memeorandum: Pawlenty to announce presidential bid on Monday in Iowa (Jordan Fabian/Ballot Box)

11:35 AM ET, May 20, 2011

Top Items:

Helene Cooper / New York Times:

Obama and Netanyahu, Distrustful Allies, to Meet — WASHINGTON — As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel heads to the White House on Friday for the seventh meeting since President Obama took office, the two men are facing a turning point in a relationship that has never been warm.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Ben Smith's Blog, New York Magazine, NY Daily News, msnbc.com, Global Public Square, Washington Post, Weasel Zippers, Elder of Ziyon, Guardian, News Desk, The Blaze, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Israel Matzav, Wall Street Journal, Via Meadia and National Review

Ynetnews:

Behind the scenes: Obama snubs Netanyahu — Sources privy to political atmosphere prior to US president's Mideast policy speech say tension between White House, Jerusalem hit new high — Ynet — The cold relationship between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister

Discussion: Freedom's Lighthouse, Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

The Atlantic Online:

Dear Mr. Netanyahu, Please Don't Speak to My President That Way — For whatever reason, I tend to react strongly when a foreign leader disrespects the United States, and its President. I didn't like it when Hugo Chavez of Venezuela insulted President Bush; I don't like listening to Hamid Karzai …

Discussion: The Daily Dish and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

The White House:
Remarks by the President on the Middle East and North Africa State Department, Washington, DC

John / Power Line: Barack Obama, Neocon?

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Obama ‘disrespected’ Israel, threw it ‘under the bus,’ says Romney

The Atlantic Online:
Nothing New in the Idea That '67 Borders Should Guide Peace Talks (UPDATED)

Gil Ronen / Arutz Sheva:
Israel Expects Obama to Take Back ‘1967 Lines’ Demand

Discussion: Washington Wire, New York Times, YID With LID, Wizbang, Weasel Zippers, Atlas Shrugs, Freedom's Lighthouse, Don Surber, The Lede, The Gateway Pundit, Pajamas Media, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Conservatives4Palin and The Politico

Frank Newport / Gallup:

For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage — Republicans and older Americans remain opposed — PRINCETON, NJ — For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Firedoglake, The New Civil Rights Movement, Outside the Beltway, The Politico, Hit & Run, Taegan Goddard's …, The Raw Story, The Hill and Daily Kos

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
A first: Majority of Americans now supports same-sex marriage, Gallup finds

Discussion: Prop 8 Trial Tracker and Towleroad News #gay

Nicholas Confessore / New York Times:
Conservative Party Is Obstacle to Gay Marriage

Discussion: Capital Tonight

George Stephanopoulos / George's Bottom Line:

Transcript: Exclusive Interview With Jon Huntsman — I sat down for an exclusive interview with Jon Huntsman yesterday. Here is the full transcript and CLICK HERE for the full story. — George Stephanopoulos: Governor, thanks for doing this. — Jon Huntsman: It's an honor.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Associated Press, Yglesias, Washington Monthly, CNN, AmSpecBlog, GOP 12, The Hill, National Review, TPMDC, New York Magazine, Swampland and ThinkProgress

Kasie Hunt / The Politico:

Huntsman thronged in N.H. debut — HANOVER, N.H. — Jon Huntsman's first stop on the New Hampshire campaign trail Thursday was billed as a cozy meet-and-greet at a small-town restaurant. — It ended up as a big media circus. — TV cameras and dozens of writers and photographers …

Discussion: Hot Air, The Mahablog, CNN, Outside the Beltway, George's Bottom Line and The Note

The Politico:
Jon Huntsman's moves trouble Utah

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

Dem group attacks Romney ahead of South Carolina visit — An independent Democratic group led by former aides to President Obama launched the first ad of the 2012 cycle with an attack Friday on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R). — Priorities USA Action, the liberal group founded …

Discussion: CNN and Ben Smith's Blog

Jim Rutenberg / The Caucus:

Group Unleashes Early Ad Against Romney — The new political group co-founded last month by two former aides to President Obama is unleashing its first television broadside against Republicans today, attacking former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts on health care and needling former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the process.

Discussion: Fox News, The Atlantic Online, Althouse, Pajamas Media, Hot Air and The Daily Caller

Ronald Brownstein / NationalJournal.com:

Romney's Evangelical Problem — Mike Huckabee's exit from the race makes it more imperative for Mitt Romney to increase his appeal among evangelicals. — Mike Huckabee, judging by the early opinion polls, would have been among the most formidable challengers to Mitt Romney …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog and Democratic Strategist

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
DeMint won't rule out backing Romney

Discussion: The Note, CNN, Washington Post and GOP 12

Jason Clayworth / Iowa Caucuses:

Newt Gingrich's ringtone: ‘Dancing Queen’ — Ames, Ia. - Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich briefly stopped a campaign event here to shut off his phone as his ringtone sounded ABBA's “Dancing Queen.” — Gingrich today in Ames. — The song is from the musical “Mamma Mia.”

