memeorandum: Shelby: GOP majority would ‘revisit’ Wall Street reform law (Michael O'Brien/The Hill)

4:35 PM ET, September 21, 2010

Top Items:

Maggie Haberman / The Politico:

Reid calls Gillibrand the ‘hottest’ member at fundraiser — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had an unusual form of praise for New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, this morning at the fundraiser Mayor Bloomberg hosted for him at his townhouse - referring to her as “the hottest member” …

Wall Street Journal:

Why the GOP Should Repeal DADT — Gays in the military: The White House and Congress owe them better. — 'Gay-Pride Parade Sets Mainstream Acceptance of Gays Back 50 Years. " The line is a bit of satire from the Onion. But it came to mind after Lady Gaga released a video …

Discussion: Commentary, GayPatriot, AMERICAblog Gay, Box Turtle Bulletin and The Daily Dish

Fhardingj / CNN:

Dana Bash: Sen. Collins' not so secret phone call — A couple of sources gave me a heads up that moderate Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins is considered such a crucial vote on the Defense bill, Vice President Joe Biden called her this morning to lobby her.

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Michelle Malkin and Wake up America

The Politico:

'Don't ask' vote hangs on moderates — Gay rights and immigration reform advocates mounted a last-ditch effort Monday to overcome an expected Republican filibuster of a defense authorization bill that could lead to a repeal of the military's “don't ask, don't tell” policy and create a pathway …

Discussion: CNN, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Washington Wire, msnbc.com, Washington Monthly, Speakeasy, The Caucus, AmSpecBlog, Outside the Beltway and Matthew Yglesias

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Move to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Stalls in Senate

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Law Blog and Prairie Weather

Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Effort to Overturn 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Likely to Fall Short

Discussion: Comments from Left Field, Indecision Forever and Box Turtle Bulletin

Mark Thompson / Swampland:
“Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Repeal Don't Pass

Discussion: LAist, The Page and Gawker

The Huffington Post:
Collins Equates Senate Debate With 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy

Discussion: Firedoglake and Wake up America

Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Promise to Repeal Gay Ban Faces Filibuster

Discussion: Rock the Vote Blog, The Moderate Voice, The Washington Independent, Gawker, Balloon Juice, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Swampland and Prairie Weather

Fhardingj / CNN: Dana Bash: Durbin says ‘very close elections’ …

Ed O'Keefe / Federal Eye:
Senate fails in attempt to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell'

Discussion: Washington Monthly, United States Senator …, PostPartisan, Salon, Colorlines and Jezebel

CNN:
Senate halts 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal

Discussion: ChattahBox News Blog, Firedoglake, Wonkette and Shakesville

ABCNEWS:
Defeat Looms for 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Repeal Ahead of Senate Vote

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

CNN:
Reid calls Gillibrand ‘the hottest member’

Discussion: TPMDC, Mock, Paper, Scissors and Gawker

Kasie Hunt / The Politico:

Christine O'Donnell down 15 points in new poll — In Delaware, the tea is lukewarm. — A new Fox News poll, conducted Sept. 18 and released Tuesday, shows Democratic Senate nominee Chris Coons leading Republican Christine O'Donnell by 15 points, 54 to 39 percent.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Taylor Marsh and FrumForum

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

Christine O'Donnell is toxic and hurting GOP — Christine O'Donnell's victory provides the clearest sign yet that the Tea Party is damaging GOP prospects, as opposed to acting merely as an energizing and rebranding force, and a new Fox poll in Delaware shows this as clearly as you could want.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Daily Kos, Salon and RADAMISTO

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Republican lawmaker: Reagan would face ‘tough time’ in today's GOP

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, The Plum Line, The Note, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, iOwnTheWorld.com, Liberal Values and FrumForum

Chris Stirewalt / Fox News:
Fox News Polls Track Tea Party Influence in 5 Battleground States

Discussion: Public Policy Polling, FoxNews.com, Taegan Goddard's …, Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Verum Serum

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Assessing the G.O.P. and the Tea Party

Discussion: American Thinker, protein wisdom, The New Republic, Don Surber, The Other McCain, Yourish.com, FrumForum, Outside the Beltway, Liberal Values, Michelle Malkin and Pajamas Media

Rasmussen Reports:

Election 2010: Alaska Senate — Alaska Senate: Miller (R) Holds Double-Digit Lead Over McAdams (D), Murkowski — Republican Joe Miller attracts 42% of the vote in the first Rasmussen Reports poll of the Alaska Senate race since GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski announced her write-in campaign to try to keep her job.

