memeorandum: Biden discounts Perry's ‘Ponzi scheme’ remark on Social Security (A.Killough/CNN)

1:10 PM ET, September 12, 2011

Top Items:

Rick Perry / USA Today:

I am going to be honest with the American people — The first step to fixing a problem is honestly admitting there is a problem. America's goal must be to fix Social Security by making it more financially sound and sustainable for the long term. But Americans deserve a frank and honest discussion …

CNN:

New CNN Poll: Perry on top when it comes to electability — Tampa, Florida (CNN) - Hours before the start of the first-ever CNN/Tea Party Republican debate, a new national survey indicates that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is maintaining his lead in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

Tim Pawlenty / National Review:

My Endorsement: Mitt Romney for President — Great crises often produce great leaders. Unfortunately, sometimes the timing isn't right, and neither is the leader. — Barack Obama came into office in the midst of a great economic crisis. Although hopes were high, he did not rise to the occasion.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Greenroom, The Washington Independent, The Lonely Conservative, Taylor Marsh, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Moe Lane and Political Insider

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Turner poised for big upset — Republican Bob Turner is poised to pull a huge upset in the race to replace Anthony Weiner as the Congressman from New York's 9th Congressional District. He leads Democrat David Weprin 47-41 with Socialist Workers candidate Christopher Hoeppner at 4% and 7% of voters remaining undecided.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Big Government, The Politico, Taylor Marsh, Freedom's Lighthouse, Daily Kos, National Review, No More Mister Nice Blog, Questions and Observations, americanthinker.com, Don Surber, Scared Monkeys, Gothamist, Ben Smith's Blog and Moe Lane

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

Pawlenty endorses Romney — Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty endorsed Mitt Romney for president Monday, praising his onetime rival for his “leadership ability” and the “depth and scope of [his] private-sector experience.” — “I believe he's going to be our party's nominee,” Pawlenty said on …

Discussion: Slate, Outside the Beltway, The Other McCain, Mediaite, New York Magazine, The Crawdad Hole and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Byron York / Campaign 2012:
Despite Social Security, older voters like Perry

Discussion: Questions and Observations, Politics, iOwnTheWorld.com, GOP 12, Hot Air and The Gateway Pundit

A.Killough / CNN: Biden discounts Perry's ‘Ponzi scheme’ remark on Social Security

Stanley Kurtz / National Review:
Perry and the Ponzis — Is Texas governor and Republican …

Discussion: RedState

Danny Yadron / Washington Wire:
Topic ‘A’ for GOP Debate Tonight: Social Security

Discussion: AmSpecBlog, nation.foxnews.com and Sky Dancing

Jonathan Bernstein / A plain blog about politics:
Pawlenty Endorses Romney

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Swampland and Pajamas Media

The Politico:

GOP grumbles about jobs plan — House Republicans may pass bits and pieces of President Barack Obama's jobs plan, but behind the scenes, some Republicans are becoming worried about giving Obama any victories — even on issues the GOP has supported in the past.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Daily Kos and Booman Tribune

Washington Examiner:
Barone: Obama buys the drinks other guys pay for

Discussion: Pajamas Media and The Lonely Conservative

The Hill:
Alternative job-creation plan is tough sell for House Republican leadership

Discussion: The Maddow Blog

Russell Berman / The Hill:
Conservatives join liberals in opposing Obama's payroll tax cut extension

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, USA Today, American Spectator and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

An Impeccable Disaster — On Thursday Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank or E.C.B. — Europe's equivalent to Ben Bernanke — lost his sang-froid. In response to a question about whether the E.C.B. is becoming a “bad bank” thanks to its purchases of troubled nations' debt …

Discussion: Prairie Weather and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Wolfgang Munchau / Financial Times:
Stop rejoicing. This was no victory for the eurozone

Discussion: National Review and AMERICAN FUTURE

New York Times:
Financial Crisis in Europe Is Flaring Again

Discussion: naked capitalism, The Big Picture, americanthinker.com, Ian Welsh, Telegraph, FT Alphaville and The Agonist

