memeorandum: East Asia and Pacific (Voice of America)

10:40 AM ET, April 30, 2011

Top Items:

Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:

Romney on healthcare: Obama should have asked me if it worked — Speaking before a crowd of conservative activists in New Hampshire Friday, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney again faced questions about the healthcare plan he championed as Bay State governor.

Discussion: The Note and Weasel Zippers

The Atlantic Online:

Mitt Romney's Rusty Debut — Tonight's Republican gathering in Manchester, New Hampshire was touted as a “summit” on jobs and the economy by its sponsor, the local chapter of Americans for Prosperity, and it included five Republican presidential hopefuls. Unofficially, it was Mitt Romney's debut as a 2012 candidate.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, TPMDC and Boston Globe

James Hohmann / The Politico:

Mitt Romney video fires blanks at NRA convention — PITTSBURGH—Mitt Romney's pre-recorded video greeting for the National Rifle Association's annual meeting received a lukewarm response here Friday, a reminder of his weakness on an issue important to the Republican base that at times dogged his 2008 campaign.

Discussion: Hot Air

The Note:
Mitt Romney Attacks Obama On Gas Prices In New Hampshire: ‘People Are Hurting’

Discussion: The Politico and The Political Carnival

Catalina Camia / USA Today:

Indiana Gov. Daniels to sign Planned Parenthood bill — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said today he will sign a controversial bill that cuts off government funding to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. — Indiana will become the first state to take such action.

Discussion: Connecting.the.Dots, RedState, Sky Dancing, Hot Air, GOP 12 and tabithahale's Diary

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

Tea Party's Armey on 2012: Daniels would be ‘perfect pick for us’ — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) would be the “perfect pick” for the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, said Tea Party figurehead and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas).

Discussion: Washington Post

Jennifer / Cubachi:
Mitch Daniels expected to sign bill to defund Planned Parenthood

Discussion: Indianapolis Star and Liberty Pundits Blog

Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:
Indiana Gov. Daniels to sign bill defunding Planned Parenthood

Discussion: CNN

Aliyah Shahid / NY Daily News:

Rick Perry, Texas governor, rips Obama's trip to tornado-devastated Alabama: What about our fires? — As President Obama meets with Alabama families affected by deadly tornados that swept through the South earlier this week, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is asking: What about us?

Discussion: Washington Monthly and News One

New York Times:
Storms' Toll Rises as Scale of Damage Becomes Clear

Discussion: Firedoglake and Close Read

Jim Forsyth / Reuters: Governor says Obama leaving Texas in the dust

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Neither Party Has Big Edge on Most Major U.S. Issues — Americans see Republicans as better able to handle the budget — PRINCETON, NJ — Of six key issues facing the United States, the federal budget is the only one for which Americans express a clear preference as to which party can better handle it.

Discussion: Power Line

CNBC:
Americans Favor GOP on Budget: Poll

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers and James Pethokoukis

Associated Press:

Wis. Supreme Court recount at a glance — Justice David Prosser held a 7,316-vote lead over challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg before a statewide recount began on Wednesday. The state Government Accountability Board is providing daily updates on the recount's progress by precinct.

Discussion: Althouse

Brad Johnson / ThinkProgress:

Top Climate Scientist On The Monster Tornadoes: ‘It Is Irresponsible Not To Mention Climate Change’ — Throughout human history, the climate system has been a source of life and death, the sun and rain capable of feeding our crops and bringing us comfort, or unleashing terrible devastation in wind, fire, drought, storm, and flood.

Discussion: The Impolitic, Yglesias, Power Line, Weasel Zippers, Watts Up With That? and Hot Air

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Palin: ‘Hells no’ I wouldn't raise debt limit — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Friday doubled down on her opposition to raising the nation's debt ceiling. — “Hells no. I would not vote to increase that debt ceiling,” she said during an interview on Fox News, where she is a paid contributor.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Hit & Run

Brent Budowsky / Pundits Blog:
Republican Treasury secretary warns against Republican debt-ceiling terrorism

Discussion: The Politico

The United States Senate Committee on Finance:

Baucus Unveils Plan to End Tax Breaks for Largest Oil and Gas Companies, Invest in Cleaner, Cheaper American Energy — Finance Chair Says Skyrocketing Gas Prices Necessitate Action to Address Energy Costs — Washington, DC - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) …

Discussion: PoliPundit.com, Washington Post and Daily Kos

Karoli / Crooks and Liars:

Breitbarted Again? BigGovernment Uses Deceptively Edited Video To Smear University Professors - UPDATED — In yet another installment of the Breitbart sagas, a bit of controversy has erupted over the veracity of two videos posted on BigGovernment's site under the careful editorial eye of Dana Loesch, et al.

Discussion: Mother Jones, DownWithTyranny!, The Raw Story, Media Matters for America, St. Louis Activist Hub, Firedoglake, Dana Busted, American Power and Big Government

Insurgent Visuals / Big Government:
Turning ‘Non-Violence’ Into ‘Violence’: The Quote That Wasn't

Discussion: Working In These Times, Media Matters for America, USA Today, Midwest Voices, St. Louis Activist Hub and Wake up America

Mark Landler / New York Times:

U.S. Moves Cautiously Against Syrian Leaders — WASHINGTON - A brutal Arab dictator with a long history of enmity toward the United States turns tanks and troops against his own people, killing hundreds of protesters. His country threatens to split along sectarian lines …

Discussion: Center for American Progress, Hot Air, Political Punch, American Power and Wall Street Journal

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Ryan says constituents ‘overwhelmingly’ support budget plan — Contrary to some of the angry scenes at certain of his town-hall meetings, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Friday that the crowds are “overwhelmingly supportive” of his budget plan. — Ryan claims that his constituents …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Political Carnival, National Review, ABCNEWS, Hot Air and Weasel Zippers

Ben Rooney / CNNMoney.com:

Big Oil's $38 billion defense — NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The first three months of the year were good to the oil industry — although American drivers and their elected leaders are not offering congratulations. — This week, the world's six largest publicly traded oil companies reported …

Discussion: AMERICAblog News and Mediaite

Edwin Mora / CNSNews:

Three Convicted in Terror-Related Cases Later Granted U.S. Citizenship by Obama Administration — (CNSNews.com) — Three people convicted of crimes as a result of a terrorism-related investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) were later naturalized as U.S. citizens by the Obama administration, according to federal auditors.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Atlas Shrugs and Scared Monkeys