memeorandum: Obama Hobnobs With Friends on Vineyard Family Vacation (Devin Dwyer/ABCNEWS)

2:30 PM ET, August 24, 2011

Top Items:

Paul Krugman's Google+ Account is Fake, I Know because I Created It — Approximately a month ago, having been laid off and having too much time on my hands, I finally decided to create my own personal account on Google+. I found it to be extremely boring, mostly because no one I knew …

Discussion: The Mahablog, IMAO, Campaign 2012, New York Magazine, FrumForum, Outside the Beltway and National Review

Paul Krugman:

Identity Theft — Well, this is interesting. I hear that the not-so-good people at National Review are attacking me over something I said on my Google+ page. Except, I don't have a Google+ page. — This is the third incident I'm aware of — there may well be more — in which people are claiming to be me.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Big Government and Hit & Run

Paul Krugman / Google+:

People on twitter might be joking, but in all seriousness, we would see a bigger boost in spending and hence economic growth if the earthquake had done more damage.

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Campaign 2012, Outside the Beltway, National Review, William K. Wolfrum Chronicles and Ricochet Conversation Feed

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Krugman(?): If only the earthquake had done more damage, the economy would have gotten a boost; Update: Not Krugman — Via Timothy Carney, this appears to be real. — Is it real or just a goof? Kevin Williamson isn't sure and neither am I, but given that this is the same guy …

Discussion: rubber hose, Pajamas Media, Man Are We Screwed, Weasel Zippers, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Paul Krugman

David Weigel / Slate:
The Krugman Google+ Saga: Or, Why Fact-Checking is Important

Discussion: Mediaite, Slate Magazine, Campaign 2012 and Paul Krugman

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

TRENDING: Jeb Bush: 'You can't just be against the president' — (CNN) - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush offered advice to 2012 Republican hopefuls: bashing President Barack Obama is not enough to win on the campaign trail. — “I hope that the Republican candidates, when they are offering their solutions …

Discussion: The Politico, The Gateway Pundit and The Moderate Voice

Damien Gayle / Daily Mail:
Fears for Nancy Reagan, 90, as she slips and falls on way in to watch speech by Tea Party favourite Marco Rubio

Discussion: Sister Toldjah

Conor Friedersdorf / The Atlantic Online:
Is Marco Rubio the Future of the Republican Party?

Discussion: Firedoglake, ThinkProgress, The Hill and The New Republic

Scott Wong / Reuters:
Marco Rubio courts establishment Republicans

Discussion: CNN and The Note

Christian Heinze / GOP 12:
Perino: Bushes want Jeb to run someday

Discussion: Top of the Ticket, Taegan Goddard's … and TheBlaze.com

Des Moines Register:

Steffen Schmidt: Some Dems think the unthinkable: Not Obama — I recently had drinks with respected senior Democrats in New Hampshire. They were Barack Obama supporters in 2008 and now have serious buyer's remorse. — They were alarmed at the lack of leadership, which they feel Obama showed …

Discussion: Don Surber, Power Line, The Gateway Pundit and National Review

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Why Another Democrat Wouldn't Do Better Than Obama in 2012

Discussion: Man Are We Screwed, Prairie Weather, The New Republic and americanthinker.com

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama at 37% approval, re-elect in Florida

Discussion: Pajamas Media

CBO's Latest 10 Documents:

BUDGET AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: AN UPDATE — Text-only. — The United States is facing profound budgetary and economic challenges. At 8.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the $1.3 trillion budget deficit that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects for 2011 …

Discussion: Real Time Economics, SFGate, AmSpecBlog, Campaign 2012, The Heritage Foundation, National Review, Speaker, Hot Air and Politics

Brian Beutler / TPMDC: Worse Than It Looks: CBO Says Economic Outlook More Dire Than Reported

Walter Shapiro / The New Republic:

Rick Perry: The God-Fearing, Know-Nothing, Pistol-Packing Embodiment of Liberals' Worst Nightmares — What Rick Perry has achieved in his inaugural strut on the political stage is unprecedented in the annals of modern conservative history from Barry Goldwater to Sarah Palin.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Taylor Marsh, Erick's blog, Betsy's Page and Wake up America

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Publisher's ‘social’ ties pushed RedState toward Allen — A leading conservative blogger and commentator, Erick Erickson, said he shifted his stance in a key Senate race because the company that publishes his RedState.com is “socially connected” to former Virginia Senator George Allen.

