memeorandum: Romney's weakness — Mitt Romney is understandably trying … (Ben Smith/Ben Smith's Blog)

12:05 PM ET, July 28, 2011

Top Items:

First Read / msnbc.com:

First Thoughts: In retreat — Dems in retreat... They draw another line in the sand, but will we see another concession?... Democrats reply: They might be losing this negotiating battle, but they could end up winning the larger war... Today's House vote on the Boehner bill is expected early this evening …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Taegan Goddard's …, Associated Press, Iowa Caucuses, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Prairie Weather

David Rogers / The Politico:

Biden, McConnell look for way out — Taking square aim at the White House, Republicans prepared to bring to a House vote Thursday a two-step $2.5 trillion debt ceiling bill that will avert default next week but threatens more conflict — and renewed instability — in six months.

Discussion: The Note, Washington Monthly, The New Republic, NY Daily News, Washington Post, CNN, The Caucus, Taylor Marsh, Global Public Square, Outside the Beltway, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, The Page and Pajamas Media

Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:

Outcome is referendum on Boehner — Thursday's vote on the House Republican debt-limit bill has quickly become a referendum on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). — It is, without question, the biggest vote of Boehner's reign. Some are even speculating that Boehner's Speakership is on the line.

Discussion: CNN, Ben Smith's Blog, Booman Tribune, Associated Press, The Hill, The Reid Report, Liberty Street, The Camp Of The Saints, American Spectator, The Daily Hurricane, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Other McCain and The Politico

Judson Phillips / Washington Post:

Why the Tea Party is unyielding on the debt ceiling — The liberal media have gone to warp speed in their defense of President Obama and their attacks on the Tea Party. We are “extreme” and “dangerous.” Republicans are “afraid of” the Tea Party. And more.

Discussion: The Politico, ThinkProgress, The Reid Report and The Daily Caller

Julie Mason / The Politico:

Carney makes an accusation — Jay Carney took on Fox News's Ed Henry. — John Shinkle/POLITICO — The day after White House press secretary Jay Carney and Fox News reporter Ed Henry tangled over Henry's request for specifics on Obama's plan on debt limit and deficit reduction, Carney and Henry were back at it again on Wednesday.

Discussion: FishbowlDC, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, nation.foxnews.com, Weasel Zippers and Pajamas Media

Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:

Senate Democrats Promise to Reject Boehner Plan — Fifty-three Democratic senators have signed a letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner saying they intend to vote against his plan for an increase in the debt ceiling, virtually assuring its defeat in the Senate even as the speaker lines …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Questions and Observations, The Heritage Foundation, Connecting.the.Dots, americanthinker.com, ThinkProgress, The Note and The Mahablog

Major Garrett / NationalJournal.com:

Six Similarities Between the Boehner and Reid Debt Plans — The deficit-reduction plans put forward by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (left) and House Speaker John Boehner have more in common than people think. — Democrats and Republicans have taken tough shots at the opposite party's deficit-reduction plan.

Discussion: Washington Post, Swampland, The Hill, The Politico, Patterico's Pontifications, Red Dog Report, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway and The Atlantic Online

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Romney's weakness — Mitt Romney is understandably trying …

Discussion: msnbc.com

Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
President on Sidelines in Critical Battle Over Debt Ceiling

Discussion: Politics

The Politico:
John Boehner doesn't have votes locked down yet

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Daily Kos and The Hill

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
With G.O.P. Unity at Risk, Boehner Tries Tougher Style

Discussion: The Politico, The Hill, Boston Globe, AMERICAblog News, Washington Post and Politics

Sam Youngman / The Hill:
President revs up PR in debt-ceiling debate

Discussion: Pirate's Cove

Wall Street Journal:
Debt-Crisis Vote Goes Down to Wire in House

Discussion: The Politico, Roll Call, The Page, Hotline On Call and Daily Kos

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
All 53 Senate Dems sign letter to Boehner: Your bill will never pass

Discussion: The Hill, The New Republic, Keith Hennessey, The Gateway Pundit and The Politico

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
It's All Over but the Face-Saving? — It remains unclear whether …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Prairie Weather, The Confluence, Washington Post, Daily Kos, A plain blog about politics, TPMDC, Hullabaloo and The New Republic, more at Mediagazer »

Fox News:

EXCLUSIVE: AWOL Soldier Arrested Over Concerns of Possible Second Attack On Fort Hood — At least one U.S. military serviceman has been arrested after raising concerns over another possible attack on Fort Hood, Fox News has learned exclusively. — Pvt. Nasser Jason Abdo …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, KCEN-TV, JammieWearingFool, Raw Replay, Atlas Shrugs, Maggie's Notebook, Weasel Zippers, Pajamas Media, The Gateway Pundit, Tim Blair, americanthinker.com and Datechguy's Blog

