memeorandum: Sarah Palin's bizarre view of the First Amendment (Justin Elliott/Salon)

10:20 PM ET, March 2, 2011

Top Items:

Poll Finds Support Lacking for Entitlement Reductions — WASHINGTON— Less than a quarter of Americans support making significant cuts to Social Security or Medicare to tackle the country's mounting deficit, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, illustrating the challenge facing lawmakers …

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Page, Hot Air, American Power and naked capitalism

Patrick O'Connor / Washington Wire:

WSJ/NBC Poll: Strong Support for Bargaining Rights — Americans strongly oppose efforts to strip unionized government workers of their rights to collectively bargain, even as they want public employees to contribute more money to their retirement and health-care benefits, the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Ben Smith's Blog, The New Republic, Weekly Standard, FrumForum and The Caucus

Mark Murray / msnbc.com:
NBC/WSJ poll: 62% against stripping public employees' bargaining rights

Discussion: The Plum Line, Quinnipiac University and Daily Kos

Patrick O'Connor / Washington Wire:
WSJ/NBC Poll: Hands Off Medicare, Social Security

Discussion: The Political Carnival

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

Justices Rule for Protesters at Military Funerals — WASHINGTON — The First Amendment protects hateful protests at military funerals, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in an 8-1 decision. — “Speech is powerful,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, SCOTUSblog, ACS Blog, Wall Street Journal, Wonkette, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh, Washington Monthly, The Moderate Voice, Feministe, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Christianity Today

Justin Elliott / Salon:

Sarah Palin's bizarre view of the First Amendment — Sarah Palin, who has more than once invoked the First Amendment when she or her allies faced criticism, today denounced the Supreme Court's 8-1 ruling allowing the Westboro Baptist Church to protest outside soldiers' funerals with signs reading ""God Hates Fags" and the like.

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Adam Serwer / American Prospect:
Alito's Empathy. — Earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled …

Discussion: Washington Post, A plain blog about politics, The Raw Story and New York Magazine

Adam Serwer / The Plum Line:

No, it's not okay to traffic in pure fiction about Obama's heritage — Ben Smith writes that my criticism of Mike Huckabee is unfair: … Right, but Huckabee didn't “look at his personal education.” Huckabee created an entirely fictional one. It's one thing to tie Obama's politics …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Salon and Ben Smith's Blog

Kyle / Right Wing Watch:
Huckabee And Fischer Agree That Obama's Childhood Instilled “Fundamentally Anti-American Ideas” In Him

Discussion: TPMDC, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Daily Dish, Salon, Fox News, Little Green Footballs, Outside the Beltway, Mother Jones, Eunomia, Los Angeles Times, Media Matters for America, The Plum Line, Colorlines and Examiner

Joe Klein / Swampland:
Huck Fink — As Jay Newton-Small and Amy Sullivan reported yesterday …

Discussion: Ballot Box and No More Mister Nice Blog

Mark Kleiman / The Reality-Based Community:
Mike Huckabee and the Balinese Mau Mau

Discussion: Yglesias, Huck PAC, Fact Checker, GOP 12 and Grasping Reality …

Matea Gold / Los Angeles Times:

Fox News pulls Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum off the air because of their interest in running for president — Fox News suspends the contracts of political contributors Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum because both have demonstrated that they are seriously considering running for president.

Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Fox News suspends Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air, Conservatives4Palin, The Lonely Conservative, Ben Smith's Blog, Little Green Footballs, Media Matters for America and FrumForum

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Obama strong in Virginia

Discussion: Donklephant, GOP 12 and The Daily Dish

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

Breaking: Wisconsin Dems throw their weight behind drive to recall GOP Senators — The Wisconsin Democratic Party has decided to throw its weight behind a nascent grassroots drive to recall a number of GOP state senators, a move that will considerably increase the pressure on them to break …

Discussion: AMERICAblog News, Weasel Zippers, Firedoglake, Hot Air, Daily Kos and The Maddow Blog

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
BREAKING: Wisconsin Voters Launch Recall Campaign Against Eight GOP State Senators

Discussion: The Political Carnival

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Wisconsin Democrats Launch Recall Effort Against GOP Senators

Discussion: FrumForum and AMERICAblog News

ABCNEWS:

Gunman Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ Kills 2 US Airmen in Germany — Obama Says U.S. Will Spare No Efforts in Investigating Killings — A gunman shouting “Allahu Akbar” opened fire on a bus carrying U.S. airmen in Frankfurt, Germany, killing two and wounding two others before his gun jammed and he was subdued, officials said.

Discussion: Guardian, Gates of Vienna, Atlas Shrugs, Jihad Watch, iOwnTheWorld.com, Wizbang, The Lonely Conservative, theblogprof and American Power

New York Times:
Shooting at Germany Airport Kills 2 U.S. Airmen

Discussion: The Politico, Sky News, BBC, Hot Air, CNN, Pajamas Media, Weasel Zippers, UNCOVERAGE.net, AOL News, Fox Nation, The Hill, Jihad Watch and Gates of Vienna

Associated Press: 2 US airmen killed in Frankfurt airport shooting

Derrick DePledge / Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

AKAKA WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2012 — U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka announced today that he will not run for re-election in 2012. — Akaka, 86, has served in the Senate since 1990. He previously served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. — “After months of thinking …

Discussion: Roll Call, Hotline On Call, Hot Air, The Political Carnival and Taegan Goddard's …

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka won't seek re-election

Discussion: The Page

Aharding / CNN:
TRENDING: Sen. Akaka will not seek reelection

Discussion: The Note

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Buddy Roemer sees glimmer of White House hope — The GOP's white-bread presidential primary is about to get a dash of Tabasco. — Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer will announce Thursday in Baton Rouge that he is forming an exploratory committee, he told POLITICO.

