memeorandum: Judge blocks Obama moratorium on deep-water drilling (Steven Mufson/Washington Post)

4:00 AM ET, June 23, 2010

Top Items:

Michael Hastings / Rolling Stone:

The Runaway General — Stanley McChrystal, Obama's top commander in Afghanistan, has seized control of the war by never taking his eye off the real enemy: The wimps in the White House — 'How'd I get screwed into going to this dinner?" demands Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Discussion: New York Times, beliefnet, Mediaite, Matthew Yglesias, Informed Comment, neo-neocon, The Daily Caller, Foreign Policy, Whiskey Fire, Associated Press, msnbc.com, Politics Daily, CNN, The Atlantic Online, Abu Muqawama, Telegraph, newsfeed.time.com, Muckety, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The New Republic, The Page, TPMCafe, Firedoglake, Agence France Presse, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, CFR.org, NewsReal Blog, CBS News, Daily Kos, democracyarsenal.org, Flopping Aces, Cato @ Liberty, www.thetakeaway.org, NewsBusters.org, Political Punch, Room for Debate, defense.gov, TPMDC, Swampland, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Politico, ABCNEWS, The Note, The Corner on National …, The Huffington Post, Truthdig, The Washington Independent, PostPartisan, Guardian, Commentary, Big Government, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Swamp, Newshoggers.com, At War, Hot Air, American Prospect, BAGnewsNotes, Dean's World, Washington Wire, Wall Street Journal, Philly.com, Democracy in America, Gawker, VetVoice, BLACKFIVE, Reuters, Indecision Forever, Hotline On Call, ATTACKERMAN, TPMMuckraker, DISSENTING JUSTICE, The Daily Dish, Nice Deb, Left Coast Rebel, The Mahablog, Wonk Room, Fausta's Blog, First Draft, Macleans.ca, Michelle Malkin, National Post and Mudville Gazette, more at Mediagazer »

Eliot A. Cohen / Wall Street Journal:

Why McChrystal Has to Go — It is intolerable for military officers to mock senior political officials, including ambassadors and the vice president. — Gen. Stanley McChrystal is a hero—a selfless, fearless and inspiring soldier. He is also something of a military genius.

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Danger Room, Hot Air and Don Surber

Jkavcnn / This Just In:

Gen. Stanley McChrystal: Latest developments — Here are the latest developments involving Gen. Stanley McChrystal, America's top commander in Afghanistan. He and his staff made comments in a Rolling Stone article that appear to mock top civilian officials, including Vice President Joe Biden.

blogs.telegraph.co.uk:

Breaking: General Stanley McChrystal tenders his resignation — A senior Capitol Hill source tells me that General Stanley McChrystal had tendered his resignation to President Barack Obama and that the White House is actively discussing a replacement who could be quickly confirmed by the Senate.

Discussion: Washington Post, Townhall.com, BLACKFIVE, The Radio Equalizer, No More Mister Nice Blog and Doug Ross

Jackson Diehl / PostPartisan:

Don't blame McChrystal, blame Obama — Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal should not lose his job because of the article about him in Rolling Stone magazine. If anyone deserves blame for the latest airing of the administration's internal feuds over Afghanistan, it is President Obama.

Discussion: Mother Jones, The Huffington Post, Washington Post, Patterico's Pontifications, THEROOT.COM, Maggie's Farm, VetVoice, The Moderate Voice and The Majlis

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:

McCain on McChrystal — In a phone interview this afternoon, Senator John McCain expanded on his statement from this morning on General Stanley McChrystal and the general's comments to Rolling Stone: — “If the president fires McChrystal, we need a new ambassador and we need an entire new team over there.

Discussion: Hot Air, BLACKFIVE and Commentary

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Special Editorial: Mr. President, Don't Waste this Crisis

Discussion: The Washington Independent

Mike Allen / The Politico:
Signs point to McChrystal ouster

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Mediaite, CNN and Danger Room

First Read / msnbc.com:
McChrystal's PR man resigns, how Rolling Stone got more access

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, TPM LiveWire and TPMDC

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Republican lawmaker calls for McChrystal's firing

Discussion: The Politico

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:
Rolling Stone editor: There was more we didn't publish

Discussion: The Politico, Daily Kos and Washington Post

The Huffington Post:
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — UPDATE: Gen. Stanley McChrystal …

Discussion: Associated Press and Guardian

Thomas E. Ricks / Foreign Policy:
Farewell to McChrystal, hello to Mattis?

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The Daily Dish, Abu Muqawama, Associated Press, The Huffington Post, The Washington Independent, www.thetakeaway.org, Commentary, At War, Telegraph and CBS News

James Fallows / The Atlantic Online:
Obama Has to Fire McChrystal

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Politico, Jack & Jill Politics, The Corner on National …, This Just In, Balloon Juice and American Power

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Tillman mother sought to warn Obama of McChrystal

Discussion: The Hill and PostPartisan

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Did Obama reap what he sowed with McChrystal?

Discussion: PostPartisan and Agence France Presse

Jason Rosenbaum / Firedoglake:
Breaking: Gen. McChrystal Has [update: Offered to] Resign, Say Reports

Discussion: NewsReal Blog and Talking Points Memo

Lachlan Markay / NewsBusters.org:
Flashback: Media Promoted Military Criticism of President Bush

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Newsweek, Althouse, Washington Examiner, The Atlantic Online, Don Surber, Power Line, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Washington Wire and ABCNEWS

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
McChrystal's real offense

Discussion: Swampland, TPMCafe, Hot Air, National Post, Telegraph, Vox Popoli and The Atlantic Online

Andy Barr / The Politico:
Editor: McChrystal didn't push back

Discussion: Fox News, New York Times, The Daily Beast, democracyarsenal.org, Politics Daily, Muckety, www.thetakeaway.org, TPMDC, The Hill, The Huffington Post, Washington Post, RedState and The Corner on National …

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Why not Petraeus-Crocker in Afghanistan?

