memeorandum: U.S. Regulators Face Budget Pinch as Mandates Widen (Ben Protess/DealBook)

11:50 AM ET, May 4, 2011

Top Items:

For Obama, Big Rise in Poll Numbers After Bin Laden Raid — Support for President Obama has risen sharply following the killing of Osama bin Laden by American military forces in Pakistan, with a majority now approving of his overall job performance, as well as his handling of foreign policy …

New York Times:

Bin Laden Raid Revives Debate on Value of Torture — WASHINGTON — Did brutal interrogations produce the crucial intelligence that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden? — As intelligence officials disclosed the trail of evidence that led to the compound in Pakistan where Bin Laden was hiding …

Jake Tapper / Political Punch:

Gates, Clinton Advising President to Not Release OBL Photograph; Obama Increasingly Concerned No Good Would Come from It — President Obama is increasingly doubtful that there's a compelling reason to release a photograph of Osama bin Laden's corpse, ABC News has learned.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Weasel Zippers, George's Bottom Line, Big Peace, Riehl World View, JammieWearingFool, Althouse and Pundit Press

Mushtaq Yusufzai / Alarabiya.net English:

Bin Laden's daughter confirms her father shot dead by US Special Forces in Pakistan — Senior Pakistani security officials said Osama bin Laden's daughter had confirmed her father was captured alive and shot dead by the US Special Forces during the first few minutes of the operation carried …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Libertarian Republican, Runnin' Scared, Guardian, Don Surber, msnbc.com and The Gateway Pundit

Jonathan Allen / The Politico:

Osama Bin Laden had cash, was ready to flee — Osama bin Laden had cash totaling 500 Euros and two telephone numbers sewn into his clothing when he was killed — sure signs that he was prepared to flee his compound at a moment's notice — top U.S. intelligence officials told members of Congress …

Discussion: FrumForum, Online NewsHour, Atlas Shrugs, newsfeed.time.com, The Raw Story, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Gawker, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Balkinization, The Note, The Lonely Conservative, Wake up America and News Desk

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:

Bush declines NYC invite — Former President George W. Bush has declined to visit Ground Zero on Thursday. — AP Photo — Former President George W. Bush has turned down President Barack Obama's invitation to join him at ground zero on Thursday, citing his desire to avoid the media glare.

Discussion: CNN, This Just In, Scared Monkeys, Pajamas Media, msnbc.com, Weasel Zippers, POWIP, Simply Left BehindThe …, Michelle Malkin, Fox News, sisu, GayPatriot, Washington Post, The AfPak Channel, JammieWearingFool, iOwnTheWorld.com, The Lonely Conservative and The Other McCain

Daily Mail:

Obama took SIXTEEN HOURS to make up his mind about Bin Laden mission — Outpouring of emotion on streets down to ‘the same sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11’ Obama told members of Congress — Barack Obama kept military commanders hanging by declaring he would ‘sleep on it’ before taking 16 hours …

Discussion: New York Times, msnbc.com, The Note, No More Mister Nice Blog, NewsBusters.org, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Little Green Footballs, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Pirate's Cove, Scared Monkeys, Left Coast Rebel, Don Surber, Pajamas Media, Fox Nation, Telegraph and Wonkette

Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect:

The Mystery of Osama bin Laden — Apparently, America's Twitter-using teenagers aren't sure why this Osama bin Laden guy is a big deal: — These results were drawn from Yahoo search (which, apparently, still exists), and the good folks at Yahoo offer a little context: … - Is Osama bin Laden dead?

Discussion: Yglesias and The Agitator

Issues / Socyberty:

White House Insider: Obama Hesitated - Panetta Issued Order to Kill Osama Bin Laden — “What Valerie Jarrett, and the president, did not know is that Leon Panetta had already initiated a program that reported to him -and only him, involving a covert on the ground attack against the compound.”

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Pajamas Media, Atlas Shrugs, The Last Tradition, Bookworm Room, Pat Dollard, Vox Popoli, iOwnTheWorld.com, Comments from Left Field, Taylor Marsh, The Lonely Conservative, Instapundit, The Huffington Post, RedState, protein wisdom and The Politico

The Daily Caller:
GOPs, here's a post-Osama anti-Obama meme

Discussion: Althouse

Palestinian Media Watch:
Fatah military wing calls Bin Laden killing “catastrophe”

Discussion: YID With LID, Power Line, New York Times, Pajamas Media, Israel Matzav, NewsReal Blog, Harry's Place and FrumForum

Matt Schneider / Mediaite:
Lawrence O'Donnell: Time For ‘Bush/Cheney Fanatics’ To Learn From Obama ‘How To Fight Terrorists’

Discussion: The Other McCain and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

The Atlantic Online:
The Situation Room Meme: The Shortest Route From Bin Laden to Lulz

Discussion: TechCrunch and Wizbang, more at Techmeme »

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
After, not during — Amid some inconsistencies in early Administration …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, New York Magazine, Washington Post and The Huffington Post

John Yoo / Wall Street Journal:
From Guantanamo to Abbottabad — The bin Laden mission benefited …

