memeorandum: Police Federation accuses government of seeking revenge (BBC)

5:30 AM ET, May 18, 2011

Top Items:

Jake Sherman / The Politico:

Newt Gingrich owed six figures to Tiffany's — Newt Gingrich, a fiscal conservative? Not when it comes to Tiffany's. — In 2005 and 2006, the former House speaker turned presidential candidate carried as much as $500,000 in debt to the premier jewelry company, according …

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Newt Gingrich apologizes to Paul Ryan — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich apologized in a telephone call to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks on “Meet the Press,” where the presidential candidate referred to Ryan's Medicare proposal as “radical change.”

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Page, Weasel Zippers, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Politics, Nice Deb, The Daily Caller, New York Magazine and Fox Nation

Benjy Sarlin / TPMDC:
As Newt Implodes, Democrats Pass The Popcorn

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Caller, The Atlantic Online, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Balloon Juice and Daily Kos

Chris Stirewalt / Fox News:
GOP Braces for Bachmania

Discussion: Hot Air and FrumForum

Aharding / CNN:
Gov. Nikki Haley hammers Gingrich over Medicare remarks

William K. Rashbaum / New York Times:

I.M.F. Chief May Claim Consensual Sex as a Defense — As Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, spent his first full day on Rikers Island, the hotel housekeeper who accused him of sexual assault is struggling with what her lawyer says is a life upended by the case.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Pajamas Media, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Fox News, This Just In and Connecting.the.Dots

Felix Salmon:

Ben Stein Watch, DSK edition — Without further ado, the top ten lines from Ben Stein's article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn: — If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ever get charged until now? — This is a case about the hatred of the have-nots for the haves, and that's what it's all about.

Discussion: RADAMISTO

Ben Stein / American Spectator:

Presumed Innocent, Anyone? — Now for a few humble thoughts about Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his recent brush with law and journalism, bearing in mind that it's possible indeed, maybe even likely, that he is guilty as the prosecutors charge: — 1.) If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women …

Discussion: Jezebel, The Atlantic Wire, Washington Post, News Desk, ThinkProgress, Salon, ABCNEWS, Gawker, Gothamist, Balloon Juice, New York Magazine, National Review, Harry's Place, EconomicPolicyJournal.com, Taylor Marsh, FrumForum and The Lede

ABCNEWS:
Dominique Strauss-Kahn Placed on Suicide Watch

Discussion: Clayton Cramer's Blog, Confederate Yankee and Sky Dancing

John Cook / Gawker:

Is This Arnold Schwarzenegger's Love Child? — News of Arnold Schwarzenegger having fathered a child with a member of his household staff more than a decade ago shouldn't come as a surprise. The alleged existence of an out-of-wedlock son, including his name and his mother's name, was reported by the London Daily Mail in 2003.

Discussion: No Sheeples Here, RADAR, Poynter, Firedoglake, New York Times, Politics, Doug Ross, TMZ.com and Jezebel

Kevin Drum / Mother Jones:
Arnold's True Love Child: California's Deficit Problem

Discussion: Washington Post, ProPublica, The Politico, Weigel, Los Angeles Times, Hullabaloo and msnbc.com, more at Mediagazer »

The Atlantic Online:
Schwarzenegger Fathered Child With Household Staffer, Hid It as Governor

Discussion: AlterNet, Gawker, Jezebel, Hot Air and Moe Lane

Elizabeth Leonard / People.com:
Maria Shriver: ‘This Is a Painful & Heartbreaking Time’

Discussion: CNN, The Democratic Daily, The Page, Mediaite, Wilshire & Washington and Gothamist

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Democrats' Oil Subsidy Repeal Bill Is Actually Unconstitutional — Republicans may have a point that Democrats are playing politics with oil subsidies. To understand why, look no further than the fact that the bill Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring to the floor for a vote Tuesday evening …

Discussion: Associated Press, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, RedState, The Volokh Conspiracy and Open Congress

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
GOP Closes Ranks Around Continuing Oil Subsidies

Discussion: Open Congress, The Reality-Based Community, Firedoglake and Daily Kos

Lee Fang / ThinkProgress:
Constituents Laugh At GOP Rep. Quayle For Denying Existence Of Billions In Special Oil Subsidies

Discussion: RADAMISTO, Crooks and Liars and Daily Kos

Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:

State Department snubs the Elders — Former President Jimmy Carter and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari were hoping to visit the State Department this week to brief officials on their recent trip to North Korea, but nobody at the State Department was available to meet with them.

Discussion: YID With LID, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Pajamas Media and AmSpecBlog

Keith Koffler / White House Dossier:

Obama: “My People, You Continue to Have My Blessing.” — What kind of political leader tells his supporters this? … President Obama does. That's what he said toward the end a speech at a campaign fundraiser last night in Washington to a relatively youthful crowd of supporters …

Discussion: AMERICAN DIGEST, Pundit & Pundette, Doug Ross and Weasel Zippers

Real Clear Politics:

Rick Perry Presidential Push Quietly Gains Steam — As many grass-roots Republicans remain in search of a conservative candidate with the pizazz to go toe-to-toe against President Obama, a man from deep in the heart of Texas who was tea party before the tea party was cool, appears to be giving the presidential race some thought.

