memeorandum: Panetta says U.S. is ‘within reach’ of defeating Al Qaeda (David S. Cloud/Los Angeles Times)

1:55 PM ET, July 9, 2011

Top Items:

Mark Halperin / The Page:

The Road (Maybe) Ahead — HALPERIN'S TAKE — This isn't a prediction, but here is one highly plausible sequence of a series of events that could play out on the debt crisis: — Some time in the next 5 days, the President reaches an understanding with Speaker Boehner, Congressman Hoyer …

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Jamie Klatell / The Hill:

Obama calls for a ‘balanced approach,’ sacrifices in debt deal — As the debate intensifies over raising the debt ceiling and kick-starting the economy, President Obama attempted to rise above the fray in his weekend address. — “We can meet our fiscal challenge,” the president said.

Discussion: CNN, The Hill, The Gateway Pundit and JammieWearingFool

Jay Newton-Small / Swampland:
Has Nancy Pelosi Been Marginalized in the Debt Debate?

Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla and Moe Lane

Amanda Terkel / The Huffington Post:
Eric Cantor Hit By Democrats For Potentially Profiting From U.S. Default

Discussion: The Daily Caller, ThinkProgress and FrumForum

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
Rep. Cantor ‘cannot fathom’ support for tax increases after bleak jobs report

Discussion: Washington Monthly and The New Republic

Enid Nemy / New York Times:

Betty Ford, Former First Lady, Dies at 93 — Betty Ford, the outspoken and much-admired wife of President Gerald R. Ford who overcame alcoholism and an addiction to pills and helped found one of the best-known rehabilitation centers in the nation, died Friday in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 93.

Discussion: New York Magazine, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, ECHIDNE of the snakes, Online NewsHour, No More Mister Nice Blog, Towleroad News #gay, Runnin' Scared, Big Government, The Atlantic Online, FrumForum, The Reaction and Gawker

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Former First Lady Betty Ford Dead at 93

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, GayPatriot, The Lonely Conservative, Associated Press, americanthinker.com, The Politico and Hot Air

Donnie Radcliffe / Washington Post:
Betty Ford dies at 93: Former first lady founded iconic clinic

Discussion: blogs.telegraph.co.uk and The Nation

CNN:
Former first lady Betty Ford dies at the age of 93

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Other McCain and Don Surber

Ann Althouse / Althouse:

The new oppo research: Spotting the labels on the wine on the politician's restaurant table. — Some busybody business professor named Susan Feinberg pulled this trick on Paul Ryan and Talking Points Memo is lapping it up: … So, Feinberg was appalled, stunned, and outraged. That's got to hurt.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, RedState and Say Anything

Joshua Green / The Atlantic Online:
Paul Ryan's $350 Bottle of Wine

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Prairie Weather, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Outside the Beltway and Corrente

Susan Crabtree / TPMDC:
Rep. Ryan Tastes The Grapes Of Wrath

Discussion: Advice Goddess Blog, The Agitator, Cold Fury, The Sundries Shack, Firedoglake, The Mahablog, Erick's blog, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, New York Magazine, Harry's Place and The Raw Story

Elisabeth Bumiller / New York Times:

Panetta Says Defeat of Al Qaeda Is ‘Within Reach’ — KABUL, Afghanistan — Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, who arrived in Kabul on Saturday, said that the United States was “within reach of strategically defeating Al Qaeda” and that the American focus had narrowed to capturing or killing 10 …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Attackerman and Daily Pundit

David S. Cloud / Los Angeles Times:

Panetta says U.S. is ‘within reach’ of defeating Al Qaeda — The new defense chief says intelligence uncovered in the Bin Laden raid showed that 10 years of U.S. operations against the terror network had left it with fewer than two dozen key operatives. Panetta is visiting Afghanistan for the first time as defense secretary.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Emptywheel

Associated Press:
Leon Panetta goes to Afghanistan

Discussion: ABCNEWS

Eli / Firedoglake:

