memeorandum: Preaching a Healthy Diet in the Deep-Fried Delta (Campbell Robertson/New York Times)

3:50 PM ET, August 22, 2011

Top Items:

Frank Newport / Gallup:

Obama in Close Race Against Romney, Perry, Bachmann, Paul — Romney has slight edge over Obama, Bachmann slightly lags — PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama is closely matched against each of four possible Republican opponents when registered voters are asked whom they would support …

Discussion: Hit & Run, The Washington Independent, Newsalert, Taegan Goddard's …, Politics, National Review and JammieWearingFool

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

There's Room for More G.O.P. Candidates — Rather than douse speculation about which additional Republicans might enter the presidential sweepstakes, Rick Perry's announcement that he would seek the White House seemed only to stoke the fire. At least five prominent Republicans — Sarah Palin …

Discussion: Politics and A plain blog about politics

Rasmussen Reports:
Obama 50%, Palin 33%

Discussion: GOP 12, Hot Air, Big Government and Conservatives4Palin

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Romney leads Obama among registered voters; Perry tied with president

Discussion: Don Surber and Weasel Zippers

Gschwarzcnn / CNN: Huntsman criticizes rivals in prime time interview

Alexander Burns / The Politico:
GOP challenge on Libya: Cheer or not to cheer?

Discussion: Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, The Caucus, FP Passport, Politics, The Daily Caller, Minnesota Independent and Balloon Juice

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Ron Paul raises $1.8M in 24 hours

Discussion: Ricochet Conversation Feed and GOP 12

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

The ‘thank America last’ crowd — Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) issued a joint statement last night on the developments in Libya. It's worth taking a look at the lede. … Remember hearing about the “blame America first” crowd? Well, say hello to the “thank America last” crowd.

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Times, Democracy in America, Outside the Beltway, ThinkProgress, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, ProPublica, Wonkette, The Daily Dish, Mock, Paper, Scissors, iOwnTheWorld.com and Daily Kos, more at Mediagazer »

Juan / Informed Comment:

Top Ten Myths about the Libya War — The Libyan Revolution has largely succeeded, and this is a moment of celebration, not only for Libyans but for a youth generation in the Arab world that has pursued a political opening across the region. The secret of the uprising's final days of success lay …

Discussion: Guardian, Daniel W. Drezner, FP Passport, New Atlanticist, Firedoglake, Daily Kos and The Mahablog

Ian Swanson / The Hill:

Obama hails Gadhafi's end after enduring lawmakers' criticism — The fall of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi after a NATO bombing campaign and a six-month civil war would represent a significant foreign policy victory for President Obama. — Despite opposition and heavy criticism …

Discussion: CNN, The Politico and JammieWearingFool

Faiz Shakir / ThinkProgress:
PHOTOS: Libyans Applaud President Obama And International Allies With Large Thank You Sign

Discussion: Associated Press, Booman Tribune and Babylon & Beyond

Steve Clemons / The Atlantic Online:
Libya: Huge Win for Libyans, A Win for Obama, Challenges Next

Discussion: Guardian, Foreign Policy, The Moderate Voice and iOwnTheWorld.com

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:

Just One Week Into His Campaign, Rick Perry Disavows His Nine-Month-Old Book — Last November, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) published Fed Up, a 240-page ode to tentherism, which argues that everything from child labor laws to the Clean Air Act to Medicare violates the Constitution.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Taegan Goddard's …, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, TPMDC, The Washington Independent, The Political Carnival and Shakesville

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Perry: Nevermind — Rick Perry wrote in his book, “Fed Up,” that Social Security is unconstitutional. He hadn't really retreated from it as of last week, when he confirmed to me that he'd consider replacing it with a set of state pensions. — But his communications director seems to be in full retreat, in a comment to Neil King:

Discussion: Washington Post, Little Green Footballs, Outside the Beltway, GOP 12, Man Are We Screwed, Swampland, Liberal Values and The Daily Dish

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

Trial lawyers prep for war on Perry — America's trial lawyers are getting ready to make the case against one of their biggest targets in years: Texas Gov. Rick Perry. — Among litigators, there is no presidential candidate who inspires the same level of hatred - and fear - as Perry …

Discussion: Law Blog, Pajamas Media, Hot Air, GOP 12 and New York Magazine

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

Messing With Texas — Gov. Rick Perry of Texas hasn't lost an election in 10 tries. Among his vanquished opponents, this streak has inspired not only the usual mix of resentment and respect, but a touch of supernatural awe. “Running against Perry,” one of them told Texas Monthly, “is like running against God.”

Discussion: Paul Krugman, Daily Kos, Connecting.the.Dots, The Agonist and Sadly, No!

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar / Associated Press:
Rick Perry Wrestles With Health Care Stance, Opposition To Obama Health Reform Law

Discussion: Healthwatch and ThinkProgress

BBC:

Libya conflict: Fighting rages near Gaddafi compound — Resident Omar describes rebels celebrating and waving opposition flags on Green Square — Heavy fighting is taking place in Tripoli around the compound of embattled Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi after rebels seized control of much of the city on Sunday.