Discussion: Plutocrap, Mediaite, CNN, GOP 12, Hair Balls and Mother Jones

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Coburn out of Gang of Six talks — Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) announced Tuesday that he would pull out of the talks with two other Republican and three Democratic colleagues. — Coburn said the talks have collapsed over the tough issue of entitlement reform.

Discussion: TPMDC, Taegan Goddard's …, msnbc.com, The Daily Beast, Hot Air, The Politico, The Note, CNN, National Review and The Page

Dan Friedman / NationalJournal.com:
Coburn: Gang of Six Appears Doomed

Discussion: Swampland and The Huffington Post

Associated Press:

Clinton says Obama believes 8 years is enough — WASHINGTON - Eight years as president is enough, thank you. At least that's what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says President Barack Obama told her the other day. — Clinton said Tuesday that she and Obama often marvel …

Discussion: Pajamas Media and National Review

CNN:

Egyptian Saif al-Adel appointed acting leader of al Qaeda — (CNN) — An Egyptian who was once a Special Forces officer has been appointed “caretaker” leader of al Qaeda in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, according to a source with detailed knowledge of the group's inner workings.

Discussion: Gawker, The Jawa Report, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, Runnin' Scared, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Mediaite and New York Magazine

Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:

Chris Matthews: ‘Sarah Palin Has Proven Herself To Be Profoundly Stupid’ — When MSNBC's Chris Matthews isn't calling a potential Republican presidential candidate racist, he's calling them idiots. — On Tuesday's “Hardball,” after one of his guests said, “We shouldn't forget Sarah Palin” …

Romalley / Fox Nation:

Protester Dumps Confetti on Newt and Wife — GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. — The man approached the Gingriches during the signing at a downtown Minneapolis hotel …

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com and Nice Deb

Chris Ariens / TVNewser:

What CNN's story on political sex scandals left out: Eliot Spitzer — A TVNewser reader Tweeted at us today: … The answer: yes it did. — Suzanne Malveaux's story, which aired at 2:30pmET, made mention or showed images of politicians ranging from John F. Kennedy to John Edwards …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, NewsBusters.org, Big Journalism, Mediaite and ProfessorBainbridge.com

Marissa Bagg / WPTV Newschannel 5:

Prayer request for Osama bin Laden at Catholic Church in West Palm Beach — Priest to honor request at Sunday Mass — Last Updated: 3 hours and 54 minutes ago — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The name of Osama bin Laden appears in the Holy Name of Jesus Sunday bulletin. There's a cross next to it.

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com and JammieWearingFool

Chimene Keitner / Opinio Juris:

Why Has DSK Not Yet Asserted Immunity? Because He Can't. — Many thanks to Duncan for his great post on Dominique Strauss-Kahn's (DSK) potential immunity, and for inviting me to follow up. My short answer: status-based immunity (often referred to as “diplomatic immunity") is not available.

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy

Benjy Sarlin / TPMDC:

Russ Feingold, Potential Senate Candidate, Rips Democrats For ‘Corruption’ — Ousted from the Senate in 2010, Russ Feingold, may have fewer Democratic friends to count on if he chooses to enter the race to replace retiring Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI). The progressive icon eviscerated …

Discussion: Hot Air and Hotline On Call

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Ex-Sen. Feingold says Lieberman, McCaskill, Hoyer fit for ‘shame’

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Politico and Booman Tribune

Justin Elliott / Salon:

Santorum: What does McCain know about torture? — (UPDATED) John McCain has been on something of a crusade this week on the question of how we found Osama bin Laden, giving speeches and writing Op-Eds outlining his position that it was not torture of detainees that led the U.S. to its man.

Discussion: Plutocrap, News Hounds, The Daily Dish, The Hugh Hewitt Show, Weigel, The Moderate Voice, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Booman Tribune, Wonk Room, The Blotter, Washington Monthly, The Raw Story, TPMDC, The Atlantic Online and The Reality-Based Community

BBC:

Police Federation accuses government of seeking revenge — Police face cuts of up to 20% across England and Wales — Ministers are seeking “revenge” on the police for foiled attempts to reform pay in 1993, the Police Federation of England and Wales' chairman is to say.

Discussion: Guardian and Biased BBC

Mahmoud Abbas / New York Times:

The Long Overdue Palestinian State — SIXTY-THREE years ago, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was forced to leave his home in the Galilean city of Safed and flee with his family to Syria. He took up shelter in a canvas tent provided to all the arriving refugees.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Washington Post, Truthdig, Elder of Ziyon, NewsReal Blog, Pajamas Media and Israel Matzav

Matt Negrin / The Politico:

Obama had no reaction to Trump?! — The president had a ‘surprisingly subdued reaction’ to the Trump news, says Jay Carney. — AP Photo — Despite ribbing Donald Trump in front of Washington's top media and political players, President Obama didn't have any noteworthy reaction …

Discussion: Mediaite

Michael Ausiello / TVLine:

House Shocker: A ‘Disappointed’ Lisa Edelstein Calls It Quits — House fandom, brace for impact: Dr. Cuddy is checking out. — Lisa Edelstein — whose long-term contract expires this month — has opted not to return for the show's eighth and likely final season.

Discussion: Yglesias, Seriously? OMG! and From Inside the Box