memeorandum: California NOW Chief: Calling Whitman a ‘Whore’ is Accurate (Fox News)

7:55 AM ET, October 17, 2010

Top Items:

Alex Isenstadt / The Politico:

GOP cash flow threatens to swamp Dems — It doesn't pay to be a Democratic incumbent in 2010. — House and Senate Democrats — all the way up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — are being outraised by GOP rivals as the cash follows the momentum.

John Gizzi / Human Events:

Rasmussen Predicts GOP Gain of 55 in House — Newport Beach, Calif.—Nationally-recognized pollster Scott Rasmussen last night predicted that Republicans would gain 55 seats in races for the U.S. House of Representatives November 2—much more than the 39 needed for a Republican majority in the House for the first time since 2006.

Discussion: Washington Post and Libertarian Republican

Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Retrench as GOP Pulls Away

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Gateway Pundit, The Caucus, Wake up America, Pajamas Media, FrumForum and American Power

Kasie Hunt / The Politico: GOP longshot outraises Pelosi

Katharine Q. Seelye / New York Times:
For Some Embattled Democrats, a Campaign Against Their Leader

Discussion: The Page, Outside the Beltway and Prairie Weather

Julie Pace / Associated Press:
Obama: End tax breaks to stop overseas hiring

Discussion: Power Line, Politics Daily and The Hill

Alex Isenstadt / The Politico:
GOP challengers outraise 40-plus House Democrats

Discussion: CNN and National Review

BBC:

Merkel says German multicultural society has failed — Angela Merkel said Germany had “kidded itself” multiculturalism was working — Attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany have “utterly failed”, Chancellor Angela Merkel says. — In a speech in Potsdam, she said the so-called …

Discussion: ParaPundit, Atlas Shrugs, Booman Tribune, Don Surber, National Review and Gateway Pundit

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:

2 Top Candidates Skip G.O.P. Rally — ANAHEIM, Calif. — What if you held a voter turnout rally and the top candidates on the ballot didn't show up? — Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, and Sarah Palin, arguably the biggest draw in the Republican Party …

Discussion: Orange County Register, American Power, Mother Jones, The Politico and Outside the Beltway

Maeve Reston / PolitiCal:

At Fiorina event, McCain doesn't hide disdain for Boxer — she's ‘bitterly partisan’ and ‘anti-defense’ — Former Republican presidential contender John McCain reunited with his onetime advisor Carly Fiorina on the campaign trail Saturday in San Diego, offering a blistering indictment …

Discussion: Ballot Box and Weasel Zippers

Carol E. Lee / The Politico:

President Obama: ‘Fear and frustration’ drive voters — BOSTON — President Barack Obama on Saturday blamed Americans' “fear and frustration” for the fierce, negative, anything-goes midterm election cycle that threatens to upend his agenda. — “Part of the reason that our politics seems …

Discussion: Pundit & Pundette, Weasel Zippers and Power Line

Abby Phillip / The Politico:

Fired up? Not so much — If President Barack Obama needed any more reminders that it's not 2008, he got another one Thursday night in a town hall with young voters. — Back when he was a candidate, Obama inspired legions of young people who responded to his message of hope …

Discussion: THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Obama stumps in Massachusetts

Discussion: Da Techguy's Blog, The Other McCain and The Politico

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

You've Gotta See This Ad — Jack Conway's trailing Rand Paul down in Kentucky. But he's not out of it yet. And there are some signs he's starting to turn the corner. (The current TPM Poll Average is Paul 46.9%, Conway 41.7%.) But this ad ... man, this ad. Whew.

Discussion: CNN, Beltway Confidential, Weekly Standard, Ben Smith's Blog, Gawker, Zandar Versus The Stupid and Riehl World View

CNN:

Barbara Billingsley of ‘Leave it to Beaver’ fame dies — (CNN) — Barbara Billingsley, who wore a classy pearl necklace and dispensed pearls of wisdom as America's quintessential mom on “Leave it to Beaver,” has died at age 94, a family spokeswoman said Saturday.

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, The Moderate Voice and Suburban Guerrilla

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Playing All the Angles — As I sat above the Hoover Dam under the broiling sun, I was getting jittery. — There was Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona, speaking at the dedication of a bridge linking Arizona and Nevada 890 feet above the Colorado River. — As the politicians droned …

Discussion: Riehl World View and Prairie Weather

Peter Berkowitz / Wall Street Journal:

Why Liberals Don't Get the Tea Party Movement — Our universities haven't taught much political history for decades. No wonder so many progressives have disdain for the principles that animated the Federalist debates. — Highly educated people say the darndest things, these days particularly about the tea party movement.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, sisu, Zandar Versus The Stupid and American Power

New York Times:

Don't Stay the 'Don't Ask' Ruling — The Obama administration has conjured up some inflated fears to justify its decision to appeal an injunction that brought a screeching halt to investigations and discharges of gay men and women serving in the military. — To hear the administration tell it …

Discussion: Pam's House Blend

James C. McKinley Jr / New York Times:

At Hearing on Fort Hood Attack, Few Clues — FORT HOOD, Tex. — Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, with a blanket draped over his shoulders and a watch cap pulled low over his dark eyes, listened impassively in recent days as several survivors of his murderous rampage a year ago rose and pointed to him as the gunman who had shot them.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch