memeorandum: Why an MRI costs $1,080 in America and $280 in France (Ezra Klein)

8:10 PM ET, March 4, 2012

Top Items:

George Will: Republican Leaders Are Afraid of Rush Limbaugh — Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh has been inundated with criticism after calling Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University student who testified before a House committee about contraception, a “slut” and a “prostitute.”

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Outside the Beltway

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

Make an example of Carbonite (Update: ProFlowers joins Rush boycott) — Liberal groups have seized on a strategy I didn't think would be effective, but has had some success, to go after advertisers of prominent conservative media personalities. — Media Matters explicitly seeks to bring …

Discussion: Doug Ross and Rumproast

Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:

Gingrich Scolds Gregory and Media for Making Limbaugh ‘The Great National Crisis of This Week’ — With all that ails the nation, Meet the Press host David Gregory actually began his interview with Newt Gingrich by asking him about contraceptives and Rush Limbaugh.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Kirsten Powers / The Daily Beast:

Rush Limbaugh Isn't the Only Media Misogynist — Rush Limbaugh apologized on Saturday for calling a Georgetown Law student a slut for testifying about contraception and starting a firestorm of outrage. Kirsten Powers says the liberals who led the charge need to start holding their own side accountable.

Discussion: Wake up America, Instapundit, NewsBusters.org, Sky Dancing and NO QUARTER

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Have You No Shame, Rush? — AS a woman who has been viciously slashed by Rush Limbaugh, I can tell you, it's no fun. — At first you think, if he objects to the substance of what you're saying, why can't he just object to the substance of what you're saying? Why go after you in the most personal and humiliating way?

Discussion: The Last Tradition, Angry Bear, The Moderate Voice, Washington Post, Prairie Weather, Althouse and Daily Kos

The Huffington Post:
Rush Limbaugh Apologizes To Sandra Fluke For Calling Her A ‘Slut’

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, NewsBusters.org, News One and ThinkProgress, more at Mediagazer »

Marist Poll:

3/4: Santorum and Romney Neck and Neck in Ohio — Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are locked in a tight battle in the race for the Republican nomination in Ohio. Among likely Republican primary voters including those who are undecided yet leaning toward a candidate, early voters …

Discussion: Politico, The Caucus, Sky Dancing, The Last Tradition, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys, Washington Post, Hotline On Call and The Page

Vicki Needham / The Hill:

Eric Cantor endorses Romney for president — The House's second-ranking Republican is backing Mitt Romney for president. — Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) endorsed Romney on NBC's “Meet the Press” two days ahead of the Super Tuesday primaries where some 419 delegates are at stake.

Discussion: Politico

Meghashyam Mali / Ballot Box:
Two polls find Romney, Santorum tied in Ohio

Discussion: The Reaction, Politico and The Moderate Voice

Reuters:
Romney catches Santorum in Ohio dead heat: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Scared Monkeys and Zandar Versus The Stupid

First Read / msnbc.com:
NBC News/Marist poll: Santorum, Romney neck and neck in Ohio

Discussion: Daily Kos, CNN, Outside the Beltway and Politico

ABCNEWS:
‘This Week’ Transcript: Newt Gingrich and David Axelrod

Discussion: Washington Post

Fox News:
Romney notches fifth straight win with Washington state GOP caucuses

Discussion: The Daily Weekly, The Lonely Conservative and Hit & Run

Seattle Times:
Big win in state propels Romney into Super Tuesday

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Real Clear Politics and Patterico's Pontifications

CNN:
CNN projects Romney will win Washington state caucuses

Discussion: WTVR-TV, Hot Air, Los Angeles Times, Big Government, Zandar Versus The Stupid, State of the Union, The Other McCain, Washington Monthly, Runnin' Scared, Campaign 2012, americanthinker.com, Balloon Juice, Politico and Scared Monkeys

Bob Egelko / San Francisco Chronicle:

Santorum backs nullifying existing gay marriages — There are 18,000 married gay and lesbian couples in California and at least 131,000 nationwide according to the 2010 census, conducted before New York state legalized same-sex marriage in July. — Rick Santorum says he'll try to unmarry all of them if he's elected president.

Discussion: M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S …, Outside the Beltway, The Daily What and Joe. My. God.

Keith O'Brien / Telegraph:
We cannot afford to indulge this madness

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Towleroad News #gay, Althouse and Guardian

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:

Putin's Election Seems Assured, but Uncertainty Remains in Russia — MOSCOW — Russian voters headed to the polls on Sunday all but certain to award Vladimir V. Putin a six-year term as president, setting the stage for a far more suspenseful post-election confrontation between him and opposition groups …

Discussion: Via Meadia and Outside the Beltway

Reuters:
Russia's Putin seeks Kremlin return, critics cry foul

Discussion: Pat Dollard and americanthinker.com

The Right Scoop:

Newt owns David Gregory on contraception debate — This is even better than how Newt responded to this issue on ABC this morning. He refused to allow Gregory to frame this as a women's rights issue and made clear that there is no one blocking access to contraception.

Discussion: Verum Serum

Calgary Herald − Breaking news …:

Iran election sees Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's faction losing amid high turnout — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad makes the victory sign after voting at a polling station in Tehran on March 2, 2012. The election is seeing Ahmadenijad's faction losing support amid high turnout.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Mickey Kaus / The Daily Caller:

It's not because Breitbart was combative — A friend emails, with results of a near-scientific experiment: — I just watched John Avlon's Daily Beast commentary about the ugly tweets celebrating Andrew's passing. His underlying logic, like some other commentary I've read …

Discussion: protein wisdom

Emmett Berg / Reuters:

Three Occupy Oakland protesters charged with hate crimes — (Reuters) - Three Occupy Oakland protesters accused of surrounding and taunting a woman before stealing her wallet were charged on Friday with robbery and hate crimes, authorities said. — Michael Davis, 32, Nneka Crawford, 23 …

Discussion: Big Government and Weasel Zippers

Inside Bay Area:
Three Occupy Oakland protesters arrested for robbery and a hate crime, both felonies

Discussion: CBS San Francisco, Don Surber, The Gateway Pundit, Scared Monkeys, KTVU-TV, The Other McCain, americanthinker.com, Power Line and Moe Lane

Daily Mail:

‘SHOCKED’ LIBYAN AUTHORITIES ‘EXTREMELY APOLOGETIC’ OVER WAR GRAVES ATTACK — The Libyan government has been ‘extremely apologetic’ about the desecration of British war graves in the eastern city of Benghazi, a Foreign Office Minister said today. — Jeremy Browne said people …

Discussion: BBC, msnbc.com, Power Line, Jihad Watch and Atlas Shrugs