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin.com, The Hill, TPMDC, CNN, Hot Air, Pollster.com All Content, Scared Monkeys, YID With LID, RedState, Libertarian Republican, AmSpecBlog, Real Clear Politics, Don Surber, Wake up America, Riehl World View, FrumForum and Weasel Zippers

The Independent:
Madam President? It could happen

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin.com, HillBuzz, Wake up America and Riehl World View

N.C. Aizenman / Washington Post:

Major health insurers to stop offering new child-only policies — Some of the country's most prominent health insurance companies have decided to stop offering new child-only plans, rather than comply with rules in the new health-care law that will require such plans to start accepting children …

Discussion: Hot Air, Firedoglake, theblogprof, The Politico, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, JustOneMinute, The Policy Page, Hit & Run, Weasel Zippers, Wonk Room, Wake up America, Patterico's Pontifications, National Review and Sister Toldjah

Julian Pecquet / The Hill:
Health insurers drop coverage for children ahead of new rules

Discussion: Verum Serum, AMERICAblog News and American Power

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System:

For immediate release — Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in August indicates that the pace of recovery in output and employment has slowed in recent months. Household spending is increasing gradually, but remains constrained by high unemployment …

Discussion: Ezra Klein, The Atlantic Online, Free exchange, Matthew Yglesias, Economix, Calculated Risk, The Washington Independent and Paul Krugman

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Close Race in West Virginia — PPP's first look at the West Virginia Senate contest finds a very tight race with John Raese up 46-43 on Joe Manchin, a result within the poll's margin of error. — The contest provides a fascinating choice for voters in the state who love their Democratic Governor …

Discussion: Power Line, TPMDC, Outside the Beltway, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Hot Air, Weekly Standard, National Review and AmSpecBlog

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft:

The Most Progressive Legislation In 40 Years — One of the arguments forwarded during the health bill debate was that the provisions would get stronger over time, as a constituency for new services developed. I thought it a doubtful assertion at the time (consider that no new government program …

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Suburban Guerrilla

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

New poll: Tax cut fight is winner for Dems in battleground states — If this new poll conducted for the labor powerhouse SEIU doesn't persuade Dems to hold a vote on extending the middle class tax cuts, then nothing will. — The toplines of the poll, which were first reported by Alex Burns …

Discussion: The Politico, SEIU, Daily Kos and The Political Carnival

Kenneth Lovett / NY Daily News:

Can I ‘call him an a—hole?’ Andrew Cuomo in tizzy after GOP foe Carl Paladino questions his manhood — ALBANY - Stung by Carl Paladino's below-the-belt attacks, an angry Andrew Cuomo summoned his war council on Monday to figure out how to fight back against his slash-and-burn GOP rival.

Discussion: New York Times, The Daily Politics, The Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Magazine, HillBuzz and City Room

Natasha Korecki / Chicago Sun Times:

Fund-raiser: Jackson behind $6M Senate-seat scheme — Feds had questions about Senate-seat deal and flights for a Jackson acquaintance — Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. directed a major political fund-raiser to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in campaign cash in return …

Discussion: Ballot Box, The Caucus, The Capitol Fax Blog, Lynn Sweet and Sunlight Foundation

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

The Big Dog that didn't bark — I'm at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York today, awaiting a panel on Middle East peace where Bill Clinton will sit on stage with two really major players — Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli President Shimon Peres, as well as the Crown Prince of Bahrain.

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Hans Nichols / Bloomberg:

Summers Expected to Leave White House After Election — White House officials expect Lawrence Summers to leave his job as the president's National Economic Council director after November's congressional elections, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Discussion: The Agonist

Steve Singiser / Daily Kos:

WI-Sen/WI-Gov: Dems hurting with six weeks to go — Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos. U.S. Senate. 9/18-9/19. Likely Voters. MoE 3.8% (6/27 results) — Ron Johnson (R) 52 (43) — Sen. Russ Feingold (D) 41 (45) — An enormous enthusiasm gap, coupled with a Republican nominee fresh …

Discussion: Politics Daily, The Atlantic Online, Washington Monthly, Guardian, Democratic Strategist, TPMDC, Commentary, Weekly Standard and Outside the Beltway

Ashley Parker / The Caucus:

This Time, It's ‘Mourning in America’ — Citizens for the Republic, a conservative grass-roots lobbying group, plans to release a stark, one-minute ad on Wednesday called “Mourning in America,” a play on their 1984 ad for Ronald Reagan, “Morning in America.”

Discussion: The Page

Stan Schroeder / Mashable!:

Twitter Mouseover Security Flaw Affecting Thousands of Users [WARNING] — Update (10:00 a.m. ET): A spokesperson for Twitter tells us “This should now be fully patched and is no longer exploitable.” — A new Twitter security flaw has been widely exploited on thousands of Twitter accounts …