Becky Bohrer / Yahoo! News:

APNewsBreak: Arctic scientist under investigation — JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal wildlife biologist whose observation in 2004 of presumably drowned polar bears in the Arctic helped to galvanize the global warming movement has been placed on administrative leave and is being investigated …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller, The Lonely Conservative and JammieWearingFool

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

Bachmann: Obama like ‘dictator’ if 14th amendment invoked in debt fight — President Obama would be functioning effectively as a “dictator” if he invoked the 14th amendment to the Constitution to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Thursday.

Discussion: FreedomWorks blogs

The Note: Last-Ditch 14th Amendment Plan Gains Momentum As Debt Clock Ticks

Gschwarzcnn / CNN: Bachmann warns of ‘dictator’ Obama

Thomas Lane / Talking Points Memo:

Whatever The Outcome Of The Debt Vote, The Age Of Austerity Is Here — Whatever the outcome of Thursday's projected House vote on Speaker Boehner's debt plan, this process has already ended the political life of one prominent member of the Washington establishment: John Maynard Keynes.

Discussion: Via Meadia

Matthew Yglesias / ThinkProgress:

Maybe Someone Should Do Something — I can think of a lot of reasons a country might have this kind of problem: … What's difficult to think is a good reason for the United States of America to have this problem. The United States can current sell five year bonds at a negative real interest rate.

Discussion: City Room and Eschaton

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:

Herman Cain Apologizes To Muslims — Herman Cain had his much-ballyhooed meeting with Muslims Wednesday, and he emerged, he said in a campaign statement “humble and contrite for any statements I have made that might have caused offense to Muslim Americans and their friends.”

Discussion: Mock, Paper, Scissors, The Democratic Daily, ThinkProgress, Booman Tribune, The Right Scoop and Daily Kos

Juana Summers / The Politico:
Herman Cain hosts meeting with Muslim leaders

Discussion: secure.campaigner.com, CNN, Outside the Beltway, Iowa Caucuses and The Raw Story

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Debbie Wasserman Schultz says GOP rhetoric could spark ‘chaos’ — ‘This is not leadership. This is almost like dictatorship,’ said Debbie Wasserman Schultz. AP Photo — Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic National Committee, said Wednesday that House Republicans …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, Don Surber, Hot Air, Moonbattery, The TrogloPundit, americanthinker.com, Weasel Zippers, Moe Lane, TPMDC, The Gateway Pundit, Townhall.com, The Caucus, The Lonely Conservative and CNN

Philly.com:

Making rumors work for you — IT'S GETTING CLOSE to the trade deadline and rumors are flying like crazy. Baseball teams, and their general managers, often go out of their way to debunk these rumors, especially when they involve their own players, and why not?

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

Binyamin Appelbaum / New York Times:

Treasury to Weigh Which Bills to Pay — WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department is preparing to answer a question that it has dodged and rebuffed for months: If there's not enough money for everyone, who is left empty-handed? — Officials said Wednesday that the department would address …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Political Punch and The Politico

Ta-Nehisi Coates / New York Times:

Obama and His Discontents — The administration of President Obama has never held much regard for its left flank. Admonished by the vice president to “stop whining,” inveighed against by the president himself for “griping and groaning,” the liberal critics have been generally viewed by the White House as petulant children.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, TalkLeft, Hullabaloo and Prairie Weather

Brad Watson / WFAA-TV:

McKinney Planned Parenthood building damaged by arsonist — MCKINNEY — McKinney police are investigating a case of arson at the Planned Parenthood clinic. — Police said they responded after the fire department got a call of a fire at the clinic on West Eldorado Parkway near U.S. 75.

Discussion: Jezebel and ECHIDNE of the snakes

Danny Gallagher / courier-gazette.com:
Planned Parenthood clinic attacked with Molotov cocktail

Discussion: Shakesville and ThinkProgress

msnbc.com:

Atheist Group Wants 9/11 Cross Removed from Museum — Below: — NBCNewYork.com — An atheist group has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent a cross made out of World Trade Center steel beams from going on display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. American Atheists sued this week …

Discussion: Althouse and Right Wing News

Wall Street Journal:

Many Eatery High Marks Are Close Call — One year after the city started branding restaurants with letter grades based on health inspections, one thing is clear: Most restaurants are getting the highest mark, an A. — Department of Health officials say 69% of restaurants inspected had received A's as of July 1.

Discussion: Felix Salmon and Gothamist