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3:50 PM ET, August 31, 2010

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
The Democrats' New Normal  —  I don't usually like to comment on individual polls.  Most of the time, when a poll produces an “unusual” result, it simply reflects random noise and the best advice is to wait for the next edition of the poll to come along, when more often than not it will revert to its previous position.
RELATED:
Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect:
The Impending Democratic Bloodbath.  —  If this new Gallup poll is any indication, liberals will soon be able to complain about Speaker John Boehner, and possibly Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:  —  According to Gallup, this Republican lead is greater than any previous midterm advantage …
John Whitesides / Reuters:
Republican leads Senate race in Pennsylvania  —  (Reuters) - Republican Pat Toomey has opened a 10-point lead over Democrat Joe Sestak among likely voters in a Senate race in Pennsylvania dominated by economic worries, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday.
The Politico:
Democrats seek separation from Nancy Pelosi  —  Some of the Democratic Party's most endangered lawmakers are taking steps to distance themselves from Speaker Nancy Pelosi in an attempt to inoculate themselves from charges that they are beholden to the unpopular House leader and supportive of the ambitious national Democratic agenda.
Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THE GREAT GALLUP FREAK-OUT.... Two national generic-ballot polls …
Discussion: Firedoglake, msnbc.com and Guardian
Michael Memoli / The Swamp:
Oval Office gets a makeover  —  While President Obama was on vacation, his West Wing office got a bit of a face lift, complete with a new rug, fresh wallpaper and paint, and new furniture — all done at no taxpayer expense, the White House says.  —  Details of the renovation were released to the pool reporter this morning.
RELATED:
Gerry Mullany / The Caucus:
Boehner Assails Obama on Iraq  —  In advance of President Obama's Tuesday night speech on Iraq, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House Republican leader, was set to remind thousands of veterans attending the national convention of the American Legion that Mr. Obama and other Democrats …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / The Caucus:
A New Look for the Oval Office  —  The Oval Office has gotten a makeover.  —  When President Obama addresses the nation on Iraq on Tuesday night, he will do so from newly redecorated digs.  The look, which includes new and reupholstered furniture and new paint and wallpaper …
Matt Negrin / The Politico:
Obama thanks troops, looks to Afghanistan
Discussion: The Note, The Swamp and CNN
CNN:
Obama to tip his hat to Bush?
Michelle Boorstein / Washington Post:
Glenn Beck may be unlikely leader for conservative Christians  —  A few weeks before organizing a massive rally on the Mall that had the feel of a religious revival, Glenn Beck sought the blessing of some of the country's most prominent conservative Christian leaders.
RELATED:
Lisa Gartner / Washington Examiner:
Education secretary urged his employees to attend Sharpton's rally
ABCNEWS:
Exclusive: Meghan McCain Writes that Palin Brought ‘Drama, Stress ... Panic’ to Campaign  —  Sen. John McCain's Daughter: Sarah Palin's Rise Was ‘Too Fast,’ ‘Too Easy’  —  For the first time since the end of her father's 2008 presidential bid, Meghan McCain, Sen. John McCain's daughter …
RELATED:
ABCNEWS:
EXCERPT: Meghan McCain's ‘Dirty Sexy Politics’
Discussion: Politics Daily
Jay Cost / HorseRaceBlog:
Health Care Reform Has Endangered the Democratic Majority  —  This Politico piece by Jim VandeHei, Alex Isenstadt, and Mike Allen got a lot of play last week: … There is no mention of health care reform in this piece.  The economy is referenced several times.  So is the President's inability to control the narrative.
RELATED:
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
The Health Care Bill Nobody Wants to Talk About
Discussion: Weigel
kff.org:
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — August 2010  —  The August Health Tracking Poll finds that support for health reform fell over the course of August, dipping from a 50 percent favorability rating in July to 43 percent, while 45 percent of the public reported unfavorable views.
RELATED:
Jennifer Haberkorn / The Politico:
Public sours on health care reform as midterms loom
The Note:
Obama Health Secretary: 'We've Got a Lot of Reeducation to Do'
Jerusalem Post:
Four killed as terrorists open fire near Kiryat Arba  —  Victims, shot while driving, include 2 men, 2 women, one reportedly pregnant; attack comes before Netanyahu and Abbas set to meet in Washington for peace talks.  —  Talkbacks (1)  —  Iranian Threat  —  Jewish World  —  Local Israel
RELATED:
Haaretz:
Four Israelis killed in shooting attack near Hebron  —  Two men and two women, one of whom was pregnant, killed in attack that occurred around 7:30 P.M. when gunmen opened fire on victims' car.  —  Four Israelis were killed on Tuesday night when gunmen opened fire on their car at the entrance …
Steve / stevenschale.com:
Sorry Charlie  —  Charlie Crist will not be Florida's next United States Senator.  —  In a year where most predictions are downright silly, I am very confident in that one.  When Kendrick Meek won last Tuesday, with his victory went Charlie Crist's chances.  Democrats who want to beat Marco Rubio should jump on the Meek train.
Discussion: The Reid Report and msnbc.com
RELATED:
steveschale.squarespace.com:
steve schale
Andrew Ross Sorkin / New York Times:
Why Wall St. Is Deserting Obama  —  Daniel S. Loeb, the hedge fund manager, was one of Barack Obama's biggest backers in the 2008 presidential campaign.  —  A registered Democrat, Mr. Loeb has given and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democrats.
William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
What Palin Did Friday Night  —  She celebrated the Jewish Sabbath.  —  Where was Sarah Palin last Friday night, before coming to Washington to speak at the Glenn Beck gathering Saturday?  —  She was a guest speaker at a Jewish “Shabbaton”—a Sabbath gathering for prayer, meals, songs …
Discussion: Commentary and Sister Toldjah
RELATED:
Benyamin Korn / New York Sun:
Sarah Palin Celebrates Shabbat And Offers Echoes of Esther
Fox News:
CBO: Eight Years of Iraq War Cost Less Than Stimulus Act  —  As President Obama prepares to tie a bow on U.S. combat operations in Iraq, Congressional Budget Office numbers show that the total cost of the eight-year war was less than the stimulus bill passed by the Democratic-led Congress in 2009.
Alex Pappas / The Daily Caller:
New Left Media uses Trojan trick to get interviews  —  Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll, the two young journalists behind “New Left Media,” tell attendees at Tea Party and other conservative rallies that they are student journalists working on a school project in order to get them to talk openly on camera about their beliefs.
Alan Fram / Associated Press:
AP-GfK Poll: Most attuned voters tilt toward GOP  —  WASHINGTON - Americans with the strongest opinions about the country's most divisive issues are largely unhappy with how President Barack Obama is handling them, an ominous sign for Democrats hoping to retain control of Congress in the fall elections.
Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …
The Hill:
Wealthy lawmakers increased their riches as economy sputtered in '09  —  The wealthiest members of Congress grew richer in 2009 even as the economy struggled to recover from a deep recession.  —  The 50 wealthiest lawmakers were worth almost $1.4 billion in 2009, about $85.1 million …
Bloomberg:
U.S. Auto Sales May Hit 28-Year Low as Discounts Flop  —  U.S. auto sales in August probably were the slowest for the month in 28 years as model-year closeout deals failed to entice consumers concerned the economy is worsening and they may lose their jobs.  —  Industrywide deliveries …
Discussion: Don Surber
The Huffington Post:
Poll: Majority Of GOP Believes Obama Sympathizes With Islamic Fundamentalism, Wants Worldwide Islamic Law  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  A majority of Republicans believe that President Barack Obama “sympathizes with the goals of Islamic fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic law around the world …
Donald G. McNeil Jr / New York Times:
They Crawl, They Bite, They Baffle Scientists  —  Don't be too quick to dismiss the common bedbug as merely a pestiferous six-legged blood-sucker.  —  Enlarge This Image  —  THE ICK FACTOR The lab of Stephen A. Kells, a University of Minnesota entomologist.  Bedbugs are not known to transmit disease.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Previewing Ohio  —  We'll start rolling out our Ohio poll …
Discussion: RedState and Beltway Confidential
Paul Krugman:
Brother, Can You Paradigm?
Discussion: AMERICAblog News and Eschaton
Ben Farmer / Telegraph:
Afghanistan bomb attacks kill twenty-one US soldiers in 48 hours
Russell Berman / The Hill:
Legislation gap grows
Sarah Jane Weaver / Deseret News:
Changes at the Deseret News announced
Rachel Slajda / TPMMuckraker:
Tennessee Mosque Received Threats Before Fire
Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Guardian
Jerry Markon / Washington Post:
U.S. files new suit on Ariz. immigration issue
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
FBI defends invitation to Islam critic
 Earlier Items: 
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Lawrence O'Donnell is Dangerously Wrong About Social Security
Discussion: CEPR
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
GOP's Hatch backs N.Y. mosque
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Burr lead up to 5  —  PPP's first look at the North Carolina …
Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
HATCH GETS IT RIGHT ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.... If anyone …
Discussion: Think Progress, TPMDC and Salon
Derek Hunter / Big Government:
You're a Bigot, Now Vote for Me! The Progressive's Plan for November.
CNN:
Miller sees prospect of bad blood with fellow Republicans
Donna Bowater / Daily Express:
CLIMATE CHANGE LIES ARE EXPOSED
Orin Kerr / The Volokh Conspiracy:
Fourth Amendment Stunner: Judge Rules That Cell-Site Data Protected …
 

 
From Techmeme:

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is working on a smart doorbell system with advanced facial recognition that can wirelessly connect and unlock third-party smart locks

Wall Street Journal:
Gina Raimondo says holding back China in the chips race is a “fool's errand”, and investment, more than export controls, will keep US ahead of Beijing

Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge:
The US NHTSA suggests easing rules allowing for fully driverless cars and urges companies operating driverless cars to share more data for greater transparency

 
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