worlds Without Women — When I was in Saudi Arabia, I had tea and sweets with a group of educated and sophisticated young professional women. — I asked why they were not more upset about living in a country where women's rights were strangled, an inbred and autocratic state more like an archaic men's club than a modern nation.

Julia Preston / New York Times:

Senate Leader Vows to Take Up Immigration Overhaul — The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, told an exuberant crowd at an immigration rally Saturday in Las Vegas that Congress would start work on an immigration overhaul as soon as lawmakers return this week from a recess.

Associated Press:

Polish leader, 96 others dead in Russia jet crash — SMOLENSK, Russia - Polish President Lech Kaczynski and some of the country's highest military and civilian leaders died on Saturday when the presidential plane crashed as it came in for a landing in thick fog in western Russia, killing 97, officials said.

Discussion: JOSHUAPUNDIT, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Associated Press, Crooks and Liars, The Sundries Shack, neo-neocon, BBC, New Atlanticist, Liberty Pundits dot net, Hot Air and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

theblogprof:
KGB'd? Polish President, High Level Officials Die In Plane Crash Over Russia

Discussion: New York Times, Left Coast Rebel, Pajamas Media, Instapundit, Barcepundit, Another Black Conservative and Chicago Boyz

David Thompson:

Unlearning Whiteness — TDK directs us to Jonathan Kay's account of his visit to a “Thinking About Whiteness” anti-racism workshop, where he struggles to learn the rules of cultivated lunacy. Among the teachings on offer are, … And, … Ah, very clever. Guilt in all directions.

Bob Herbert / New York Times:

A Voice of Reason — The Republican Party is not simply the “just-say-no” party. It's also a shameless advocate of the free lunch. Ronald Reagan famously told us he could jack up defense spending, cut taxes and balance the federal budget all at the same time. — George W. Bush put two big wars on a credit card.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com and Liberal Values

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

REMEMBER THOSE TAX CUTS?.... April 15 comes this week, so taxes will no doubt be on the minds of many. President Obama used his weekly address to remind the public about a little detail that usually goes overlooked: he cut taxes. — “All across America are good, decent folks who meet …

Discussion: Jack & Jill Politics and American Power