memeorandum: Midan Tahrir under siege (Ursula Lindsey/Arabist.net)

2:50 PM ET, February 3, 2011

Top Items:

Robert Springborg / Foreign Policy:

Game over: The chance for democracy in Egypt is lost — While much of American media has termed the events unfolding in Egypt today as “clashes between pro-government and opposition groups,” this is not in fact what's happening on the street. The so-called “pro-government” …

George Soros / Washington Post:

Why Obama has to get Egypt right — Revolutions usually start with enthusiasm and end in tears. In the case of the Middle East, the tears could be avoided if President Obama stands firmly by the values that got him elected. Although American power and influence in the world have declined …

New York Times:

Gangs Hunt Journalists and Rights Workers — CAIRO — Security forces and gangs chanting in favor of the Egyptian government hunted down journalists at their offices and in the hotels where many had taken refuge on Thursday in a widespread and overt campaign of intimidation aimed at suppressing reports from the capital.

Discussion: Guardian, CNN, The Daily Dish, EA WorldView, The Atlantic Online, The Agonist, The Jawa Report, The Moderate Voice, FrumForum and Poynter

Juan / Informed Comment:

Mubarak Defies a Humiliated America, Emulating Netanyahu — It should be remembered that Egypt's elite of multi-millionaires has benefited enormously from its set of corrupt bargains with the US and Israel and from the maintenance of a martial law regime that deflects labor demands and pesky human rights critiques.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Booman Tribune, The Washington Note and Guardian

Anthony Shadid / New York Times:

Street Battle Over the Arab Future — CAIRO — The future of the Arab world, perched between revolt and the contempt of a crumbling order, was fought for in the streets of downtown Cairo on Wednesday. — Tens of thousands of protesters who have reimagined the very notion of citizenship …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Washington Post, Guardian, nancynall.com, Prairie Weather and Marbury

Roger L Simon / Pajamas Media:

(UPDATE: Arrested, then Released) Cairo Exclusive: Interview with ‘Sandmonkey’ — (UPDATE: The Guardian is reporting that Sandmonkey has been arrested, a contact reports that he was subsequently released. His blog is currently down. Look for updates at The Tatler.)

Discussion: Israel Matzav, The Blaze, The Jawa Report, The Other McCain, Big Peace, National Review and Fausta's Blog

New York Times:
Sudden Split Recasts U.S. Foreign Policy

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Wall Street Journal, The Maddow Blog, Open Left, Mondoweiss, American Power, BBC, Political Punch, The Caucus and The Hill

Solomon's House:
Sandmonkey: Egypt, right now!

Discussion: Christian Science Monitor, Pajamas Media, The Daily Dish, The Other McCain and Global Voices in English

BlogPost:
Egypt news day 10: Army steps in; journalists arrested and more live updates

Discussion: Politics Daily and The Hill

New York Times:
Crackdown in Egypt Widens to Foreign Observers

Discussion: BBC, Hot Air, CNN, AOL News, Guardian, FP Passport, The Anchoress, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Dish, Wonk Room, Mish's Global Economic …, FrumForum, Shakesville and Al Jazeera Blogs

Reuters:
U.S. seeks change, not asking Mubarak to go now

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com, Left Coast Rebel and Caffeinated Thoughts

Marc Lynch:
Egypt Endgame — The Obama administration has been trying …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Plum Line, Taylor Marsh, Newshoggers.com and Reuters

Ursula Lindsey / Arabist.net:
Midan Tahrir under siege

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, FP Passport, The New Republic, almasryalyoum.com, Firedoglake and The Atlantic Online

Nicholas D. Kristof / New York Times:
Watching Thugs With Razors and Clubs at Tahrir Sq.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Epicenter, Los Angeles Times, Time, Feministe, PostPartisan and Prairie Weather

Laura Rozen / The Politico:
U.S. Egypt envoy recalled, as Clinton calls violence “shocking”

Discussion: Foreign Policy, The Atlantic Online, The Note and Right Turn

Maggie Michael / Associated Press:
Cairo square chaos intensifies, violence spreads

Discussion: Pajamas Media, Firedoglake, Elliott Abrams, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Israel Matzav and Harry's Place

Christian Hartsock / Big Government:

White Political Ralliers Call for Lynching of Black Justice (Sorry MSM, No Tea in this Blend) — I recently took a two-day trip down to Palm Springs to attend an event called “Uncloaking the Kochs” hosted by Common Cause. Accompanied by my dear friend, former assembly candidate Alvaro Day …

Discussion: Hot Air, Mediaite, The Right Sphere, Da Techguy's Blog, The Powers That Be, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Maggie's Notebook, Breitbart.tv, Michelle Malkin, RedState, theblogprof, Weasel Zippers, Atlas Shrugs and JammieWearingFool

Joe Schoffstall / The Blast:
“Progressive” Rallyists Call for Lynching of Clarence Thomas

Discussion: NewsBusters.org blogs

Jeff G. / protein wisdom:
What should we do with the Constitutionalists?