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

Yahoo! News:

Judge who overturned drilling moratorium reported owning stock in drilling companies — The federal judge who overturned Barack Obama's offshore drilling moratorium appears to own stock in numerous companies involved in the offshore oil industry—including Transocean, which leased …

Discussion: Think Progress, Crooks and Liars, Raw Story, Gawker, The Impolitic, msnbc.com, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice

Bloomberg:

Deepwater Drilling Ban Lifted by New Orleans Federal Judge — A New Orleans federal judge lifted the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling imposed by President Barack Obama following the largest oil spill in U.S. history. — Obama temporarily halted all drilling in waters deeper …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, Washington Times, Liberty Pundits Blog, Questions and Observations, Commentary, The Other McCain, theblogprof, The Page and Gateway Pundit

Steven Mufson / Washington Post:
Judge blocks Obama moratorium on deep-water drilling

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Judge Blocks Obama's Moratorium on Deep-Water Drilling; White House Sets Appeal

Discussion: Beltway Confidential, LA Times Environment Blog, citizenvox.org, The Reality-Based Community, Daily Kos, Truthdig and Cato @ Liberty

Erica Werner / Associated Press:
Salazar seeks to reimpose drilling moratorium

Discussion: Townhall.com

Associated Press: Judge Blocks Deep-Water Drilling Moratorium

CNN:
Washington plans new drill moratorium

Discussion: Blogcritics, Above the Law and The Page

Michelle Malkin:
Breaking: Judge rules against Obamatorium on drilling; link …

Discussion: Reuters, The Hill, The Politico, ABCNEWS and The Right Scoop

Kate Sheppard / Mother Jones:
Judge Who Struck Down Moratorium Has Owned Transocean Stock

Discussion: CBS News, msnbc.com, NY Daily News, The Moderate Voice and Maggie's Farm

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

Nikki Haley wins South Carolina primary, Rep. Bob Inglis loses — South Carolina state Rep. Nikki Haley cruised to the Republican nomination for governor tonight, a victory that makes her not just the frontrunner for the office this fall but a likely national GOP star.

Discussion: Liberty Pundits Blog

Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:

Palin racks up two more wins — Two South Carolina Republicans who received the backing of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin emerged victorious in their run-off elections Tuesday. — Palin had endorsed gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley and publicly stuck with her amidst allegations of an extra-marital affair.

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

Haley, Scott victorious as Inglis ousted — South Carolina state Rep. Nikki Haley clinched the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday night, sending an Indian-American politician into the general election campaign as a favorite to become her state's first female governor.

Discussion: CNN and The Confluence

Sean J. Miller / Ballot Box:
Haley wins SC runoff against Rep. Barrett

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog and The Politico

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times: Nikki Haley Wins G.O.P. Nomination for South Carolina Governor

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Dems: We're not bound by president's tax vow — Democrats are looking at the possibility of raising taxes on families below the $250,000-a-year threshold promised by President Barack Obama during the election. — The majority party on Capitol Hill does not feel bound by that pledge …

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Dems confident on campaign finance bill, plan to bring to floor Thurs.

Discussion: The Politico

Jared Allen / The Hill:
Dems won't pass budget in 2010

Discussion: The Speakers Lobby, The Politico, Real Clear Politics, Associated Press, Sadly, No!, Congress Blog, Hot Air, Ballot Box, Liberty Pundits Blog, RedState, Michelle Malkin, AmSpecBlog and Outside the Beltway

Phil Jacobs / Baltimore Jewish Times:

Abramoff To Work At Tov Pizza — Jack Abramoff was serving time in Western Maryland. — Now, he'll be serving pizza in Baltimore. — Well, sort of. — Abramoff, 51, is a Capitol Hill lobbyist and businessman who pled guilty in 2006 to felony counts related to his lobbying and political activities.

Discussion: USA Today, Talking Points Memo, Comments from Left Field, The Huffington Post, Politics Daily, Washington Wire, TPMMuckraker, Ben Smith's Blog, Gawker and Swampland

Jon Voight / Washington Times:

Dear Mr. President ... from Jon Voight — An open letter from actor Jon Voight to President Obama: — Dear President Obama: — You will be the first American president that lied to the Jewish people, and the American people as well, when you said that you would defend Israel …

Discussion: Comments from Left Field, alicublog, The Jawa Report, Weasel Zippers and Big Hollywood

NumbersUSA:

Comprehensive Amnesty Threat — Often referred to as Comprehensive Immigration Reform, pro-amnesty groups seek to offer legal permanent residence to illegal aliens. Comprehensive Immigration Reform bills were introduced in Congress in both 2006 and 2007. — In 2006, separate versions …

Discussion: Townhall.com, Weasel Zippers and iOwnTheWorld.com

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Marshall has a strong chance — Democrats got their more electable candidate for the fall by nominating Elaine Marshall to run against Richard Burr tonight. Qualitative arguments were made over the last six months that Cal Cunningham would be the stronger nominee but polling data …

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, Politics Daily, Pam's House Blend, The Nation, Ballot Box, Taegan Goddard's … and MyDD

Matt Bai / New York Times:

For Jeb Bush, Life Defending the Family Name — CORAL GABLES, Fla. — For months now, Jeb Bush has been listening as President Obama blasts his older brother's administration for the battered economy, budget deficits and even the lax oversight of oil wells.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers