memeorandum: Gingrich declares dual threat of terrorists and Dem establishment (CNN)

8:30 AM ET, September 19, 2010

Top Items:

Bill Maher's witch hunt — and the missing context for O'Donnell's remarks — Narcissism. Blackmail. Distortion. All wrapped in his trademark smirk of pallor. Yes, it's tired old liberal “comedian” Bill Maher trying to get Senate GOP primary candidate Christine O'Donnell to come …

Discussion: Ruby Slippers, TPMDC, Althouse, Liberal Values and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

John / Power Line:

Christine O'Donnell's Career, RIP — Christine O'Donnell's campaign went off the rails today when Bill Maher announced that he has previously-unseen clips of O'Donnell from the late 1990s when she appeared several times on his show. In one clip, she says that she once “dabbled into witchcraft.”

Discussion: New York Times, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, HillBuzz, Paul Mulshine, Riehl World View, The Other McCain, NewsReal Blog, Right Wing News, Political Byline, Left Coast Rebel, Pajamas Media and Think Progress

Jeff G. / protein wisdom:

Wow. — No, really, wow. — Christine O'Donnell's candidacy is evidently dead because of something she said on “Politically Incorrect” (quick, take note of the show's freakin' name) in the 1990s — but only because Tea Partiers are evidently small-minded religious bigots who will be so OUTRAGED …

Discussion: The Other McCain, Bookworm Room, Riehl World View and Doug Ross

Nafeesa Syeed / Associated Press:
Senate hopeful O'Donnell cancels national TV spots

Discussion: Washington Post, Riehl World View, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Ballot Box, Washington Monthly and TPMDC

Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Following Revelation Of ‘Witchcraft’ …

Discussion: Wonkette, News Hounds, CBS News, The Reaction, No More Mister Nice Blog and New York Magazine

Patterico's Pontifications:
Christine O'Donnell in 1999: I Dabbled in Witchcraft

Discussion: The Reality-Based Community and Doug Ross

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
O'Donnell cancels “Face the Nation” appearance

Discussion: Mediaite, TVNewser, The Huffington Post and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Matt DeLong / Washington Post:
Christine O'Donnell in 1999: ‘I dabbled into witchcraft’

Discussion: Mediaite, The Impolitic, The Page, CNN, Politerati, JustOneMinute, Politics Daily, The Other McCain, The Moderate Voice and Newshoggers.com

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
O'Donnell Said She Practiced Witchcraft

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Brad DeLong / Grasping Reality with Both Hands:

In Which Mr. Deling Responds to Someone Who Might Be Professor Todd Henderson — I had published a link and a long excerpt from Michael O'Hare's rant after reading University of Chicago Law Professor Todd Henderson. — And now somebody purporting to be University of Chicago Professor Todd Henderson writes:

Discussion: Obsidian Wings

Michael O'Hare / The Reality-Based Community:

The whining of the rich — Through Glenn Reynolds, whither I wandered because of Mark's post about something else entirely, I came upon this truly amazing pasticcio of mendacity, ignorance, and small-minded cupidity. It's worth a close look because the author is a law professor …

Discussion: Economist's View and Hullabaloo

Michael A. Memoli / Los Angeles Times:

Pence edges out Huckabee, Romney in conservatives' straw poll for president — Indiana Rep. Mike Pence is the top choice in a field of more well-known GOP figures, including Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, with 24% of the vote at this weekend's Values Voter Summit.

Discussion: Daily Kos, LewRockwell.com Blog and Joe. My. God.

CNN:
Gingrich declares dual threat of terrorists and Dem establishment

Discussion: Washington Monthly, JammieWearingFool, Politics Daily and Ballot Box

Kasie Hunt / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich: Force Kathleen Sebelius out

Discussion: Secular Right, TPMDC, Think Progress, Raw Story, Firedoglake and Ballot Box

CNN:
Pence wins Values Voter straw poll

Discussion: The Politico and Hot Air

Des Moines Register:

Reaction to Sarah Palin speech by Iowa Republican activists — Should former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin decide to make a presidential bid, Iowa Republicans voting in the leadoff caucuses would have the opportunity to give her candidacy a major boost or a setback. Here are reactions from key activists after her speech Friday night.

TEApublican / The Iowa Republican: Sarah Palin Shines in Iowa Foreshadowing of 2012 Return

Jay Heflin / Ballot Box:

Hayworth to be Tea Party spokesman — The Tea Party is expected to announce that former Rep. JD Hayworth (R-Ariz.) will become a national spokesperson for the movement, a source close to the matter told The Hill. — Despite Hayworth's unwavering support of tax cuts enacted by President George W. Bush …

Bridget Johnson / Ballot Box:

DeMint rips Murkowski as ‘big-tent hypocrite’ — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) ripped into Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) as a “big-tent hypocrite” in a fundraising e-mail for Tea Party favorite and GOP nominee Joe Miller on Saturday. — Murkowski announced Friday that, after the primary defeat …

Nicholas Riccardi / Los Angeles Times:

Internal memo accuses Sheriff Arpaio's department of wrongdoing — The Arizona lawman's No. 2 man and other top officials are accused of using the anti-corruption unit to conduct politically motivated investigations and to surveil campaign rivals. — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio received a 63-page memo from a deputy chief.

Discussion: The Reality-Based Community, skippy the bush kangaroo and Truthdig

Arizona Republic:
Joe Arpaio's two aides put on administrative leave after accusation of misconduct

Discussion: Raw Story and Feathered Bastard

Daily Mail:

Britain goes halal... but no-one tells the public: How famous institutions serve ritually slaughtered meat with no warning — A Mail on Sunday investigation - which will alarm anyone concerned about animal cruelty - has revealed that schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues …

Discussion: Daled Amos, Weasel Zippers and Vox Popoli

Jeff Shesol / New York Times:

Evolving Circumstances, Enduring Values — “If my fellow citizens want to go to hell,” Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote, “I will help them. It's my job.” This, for much of the last century, has stood as the purest (or at least the most pungent) distillation of “judicial restraint” …