Paul Krugman:

Shocking Barro — People have been asking for my reaction to Robert Barro's op-ed, so I finally went and read it. And I have to say that I'm shocked by the laziness - he's not even trying to present a coherent argument. — I mean, here's the structure of what he says:

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Marginal Revolution, Modeled Behavior, JammieWearingFool, New York Times and Jared Bernstein

Nina Chestney / Reuters:

Al Gore in 24-hour broadcast to convert climate skeptics — (Reuters) - Former President Al Gore will renew his 30-year campaign to convince skeptics of the link between climate change and extreme weather events this week in a 24-hour global multi-media event.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Mediaite, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Watts Up With That? and Questions and Observations

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

Winning ugly — By all appearances, Republicans are poised to win tomorrow's special election in New York's 9th, a seat left vacant by Anthony Weiner's resignation. It's generally a Democratic stronghold, making the likely GOP victory quite surprising. — There are plenty of factors at play …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller and Prairie Weather

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Republican's lead in N.Y. election for Weiner's seat shows Democrats' vulnerability

Discussion: FrumForum, Moe Lane and The Page

Turki Al-Faisal / New York Times:

Veto a State, Lose an Ally — The United States must support the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations this month or risk losing the little credibility it has in the Arab world. If it does not, American influence will decline further, Israeli security will be undermined …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress, Guardian, emptywheel and Israel Matzav

Financial Times:

JPMorgan chief says bank rules ‘anti-US’ — By Tom Braithwaite in New York and Patrick Jenkins in London — New international bank capital rules are “anti-American” and the US should consider pulling out of the Basel group of global regulators, Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, has said.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, ThinkProgress, Felix Salmon, Cato @ Liberty, Rortybomb, emptywheel and RADAMISTO

The Huffington Post:
Jamie Dimon, CEO Of JPMorgan Chase, Calls International Bank Rules ‘Anti-American’

Discussion: emptywheel

BBC:

Explosion at French nuclear site of Marcoule — One person has been killed and four injured, one seriously, by an explosion at the southern French nuclear site of Marcoule. — There were no radioactive leaks after the blast, caused by a fire near a furnace in the Centraco radioactive waste storage site, officials said.

Discussion: Dow Jones Newswires and Crooks and Liars

Doug Stanglin / USA Today:
1 dead in blast at French nuclear plant, but no leak reported

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, New York Times, AMERICAblog News and The Jawa Report

Steven Mufson / Washington Post:

Capital gains tax rates benefiting wealthy feed growing gap between rich and poor — The K Street office of Mark Bloomfield, president of the American Council for Capital Formation, is full of knickknacks collected in three decades of lobbying for cutting the capital gains tax.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Don Surber and Cato @ Liberty

JSOnline:

Walker protester honks off troopers — Some foes of Gov. Scott Walker march at the Capitol and carry protest signs. Others join local demonstrations. Still others send letters to the governor's office. — Then there's this guy. — Between 5:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. each day …

Discussion: Althouse and Verum Serum

Daily Mail:

U.S. backs move to let Taliban open headquarters in Qatar in the hope of ending war in Afghanistan — Talks to end the 10-year war in Afghanistan could be on the horizon after the U.S. backed a plan to let the Taliban open political headquarters in the Middle East.

Discussion: Power Line, Jihad Watch, The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

A.Killough / CNN:

Romney endorses Hatch as both are tormented from right — Washington (CNN) - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney announced today that he supports Sen. Orrin Hatch's, R-Utah, 2012 reelection bid. The endorsement, however, has Romney wading into some already unfriendly waters.

Discussion: Ballot Box

Bloomberg:

Obama Said to Send Congress Jobs Legislation Tomorrow — Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama will send to Congress tomorrow a legislative proposal to enact a $447 billion package of tax cuts and spending aimed at boosting hiring, according to an administration official.

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation and The Gateway Pundit