memeorandum: Donald Trump writes to Salon (Justin Elliott/Salon)

8:35 PM ET, April 22, 2011

Top Items:

Evan Harris / ABCNEWS:

Franklin Graham: Trump Might be Candidate of Choice — The Rev. Franklin Graham, whose family has served as spiritual advisers to numerous prominent political figures, told “This Week” anchor Christiane Amanpour that businessman Donald Trump might be his candidate of choice in 2012 …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Taylor Marsh, TPMDC, Raw Replay, FrumForum and Weigel

Justin Elliott / Salon:

Donald Trump writes to Salon — Donald Trump has written me a personal note promising that he will release information about his net worth — and that he'll even do it earlier than is required by federal election law. — Trump's assistant sent me an email earlier today with the heading, “Message from Mr. Donald Trump.”

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, TechCrunch and Gawker

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Franklin Graham would consider backing Trump

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Hot Air and ABCNEWS

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Huckabee, Trump, Romney Set Pace for 2012 GOP Field

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, USA Today, Washington Post, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh, Ballot Box, The Political Carnival and GOP 12

Josiah Ryan / The Hill:

Collins is first GOP senator to oppose Ryan budget proposal — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.) said Friday that she will not support the 2012 budget passed by the House last week. — “I don't happen to support Congressman Ryan's plan but at least he had the courage to put forth a plan …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Guardian and TPMDC

David Weigel / Slate:

If the Ryan budget is so unpopular, where are the town-hall meltdowns? — These are good days to be a member of Congress. Your job is not popular, per se, and neither is the institution you work for. But at least you're not getting yelled at. A controversial Republican budget just passed the House …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Balloon Juice, Washington Post, RedState, Washington Monthly, Weigel and POWIP

Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
GOP Rep. Patrick Meehan Faces Constituent Anger After Breaking Campaign Promise To Not Privatize Medicare

Discussion: Daily Kos, Balloon Juice, Delaware County Times and CNN

Pat Callaghan / WCSH-TV:
In The Arena: Sen. Susan Collins

Discussion: The Raw Story and FrumForum

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:
More Republican Congressmen Face Town Hall Backlash Over Tax Breaks For Wealthy And Medicare Privatization

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Yglesias, The Gateway Pundit, The Huffington Post, The Nation, DCCC, DownWithTyranny!, No More Mister Nice Blog, Swampland and Booman Tribune

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Patients Are Not Consumers — Earlier this week, The Times reported on Congressional backlash against the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a key part of efforts to rein in health care costs. This backlash was predictable; it is also profoundly irresponsible, as I'll explain in a minute.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Yglesias, Don Surber, Pajamas Media, ECHIDNE of the snakes, The Incidental Economist, Hit & Run, Cafe Hayek, Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality …, Daily Kos, Movin' Meat, Paul Krugman, Maggie's Farm, TalkLeft and The Daily Dish

Jonathan Cohn / The New Republic:
Medicine Is Not a Consumer Good — Conservatives frequently argue …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Movin' Meat and The Incidental Economist

Henry / Crooked Timber:

The Anniversary — And so the year rolls around yet again to Krauthammer Day, the day on which we all celebrate Charles Krauthammer's confident assertion eight years ago that: … Or nearly all of us celebrate it anyway. Charles Krauthammer himself seems to prefer to mark the occasion …

Discussion: The Politico and American Power

Myglesias / Yglesias:

Happy Krauthammer Day — Henry Farrell reminds us that today is Charles Krauthammer Day, marking the eight anniversary of one of the greatest remarks of all time: … In a related development, Krauthammer continues to be employed as a major television commentator and newspaper columnist.

Sen. Pat Toomey / Real Clear Politics:

The Truth About the Debt Ceiling and Default — As we have been approaching the $14.3 trillion statutory limit to federal borrowing, I and many of my colleagues have insisted on real spending reforms now as part of any agreement to allow still more government borrowing.

Discussion: Hot Air, National Review, AmSpecBlog, protein wisdom and FrumForum

Annie Lowrey / Slate:
Imagining the worst-case scenario if the United States even comes close to defaulting on its debt.

Discussion: Weigel and Washington Post

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:
Poll: Most Americans oppose raising debt limit

Discussion: CBS News, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Wake up America, TPMDC, Gothamist, Weasel Zippers, CANNONFIRE, Sweetness & Light, Don Surber, Patterico's Pontifications, Scared Monkeys, Hotline On Call, RedState, Washington Post, The Atlantic Online and Top of the Ticket

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

More than half of Democrats believed Bush knew — I've been looking for a good analogue to the willingness of Republicans to believe, or say they believe, that Obama was born abroad, and one relevant number is the share of Democrats willing to believe, as they say, that “Bush knew.”