Discussion: The Other McCain, Erick's blog and AmSpecBlog

Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
Regarding Jamie Radtke

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller:

If you're a famous guy with a head full of deep thoughts and nobody to tell you when it might be in your own best interest not to express them, Twitter is the best thing ever. As long as you've got your iPhone in hand, you can give the whole world instant, unfiltered access to your keenest insights …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, Pajamas Media, nation.foxnews.com and New York Magazine

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

Obama, Tiger, Golf and Politics — Despite the carping by critics, I'm glad the president went on vacation because one of the most useful things he could do right now is play golf — a lot of golf — but not that friendly foursome thing with his aides that he usually does.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Rumproast, Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool

Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:

Washington Monument cracked in quake — The earthquake didn't cause widespread damages or injuries, but it did put a crack in the Washington Monument. — After unconfirmed reports suggested the monument was tilting, park officials said Tuesday night that the 550-foot obelisk suffered …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Above the Law, CNN, Outside the Beltway and Fox News Insider

Robert J. Barro / Wall Street Journal:

Keynesian Economics vs. Regular Economics — Food stamps and other transfers aren't necessarily bad ideas, but there's no evidence they spur growth. — Keynesian economics—the go-to theory for those who like government at the controls of the economy—is in the forefront of the ongoing debate on fiscal-stimulus packages.

Discussion: Ricochet Conversation Feed

Joel Braunold / Haaretz:

With more than 10,000 millionaires, why is Israel still a charity case? — At what point should the Diaspora communities say to Israelis that enough is enough- we will give, but we will not allow those in your own society to shirk their responsibilities? — The past few years have seen …

Discussion: The Reaction

Alison Gendar / NY Daily News:

Zadroga 9/11 health law shouldn't cover volunteers sickened at Ground Zero, GOP hopeful Turner says — The GOP hopeful running for ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner's seat says the $4.3 billion Zadroga 9/11 health law is too broad - and shouldn't cover volunteers sickened at Ground Zero.

Discussion: Ballot Box, Washington Monthly and TPMDC

Harold Meyerson / Washington Post:

The GOP will raise taxes — on the middle class and working poor — America's presumably anti-tax party wants to raise your taxes. Come January, the Republicans plan to raise the taxes of anyone who earns $50,000 a year by $1,000, and anyone who makes $100,000 by $2,000.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos and The Mahablog

Devin Dwyer / ABCNEWS:

Obama Hobnobs With Friends on Vineyard Family Vacation — President Obama has spent part of his family vacation on Martha's Vineyard away from his wife and daughters, schmoozing with friends on the golf course and at their private oceanfront homes. — His island entourage includes a mix …

Discussion: The Note

Matthew Yglesias / ThinkProgress:

Ron Paul's Strange Freedom — For the past couple of weeks I've seen some complaints from liberty-minded friends and acquaintances that Ron Paul isn't getting the level of media attention he deserves. My view is that the media is probably ignoring him because he's a crank who obviously won't be the GOP nominee.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Althouse

William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:

Widener Law School loses major donor over Connell case — I posted on Saturday about Alumni Resignations at Widener Law School In Wake of Connell Case. — I noted that Widener had confirmed that “[a] member of the Board of Overseers for the School of Law and a member of the School …

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy

Gina Cavallaro / Battle Rattle:

For Marines in Afghanistan: be careful where you fart — Marine Corps Times is a family newspaper and we only rarely have offensive language in our stories. — But this week the word “fart” appears in a story I wrote about the importance of trust between Marines and the Afghan national army soldiers they work with.

Discussion: Mediaite, nation.foxnews.com, Jihad Watch and Weasel Zippers

G-A-Y / Good As You:

NOM's featured press conference speaker: ‘There is a direct connection between earthquakes and homosexuality’ — At a recent press conference on the steps of the State Capitol in Albany, the National Organization For Marriage opened up their coalition to include one Rabbi Yehuda Levin.

Discussion: Raw Replay, Joe. My. God., Towleroad News #gay and Shakesville

The Huffington Post:

National Organization For Marriage Repeatedly Rebuked For Disclosure Violations … WASHINGTON — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is one of the best known and well funded anti-gay marriage advocacy groups in the country. It is also one of the biggest opponents …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

Neil King Jr / Washington Wire:

Pataki Nods All the More Toward a 2012 Run — UPDATE: Well, that was quick. Since our post went up, someone stripped the contents off the George Pataki campaign site, including his name and the tabs linking to his biography, his positions, and his “Debt Crisis Plan.” The original post is below.

Discussion: PolitickerNY, GOP 12 and Metropolis

Carla Marinucci / San Francisco Chronicle:

Gay candidate can't get seat at GOP convention — LAGUNA BEACH — Fred Karger, the only Californian - and the only gay candidate - in the 2012 Republican presidential field, says he knows plenty about closed doors. But shut out by his own party - and in his own state?

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, ThinkProgress, Sky Dancing, Towleroad News #gay and AMERICAblog Gay

Marie Diamond / ThinkProgress:

Texas GOP Congressional Candidate Compares Welfare Recipients To Donkeys In New Ad — Former TX Secretary of State and GOP congressional candidate Roger Williams — Former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams is running for Congress on a staunchly anti-Obama, anti-government platform.

Discussion: Austin American-Statesman, Wonkette, TheBlaze.com and Mock, Paper, Scissors

NewsMax.com:

PPP Poll: Perry Takes Double-Digit Lead Over Romney — More ways to share... Mixx — Stumbled — LinkedIn — Vine — Buzzflash — Newstrust — Technocrati — Forward Article — A new poll shows Texas Gov. Rick Perry with a double-digit lead nationally …