Discussion: CNN, New York Magazine, Gawker and Outside the Beltway

Reid Wilson / Hotline On Call:
Former Louisiana Governor To Announce White House Bid

Discussion: Politics Daily, Reuters, The Lonely Conservative, The Daily Caller, The Page and The Caucus

Jon Bershad / Mediaite:

No, Fox News Did Not Lie With “Wisconsin Palm Tree” Violent Protest Video — The Internet is abuzz this morning with a story that Fox News has “lied” in showing a video of an angry union protester from California while claiming its from Wisconsin. The “Palm Tree lie” (described …

Discussion: FOK News Channel, The Raw Story, TPMDC, Washington Monthly and The UpTake

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Conceding defeat this time, Senate Dems pledge to win next round — Senate Democrats conceded Tuesday that House Republicans won round one of the budget fight, but they are vowing a bigger battle later this month. — Anticipating that showdown, Senate Democratic leaders are scrambling …

Discussion: 2chambers, CNN, Don Surber, Right Wing News, Daily Kos, Firedoglake, Online NewsHour, Heritage Action for America, ThinkProgress and Wonkette

Felicia Sonmez / 2chambers:
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee to vote against stopgap government funding plan

Discussion: Cubachi, Right Turn, Liberty Pundits Blog and FrumForum

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Obama Signs Two-Week Budget Extension

Discussion: Indecision Forever

Jonathan Strong / The Daily Caller:

Congressional bosses from Hell: Sheila Jackson Lee — A lot of politicians give nicknames to their aides. George W. Bush famously referred to his attorney general, Alberto Gonzalez, as “Fredo.” Mitch Daniels, then head of the Office of Management and Budget, was known as “The Blade.”

Discussion: AOL News, YID With LID, The Lonely Conservative, Wonkette, Weasel Zippers, Michelle Malkin, Moe Lane, Betsy's Page and The Other McCain

620WTMJ:

Capitol Chaos: Resolution Passed To Fine ‘Wisconsin 14’ — MADISON - The 14 Wisconsin state Senate Democrats who left the state two weeks ago will now face fines of $100 for each day they miss, if they miss two or more days. — Republicans remaining in the Senate approved the daily fine …

Discussion: The Hill, Cubachi, Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, Riehl World View, Weasel Zippers, UrbanGrounds, Liberty Pundits Blog and Fire Andrea Mitchell!

New York Times:

Ohio Senate Approves Union Bill — COLUMBUS — Ohio took its first step Wednesday toward passing sweeping legislation that would curtail collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, banning strikes and putting the power of breaking labor impasses into the hands of town councils. .

Discussion: Daily Kos

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish: Just Balancing The Budget

Farhad Manjoo / Slate:

The tedious, annoying complaints of public radio listeners. — On Valentine's Day, NPR's All Things Considered ran a two-and-a-half-minute segment about Justin Bieber fans gone wild. When the teen star lost at the Grammys to Esperanza Spalding, a few of Bieber's aggrieved minions defaced …

Jcraig / Politics Extra:

Niehaus ripped for removing Seitz — Cincinnnati Fire Department Lt. Mark Sanders, president of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, ripped Senate President Tom Niehaus of New Richmond today for abruptly removing Sen. Bill Seitz of Green Township from a committee …

Discussion: TPMDC, Firedoglake, Plunderbund, The Columbus Dispatch, The Maddow Blog and First Draft

David Ariosto / CNN:
Ohio state Senate passes bill to curtail collective bargaining

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

New York Times:

Nine Afghan Boys Collecting Firewood Killed by NATO Helicopters — KABUL, Afghanistan — Nine boys collecting firewood to heat their homes in the eastern Afghanistan mountains were killed by NATO helicopter gunners who mistook them for insurgents, according to a statement on Wednesday by NATO, which apologized for the mistake.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Daily Dish, The Nation, News Desk and New Atlanticist

msnbc.com:

Manning faces new charges, possible death penalty — ‘Aiding the enemy’ is most serious of 22 new counts filed against private in WikiLeaks case — Below: — WASHINGTON — Following an intensive seven-month investigation, the Army on Wednesday filed 22 additional charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning …

Discussion: TalkLeft, BBC, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Guardian, USA Today, AOL News and Truthdig, more at Techmeme »

Bibi van der Zee / Guardian:

Climate Camp disbanded — Climate activists decide to end annual camp and focus on tackling broader ecological, social and economic issues — After five years of camps, composting toilets, vegan curry and run-ins with the police, Climate Camp is calling it a day.

Discussion: JammieWearingFool and Tim Blair

Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:

Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war, says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice — Before he addressed the crowd that had assembled in the St. Louis Hyatt Regency ballroom last November, Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly had one request. “Please don't mention my son,” he asked the Marine Corps officer introducing him.