Discussion: American Power

Paul Bedard / US News:

Earth Day Ends Obama's 53,300 Gallon Trip — President Obama declared today's 41st annual Earth Day proof of America's ecological and conservation spirit—then completed a three-day campaign-style trip logging 10,666 miles on Air Force One, eating up some 53,300 gallons at a cost of about $180,000.

Discussion: The TrogloPundit, Scared Monkeys, Michelle Malkin, Weasel Zippers, JammieWearingFool and American Power

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Obama speaks to the stars; Tom Hanks suggests ‘five-and-a-half more years’

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, FrumForum and iOwnTheWorld.com

Michael Whitney / Firedoglake:

Obama on Manning: “He Broke the Law” - So Much for That Trial? — President Barack Obama made stunning accusations about accused Wikileaks whistleblower PFC Bradley Manning, directly asserting that Manning “broke the law.” Apparently the President of the United States of America …

Discussion: Raw Replay, Hit & Run and UK Friends of Bradley Manning

Naomi / UK Friends of Bradley Manning:
Barack Obama on Bradley Manning - “We're a nation of laws!”

Discussion: Firedoglake and Corrente

Justin Fenton / Baltimore Sun:

Video of beating in a Baltimore County McDonald's goes viral — A video of a vicious beating at a Baltimore County McDonald's restaurant went viral Friday, garnering hundreds of thousands of views on various websites and prompting the fast food giant to issue a statement condemning the incident.

Discussion: Pajamas Media, iOwnTheWorld.com, JONATHAN TURLEY, The Gateway Pundit and UrbanGrounds

David Brooks / New York Times:

Creed or Chaos — You can feel a jolt of energy surge through the audience of “The Book of Mormon” about a quarter of the way into the show's first musical number. It's a jolt of joy, gratitude and laughter — a confirmation that this Broadway production is going to live up to its rave reviews.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Religion Dispatches and The Daily Dish

Remy Melina / msnbc.com:

Earth Day co-founder killed, composted girlfriend — Ira Einhorn preached against Vietnam War and violence, but had dark side — Below: — Ira Einhorn was on stage hosting the first Earth Day event at the Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on April 22, 1970.

Discussion: American Power

Eric Boehlert / Media Matters for America:

The New York Times' Disappearing Birther Scoop — It was perhaps the most talked-about paragraph in the political press yesterday. And then just like that, it was gone. — From the New York Times article that appeared on the newspaper's website Thursday morning, came this passage [emphasis added]:

Justin Elliott / Salon:

Trig Trutherism: The definitive debunker — Trig Trutherism, the surprisingly resilient conspiracy theory that Sarah Palin is not actually the mother of 3-year-old Trig Palin, is experiencing a boomlet thanks to a new academic paper that endorses the concept.

Discussion: Hot Air, The New Republic, The Huffington Post, Weigel and No More Mister Nice Blog

Michael McAuliff / The Huffington Post:

9/11 Responders To Be Warned They Will Be Screened By FBI's Terrorism Watch List (EXCLUSIVE) … WASHINGTON — A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake, Runnin' Scared, The Mahablog, Atlas Shrugs and FrumForum

Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:

Sharron Angle could face party insiders in Nevada — Sen. John Ensign's (R-Nev.) decision to resign his seat, effective early next month, paves the way for Nevada's governor to elevate Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) to his soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat. — Many think the move will give Heller …

Discussion: Roll Call, The Politico, Washington Post, TPMDC and The Maddow Blog

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
The Electoral Implications of Ensign's Resignation

Discussion: USA Today, Guardian, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos, New York Times, Booman Tribune, Gawker and Weigel

Deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: MEL GIBSON FINALLY TALKS — EXCLUSIVE: On May 6th, Mel Gibson's much-delayed comeback picture, The Beaver, will open in limited release. It's directed by his longtime friend and co-star Jodie Foster. The movie has already garnered reviews praising Gibson's performance as …

Discussion: This Just In, Guardian, PopEater, Jezebel, The Daily Caller and The Daily What

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:

Allen West: It's Fair To Call Obama A ‘Low Level Socialist Agitator’ Because He Called Paul Ryan An ‘Accountant’ — Bomb throwing tea party Rep. Allen West (R-FL) appeared on Fox News host Greta Van Susteren's show last night to defend his latest attack against President Obama …

Discussion: Fox Nation, The Blaze, Weasel Zippers, Washington Monthly, TPMDC, Mediaite and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

The Politico:

John Ensign bolted to avoid more public embarrassment — Sen. John Ensign abruptly announced his resignation after it grew increasingly clear to him that he would not be able to avoid a public review of the sordid allegations surrounding his sex scandal, including the open airing of details …

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Kos and TPMDC

Louis J Marinelli / Louis J. Marinelli:

NOM wants to paint LGBT ‘crazy’ (I can prove it) — Last fall the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published an updated list of hate groups that are operating across the United States in which they included organizations such as the Family Research Council and the American Family Association.

Discussion: Good As You, Towleroad News #gay, Speakeasy, Equality Matters and Joe. My. God.