Discussion: The Jawa Report

Jonathan Allen / The Politico:

GOP loses ‘forcible rape’ language — House Republicans plan to sidestep a charged debate over the distinction between “forcible rape” and “rape” by altering the language of a bill banning taxpayer subsidies for abortions. — The provision in question, written as an exemption from the ban …

Discussion: CNN, Little Green Footballs, Runnin' Scared, National Review, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, Outside the Beltway, Gothamist, Hullabaloo and Gawker

Jonathan Allen / The Politico:
‘Forcible Rape’ Language to Change, Manchin's Maiden Speech/EPA …

Discussion: Roll Call, Wonkette and TPMDC

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
Report: Republicans Give Up On Redefining Rape

Discussion: Raw Story, The Majority Report …, Mother Jones, Shakesville, PostPartisan, Mediaite and FrumForum

The Note:

Sarah Palin Turns Down Coveted Keynote Speaking Slot At CPAC Conference — ABC News' Michael Falcone: — UPDATED: After skipping the popular Conservative Political Action Conference for the past three years, Sarah Palin has once again turned down the invitation of CPAC officials to address the conference this year.

Discussion: CNN, Weigel, Commentary, Taegan Goddard's …, GOP 12, Cubachi, Conservatives4Palin, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway, TPMDC, Ben Smith's Blog, Rumproast and FrumForum

Michael O'Brien / The Hill: Palin skipping CPAC

Molly Ball / The Politico:

Charlotte charred by FLOTUS roast reference — Charlotte residents were ecstatic to hear this week that their city was selected to host the Democratic convention. But there was one line in the e-mail announcement from First Lady Michelle Obama that made locals say, “Huh?”

Discussion: CNN, The Daily Caller, Althouse and JammieWearingFool

Jamison Foser / Media Matters for America: Like Michelle Obama, The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority Touts Area's BBQ

Stephen Lowman / Political Bookworm:

President Carter named in $5 million lawsuit over his “Palestine” book — More than four years after its publication, five disgruntled readers have filed a class-action lawsuit against President Jimmy Carter and his publisher, Simon & Schuster, alleging that his 2006 book “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid” …

Discussion: NewsReal Blog, National Review, TBogg, No Sheeples Here, Raw Story, Yglesias and Commentary

Ben Geman / The Hill:

Judge holds Interior in contempt over drilling ban — A Louisiana federal judge on Wednesday held the Interior Department in contempt for re-imposing a deepwater oil-drilling ban last year after the judge had struck down an earlier version of the moratorium.

Discussion: protein wisdom

Stephen Power / Wall Street Journal:
Administration's Drill Ban Draws Blast From Judge

Discussion: Michelle Malkin

Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:

Losing a repeal vote, but winning the war against ObamaCare — As The Post reported, the amendment to repeal ObamaCare failed in the Senate by a 51-47 vote. That vote was along party lines. Democrats may claim they “won,” but will they in the long run? — The reality is beginning …

Discussion: Health Dollars

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
GOP plans ‘unrelenting’ healthcare repeal effort, even after Senate defeat

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, New York Times and FrumForum

David Rogers / Reuters:

GOP scales back budget cut goals — Updating their budget estimates, House Republicans conceded Thursday that their best hope is to cut current appropriations by $32 billion for the remainder of this fiscal year, once new spending for defense and other security needs are added to the equation.

Discussion: CNN and Daily Kos

aina.org:

Muslims Attack Two Christian Families in Egypt, 11 Killed — (AINA) — News of a massacre of two Christian Coptic families by Islamists just emerged from Upper Egypt with the return of the Internet connections after a week of Internet blackout by the Egyptian regime.

Discussion: National Review, Vox Popoli, Weasel Zippers and Atlas Shrugs

Dan Zak / Washington Post:

Crashing the party: Republican strategist turned gay rights activist ponders a White House run — ON ROUTE 202, N.H. — The candidate can't find his lane. The road is a crunchy carpet of snow. The candidate drifts too far to the right. The rumble strip rattles his car. The candidate drifts too far to the left.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The Informer, Outside the Beltway, NewsBusters.org and Towleroad News #gay

Arizona Republic:

Arizona to secede (without OFFICIALLY doing so) — Members of the state Legislature, including Arizona's de facto governor, Senate President Russell Pearce, have introduced a bill that essentially would have Arizona secede from the union without having to do so officially. — Really.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Alternate Brain and Daily Kos