Worst President Ever, Revisited — No, I'm not ready to crown Barack Obama the Worst President Ever just yet, but consider this: — Yes, George W. Bush wrecked our economy, destroyed New Orleans, turned a budget surplus into massive deficits, ignored warnings of a major terrorist attack …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, Outside the Beltway, Althouse, No More Mister Nice Blog and Balloon Juice

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

A real problem vs. an imaginary one — After the release of the June job numbers, there were plenty of worthwhile charts and graphs making the rounds, but this one from Paul Krugman was especially helpful. — In case it's a little hard to see, that red line is the unemployment rate …

Discussion: Zandar Versus The Stupid

Paul Krugman:
Charting Our Policy Insanity

Discussion: The New Republic

John M. Becker / Truth Wins Out:

I Received ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy at Marcus Bachmann's Clinic — TWO Exclusive Investigative Report by John M. Becker — The date was Thursday, June 30, 2011. I turned on the television and listened half-heartedly to the commercials as I busied about doing other things.

Discussion: The Nation, The Raw Story, Daily Kos, Towleroad News #gay, Pam's House Blend, ThinkProgress, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Dump Michele Bachmann

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:

Trailing G.O.P. With Cameras, Seeking Gaffes — AMHERST, N.H. — Aaron Fielding quietly stalks his prey — Republicans — with his video camera, patiently waiting for a political moment worthy of YouTube. — At 27, he is a full-time “tracker” for American Bridge 21st Century …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Balloon Juice

Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:

Obama turns to small-scale solutions to a weak economy — The White House, threatened by the high unemployment rate, proposes free-trade agreements and more spending on high-speed rail in the absence of more ambitious tools, such as stimulus spending. — President Obama delivers a statement …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Weasel Zippers, Pirate's Cove and Hot Air

Jim Brunner / Seattle Times:

DSCC blames ‘staff error’ for Murray fund-raising appeal to Koch exec — Update: Friday 12:32 p.m.: DSCC sent a response to the Koch executive, blaming the appeal for money on a “staff error” and rescinding it — while getting in several digs at the Kochs and their involvement in “right-wing smear campaigns.”

Discussion: Lippmann's Ghost, The Gateway Pundit, Gawker and Daily Pundit

Byron Tau / Ben Smith's Blog:
DSCC fires back at Koch brothers

Discussion: Nice Deb, Focal Point, Weasel Zippers and Power Line

Ashley Lopez / The American Independent:

Rep. Stearns considering Planned Parenthood investigation — Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Ocala, is mulling over the possibility of launching an investigation into Planned Parenthood at the request of an anti-abortion group that has written a report hoping to get Planned Parenthood defunded.

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

James H. Burnett III / Boston Globe:

Boston gets a nonreality show — CBS broadcasts impossible views of 4th fireworks — Those who watched Boston's revered Fourth of July celebration Monday night on CBS were treated to spectacular views of fireworks exploding behind the State House, Quincy Market, and home plate at Fenway Park …

Discussion: Say Anything, For What It's Worth, Wizbang and Mediaite

Guardian:

James Murdoch could face criminal charges on both sides of the Atlantic — As phone hacking scandal leaves News Corp open to prosecution, James Murdoch looks less likely to inherit empire — James Murdoch and News Corp could face corporate legal battles on both sides of the Atlantic …

Discussion: Runnin' Scared and Raw Replay, more at Mediagazer »

Tim Arango / New York Times:
Phone Scandal Poses Defining Test for a Murdoch Son

Discussion: Guardian, Gawker and Zandar Versus The Stupid, more at Mediagazer »

Tara Siegel Bernard / New York Times:

As Same-Sex Marriage Becomes Legal, Some Choices May Be Lost — Now that same-sex marriage has been legalized in New York, at least a few large companies are requiring their employees to tie the knot if they want their partners to qualify for health insurance.

Discussion: Althouse and Prop 8 Trial Tracker