memeorandum: Leon Panetta defends Obama on Iraq (Charles Hoskinson/The Politico)

8:50 AM ET, November 16, 2011

Top Items:

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Dems criticize eviction of Occupy protesters — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's (I) decision to evict Occupy Wall Street protesters from a Lower Manhattan park is a blow to free speech, several House Democrats said. — Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

New York Times:

Jolted, Wall St. Protesters Face Challenge for Future — Emergency-service trucks rumbled up Broadway to positions on two sides of Zuccotti Park. Powerful klieg lights blinked on, illuminating about 220 protesters in tents and sleeping bags. The one-square-block plaza was as bright as day.

Discussion: City Room, Booman Tribune, Guardian, naked capitalism and Mashable!

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

Better Late Than Never — After almost two months, Mayor Bloomberg finally cleans Obamaville. — After loitering for nearly two months, New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg finally took action overnight, clearing out so-called protesters who had turned Zuccotti Park, a privately owned …

Discussion: CBS New York, New York Times, Jammie Wearing Fools and laborunionreport's Diary

New York Post:

Judge rules OWS protesters can't return to Zuccotti Park with tents, overnight gear — Protesters will not be allowed to bring tents and overnight gear to Zuccotti Park, a Manhattan judge ruled today, dealing a huge blow to the Occupy Wall Street movement that had called the place home for the past two months.

Discussion: Campaign 2012, Pat Dollard, Jammie Wearing Fools and Weekly Standard

James Downie / Washington Post:
Bloomberg's disgraceful eviction of Occupy Wall Street

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Above the Law, Balkinization, The Political Carnival, PolitickerNY, Taylor Marsh, Weasel Zippers and Firedoglake, more at Mediagazer »

NY Daily News:
Bravo to Bloomberg's Occupy Wall Street eviction from Zuccotti Park, finally reclaiming public space …

Discussion: Telegraph, Salon.com, Media Decoder, nyc.gov, The Huffington Post, Nation Now, Opinion L.A., Washington Post and The Lede, more at Techmeme »

Josh Harkinson / Mother Jones:
Exclusive Video: Inside Police Lines at the Occupy Wall Street Eviction

Discussion: BBC, Hullabaloo, Guardian, naked capitalism, New York Times, Poynter, Political Mojo, Media Decoder, Business Week and Firedoglake, more at Mediagazer »

John Del Signore / Gothamist:
City Claims Occupy Wall Street Protesters Were Stockpiling Weapons, Fights Court Order To Reopen Park

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, NY Daily News, New York Times, OWS Exposed, The Atlantic Online, Hot Air and City Room

NY Daily News:
Judge Lucy Billings, who signed Occupy Wall Street order, is an ACLU veteran

Discussion: BBC, CBS New York, Runnin' Scared, Hit & Run, National Review, Metropolis, Power Line, The Mahablog, Weasel Zippers, Verum Serum, Gothamist, TheBlaze.com, OWS Exposed and Jammie Wearing Fools

Steven Thomma / McClatchy Washington Bureau:

Poll: Gingrich scores best vs. Obama among voters today — WASHINGTON — Newt Gingrich is the strongest Republican candidate when matched head to head against Democratic President Barack Obama, according to a McClatchy-Marist Poll released Tuesday. — The former speaker of the House …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, The Page, TBogg, Hot Air, The Huffington Post, Taegan Goddard's … and Melanie Phillips

Mike Dorning / Bloomberg:

Obama Loses to Romney in New Hampshire Poll — Driven down by economic forces, President Barack Obama is running poorly in New Hampshire, a state he carried in 2008 and one that has been a swing state in recent presidential elections. — Obama trails Republican Mitt Romney among likely …

Discussion: The Hill

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Cain's Fall, Gingrich's Rise Result in Tie for High Intensity Score — Cain's score has fallen 12 points in two weeks — PRINCETON, NJ — Herman Cain's Positive Intensity Score is 17, down from 29 immediately before news broke in late October about past sexual harassment allegations against him.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Ezra Klein / Washington Post:

The Democrats' peculiar negotiating strategy — Over the past year, Republicans have learned something important about negotiating budget deals with Democrats: If you don't like their offer, just wait a couple of months. — The first budget showdown came in the lame-duck Congress …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Hullabaloo

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Democrats gain upper hand in deficit-reduction negotiations

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Rosalind S. Helderman / Washington Post:
Supercommittee members face rising pressure from all sides

Discussion: FrumForum

Thomas Tobin / NBC Washington DC:

