memeorandum: Broadcasters fight plan to post names of political ad buyers on Web (Todd Shields/Washington Post)

3:45 PM ET, March 19, 2012

Top Items:

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

No ‘spark’ for Mitt Romney in Illinois — VERNON HILLS, Ill. - Same story, different state. — Mitt Romney has a roster of blue chip GOP supporters here, more resources and a superior organization in a state that seems a good fit to his brand of Republicanism.

Discussion: CNN, The Hill, Washington Monthly, Chicago Tribune, Reuters, New York Times, YouTube and American Power

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Romney up big in Illinois — Mitt Romney is headed for a blowout victory in Illinois on Tuesday. He leads with 45% to 30% for Rick Santorum, 12% for Newt Gingrich, and 10% for Ron Paul. — Romney's particularly strong among voters who live in suburban areas (50-29) and with those who live in urban areas (46-23).

Rick Santorum / CNN:
Santorum dings Romney while defending contraception stance

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Washington Monthly and Daily Kos

CNN:
Republicans ramp up efforts to slam Obama health law

Discussion: Politico

Ashley Parker / New York Times:
Romneys Court Women Put Off by Birth Control Issue

Discussion: The Caucus, Washington Post, Politico and The Page

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Santorum: Brokered convention more likely, hard for rivals to hit ‘magic number’

Discussion: Politico, Shakesville, GOP 12 and Swampland

Alexander Burns / Politico:
PPP: Romney up 15 in Illinois

Discussion: Hot Air, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and GOP 12

Bristol Palin:

Mr. President, When Should I Expect Your Call? — You don't know my telephone number, but I hope your staff is busy trying to find it. Ever since you called Sandra Fluke after Rush Limbaugh called her a slut, I figured I might be next. You explained to reporters you called …

Discussion: Mediaite, TBogg, Hot Air, Wake up America, Wonkette, Ed Driscoll, Don Surber, Conservatives4Palin and The Daily Caller

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

Krugman On ObamaCare - Just Make Stuff Up Faster Than The Opponents — Paul Krugman has decided to fight fiction with fiction in the health care debate, and when the opposition spreads BS, he will spread BS twice as hard. Waddya expect from a former Enron adviser? — He correctly notes this Republican miscue:

Discussion: Campaign 2012

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Hurray for Health Reform — It's said that you can judge a man by the quality of his enemies. If the same principle applies to legislation, the Affordable Care Act — which was signed into law two years ago, but for the most part has yet to take effect — sits in a place of high honor.

Discussion: Paul Krugman, Prairie Weather, The Caucus and Daily Kos

Greg Holyk / ABCNEWS:
As Health Care Law's Trial Approaches, Two-Thirds Say Ditch Individual Mandate

Discussion: LifeNews.com

Guardian:

Nobel peace prize winner defends law criminalising homosexuality in Liberia — Exclusive: In joint interview, Tony Blair refuses to comment on Liberian president's remarks supporting anti-gay laws — The Nobel peace prize winner and president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Clayton Cramer's Blog, Harry's Place, The Raw Story and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Roger Friedman / blogs.forbes.com/rogerfriedman:

Exclusive: Seller of Controversial Anti-Obama Sticker Says It's Not Racist — Exclusive: Paula Smith of Hinesville, Georgia has a company called Stickatude.com. And they're selling their own version of an anti-Obama bumper sticker that reads “Don't Re-Nig 2012.”

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Wonkette and Colorlines

Mackenzie Weinger / Politico:

Obama blamed troubles on Fox News, book says — President Barack Obama blamed Fox News for his political woes in a private meeting with labor leaders in 2010, saying he was “losing white males” who tune into the cable outlet and “hear Obama is a Muslim 24/7,” according to journalist David Corn's new book, “Showdown.”

Discussion: Reuters, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

Daily Mail:

THE TSA'S GREATEST HITS — The TSA issued apologies to two grandmothers in their late 80s who said they were strip searched at New York's JFK Airport in January. — In October, a TSA inspector found a vibrator in lawyer and feminist blogger Jill Filipovic's luggage …

Discussion: National Review, The Lonely Conservative and Weasel Zippers

Alexander Burns / Politico:

Romney: ‘The economy is coming back’ — So he said at a campaign stop in Springfield, Ill., this morning. POLITICO's Reid Epstein:

Discussion: Daily Kos and Swampland

Elise Viebeck / The Hill:

The Hill Poll: Voter gloom on Obama's jobs, gas, debt policies — Half of likely voters expect the Supreme Court to strike down President Obama's signature healthcare law, and strong majorities see other major policies coming from the White House making life more difficult for themselves and the country …

Discussion: Power Line, The PJ Tatler, Wake up America, Hot Air and The Heritage Foundation

Greg Wyshynski / Yahoo! Sports:

She's a Sens fan, her girlfriend's a Leafs fan and their marriage proposal during NHL game was adorable (VIDEO) — On Saturday night at Scotiabank Place, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan named Alicia stood on the ice during the second intermission wearing a blindfold.

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Towleroad News #gay

David Ignatius / Washington Post:

A lion in winter — What's riveting about the documents taken from Osama bin Laden's compound, beyond the headline items about plots to kill American leaders, is the way they allow the reader to get inside the terrorist mastermind's head. — I've only seen a small sample of the thousands …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hit & Run, NO QUARTER and Jihad Watch

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

'The Road We've Traveled:' A misleading account of Obama's mother and her insurance dispute — Narrator Tom Hanks: “He knew from experience the cost of waiting [on health care reform].” — President Obama : “When my mom got cancer, she wasn't a wealthy woman and it pretty much drained all her resources”

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Booman Tribune

Karoli / Crooks and Liars:

Romney Admits GOP Education Policy is Intended to Kill Unions — Republicans always say they want to get the federal government out of education. This comes in many forms, but usually they say something like “education should be returned to local control” or “I'll eliminate the Department of Education.”

Discussion: Hartford Courant, Fox News and aflcio.org

Robert Kuttner / American Prospect:

The Age of Double Standards — “But, Yossarian, suppose everyone felt that way.” — “Then,” said Yossarian, “I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way, wouldn't I?” —Joseph Heller, Catch-22 — Last November 29, American Airlines declared bankruptcy under Chapter 11 …

Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla

Christina D. Romer / New York Times:

That Wishful Thinking About Tax Rates — AT least since Calvin Coolidge, politicians have trumpeted the supply-side benefits of cutting marginal income tax rates. Lower rates will unleash economic growth and the cuts will largely pay for themselves — or so it's often said.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Change of Subject

Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:

Republicans go on offensive over rumors Obama may tap emergency oil reserves — Republicans launched a preemptive strike last week against rumored plans by the White House to tap the country's emergency oil reserves. — Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*

James Dao / New York Times:

Robert Bales: From Small-Town Ohio to Afghanistan — Robert Bales was outgoing in high school, receiving dancing accolades in his yearbook. Sergeant Bales is now accused of killing 16 people in Afghanistan. More Photos » — He was not the star, just a well-regarded young man who seemed to try to do the right thing.

Discussion: Campaign 2012, Weasel Zippers, News Desk and Prairie Weather

Alex Spillius / Telegraph:

Syria: ‘I am the real dictator’, declares Asma al-Assad — Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of Syria's president, told a friend that she was the “real dictator” in the family, according to leaked emails that suggest she holds a cherished place in the leader's inner circle.

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Fox News, Ed Driscoll and The PJ Tatler

Dylan Byers / Politico:

David Ignatius is national security go-to guy — Ignatius is also respected among White House officials because of his nonideological approach to national security, which puts him at odds with the Post's editorial page editor, Fred Hiatt. — “Fred sees himself as a liberal interventionist …

Discussion: The Huffington Post

Mickey Kaus / The Daily Caller:

Noah Buries Lede — If you omit government redistribution from the calculations in the previous paragraph then four countries that previously were more equal in incomes than the U.S.—Portugal, Italy, Israel, and Germany—become less equal than the U.S. — Wait.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Brian Tashman / rightwingwatch.org:

Pastor Dennis Terry Introduces Rick Santorum, Tells Liberals and Non-Christians to ‘Get Out’ of America — Greenwell Springs Baptist Church pastor Dennis Terry introduced presidential candidate Rick Santorum and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins tonight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana …

Discussion: Mediaite, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Holy Bullies …, The Agonist and Good As You