Top Items:
New York Post:
Terror group's leader: ‘Have to build it’ — By S.A. MILLER in Washington and TOM TOPOUSIS in New York — A leader of the Hamas terror group yesterday jumped into the emotional debate on the plan to construct a mosque near Ground Zero — insisting Muslims “have to build” it there.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Coalition to Honor Ground Zero, Wall Street Journal, Gateway Pundit, Sister Toldjah, New York Magazine, Weekly Standard, Atlas Shrugs, Commentary, Public Secrets, Israel Matzav, Red Dog Report, The Other McCain, JammieWearingFool, theblogprof, Jihad Watch, Pundit & Pundette, Don Surber and CBS News
RELATED:
Mark Halperin / Time:
Why Republicans Must Avoid a ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ Battle — From left: J. Scott Applewhite / AP; Mike Segar / Reuters — Dear Republican Party: — Your moment is now. — This weekend, President Obama defended the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque two short blocks …
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
Islam in Two Americas — There's an America where it doesn't matter what language you speak, what god you worship, or how deep your New World roots run. An America where allegiance to the Constitution trumps ethnic differences, language barriers and religious divides.
Discussion:
Commentary, The New Republic, The Reaction, National Review, Balloon Juice, No More Mister Nice Blog, INSTAPUTZ and First Draft
Justin Elliott / Salon:
How the “ground zero mosque” fear mongering began — A group of progressive Muslim-Americans plans to build an Islamic community center two and a half blocks from ground zero in lower Manhattan. They have had a mosque in the same neighborhood for many years. There's another mosque two blocks away from the site.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Atlas Shrugs, Balloon Juice, The Mahablog, NY Daily News and Knowledge is Power
Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Former Bush Adviser Mark McKinnon Rips GOP's Stance On Mosque: 'We're Reinforcing Al Qaeda's Message' — On Morning Joe earlier today, a pair of leading Republicans — host Joe Scarborough and former Bush strategist Mark McKinnon — blasted the GOP for its xenophobic and unconstitutional stance …
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org, Below The Beltway, The Daily Beast and Suburban Guerrilla
Guy Adams / The Independent:
President goes for a swim in the Gulf - or does he? — President Barack Obama wanted to convince America that the Gulf of Mexico remains open for business. But perhaps he didn't want the world to catch another glimpse of his hairless chest. — So when he and his daughter, Sasha …
RELATED:
ZIP / Weasel Zippers:
FAIL: Obama's Much Heralded Swim in the Gulf Wasn't Actually in the Gulf... Another master PR move by Chicago Jesus...
Discussion:
JOSHUAPUNDIT and RedState
Fred Kaplan / Foreign Policy:
The Transformer — Bob Gates never thought he'd be Barack Obama's defense secretary. Now, in an exclusive interview, the most revolutionary Pentagon leader since Robert McNamara tells FP why he said yes, when he'll get out of Washington, and what legacy he hopes to leave behind.
Discussion:
At War, The Hill, Outside the Beltway and TPMDC
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Gates to Leave Pentagon by End of 2011
Gates to Leave Pentagon by End of 2011
Discussion:
Wonkette and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Foreign Policy:
Interview: Robert Gates
Interview: Robert Gates
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Ben Smith's Blog, Josh Rogin's blog, Weekly Standard, Swampland, msnbc.com and National Review
Fareed Zakaria / Washington Post:
Gates's lonely battle to rationalize the Pentagon
Gates's lonely battle to rationalize the Pentagon
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias and Politics Daily
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Feds clear DeLay after six years — The Justice Department has informed former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) that the government has ended a six-year investigation of his ties to the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to DeLay's lead counsel in the matter, Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods.
Discussion:
Washington Wire, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Hot Air, Sweetness & Light, Pat Dollard, The Eye, TRAIL BLAZERS, Swampland and Say Anything
Craig Robinson / The Iowa Republican:
Huckabee Leads 2012 Iowa Caucus Poll - Palin Finishes Fourth behind Newt — Believe it or not, the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination is already underway in Iowa. Potential candidates like Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich are already making frequent visits …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, The Fix, Ben Smith's Blog, Outside the Beltway, Weigel and GOP 12
RELATED:
Hillel Koren / Globes Online:
Harvard University fund sells all Israel holdings — No reason for the sale was mentioned in the report to the SEC. — In another blow to Israeli shares, the Harvard Management Company notified the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday that it had sold all its holdings …
RELATED:
Solomon / Solomonia:
Is Harvard Divesting from Israel? Not So Fast! (Monday Update: Settled)
Is Harvard Divesting from Israel? Not So Fast! (Monday Update: Settled)
Discussion:
Power Line, Clusterstock, Betsy's Page and Da Techguy's Blog
Steve Bainbridge / ProfessorBainbridge.com:
Did Harvard Divest From Israel?
Did Harvard Divest From Israel?
Discussion:
YID With LID, Clusterstock, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Riehl World View and Israel Matzav
Gordon Lubold / The Politico:
Stanley McChrystal to Yale — Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was forced to retire in July after an embarrassing Rolling Stone article quoted him and his staff making disparaging remarks about top White House officials, is taking a job at Yale, POLITICO has learned.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
RELATED:
Fhardingj / CNN:
McChrystal to teach at Yale University
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Attacking Social Security — Social Security turned 75 last week. It should have been a joyous occasion, a time to celebrate a program that has brought dignity and decency to the lives of older Americans. — But the program is under attack, with some Democrats as well as nearly all Republicans joining the assault.
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Issa: Obama administration conducted propaganda campaigns for agenda — Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, will release a report today that claims that the Obama administration has created propaganda using federal funds to promote the agenda of Barack Obama and the Democrats.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Nice Deb and Political Byline
RELATED:
Bob Owens / Pajamas Media:
PJM Exclusive: Congressional Report Blasts the Propaganda Presidency …
PJM Exclusive: Congressional Report Blasts the Propaganda Presidency …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
BBC:
Taliban ‘kill adulterous Afghan couple’ in marketplace — A man and a woman who allegedly had an adulterous affair have been stoned and killed in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz. — The punishment happened in a crowded bazaar on Sunday in the Taliban-controlled village of Mullah Quli.
RELATED:
James Pethokoukis / Weekly Standard:
Obama's Bad Bets — “Recovery Summer” goes bust — Declaring a “Recovery Summer” victory tour at the start of June must have looked like a pretty safe wager for the Obama administration. The economy seemed to have shifted firmly into gear during the spring.
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Say Anything and Hit & Run
John Frank / The Buzz:
Jim Greer asks Charlie Crist for his money back — UPDATED: Jim Greer, the indicted former chairman of the state Republican Party, is asking Gov. Charlie Crist to refund $9,600 in campaign contributions made to Crist's U.S. Senate campaign. “As you know circumstances have caused me to need money …
Discussion:
Ballot Box, Ben Smith's Blog, Marco Rubio for US Senate and TPMMuckraker
Mark Whitehouse / Wall Street Journal:
Boomers Threaten Economy — America's baby boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964—face a problem that could weigh on the economy for years to come: The longer it takes for the economy to recover, the less money they'll have to spend in retirement. — Policy makers have long worried …
Discussion:
Adrienne's Corner, Clusterstock and Philly.com