memeorandum: Santorum to announce candidacy first Monday in June (Aharding/CNN)

3:50 PM ET, May 26, 2011

Top Items:

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Romney, Palin Lead Reduced GOP Field for 2012 — PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney (17%) and Sarah Palin (15%) now lead a smaller field of potential Republican presidential candidates in rank-and-file Republicans' preferences for the party's 2012 nominee. Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich …

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Electoral Consequences of the Rapture — Voters nationally are evenly divided on Barack Obama's job performance at 48% approving and 48% disapproving. Despite the mixed feelings toward him he leads Mitt Romney by 7 at 49-42, Newt Gingrich by 14 at 51-37, and Sarah Palin by 17 at 54-37 in hypothetical match ups.

Discussion: Hot Air and GOP 12

First Read / msnbc.com:

First Thoughts: Who wins (and loses) if Palin runs — Who wins if Palin runs: Romney and Obama... Who loses: Pawlenty and Huntsman... Does Palin moving to AZ raise Team Obama's chances of being able to play in the state in 2012?... A reality check: Palin's polarizing poll numbers …

Discussion: The Other McCain, The Daily Caller, unionleader.com, Lisa Graas, Wonkette, Jay Bookman and Ben Smith's Blog

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Wisconsin looks good for Obama

Discussion: GOP 12, JSOnline and TPMDC

David Weigel / Weigel:
Gallup: Herman Cain at 8 Percent in GOP Primary

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Outside the Beltway, Iowa Caucuses, msnbc.com and The Daily Dish

Scott Conroy / Real Clear Politics:

Palin's “Exploratory” Campaign: A Nationwide Bus Tour — DES MOINES, Iowa — In a move designed to propel her closer to a presidential run, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will set out on a bus tour of the country on Sunday, making stops at symbolic sites along the way.

Discussion: Washington Post, Michelle Malkin, Examiner, Conservatives4Palin, Indecision Forever, TPMDC, The Right Scoop, The Politico, National Review, Fox Nation, Crooks and Liars, The Atlantic Online and Los Angeles Times

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

Palin launching multi-city tour amid 2012 buzz — Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Not two days ago, Sarah Palin was all but written off as a possible presidential contender by the national media and Republican insiders who considered the field of 2012 candidates to be settled.

Discussion: The Politico, The Hill, New York Times, Outside the Beltway and Weasel Zippers

CBS News:
“Major indicator” of Sarah Palin run on the way?

Discussion: Roger Ailes, Conservatives4Palin and The Daily Caller

Ben Child / Guardian:
Sarah Palin likened to Joan of Arc in two-hour documentary film

Discussion: Yglesias, Firedoglake, Washington Post and msnbc.com

SarahPAC:
Getting ready for the tour

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, GOP 12, The Caucus, Pajamas Media, National Review and News Hounds

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Sarah Palin to embark on bus tour as presidential speculation builds

Discussion: SarahPAC and Ben Smith's Blog

Fuel Fix:

Dick Cheney: Arab uprisings unlikely to disrupt oil flows for long — Former Vice President Dick Cheney says he doesn't think the “Arab Spring” will significantly cut the flow of oil to world markets, but the Middle East is far different when he sought cooperation for the liberation of Kuwait in 1991.

Discussion: The Note, ThinkProgress, Wonkette, TPMDC, The Hill, The New Editor, Raw Replay, USA Today, The Daily Caller, CNN, GOP 12, The Page and FrumForum

Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:

Why the Republican Lost in NY-26 — The Ryan Medicare plan needs a clearer and more populist defense. — Five and a half weeks after House Republicans passed their budget, Democrats and liberal pundits have decided it is political kryptonite that will fatally weaken the GOP.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Booman Tribune, Washington Monthly, Juice, Oliver Willis, Betsy's Page, Libertarian Leanings and Washington Post

Marco Rubio / MiamiHerald.com:
Looking for Medicare solutions, not politics as usual

Discussion: Hot Air, sisu and iOwnTheWorld.com

Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Dick Cheney: ‘I worship the ground Paul Ryan walks on’

Discussion: Healthwatch, The Note, Salon and New York Times

JSOnline:

Dane County judge strikes down collective bargaining law — By Jason Stein and Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel — Madison - A Dane County judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker's legislation repealing most collective bargaining for public employees.

Discussion: The Hill, Crooks and Liars, Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, POWIP, Wonkette, The Volokh Conspiracy and Pajamas Media

Associated Press:
Wisconsin collective bargaining law struck down

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway and Weasel Zippers

David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:

‘Business death penalty’ for hiring illegal workers is upheld by Supreme Court — The 5-3 decision gives states more authority to act against illegal immigrants. Justices rule that states can take away the business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Discussion: New York Times, CNN, The Moderate Voice, American Power, Questions and Observations, Wake up America, Pat Dollard and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Dow Jones Newswires:
US High Court Upholds Arizona Immigration Law Targeting Employers

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, The Volokh Conspiracy and PointOfLaw Forum

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Supreme Court backs Arizona immigration law that punishes businesses

Discussion: The Note, The Politico and Ben Smith's Blog

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

Joe Walsh's ongoing struggles with reality — Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), one of Congress' more notable right-wing freshmen, has an angry column in the Daily Caller today on U.S. policy towards Israel. Take a wild guess what the Republican lawmaker argued. … It pains me to say this, but Rep. Joe Walsh is not smart.