Discussion: RealClearPolitics Video Log, Swampland, Right Wing News and Althouse

Michael Barone / Washington Examiner: To get bin Laden, Obama relied on policies he decried

Ace / Ace of Spades HQ:
7 Minutes Vs. 16 Hours: How The Media Reports Delay

Discussion: The Other McCain, The Gateway Pundit, Datechguy's Blog, Hot Air, Five Feet of Fury, Conservatives4Palin, Pajamas Media and theblogprof

Francisco Liriano / Washington Post:
With bin Laden's death, U.S. sees a chance to hasten the end of the Afghan war

Discussion: This Just In, Global Public Square, CNN, The Nation, Battleland and Outside the Beltway

Andrew Cohen / The Atlantic Online:
The Unwelcome Return Of the Torture Debate

Discussion: Guardian, Crooks and Liars, FOK News Channel and News Hounds

CNN:
Pakistan dismayed at U.S. claim it was lax on bin Laden intelligence

Discussion: Jihad Watch, Pat Dollard and This Just In

New York Times:
Bush Declines Obama's Invitation to Ground Zero

Discussion: The Politico, Washington Monthly, Online NewsHour, Gothamist, City Room, Capital Tonight, Booman Tribune, Outside the Beltway, msnbc.com and Political Correction RSS

Spiegel Online:
Was Bin Laden's Killing Legal?

Discussion: The Atlantic Wire, Opinio Juris, The Volokh Conspiracy, Lawyers, Guns & Money, CFR.org, Guardian, TalkLeft, Outside the Beltway, ProfessorBainbridge.com, CNN and Reuters

Matthew Daly / Associated Press:
Senate official: Wrong to link bin Laden, Geronimo

Discussion: protein wisdom

Stephanie Nebehay / Reuters:
U.N. rights boss asks U.S. for facts on bin Laden killing

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and Weasel Zippers

James Ball / Guardian:
US troops were yards from Osama bin Laden house in 2008 - WikiLeaks files

Discussion: At War, CNN, Politics, AMERICAblog News, Hot Air, Mediaite, Gawker and JustOneMinute

Meg Laughlin / St. Petersburg Times:
Even in 2002, bin Laden was hiding in plain view

Discussion: Firedoglake, New York Times, Los Angeles Times and New York Magazine

Robin Bravender / The Politico: Richardson: Climate right for change

New York Times:
New U.S. Account Says Bin Laden Was Unarmed During Raid

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The AfPak Channel, NewsBusters.org, Telegraph, The Politico, USA Today, Politics, News Desk, Guardian, ABCNEWS and New York Magazine

Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Majority in U.S. Say Bin Laden's Death Makes America Safer

Discussion: The Hill, Top of the Ticket, Ballot Box, The Huffington Post, American Power, No More Mister Nice Blog and Politics

Garance Franke-Ruta / The Atlantic Online:
The Slippery Story of the bin Laden Kill

Discussion: Althouse, Gallup, News Desk, Wall Street Journal, TPMDC, Scared Monkeys and Talking Points Memo

Andy Kroll / MoJo Articles:

Ex-Romney Campaign Chair: I'm Done With Mitt — A key Romney '08 campaigner jumps ship, saying he can't handle the candidate's ever-changing persona. — Post Comment — In the 2012 presidential race, New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is make-or-break for Mitt Romney …

Discussion: CNN, The New Republic, TPMDC, msnbc.com, Hot Air, GOP 12 and The Daily Caller

Quinnipiac University:

Ok For Romney, Huckabee But No Way For Palin, Trump, U.S. Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll; No Clear Leader In Gop Presidential Pack — By healthy margins, American voters say they would consider or be enthusiastic about backing former governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for president …

Discussion: Washington Wire, GOP 12, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, Taegan Goddard's …, USA Today and National Review

Lbentzterp / CNN:

Carter likes the idea of candidate Huntsman — Washington (CNN) - Former President Jimmy Carter called former U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman an “attractive” candidate for president in 2012. — Although the one-term president said President Obama will be his choice in the next election …

Discussion: The Hill

WITI:

Democrat wins Wisconsin District 94 Assembly seat previously held by Republican — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrat Steve Doyle defeated Republican John Lautz for the Wisconsin District 94 Assembly, flipping a seat held by Republicans for 16 years in a race that focused attention on Republican …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Crooks and Liars

Spencer Ackerman / Danger Room:

Blackwater's New Ethics Chief: John Ashcroft — The consortium in charge of restructuring the world's most infamous private security firm just added a new chief in charge of keeping the company on the straight and narrow. Yes, John Ashcroft, the former attorney general, is now an …

Discussion: The Raw Story and JammieWearingFool

Simon Lazarus / Slate Magazine:

Paul Ryan's “Individual Mandate” — The Ryan proposal compels Americans to buy insurance—just like Obamacare does. — Even before President Obama's new health reform law was enacted, Republicans insisted that its “individual mandate” was an “unprecedented” assault on individual freedom.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, National Review, Washington Post and FrumForum