memeorandum: Power, Baby, Power — Tim Lee says that American liberalism … (Kevin Drum/Mother Jones)

8:55 PM ET, January 23, 2011

Top Items:

Matthew Robertson / Epoch Times:

Chinese Pianist Plays Propaganda Tune at White House — US humiliated in eyes of Chinese by song used to inspire anti-Americanism — Lang Lang the pianist says he chose it. Chairman Hu Jintao recognized it as soon as he heard it. Patriotic Chinese Internet users were delighted as soon as they saw the videos online.

Discussion: Moe Lane, Weasel Zippers, iOwnTheWorld.com, Althouse, Cubachi, Sister Toldjah, Commentary, Publius Forum, TBogg, Patterico's Pontifications, The Gateway Pundit, Atlas Shrugs, Pajamas Media, Instapundit and HotAirPundit

Cathy Yan / Speakeasy:
Did Pianist Lang Lang Dis the White House?

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Michelle Malkin and China Real Time Report

The Auditor:

Gov. Chris Christie declines to counter State of the Union speech — In 1995, Christie Whitman, a New Jersey governor who was a rising Republican Party star, delivered the GOP's response to President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address in front of a cheering crowd in the Assembly chamber.

Discussion: Fox Nation and Ben Smith's Blog

Michael Whitney / Firedoglake:

BREAKING: Military Harassing David House, Jane Hamsher for Visiting Bradley Manning — Jane Hamsher is with David House who is trying to visit Pvt. Bradley Manning at Quantico today while carrying a petition with 42,000 signatures requesting humane treatment for Manning.

Discussion: Raw Story, The Agonist and skippy the bush kangaroo

Jonathan Freedland / Guardian:

Now we know. Israel had a peace partner — The classified documents show Palestinians willing to go to extreme lengths and Israel holding a firm line on any peace deal — Who will be most damaged by this extraordinary glimpse into the reality of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?

Discussion: Raw Story, Harry's Place and The Washington Note

Mark Landler / New York Times:
Trying to Break Logjam, Scholar Floats an Idea for a Palestinian Map

Discussion: Israel Matzav, The Washington Note, Commentary and Yglesias

Kevin Drum / Mother Jones:

Power, Baby, Power — Tim Lee says that American liberalism has incorporated libertarian critiques at a striking rate over the past few decades: … He's right! And there are both benefits and drawbacks to this. Still, Will Wilkinson points out that liberals and libertarians remain pretty far apart.

Discussion: TalkLeft

Myglesias / Yglesias:

Union Power — Kevin Drum says: … That's definitely true. But in large part that's because if you allowed more unionization in exchange for some tax cuts, the stronger unions would just turn around in the future and create a political dynamic that's friendly to tax hikes. Which if you ask me would be great.

Discussion: Mother Jones

HillBuzz.org:

HAWAII GROUND REPORT: Could Hawaiian Governor Neil Abercrombie not be as incompetent and foolish as he appears, but orchestrating a deliberate birth certificate recovery dead end to cover his own papakole? UPDATED: Mystery solved! Reason Obama will not release birth certificate is because his name …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Atlas Shrugs, Scared Monkeys, JammieWearingFool, NewsReal Blog, Moe Lane, Don Surber and iOwnTheWorld.com

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

McConnell: I'll sit ‘where I usually sit’ — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not have a Democrat colleague to sit with during Tuesday's State of the Union. — Asked on “Fox News Sunday” whether he will sit at the Republican leadership table during President Obama's speech …

Discussion: Washington Post and CNN

Tom Cohen / CNN:
Date night for Congress?

Discussion: This Just In, Michelle Malkin and The Daily Beast

Annie Groer / Politics Daily:
State of the Union Bipartisan Seating: Comity Central for Lawmakers

Discussion: Denver Post

New York Times:
As State of the Union Nears, Congress Plays Musical Chairs

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and FrumForum

Kim Geiger / Los Angeles Times:

Clarence Thomas failed to report wife's income, watchdog says — Virginia Thomas earned over $680,000 from conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation over 5 years, a group says. But the Supreme Court justice did not include it on financial disclosure forms. — Reporting from Washington —

Discussion: The Impolitic, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Washington Monthly, Donklephant, Zandar Versus The Stupid and ThinkProgress

New York Times:

Obama to Press Centrist Agenda in His Address — WASHINGTON — President Obama will outline an agenda for “winning the future” in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, striking a theme of national unity and renewal, as he stresses the need for both government spending in key areas and an attack on the budget deficit.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, CNN, Economist's View, Firedoglake, Sky Dancing, A plain blog about politics, No More Mister Nice Blog, Pirate's Cove, Crooks and Liars, Washington Monthly, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, JammieWearingFool, Wonkette, Grasping Reality …, The Caucus, Washington Post and Flopping Aces

Wavpeac / Firedoglake:

The Blue Collar Life — A construction worker in Chicago, three days before Christmas, 2005. (photo: gnevets88 via Flickr) — My husband got up at 5:00 a.m. to work outside in 7 degree F temperatures. He sat on the end of the couch, head in his hands sipping his coffee telling me how much he hates his job.

Don Terry / New York Times:

Eavesdropping Laws Mean That Turning On an Audio Recorder Could Send You to Prison — Christopher Drew is a 60-year-old artist and teacher who wears a gray ponytail and lives on the North Side. Tiawanda Moore, 20, a former stripper, lives on the South Side and dreams of going back to school and starting a new life.

Discussion: The Agitator and The Reality-Based Community

David Catanese / The Politico:

George Allen to announce Senate bid Monday — Former Sen. George Allen will end weeks of speculation and formally declare his candidacy for U.S. Senate in Virginia on Monday, two Republican advisers tell POLITICO. — Allen, who has been making all the moves of a candidate in recent weeks …

Discussion: HotAirPundit

Ashley Southall / The Caucus:

Obama Marks Anniversary of Roe v. Wade — President Obama reaffirmed his support for abortion rights on Saturday, the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that established a woman's right to an abortion. — “I am committed to protecting this constitutional right,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and FrumForum