memeorandum: Don't Fear Islamic Law in America (Eliyahu Stern/New York Times)

3:32 AM ET, September 4, 2011

Top Items:

Dan Merica / CNN:

TRENDING: Comedian tells ‘special needs’ joke at Palin event — Washington (CNN) - In comedy, timing is everything. — And minutes before Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and parent of a child with Down syndrome, made her much-anticipated speech in Iowa, Los Angles-based comedian Eric Golub told …

Discussion: Iowa Caucuses, TPMDC and Balloon Juice

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

Palin still coy on presidential run — The audience at the Iowa Tea Party of America rally on Saturday chanted “Run Sarah, Run!” but former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin still won't say if she will be a candidate for president. — Palin instead unleashed an attack on “corporate crony capitalism” …

Discussion: CNN, New York Magazine, Politics and The Caucus

Jennifer Jacobs / Iowa Caucuses:

Sarah Palin: America is ‘at a tipping point’ — Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin speaks during the Tea Party of America's Restoring America Event at the National Balloon Festival Grounds in Indianola today. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register) — Indianola, Ia.

Discussion: The Politico, Real Clear Politics, Conservatives4Palin, The Daily Caller and Gawker

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Palin says ‘room for more’ in GOP race

Discussion: Politics, National Review, Riehl World View, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Daily Beast

Kevin Sack / New York Times:

G.O.P. Candidates' Stances on Health Care Mask Their Records as Governors — The three most prominent current or former governors running for president — Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Jon M. Huntsman Jr. — are firmly united in their commitment to repealing President Obama's health care law.

Discussion: New York Times

A.Killough / CNN:

Perry focuses on Obama — Chichester, New Hampshire (CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry focused blame for the economic slump squarely on President Barack Obama in a pair of speeches Saturday, as his stump speech continues to take shape. — Reading from notes, the folksy leader launched …

ABCNEWS:

Without Insurance, 24-year-old Dies of Toothache — A 24-year-old Cincinnati father died from a tooth infection this week because he couldn't afford his medication, offering a sobering reminder of the importance of oral health and the number of people without access to dental or health care.

Discussion: The Reaction, Scared Monkeys and ThinkProgress

Eliyahu Stern / New York Times:

Don't Fear Islamic Law in America — MORE than a dozen American states are considering outlawing aspects of Shariah law. Some of these efforts would curtail Muslims from settling disputes over dietary laws and marriage through religious arbitration, while others would go even further …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

Brian Joseph / Orange County Register:

FBI arrests prominent Democratic campaign treasurer — SACRAMENTO - A prominent Democratic campaign treasurer who works for federal, state and O.C. lawmakers including U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Rep. Loretta Sanchez and state Assemblymen Lou Correa and Jose Solorio has been arrested …

Discussion: Associated Press and L.A. NOW

J. Bradford DeLong / Grasping Reality with Both Hands:

Life in Hooverville — I remember the week after Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address, I had a few conversations with Obama Senior Administration Officials (and not the ones that you are thinking of either). I took particular exception to: … As I recall, I said back then:

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Fred Barnes / Weekly Standard:

President Zero — Read his lips: No new jobs. — 'The simplest question," Dick Cheney writes in his memoir In My Time, “is the most important one. ” He mentions this in the context of asking how many American nukes were aimed at Kiev during the Cold War.

Leslie Kaufman / New York Times:

Obama's Retreat on Ozone Standards Angers Environmentalists — For environmental groups, it was the final hard slap that brought a long-troubled relationship to the brink. — In late August, the State Department gave a crucial go-ahead on a controversial pipeline to bring tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Discussion: The Hill, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway and Newsy

Rod Nordland / New York Times:

Files Note Close C.I.A. Ties to Qaddafi Spy Unit — TRIPOLI, Libya — Documents found at the abandoned office of Libya's former spymaster appear to provide new details of the close relations the Central Intelligence Agency shared with the Libyan intelligence service — most notably suggesting …

Discussion: emptywheel, Gawker, Hullabaloo, ThinkProgress, Runnin' Scared, Outside the Beltway, Booman Tribune, americanthinker.com and New York Magazine

Wall Street Journal:
Tripoli Files Show CIA Working With Libya

Discussion: Right Wing News and Informed Comment

Jason Linkins / The Huffington Post:

Cameron Todd Willingham Execution: Rick Perry's Role Deserves Scrutiny … In the three weeks since Texas Gov. Rick Perry stormed into the 2012 presidential race, bigfooting past the Ames Straw Poll and surging to frontrunner status, the media have flocked to the new entrant like flies to cow manure.

Discussion: Hullabaloo, AMERICAblog News, ThinkProgress and Mother Jones