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Mediaite

Alex Pareene / Salon: How Gingrich can still win the GOP nomination — and the presidency

Benjy Sarlin / TPMDC:
Newt: Campaigns Like Mine Are But Once A Century

Discussion: ThinkProgress, RADAMISTO and Washington Monthly

O. Kay Henderson / Radio Iowa:
Gingrich: voters will decide election, not “Washington news media”

Discussion: Reuters, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller and The Page

Ashley Parker / New York Times:

Make My Bed? But You Say the World's Ending — The Haddad children of Middletown, Md., have a lot on their minds: school projects, SATs, weekend parties. And parents who believe the earth will begin to self-destruct on Saturday. — The three teenagers have been struggling to make sense …

Discussion: City Room, New York Magazine, Fausta's Blog, Runnin' Scared, Prairie Weather and The Awl

Dana Bash / CNN:

Washington (CNN) — President Obama may be on the brink of breaking the law. — At issue: The 1973 War Powers Act, which says if the president does not get congressional authorization 60 days after military action, the mission must stop within 30 days. — The president formally notified Congress …

Discussion: Pajamas Media and Left Coast Rebel

The Hill: Lawmakers largely silent on war powers authority in Libya

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Eye-for-an-eye filibuster stops Democratic nominee — TAGS: - Barack Obama - Byron York - Gang of 14 - George W. Bush - goodwin liu - Harry Reid - john cornyn - Miguel Estrada - ninth circuit court of appeals - patrick leahy - Politics - Priscilla Owen - Robert Bennett - robert bork - samuel alito - Ted Kennedy - tom coburn

Discussion: Betsy's Page and FrumForum

Ryan J. Reilly / TPMDC:
Cornyn: Democrats To Blame For Republican Filibuster Of Goodwin Liu

Discussion: ACS Blog, Democratic Strategist and The Reality-Based Community

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
G.O.P. Blocks Judicial Nominee in a Sign of Battles to Come

Discussion: CNN and The Page

People.com:

Sarah Palin's Son Track Gets Married! — Duane and Elizabeth Hanson, Britta Hanson, Track Palin, Sarah and Todd Palin — The Palin family is growing! — Sarah Palin's eldest son, Track, 22, recently married his high school sweetheart, Britta Hanson, 21, in a small ceremony in Hatcher Pass, Alaska.

Discussion: The Note, Conservatives4Palin, The Blaze and Gawker

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Palin: ‘I do have the fire in my belly’

Discussion: CNN and Reuters

Jordan Fabian / Ballot Box:

Pawlenty to announce presidential bid on Monday in Iowa — Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) will officially announce his presidential campaign on Monday in Iowa. — Pawlenty will make his announcement at a town-hall event in the state capital of Des Moines, where his wife, Mary, will introduce him.

Discussion: The Note and The Politico

Laura Myers / Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Judge overturns Miller decision on open special election … CARSON CITY — A District Court judge on Thursday overruled a decision by Secretary of State Ross Miller to allow any qualified candidate to run in a Sept. 13 special election to fill a U.S. House vacancy in Nevada.

Discussion: Ballot Box and Hotline On Call

Cy Ryan / Las Vegas Sun:
Judge sides with GOP, rules against free-for-all special election

Discussion: The Daily Caller

New York Times:

At I.M.F., Men on Prowl and Women on Guard — WASHINGTON — It is an international island in the midst of the American capital, a sharp-elbowed place ruled by alpha male economists. The days are long, and employees are regularly pressed together for weeks on end during overseas “missions.”

Discussion: Don Surber and FrumForum

Wall Street Journal:

No Pink Slip for Ronald McDonald — McDonald's Corp. is standing by its clown. — The 48-year-old, red-haired mascot has come under fire from health-care professionals and consumer groups who, in recent days, have asked the fast-food chain to retire Ronald McDonald.

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Jezebel and HotAirPundit

Juliet Macur / New York Times:

Armstrong Accused of Drug Use by Ex-Teammate — The cyclist Tyler Hamilton, one of Lance Armstrong's former teammates on the United States Postal Service team, said he saw Armstrong inject himself with the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO “many, many times” to win the Tour de France …

Discussion: New York Magazine and TalkLeft

CBS News:
Ex-Teammate: I saw Lance Armstrong use EPO

Discussion: This Just In and The Lede

Stuart Rothenberg / Roll Call:

Republicans Face No-Win Situation in New York — Republican strategists are now praying that they never, ever have another special election in New York state. — First they failed to win a 2009 special election to take back Democrat Kirsten's Gillibrand's open seat (which they won back last year).

Discussion: msnbc.com