Bullet hits White House Window — Round of Ammunition Stopped by Ballistic Glass — The Secret Service is investigating how a bullet hit an exterior window of the White House. A round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass. The Secret Service also tells News4 …

Discussion: Mikeb302000, Towleroad News #gay, Mediaite and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

White House opposes GOP-led balanced budget amendment — The White House on Tuesday announced it opposes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution that is coming to a vote in the House later this week. — President Obama does not need to sign a proposed Constitutional amendment …

Bloomberg:

Gingrich Said to Be Paid at Least $1.6 Million by Freddie Mac — Newt Gingrich made between $1.6 million and $1.8 million in consulting fees from two contracts with mortgage company Freddie Mac, according to two people familiar with the arrangement. — The total amount is significantly larger …

Discussion: The Hill, ABCNEWS, FrumForum, Business Insider, The Big Picture and Bloomberg

Clea Benson / Bloomberg:
Gingrich Said Paid by Freddie Mac to Win Allies

Discussion: Washington Post, THE WESTERN EXPERIENCE, Los Angeles Times, The Political Carnival, Political Mojo, ABCNEWS, Washington Monthly, The Other McCain, The Hill, The Page, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Daily Kos

Allentown Morning Call / Morning Call:

McQueary on alleged rape: ‘I did stop it,’ did have discussions with police — 2011 file photo of Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver coach Mike McQueary. McQueary is seen here during Penn State action against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field. (HOWARD SMITH / US PRESSWIRE / November 15, 2011)

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, CBS News, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Deadspin, News Desk, msnbc.com, Hot Air, USA Today, TalkLeft, The Smoking Gun and New York Post

Digby / Hullabaloo:

Oh. Homeland security AND the FBI — “If you build it” update: … Obviously unconfirmed, but in light of what the Oakland mayor said this morning, certainly not unlikely. — I'm not surprised by this, but I am curious as to how they are going to justify the federal government's interest?

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Associated Press, Balloon Juice, The Moderate Voice, The Raw Story and Discourse.net

Rick Ellis / Examiner:
‘Occupy’ crackdowns coordinated with federal law enforcement officials

Discussion: Sky Dancing, Wonkette, Business Insider, AlterNet, Informed Comment, msnbc.com, capitoilette, www.thetakeaway.org, ThinkProgress and Hullabaloo

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

Herman Cain's Libya stumble: How much damage did he do? — It was the silence heard around the political world. — Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain talks to reporters before greeting supporters at a fund raising event before an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers …

Discussion: Associated Press, ABCNEWS and The Moderate Voice

Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Herman Cain offered Henry Kissinger secretary of state post

Discussion: Hot Air, Mediaite, Ricochet Conversations Feed, CNN, Gawker, Business Insider and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

The Right Scoop:
Rush defends Herman Cain over collective bargaining and Libya

Discussion: Hot Air

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:

Candidates' Gaffes Dismay Some Republicans — The Republican presidential candidates have served comedians a full platter of laughs this year — a steady diet of gaffes, misstatements, puzzled looks and long, awkward pauses. — To a remarkable degree, the candidates have turned …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times and The Caucus

Ramesh Ponnuru / Bloomberg:
Republicans Lose Way by Misreading Bush History: Ramesh Ponnuru

Discussion: driftglass, American Spectator, Washington Post and Daily Kos

CNN:

CNN Poll: Obama ranks low among recent incumbents — Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama's overall approval rating remains in the mid-40s, where it has been since July, and he continues to receive much higher marks for foreign policy than for domestic issues, according to a new national survey …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Scared Monkeys and THE WESTERN EXPERIENCE

ABCNEWS:

C-Span Asks Supreme Court To Televise Health Care Arguments — Ruling on the health reform law is sure to be one of the most important Supreme Court cases of this generation and the court has budgeted more than 5 hours for the arguments. When the court decides next year if the government …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Simon Lazarus / Slate:
The Medicaid Ambush — The Supreme Court's unexpected …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Political Mojo, ACS Blog, The Huffington Post, Washington Post and News Desk

Brian Beutler / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPMDC — Top GOPer On Super Committee Says No New Revenue, Games Out Strategy If Panel Fails — It's hard to see how the Super Committee can possibly reach a consensus by this time next week after Republican co-chair Jeb Hensarling's appearance on CNBC Tuesday night.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Brilliant at Breakfast and US Politics

The Caucus:

Perry Proposes Overhaul of Washington — BETTENDORF, Iowa — Gov. Rick Perry of Texas announced a proposal on Tuesday that ranks among the most radical plans to alter the federal government offered by any major Republican presidential candidate this year — and one that legal analysts …