memeorandum: The unnecessary ‘jack-booted thugs’ uproar (Steve Benen/Washington Monthly)

11:50 AM ET, November 5, 2011

Top Items:

Andy Rooney dead at 92 — Andy Rooney, the “60 Minutes” commentator known to generations for his wry, humorous and contentious television essays - a unique genre he is credited with inventing - died Friday night in a hospital in New York City of complications following minor surgery.

Discussion: Runnin' Scared, Associated Press, The Moderate Voice, Reuters, The Hill, The Jawa Report, Bloomberg, Big Journalism, USA Today, USA Today, Scared Monkeys, Deadline.com, Althouse, The Huffington Post, CBS New York and AOL TV, more at Mediagazer »

CBS News:

Andy Rooney dead at 92 — Rooney still spoke his mind, however. Thousands of angry letters arrived when he said Kurt Cobain, the young star of hit rock band “Nirvana,” was essentially a waste of humanity for taking his own life. Native Americans demanded apologies when he belittled …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Talking Points Memo

New York Times: Andy Rooney, Mainstay on ‘60 Minutes’, Dead at 92

Emily Schultheis / The Politico:

Under Herman Cain, NRA launched sex harassment fight — When sexual harassment complaints against Herman Cain unfolded at the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s, the issue was an all too familiar one for the trade association. — In the wake of the televised 1991 Clarence …

Discussion: Riehl World View, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NewsBusters.org blogs, THEROOT.COM, CNN and Valley Fever

Paul Waldman / American Prospect:
Cain Lurves the Race Card

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and The Atlantic Online

Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Cain accuser cites series of ‘advances’; NRA confirms harassment complaint

Discussion: CNN, The Other McCain, The Caucus, Big Journalism, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, New York Magazine, Hot Air and Freedom's Lighthouse

Melanie Mason / Los Angeles Times:
Attorney: Multiple instances of sexual harassment by Herman Cain

Discussion: US Politics

Mark Halperin / The Page:
Cain Accuser Won't Go Public

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Daily Caller, The PJ Tatler and americanthinker.com

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Herman Cain allegation: Accuser breaks silence

Discussion: WJXT-TV, CNN and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

The unnecessary ‘jack-booted thugs’ uproar — There was a bit of a stir yesterday on some far-right blogs, which claimed that EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson called conservatives “jack-booted thugs” in a speech. — That's not what happened. … To be sure, this was a popular lie among Republicans …

Ben Howe / RedState:
EPA Chief Lisa Jackson Calls Republicans “Jack-Booted Thugs” [UPDATE: Nope, she didn't.]

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Weasel Zippers and JunkScience.com

Patrick Reis / The Politico:
Lisa Jackson ‘thugs’ misquote sparks uproar

Discussion: nation.foxnews.com, JunkScience.com and Balloon Juice

Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain:

OWS Protesters Attempt to Storm AFP Defending the American Dream Summit — WASHINGTON, D.C. — “Occupy DC” protesters just attempted to force their way into the Washington Convention Center where the Americans for Prosperity Foundation is holding its Ronald Reagan tribute dinner for the “Defending the American Dream Summit.

Discussion: RedState, Americans for Prosperity, Sadly, No!, The Gateway Pundit, Ed Driscoll, Power Line, The Daily Caller, The Lonely Conservative and Verum Serum

Thomas Walkom / Toronto Star:

Europe falls victim to a classic Greek tragedy … Like all Greek tragedies, the euro crisis is a story of noble intention poisoned by overweening arrogance. And like all Greek tragedies, it promises to end badly. — Friday's combination of parliamentary drama and farce in Athens has served …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Spiegel Online:

Euro Crisis — Related articles, background features and opinions about this topic. — IMF Babysitter for Berlusconi — Italy Becomes Next Euro Battleground — Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is losing support in Rome — and elsewhere. — Greece is a problem for the European common currency.

Discussion: americanthinker.com, AMERICAN FUTURE and French Presidency of the G20

Philip Klein / Campaign 2012:

WH rejects subpoena request for Solyndra docs — President Obama's attorney sent a letter to Congressional investigators on Friday, saying the White House would not cooperate with a subpoena requesting documents related to its doling out a $535 million loan guarantee to now bankrupt solar panel manufacturer Solyndra.

Discussion: americanthinker.com and The Other McCain

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Solyndra Subpoena Rejected By Obama Administration

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Politico and Daily Kos

Fox News:
White House Fires Back at ‘Overbroad’ Subpoena on Solyndra Documents

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Weasel Zippers and The PJ Tatler

Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:
White House counsel says GOP's subpoena is ‘unprecedented’

Discussion: The Politico, CNN and Washington Monthly

TheDenverChannel.com:

Occupy Protester Arrested In $10M Arson Fire — Fire Burned Two Buildings In Fort Collins — FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Police have arrested an Occupy Fort Collins protester in connection with a $10 million arson fire that damaged dozens of condominiums and businesses in Fort Collins.

Discussion: The Jawa Report and Verum Serum

Kieran Nicholson / Denver Post:
Fort Collins man arrested as arson suspect in $10 million downtown fire

Discussion: Coloradoan Online and Power Line

Tihanna McCleese / KGO-TV:

Second veteran injured in ‘Occupy Oakland’ violence — OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — There are fresh charges of police brutality against a war veteran arrested near an Occupy Oakland demonstration. — The veteran, 32-year-old Kayvan Sabeghi, underwent surgery on Friday for a ruptured spleen.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Adam Gabbatt / Guardian:
Occupy Oakland: second Iraq war veteran injured after police clashes

Discussion: Gawker, naked capitalism, Booman Tribune, The Raw Story and US Politics

Brendan Sasso / Ballot Box:

Gingrich: I'd trail Obama around country until he accepts debate challenge — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich promised on Friday evening in Iowa that if he wins his party's nomination, he will follow President Obama around the country until Obama accepts a challenge to participate in Lincoln-Douglas style debates.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, The Politico, The Moderate Voice, CNN, Weekly Standard, Hot Air, ABCNEWS and American Spectator

Dave Boyer / Washington Times:

Obama's Sarkozy remark offends French — CANNES, France — President Obama came, he saw, he insulted. — “Obama insults Sarkozy,” blared the headline on one French website, taking umbrage at Mr. Obama's wayward remark at the G-20 summit here about the physical appearance of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Discussion: americanthinker.com, JustOneMinute, The PJ Tatler and Weasel Zippers

Lowkell / Blue Virginia:

Loudoun Republican Urges People to Thank Communist Soviet Veteran?!? FAIL! — The continuing laughingstock/horror show that the Loudoun County Republicans have devolved into just got even worse. In yet another great scoop for Too Conservative, it turns out that right-wing Republican State …

Discussion: Daily Kos and Too Conservative

Ira Stoll / The Future of Capitalism:

Occupy Boston Occupies Israeli Consulate — A contingent from the Occupy Boston “Occupy” protest camp marched late yesterday afternoon to the building that houses the Israeli consulate in Boston and held a brief sit-in in the building's lobby. Video is here and embedded below.

Discussion: Power Line

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:

Cain: ‘I Am The Koch Brothers’ Brother From Another Mother' — Herman Cain may be the billionaire Koch brothers' favorite presidential candidate, with strong ties between his campaign and the wealthy conservative patrons, and Cain hasn't been shy about about showing his love for the pair.

Discussion: The New Republic, DeSmogBlog and The Impolitic