memeorandum: My Opponent Knows Where Washington Is On A Map; I Don't, And I Never Will (Ron Johnson/The Onion)

9:50 PM ET, October 26, 2010

Top Items:

Full page ad in Herald Leader today touts endorsement of the Curbstomper — Well, it just gets more interesting. — Rand Paul took out a full page ad on the back page of the Herald Leader today. — Guess who's endorsement they tout at the bottom of the page from Bourbon County:

Discussion: TPMDC, Raw Story, Blue Bluegrass, Little Green Footballs, Gawker, skippy the bush kangaroo, The Atlantic Online, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, New York Magazine and Balloon Juice

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit:

UNHINGED LEFTIST Who Lunged at Rand Paul Is Paid Far Left Activist — For the record... The Unhinged Leftist Who Lunged at Rand Paul Is a Paid Activist — MoveOn.org contract employee Lauren Valle stalked and lunged at Rand Paul outside the final debate last night.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, CNN, Raw Story, Booman Tribune, The Huffington Post, Doug Ross, Hot Air, Firedoglake, Big Journalism, American Power, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Reality-Based Community, Founding Bloggers, TPMDC, Political Byline and Politics Daily

The Huffington Post:

Apparent Rand Paul Supporter Stomps On MoveOn Member's Head (VIDEO) (UPDATED) — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … An ugly scene took place outside the Kentucky Senatorial debate Monday night as what appeared to be a supporter of Republican candidate Rand Paul was captured by a local news affiliate …

Lisa Graas:

Paul Supporter Who Wrestled Woman to Ground Identified as Mike Pezzano — A female Kentucky Tea Party activist who wishes to remain anonymous has identified the man who wrestled a female MoveOn.org activist to the ground after the debate last night. In an email to me and copied …

Discussion: Gawker, Blue Bluegrass, Balloon Juice, Little Green Footballs, The Other McCain and Ian Welsh

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

Cops share more details on probe of stomper — Okay, some more detail for you on the case of the stomped MoveOn worker. — Lexington police say they're looking to talk to one Tim Profitt, who is believed to be Rand Paul's Bourbon County coordinator, on the strength of numerous tips they've received.

Discussion: Barefoot and Progressive and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

New Footage Emerges Of MoveOn Activist Stomped By Rand Paul Supporter (VIDEO) — Just a quick update on the developing story out of Lexington, Kentucky, where a protester affiliated with MoveOn was dragged to the ground and stomped by Rand Paul supporters ahead of last night's Senate debate.

Discussion: The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Barefoot and Progressive, The Mahablog, Salon, HeadCount, The Impolitic and National Review

David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars:
Rand Paul's lame response: Won't condemn or disavow assault …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Impolitic and ThinkProgress

Yobie Benjamin / SFGate:
Paul thugs ID'ed. Paul county coordinator Tim Profitt served with criminal summons

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Lisa Graas, The Political Carnival, SpeakEasy, pandagon.net, Daily Kos and TPMDC

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
MoveOn Activost Head-Stomper Identified As Rand Paul Campaign Coordinator

Discussion: TPMDC, Blue Bluegrass and Wonkette

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Kentucky Stomping Victim Says Assailants Recognized Her, Premeditated Attack

Discussion: Salon and Talking Points Memo

Roger Alford / Associated Press:
Paul volunteer ordered to court for scuffle

Discussion: OpenSecrets.org, Mediaite, Top of the Ticket, The Plum Line and Barefoot and Progressive

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Rand Paul Supporter Stomps Head Of Female MoveOn Member Outside KY Debate (VIDEO)

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Paul pulls away

Discussion: TPMDC, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Left Coast Rebel, Outside the Beltway and iOwnTheWorld.com

Bluegrass Politics:
Police file charges against Rand Paul volunteer who stepped on activist's head

Discussion: Daily Kos and MiamiHerald.com

The Huffington Post:
Tim Profitt, Rand Paul Supporter, Admits To Confronting Woman At Debate

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Barefoot and Progressive, Daily Kos and TPMDC

Mike Lux / The Huffington Post:
Tim Profitt — and a Contemporary History of Political Thuggery

Discussion: Examiner and Hullabaloo

Roger Alford / Associated Press:
APNewsBreak: Paul volunteer apologizes for scuffle

Discussion: The Right Scoop, Hot Air and Barefoot and Progressive

George Zornick / ThinkProgress:

GOP Senate Candidate Ken Buck: ‘I Disagree Strongly With The Concept Of Separation Of Church And State’ — During a debate last week, Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell (R-DE) repeatedly questioned whether the First Amendment laid out a separation between church and state.

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, SpeakEasy, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, RHRealityCheck.org, The Spot, The Note, TPMDC, Wonkette and Washington Post

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Top Six Established Laws That Tea Partiers Claim Are Unconstitutional — It seems as if we've heard more about the Constitution this election than we did in 2008, when questions of due process and cruel and unusual punishment were bona fide election issues.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Washington Monthly

The Huffington Post:
GOP Candidate Ken Buck: 'I Disagree Strongly With The Concept …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, ACS Blog and Outside the Beltway

Las Vegas News, Nevada News and Local Weather …:

Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls — Election Registrar Says Election Fraud-Free — LAS VEGAS — Some voters in Boulder City said they are concerned about fraud at the electronic ballot box. — Voter Joyce Ferrara said when they went to vote for Republican Sharron Angle …

Discussion: Beltway Confidential, Gateway Pundit, theblogprof, Top of the Ticket, Outside the Beltway, Nice Deb, Big Government, Weasel Zippers, The Jawa Report, Pajamas Media, Michelle Malkin, CNN, Freedom's Lighthouse, iOwnTheWorld.com, Patterico's Pontifications, Right Wing News, National Review and Fox News

Ezra Klein:

David Brooks didn't always dismiss policy achievements — David Brooks has a sharp column today mocking Democrats for being proud of their accomplishments despite facing a loss at the polls. He also had a sharp column in 2005 criticizing Republicans for accomplishing nothing despite having just won a major victory at the polls.