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
In Britain Obama repeats his error on Israel

Discussion: Via Meadia, Transterrestrial Musings and Moe Lane

Rep. Joe Walsh / The Daily Caller:
President Obama is not Israel's friend

Discussion: Salon, The Hill, ThinkProgress, Weasel Zippers, The Debate Link and TPMDC

Corey Boles / Washington Wire:

Sen. Rand Paul Delays Renewal of Patriot Act Provisions — Sen. Rand Paul has single-handedly stopped the extension of three key provisions of the Patriot Act until after they expire at midnight Thursday. Unless he folds. … The Senate voted to end debate on the measure, but Sen. Paul …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Hit & Run

The Note:
Patriot Act Passes Key Vote, Could Still Briefly Lapse

Discussion: CNN and The Hill

Christopher Baxter / New Jersey Online:

Gov. Christie announces N.J. pulling out of regional environmental initiative — TRENTON — In a blow to clean energy advocates throughout the Northeast, Gov. Chris Christie said this morning that the state will pull out of the region's cap-and-trade program by the end of the year.

Discussion: The Hill and Bloomberg

NorthJersey.com:
Christie to pull N.J. out of cap-and-trade energy program

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and GOP 12

John Eligon / New York Times:

Two New York City Police Officers Acquitted of Rape — Two New York City police officers were acquitted on Thursday of the most serious charges in the rape of a drunken woman who had been helped into her apartment by the officers while on patrol. — The verdict provides some measure …

Discussion: Gothamist, Runnin' Scared, Feministing, Shakesville, Boing Boing, New York Magazine and Feministe

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

DNC chief attacks GOP field on American ‘exceptionalism’ — Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz attacked the GOP presidential contenders on their own terms Thursday. — The Florida representative questioned just how dedicated they were to “American exceptionalism.”

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, The Note, Weasel Zippers and Nice Deb

St. Petersburg Times:

Who would you rather have lunch with - Obama, Palin or Romney? — A new Sachs/Mason Dixon poll gets to the heart of the presidential choices in front of us. Who would you rather have lunch with? More than three times as many Americans - 53 percent - would choose to have a one-on-one lunch chat …

Discussion: REPUBLICAN REDEFINED, Pajamas Media and GOP 12

Stephen Moore / Wall Street Journal:

A 62% Top Tax Rate? — Democrats have said they only intend to restore the tax rates that existed during the Clinton years. In reality they're proposing rates like those under President Carter. — Media reports in recent weeks say that Senate Democrats are considering a 3% surtax on income …

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, The Moderate Voice, Wake up America and The Lonely Conservative

Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:

BREAKING: Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin Makes History By Signing Into Law Single Payer Health Care — Last month, the Vermont Senate passed legislation, approved earlier by the House, that would establish a single payer health care system in the state. The legislation would make Vermont …

Discussion: Firedoglake and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Wall Street Journal:

Walt Disney Surrenders to Navy's SEAL Team 6 — Less than a month after a daring raid on Osama bin Laden's secret hideout, the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team 6 notched a victory over the Magic Kingdom. — Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that it would pull an application with the U.S. Patent …

Discussion: Mediaite, Battleland, Outside the Beltway, newsfeed.time.com, The Mary Sue, Company Town, PopEater, Deadline.com, The Daily What and Mudville Gazette

The Independent:

Exclusive: Battered Libya sues for peace — As President Obama vows ‘We will not relent until the shadow of tyranny is lifted’, Gaddafi's Prime Minister offers Nato a ceasefire, amnesty for rebels, reconciliation, constitutional government - and an exit strategy

Discussion: Telegraph, msnbc.com, Daniel W. Drezner, Guardian, White House Dossier and Wall Street Journal

Murray Waas / Reuters:

Special report: Disgraced John Ensign back in legal jeopardy — (Reuters) - It was one of the most high-profile investigations of a senator in years: John Ensign of Nevada had conducted an affair with his campaign treasurer, Cynthia Hampton, the wife of his closest friend and chief of staff.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Taegan Goddard's … and Gawker

Eric Alterman / Center for American Progress:

Think Again: The Times' Frank Bruni, or How to Succeed in Journalism Without Really Caring (About Issues) — New York Times editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal announced the appointment of Frank Bruni to the august position of op-ed page columnist this week.

Discussion: The Nation and Balloon Juice

Aharding / CNN:

Santorum to announce candidacy first Monday in June — (CNN) - Rick Santorum will make it official on June 6. — A source close to the Santorum campaign confirms to CNN that the former senator from Pennsylvania will formally announce his candidacy for president on that day at a location …

Discussion: The Note

The Atlantic Online:

From the Yearbook to the White House: The 2012 Republicans in High School — One of these former teens will probably win the GOP's White House nomination in 2012. Since the press will inevitably rifle through their histories with astonishing thirst and thoroughness, we may as well take …

Discussion: Dependable Renegade