memeorandum: Going Mad in Herds — At the Bunch of Grapes bookstore … (Maureen Dowd/New York Times)

8:55 PM ET, August 22, 2010

Top Items:

Tensions Over Mosque Rise After Comments — WASHINGTON—A leader of a planned Muslim community center near Manhattan's Ground Zero compared opposition to the project to the persecution of Jews, in comments that could add to the controversy over the center's proposed site.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Don Surber and Weasel Zippers

Dean Schabner / ABCNEWS:

‘Ground Zero Mosque’ Opponents, Supporters Turn Out to Demonstrate — Daisy Khan, Organizer, Says Opposition Is ‘Like Metastasized Antisemitism’ — Opponents of a planned Islamic community center two blocks from Ground Zero in New York shouted “Enough is enough” at supporters of the project …

Discussion: Reuters, Raw Story and Tammy Bruce

Joshua Miller / ABCNEWS:

Moving Islamic Center ‘Not’ On the Table for Now, Backer Says — Daisy Khan Says ‘Stakeholders’ Must be Consulted First — In an exclusive interview on “This Week,” Daisy Khan, one of the main backers of the mosque and Islamic community center near ground zero, told Christiane Amanpour …

Discussion: American Power, JammieWearingFool and NewsReal Blog

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:

Islamic Center Attracts Protesters on Both Sides — Two protests on Sunday morning, in the normally quiet blocks north of Ground Zero, claimed to be on the side of tolerance. One camp stood in favor of the mosque and Islamic center that has been proposed for the area; the other argued against.

Discussion: TalkLeft and Rumproast

Scott Wilson / Washington Post:

Republicans question whether President Obama deserves a vacation — VINEYARD HAVEN, MASS. — For the second straight year, the first family has landed on this island of quaint seaside towns, second homes and working farms for a late-summer getaway. — But this year, more so than last …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, Outside the Beltway and The Caucus

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Howard Dean: Obama aides need to spend ‘some time outside Washington’ — Howard Dean, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Sunday that President Obama's political advisers are out of touch with average Americans and need to “spend some time outside Washington.”

Discussion: Weekly Standard and Beltway Confidential

Dan Balz / Washington Post:

Reagan's first term offers measuring stick for Obama — Throughout this long year, President Obama's advisers have sometimes looked to Ronald Reagan for comparison and inspiration. If the Gipper could survive a deep recession, low approval ratings and an adverse midterm election …

Discussion: Macsmind, Scared Monkeys and Taylor Marsh

Frank Rich / New York Times:

How Fox Betrayed Petraeus — THE “ground zero mosque,” as you may well know by now, is not at ground zero. It's not a mosque but an Islamic cultural center containing a prayer room. It's not going to determine President Obama's political future or the elections of 2010 or 2012.

Discussion: TPMCafe, Don Surber, No More Mister Nice Blog, Stop The ACLU, Mediaite, The Mahablog, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JustOneMinute, Balloon Juice, Left Coast Rebel, Firedoglake and The Huffington Post

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Going Mad in Herds — At the Bunch of Grapes bookstore on Martha's Vineyard, the sojourning President Obama bought a few books, including “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. It was for his daughter, but it may have also conjured a sweet memory for the beleaguered president.

Discussion: Althouse and Prairie Weather

msnbc.com:

Iran unveils ‘ambassador of death’ bomber — But unmanned aircraft has ‘message of peace,’ President Ahmadinejad says — TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday inaugurated the country's first domestically built long-range unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an “ambassador of death” to Iran's enemies.

Discussion: Don Surber, Weasel Zippers, Fausta's Blog and Jihad Watch

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
As U.S. moves out of Iraq, military leaders keep an eye on Iran

Discussion: Washington Post and Reuters

Nasser Karimi / Associated Press:
Iran inaugurates nation's first unmanned bomber

Discussion: Danger Room, Gawker and iOwnTheWorld.com

New York Times:
Iran Opens Its First Nuclear Power Plant

Discussion: The Other McCain, Truthdig, Hot Air and Fausta's Blog

Erick Erickson / RedState:

By Faith: I Am Proud of Franklin Graham … Much has been made this week of Franklin Graham's comments both about the Ground Zero Mosque and Barack Obama's religion. It has been more than hilarious to watch all the news networks, newspapers, and pundits try to explain Graham's comments.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Atlantic Online, Informed Comment, Sadly, No! and Firedoglake

Karoli / Crooks and Liars:

GOP NY Governor Candidate Paladino Argues for Welfare Camps — There was a time in this country where the poor went to poorhouses, where they were treated like chattel and had no real opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty. Progress changed all that.

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Gawker

Jared Allen / The Hill:

Blagojevich: Will call Emanuel, Reid, Menendez in retrial — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Sunday that he would call a host of high-profile witnesses — including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel — to testify if he is retried on corruption charges.

Discussion: CNN, The Politico, Doug Ross and The Jawa Report