memeorandum: In Afghanistan's south, signs of progress in three districts signal a shift (Rajiv Chandrasekaran/Washington Post)

8:40 AM ET, April 17, 2011

Top Items:

Monica Davey / New York Times:

Palin Speaks at Tea Party Rally in Madison — MADISON, Wis. — At first, the prospect drew mildly worried looks from people on both sides of this state's giant political divide: Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice-presidential candidate, was to appear on the steps of this state's Capitol …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, CBS News, Prairie Weather and American Power

The Right Scoop:

Sarah Palin to Obama: You ignored us in 2010, but you cannot ignore us in 2012! — ***UPDATED with Andrew Breitbart's speech*** — Sarah Palin, affirming her union connections, gave one of the best speeches I've heard her give today at a Tea Party event in Madison, WI.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Lonely Conservative, The Gateway Pundit, Michelle Malkin, sisu, iOwnTheWorld.com and American Power

Andy Barr / The Politico:

Sarah Palin to GOP: ‘Fight like a girl’ — Sarah Palin unleashed a withering critique of congressional Republicans Saturday, lambasting them for not cutting spending deeper and faster, and saying the party needs to “fight like a girl.” — “We didn't elect you just to rearrange the deck chairs …

Discussion: CNN

Todd Richmond / Associated Press:

Labor protesters surround tea party at Palin rally — MADISON, Wis. - Hundreds of pro-union labor supporters surrounded smaller groups of tea party members waiting for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to appear outside the Wisconsin Capitol. — Palin was scheduled to take the stage at noon for the tea party's annual tax day rally.

Discussion: Ventura County Star Stories, Little Green Footballs, Hot Air and Taylor Marsh

James Pethokoukis:

Palin in Madison: Veni, Vidi, Vici — Sarah Palin rides to the sound of the guns. It was a chilly, wet and blustery afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin — one more appropriate for a late-season Packers game than a springtime political rally. The stirring NFL Films theme, “The Classic Battle …

Dan / Riehl World View:

Sarah Palin Goes Where The Battle Is — It's ironic to watch so many so called establishment Republicans who seem to want to be leader of the free world dance their way around the more serious political battles of our time. They criticize, they pontificate, or editorialize …

Discussion: HazZzMat

John Nolte / Big Government:

Sarah Palin Steps Into Wisconsin, Points to Left Field, and Hits a Grand Slam — UPDATE: Oh look, the MSM's already making thing's up. See here. — If Sarah Palin's not running for president, what a terrible waste that would be of the single best stump speech I've heard since, well …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Larry O'Connor / Breitbart.tv:

Palin Wows Wisconsin Tea Partiers With Blistering Speech; To Obama: 'You Ignored Us in 2010, You Cannot Ignore Us in 2012′ — Read further analysis from John Nolte at Big Government. — RELATED VIDEO: Breitbart to TrumkaObama Leftist Agitators in Madison: ‘Go To Hell!’

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Larry O'Connor / Breitbart.tv:

Breitbart to TrumkaObama Leftist Agitators in Madison: ‘Go To Hell!’ — Read further analysis from ANDREW BREITBART at Big Government. — Andrew Breitbart rallied thousands of Tea Party protesters in Wisconsin today introducing Sarah Palin in the cold April weather.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Andrew Breitbart / Big Government:
I Repeat to the TrumkaObama Class War Cult: Go To Hell

Discussion: Althouse

JSOnline:
Palin rallies Madison tea party crowd

Discussion: Jewish Americans … and The Raw Story

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
SARAH PALIN - ANDREW BREITBART Join Thousands of Patriots at Madison Tea Party (Live on UStream) …

Discussion: Althouse, TPMDC, Little Green Footballs and WISC-TV

host.madison.com:
Palin set to speak at tea party rally at Capitol

Discussion: protein wisdom, Althouse and Don Surber

R. Scott Moxley / Navel Gazing:

[UPDATED: Davenport Defiant] Racist Orange County Republican Email: President Obama and His Parents Are Apes — UPDATE, APRIL 16, 5:55 P.M.: This afternoon, Marilyn Davenport sent an email to fellow Orange County Republican elected officials, apologizing if anyone was offended and blasted the “liberal media” for reporting the story.

Discussion: Associated Press, Lez Get Real, Little Green Footballs, Crooks and Liars, Pam's House Blend, HyperVocal, iOwnTheWorld.com, The Moderate Voice and Balloon Juice

The Huffington Post:
Marilyn Davenport's Racist Email Denounced By OC GOP

Discussion: The Immoral Minority, Booman Tribune, Mediaite and CBS Los Angeles

CNN: Latest S.C. straw poll win goes to Ron Paul

alicublog:

UNMITIGATED GALT. Whatever understandable prejudice you might have against Ayn Rand, you have to admit that the giant concrete block of her novel on which Atlas Shrugged: Part I is based could make a movie of some sort. — Consider all that happens in it: Dagny Taggart …

Discussion: Firedoglake

msnbc.com:

In 10 to 15 percent of cases, crucial heart test was rejected by firm hired to screen requests — Below: — “I gotta tell you Kathy, I can't keep living like this,” said Michael Fields, 46, who was experiencing tightness in his chest, numbness in an arm and light-headedness as he begged …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Suburban Guerrilla

Rajiv Chandrasekaran / Washington Post:

In Afghanistan's south, signs of progress in three districts signal a shift — Gallery: Signs of progress in southern Afghanistan: For the first time since the war began, the Taliban is commencing a summer fighting season with less control and influence of territory in the south than it had the previous year.

Discussion: FrumForum

Ian Urbina / New York Times:

Chemicals Were Injected Into Wells, Report Says — WASHINGTON — Oil and gas companies injected hundreds of millions of gallons of hazardous or carcinogenic chemicals into wells in more than 13 states from 2005 to 2009, according to an investigation by Congressional Democrats.

Discussion: The Mahablog