CNN:
Live blog: Intense fighting near Gadhafi stronghold

Discussion: The Business Insider, Battleland, Balloon Juice, Hot Air and Global Public Square

Gretchen Morgenson / New York Times:

Attorney General of N.Y. Is Said to Face Pressure on Bank Foreclosure Deal — Eric T. Schneiderman, the attorney general of New York, has come under increasing pressure from the Obama administration to drop his opposition to a wide-ranging state settlement with banks over dubious foreclosure practices …

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:

In the Race to Succeed Weiner, a Surprising Anger at Obama — Of all the places to hear fulminations against President Obama, one of the least expected is the corner of 71st Avenue and Queens Boulevard, in the heart of a Congressional district that propelled Democrats like Geraldine A. Ferraro …

Discussion: New York Post, Hotline On Call, Hot Air, Prairie Weather, Indecision Forever, PolitickerNY, JammieWearingFool, Moe Lane, White House Dossier, The Lonely Conservative and National Review

Laura Italiano / New York Post:

DA filing to reveal new ‘bombshells’ about DSK accuser's credibility — She lied about sex. She lied about money. She even lied about lying. — That's the conclusion of Manhattan prosecutors, who promise they'll drop “bombshells” in detailing new credibility issues for the hotel maid …

Discussion: Guardian, TalkLeft and New York Times

New York Times:
Strauss-Kahn Case Is Said to Be Set for Dismissal

Discussion: Online NewsHour, Reuters, Associated Press, Gothamist, Law Blog, The Politico, The Awl, Felix Salmon and Feministe

Harvey Golub / Wall Street Journal:

My Response To Buffett And Obama — Before you ask for more tax money from me, raise the $2.2 trillion you already collect each year more fairly and spend it more wisely. — Over the years, I have paid a significant portion of my income to the various federal, state and local jurisdictions …

Discussion: The New Republic, Politics, NewsBusters.org blogs, Wake up America, UrbanGrounds and The Lonely Conservative

Bloomberg:

Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2T in Loans — Citigroup Inc. (C) and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) were the reigning champions of finance in 2006 as home prices peaked, leading the 10 biggest U.S. banks and brokerage firms to their best year ever with $104 billion of profits.

Jeffrey Toobin / New Yorker:

PARTNERS … - POLITICS - PROFILES - THE TALK OF THE TOWN - COMMENT - THIS WEEK'S ISSUE - THE FINANCIAL PAGE - NEWS DESK - THE POLITICAL SCENE

Discussion: Man Are We Screwed, SCOTUSblog, Prairie Weather, The Huffington Post and The Atlantic Online

Meagan Fitzpatrick / CBC News:

Jack Layton dead of cancer at 61 — Beginning of Story Content — NDP Leader Jack Layton, who led Canada's Official Opposition, has died at his Toronto home at age 61 after a battle with cancer. — Layton died peacefully early Monday, surrounded by family and loved ones …

Discussion: AmSpecBlog and TPMDC

Joel Bakan / New York Times:

The Kids Are Not All Right — WHEN I sit with my two teenagers, and they are a million miles away, absorbed by the titillating roil of online social life, the addictive pull of video games and virtual worlds, as they stare endlessly at video clips and digital pictures of themselves and their friends, it feels like something is wrong.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org blogs, Weasel Zippers and Romanticpoet's Weblog

Robert Costa / National Review:

‘She Will Run’ — Ames, Iowa — Political organizer Peter Singleton tells National Review Online that Sarah Palin will likely launch a presidential campaign by the end of September. “I believe that she will run,” he says. “I can't see her sitting this election out.”

Discussion: The Raw Story, Real Clear Politics, The Moderate Voice, Pajamas Media, RedState, The Note, msnbc.com, TheBlaze.com, Top of the Ticket, GOP 12, Conservatives4Palin, rubber hose and Althouse

Michael Rubin / Commentary Magazine:

Recapture the Lockerbie Bomber — Just over two years ago, Scottish authorities released Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi after he had served 3,123 days, just over 11 days per victim he murdered. The Scottish move reportedly surprised the Obama administration.

Discussion: The Enterprise Blog, The Atlantic Online, Israel Matzav, The Daily Dish and Roger Ailes

Michael S. Malone / Ricochet Conversation Feed:

Mr. President, Don't Get Well Soon — [Ed.'s Note: The former editor of Forbes ASAP and the author of 15 books, including The Big Score and The Virtual Corporation, Mike Malone is now holed up at an undisclosed location in Oregon, where he's supposed to be completing his next book.

Discussion: Sense of Events

WorldNetDaily:

Strange political bedfellows — Have you ever noticed how some of the most disparate extremists on the political spectrum actually end up serving each other's interests - at least in the short term? — Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.

Discussion: Right Wing Watch

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:

Freeman to POTUS: ‘Get pissed off’ — When President Obama jumped on the back nine of the celebrity-clogged Vineyard Golf Club course on Sunday, he ran into none other than Morgan Freeman, Oscar winner and Obama backer. — Freeman, it turns out, was as free with advice for Obama …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool