memeorandum: For LSAT, Sharp Drop in Popularity for Second Year (David Segal/New York Times)

4:05 PM ET, March 20, 2012

Top Items:

Newt Gingrich / CNN:

TRENDING: Campaign calls De Niro comment ‘inappropriate’ after Gingrich blast — (CNN) - President Barack Obama's reelection organization said Tuesday it was “inappropriate” for Robert De Niro to joke at a campaign fundraiser in New York Monday that America wasn't “ready for a white first lady.”

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Mediaite, Politico, Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler, The Right Scoop, Jammie Wearing Fools and Gothamist

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Gingrich says actor Robert DeNiro's racially themed first lady joke ‘inexcusable’ — Newt Gingrich blasted actor Robert DeNiro for a racially themed joke during his introduction of first lady Michelle Obama at a fundraiser in New York City on Monday night, calling the comments “inexcusable.”

Discussion: Hot Air, Outside the Beltway and Booman Tribune

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

De Niro suggests it's ‘too soon’ for another white FLOTUS — Actor Robert De Niro thrilled the crowd at a New York fundraiser headlined by first lady Michelle Obama when he listed the alternatives. — “Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?”

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Mediaite, iOwnTheWorld.com, Weasel Zippers, alicublog and The Page

Chris Geidner / Poliglot:
Michelle Obama: Supreme Court Picks Will Impact Whether Americans Can “Love Whomever We Choose”

Discussion: Washington Post, Gay Politics, US Politics, Towleroad News #gay and ThinkProgress

Jennifer Bendery / The Huffington Post:
Robert DeNiro, Campaigning For President Obama, Asks: Is U.S. ‘Ready For A White First Lady?’

Discussion: The Raw Story

Pgoodenough / CNSNews:
First Lady: 2012 'Will Determine Nothing Less Than What Kind of World We'll be Leaving for Our Children'

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, iOwnTheWorld.com and The PJ Tatler

Ezra Klein:

Paul Ryan's budget: Should the poor pay for deficit reduction? — Here's the basic outline of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's 2013 budget in one sentence: Ryan's budget funds trillions of dollars in tax cuts, defense spending and deficit reduction by cutting deeply into health-care programs and income supports for the poor.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice and Guardian

Paul Ryan / Wall Street Journal:

The GOP Budget and America's Future — The president's budget gives more power to bureaucrats, takes more from taxpayers to fuel the expansion of government, and commits our nation to a future of debt and decline. — Less than a year ago, the House of Representatives passed a budget …

Discussion: Firedoglake, New York Times, Washington Post, msnbc.com, Washington Wire, Maggie's Farm, Ezra Klein, The Huffington Post, Politico, Newsy, The Incidental Economist, Fox News, Power Line, The Lonely Conservative, WE Blog and Hot Air

Derek Thompson / The Atlantic Online:

The Budget Wars: Why Obama and the GOP Are Light-Years Apart — If it seems like Republicans and Democrats are on different planets with their approach to budgeting, it's because they really are providing answers to completely different questions. — “This isn't just about math …

Discussion: American Prospect and Campaign 2012

Matthew Yglesias / Slate:

No, Paul Ryan Does Not Want To Strengthen The Safety Net … - Republican Voters Say They Want Strong Executive Experience. So Why Are They Voting for Rick Santorum? - Yes, Europe Has More Economic Mobility Than the U.S.—but Europeans Are Still Snobs - Of Course Birth Control Pills Should Be Sold Over the Counter.

Discussion: American Prospect, Booman Tribune, Nice Deb and The Maddow Blog

Rosalind S. Helderman / Washington Post:
GOP budget plan cuts deeply into domestic programs, reshapes Medicare, Medicaid

Discussion: Firedoglake, Vodkapundit, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, RedState and The Maddow Blog

Jeremy Herb / The Hill:
GOP budget boosts defense spending

Discussion: ThinkProgress and The Project …

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Media scrubs Malia Obama vacation story — The AFP, the Huffington Post and other websites have scrubbed a report about first daughter Malia Obama's Spring Break vacation. — On Monday, the AFP reported that Obama's daughter was vacationing abroad, along with a number of friends and 25 Secret Service agents.

Discussion: National Review, NewsBusters.org, Agence France Presse, The Volokh Conspiracy, The Raw Story, Weasel Zippers, Outside the Beltway and The PJ Tatler

Erica Ritz / TheBlaze.com:
WHY IS THE STORY ABOUT MALIA OBAMA VACATIONING IN MEXICO DISAPPEARING FROM THE WEB?

Discussion: Hit & Run, BuzzFeed, TBogg, Wake up America, Mediaite, CANNONFIRE, alicublog, Moonbattery, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers, The Lonely Conservative and iOwnTheWorld.com

Jonathon M. Seidl / TheBlaze.com:
WHITE HOUSE ADMITS TO ASKING NEWS AGENCIES TO PULL MALIA OBAMA VACATION STORY

Discussion: GOP 12, International Business Times, Wonkette, Mediaite, protein wisdom and Wizbang

Montreal Gazette:
Obama's daughter spends spring break in Mexico

Discussion: Maggie's Notebook and The Raw Story

Beth Kassab / Orlando Sentinel:

“Stand your ground” law goes too far — You can't say we weren't warned. — Back in 2005, opponents of Florida's first-of-its-kind “stand your ground” law said it wouldn't be long before we'd see shootouts in the streets — all in the name of self-defense.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, In America, New York Times, MiamiHerald.com, The Lede, Shakesville, southernstudies.org, No More Mister Nice Blog, American Prospect and Balloon Juice

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Fox News Commenters React to Trayvon Martin: ‘Good Shot Zimmy’ — I don't even know what to say about this any more; the comments about Trayvon Martin at Fox News are just unbelievable. — Here's the article: Department of Justice Opens Investigation Into Case of Black Teenager Killed by Neighborhood Watch Captain |

Discussion: Fox News and Booman Tribune

Frances Robles / MiamiHerald.com:

Grand jury to probe Trayvon Martin killing — Mounting pressure in Trayvon Martin case succeeds in prompting a federal probe as well as an investigation by a state grand jury. — FROBLES@MIAMIHERALD.COM — A grand jury will look into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Brevard County State Attorney Norm Wolfinger said Tuesday.

WESH-TV:
State Attorney Sends Trayvon Martin Case To Grand Jury

Discussion: The Raw Story

Charles Mahtesian / Politico:

Illinois primary: 5 things to watch — After three consecutive Tuesdays marked by multi-state primaries, the GOP presidential race returns to the single state showdown: Illinois. — The contest, largely waged between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum since Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul all but gave …

Discussion: CNN, Runnin' Scared and Washington Post

Alexander Burns / Politico:
Santorum outgunned 7 to 1 in Illinois, 21 to 1 in Chicago media market

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, Guardian, Washington Monthly and ABCNEWS

ABCNEWS:
Santorum Campaign Floats New Delegate Math Showing Much Tighter Race With Romney

Discussion: blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Washington Post and Indecision Forever

Ashley Perks / The Hill:
Romney poised for key Illinois win

Discussion: CNN, The Atlantic Online, Washington Wire, Washington Post, Indecision Forever, Fox News, Ballot Box, NationalJournal.com, Shakesville and ThinkProgress

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
In Illinois, Santorum's Chance at Nomination Is Slipping Away

Discussion: CNN, Washington Monthly, The American Conservative, Chicago Sun Times, The New Republic, Wall Street Journal, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Boston Globe, PJ Media and News Desk

Marc Ambinder / GQ:

Exclusive: GQ Reveals Romney's and Santorum's Secret Service Code Names — They are the best kept secrets of any presidential campaign—until someone overhears a whispered shout into a wrist microphone. Candidates who get Secret Service protection get to choose the code word that they'll be called …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Online NewsHour, American Prospect, USA Today, New York Magazine, The Caucus and Wonkette

David Segal / New York Times:

For LSAT, Sharp Drop in Popularity for Second Year — Legal diplomas are apparently losing luster. — The organization behind the Law School Admission Test reported that the number of tests it administered this year dropped by more than 16 percent, the largest decline in more than a decade.

Discussion: TaxProf Blog, Instapundit and Law Blog

Mark Knoller / CBS News:

National Debt has increased more under Obama than under Bush — (CBS News) The National Debt has now increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency. — The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Michelle Malkin, Hit & Run, Hot Air, Wake up America, The Lonely Conservative, IMAO, Pirate's Cove and The PJ Tatler

CBS New York:

Bloomberg Strikes Again: NYC Bans Food Donations To The Homeless — Has The Mayor Totally Eaten Away At The Public's Desire To Do Good? — NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Mayor Michael Bloomberg's food police have struck again! — Outlawed are food donations to homeless shelters because the city …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Jeff Stier / New York Post:
No Kugel for you! — So much for serving the homeless.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Maggie's Farm and Weasel Zippers

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

Joe Biden On Bin Laden Raid: Most ‘Audacious Plan’ In 500 Years … REACT: — FOLLOW: — 2012 Election, Joe Biden, Osama Bin Laden, Elections 2012, Election 2012 Blog, Biden Bin Laden, Joe-Biden-Bin-Laden, Politics News — Vice President Joseph Biden on Monday night upped …

Discussion: Hot Air, Don Surber, Sense of Events, National Review, BLACKFIVE, The POH Diaries, Outside the Beltway, Wizbang, Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller and Taylor Marsh

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Warren holds small lead in MA-Senate race — PPP's newest Massachusetts poll finds Elizabeth Warren leading Scott Brown 46-41. — Brown is not proving to be an overwhelmingly popular Senator. 45% of voters approve of the job he's doing to 42% who disapprove.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Boston Globe