Discussion: JustOneMinute

David Brooks / New York Times:

No Second Thoughts — When times get tough, it's really important to believe in yourself. This is something the Democrats have done splendidly this year. The polls have been terrible, and the party may be heading for a historic defeat, but Democrats have done a magnificent job of maintaining their own self-esteem.

Discussion: Hot Air, Flopping Aces, The Daily Dish, Pajamas Media, The Atlantic Online, National Review and Liberty Pundits Blog

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

NPR receives threat; timing suggests link to Juan Williams firing — NPR received a bomb threat Monday, five days after its decision to fire news analyst Juan Williams sparked a hugely negative reaction. — Sources at the news organization said the threat was received via U.S. mail …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Mediaite and TBD All News, more at Mediagazer »

Paul Bond / Hollywood Reporter:
Ambush-Journalist Confronts NPR CEO About Firing of Juan Williams

Discussion: Philly.com, Media Matters for America, Salon and The Atlantic Online, more at Mediagazer »

Ian Urbina / New York Times:

Tea Party Vow to Deter Voter Fraud Is Called Scare Tactic — WASHINGTON — In 2006, conservative activists repeatedly claimed that the problem of people casting fraudulent votes was so widespread that it was corrupting the political process and possibly costing their candidates victories.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, HarryReid.com, TPMMuckraker, Eschaton and Prairie Weather

Matthew Vadum / Human Events:
ACORN's October Surprise

Discussion: Beltway Confidential, NewsReal Blog and Weasel Zippers

Ron Johnson / The Onion:

My Opponent Knows Where Washington Is On A Map; I Don't, And I Never Will — REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR WISCONSIN SENATOR — As your Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, I'm grateful to have this opportunity to reach out to the people of Wisconsin and draw some distinctions between myself—a D.C. outsider—and Russ Feingold.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog and Indecision Forever

Jon Ralston / Las Vegas Sun Blogs:

Angle campaign attorney: Reid “intends to steal this election if he can't win it outright” — UPDATE: Secretary of state's response, calling Mitchell's letter “conjecture and rumor,” posted at right. — So says Cleta Mitchell, the same woman who tried to get Scott Ashjian …

Discussion: National Review, Weasel Zippers, Mother Jones, Hot Air, Las Vegas Sun Blogs and TPMDC

Kenric Ward / sunshinestatenews.com:

Poll: Webster Beats Down ‘Angry’ Grayson — Republican nears 50 percent mark in Central Florida's 8th Congressional District … Holding a steady 7-point lead over a controversial and increasingly malodorous incumbent, Republican Daniel Webster is poised to knock out U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a new Sunshine State News Poll shows.

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com, National Review, TPMDC, Hot Air, Beltway Confidential, Weasel Zippers, Patterico's Pontifications, YID With LID and HotAirPundit

The Politico:

Mike Pence may leave GOP leadership — House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana is considering stepping down from his post in the GOP leadership in preparation for a possible bid for president or governor in 2012. — Pence, a darling of the conservative movement …

Discussion: USA Today and Hot Air

Chris Stirewalt / Fox News:

Fox News Polls: Dems Make Gains as Republicans Hang Tough in Battleground States — With just seven days until Election Day, Democrats are picking up support on their home turf, as Republicans look to hang on to deliver upset wins. — The latest surveys were conducted on Oct. 23 by Pulse Opinion Research for Fox News.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Daily Caller and TPMDC

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Chafee: McCain helped torpedo 2006 reelection bid — Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Lincoln Chafee (I) said Tuesday that Arizona Sen. John McCain, the GOP's 2008 presidential nominee, helped wreck his chances of holding onto his Senate seat in 2006. — President Obama's decision …

Discussion: CNN, The Politico, Fox News and Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Susan Crabtree / The Hill:

Rep. Rangel likely to represent himself at November ethics trial — Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) will likely represent himself at his mid-November ethics trial, setting up a potential spectacle less than two weeks after what's expected to be a disappointing — if not devastating — election for Democrats.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool

Kevin Cullum / Ballot Box:

Bad news for Dems: Rain in the forecast for 2010 Election Day — In more bad news for Democrats, rain is in the forecast for much of the country on Election Day. — Weather tracking websites, including weather.com and The Old Farmer's Almanac, are calling for rain in the Midwest …

Discussion: Hot Air, Left Coast Rebel, JammieWearingFool, Wake up America, Washington Monthly and Taylor Marsh

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

AN OLD, DISCREDITED TALKING POINT MAKES A COMEBACK.... Last year, as the debate over health care reform intensified, Republicans not only turned on the individual-mandate idea that they'd come up with, they also desperately tried to make it as scary as possible.

Discussion: The Plum Line, The Moderate Voice and Wonk Room

Glynnis MacNicol / Mediaite:

Joy Behar On Sharron Angle: “She's Going To Hell, This Bitch!” — The ladies of The View were up in arms today over Sharron Angle's campaign ad depicting a group of threatening Latinos menacing some white students. It is the same ad Rachel Maddow called “most overtly racist ad of this campaign season” on Meet the Press this weekend.

Discussion: Hot Air, National Review, Taylor Marsh and Freedom's Lighthouse

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

Are Democrats Overachieving in the Senate? — It's looking increasingly likely that Democrats will hold the Senate but not the House, although upsets in either chamber remain possible. — In recent days, I've heard a lot of speculation about why this is so.

Discussion: Raw Story, Wake up America and Prairie Weather