memeorandum: The Sad End of the Gingrich Campaign (Walter Shapiro/The New Republic)

10:25 AM ET, March 26, 2012

Top Items:

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

President Obama Asks Medvedev for ‘Space’ on Missile Defense — ‘After My Election I Have More Flexibility’ — SEOUL, South Korea — At the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Monday, President Obama said that he would have “more flexibility” …

Discussion: Power Line, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Taegan Goddard's …, The Spectacle Blog, The Heritage Foundation, Hot Air, Campaign 2012, White House Dossier, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Ricochet Conversations Feed

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

Obama asks Russia for ‘space’ through election — SEOUL - President Barack Obama offered a private request Monday to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for some “space” on missile defense ahead of November's elections. — “On all these issues, particularly on missile defense, this …

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers and Betsy's Page

Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza / The Atlantic Online:

How Obamacare Will Be Settled: A Primer on the Commerce Clause — As the Supreme Court hears arguments about the individual mandate, a complete look at the history of similar constitutional decisions. — Amid rampant speculation over the fate of Obamacare in the Supreme Court …

Discussion: The Agonist

Sam Baker / The Hill:

Hill Poll: Voters expect justices' personal views to decide health case — Half of likely voters want the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's healthcare law, according to The Hill's latest poll. — Just 42 percent said the court should uphold the law, with 50 percent saying it should be struck down.

Discussion: Hot Air

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

Health Act Arguments Open With Obstacle From 1867 — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday starts three days of hearings on the constitutionality of the 2010 health care overhaul law, an epic clash that could recast the very structure of American government.

Discussion: The Caucus, DCist and msnbc.com

Sam Baker / The Hill:

Supreme Court weighs the fate of Obama's landmark healthcare law — President Obama's signature domestic achievement — and, with it, a big part of his political legacy — is now in the hands of the Supreme Court. — The nine justices on Monday will begin hearing three consecutive days …

Discussion: Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, americanthinker.com and New York Times

Lucy Madison / CBS News:
Plouffe: GOP will “regret” branding health care “Obamacare”

Discussion: The New Republic, Bloomberg, Taylor Marsh, Politico and Washington Post

CNN:
Court challenge holds high stakes for Obama

Discussion: Politico, The Moderate Voice and Time

CBS News:

NYT reporter: Santorum outburst was for cameras — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — (CBS News) — When presidential hopeful Rick Santorum lost his cool with the press on Sunday, he was playing to the cameras to build support among conservative Republicans, the New York Times reporter who was on the other end …

Discussion: Washington Post

Lindsey Boerma / CBS News:
Santorum: Romney “worst Republican” to face Obama

Discussion: New York Times, americanthinker.com, Shakesville and NO QUARTER

Jonathan Martin / Politico:
GOP race nears tipping point

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
Santorum Calls Romney ‘Worst Republican’ to Run Against Obama

Discussion: GOP 12 and New York Magazine

Thomas Burr / Salt Lake Tribune:
Utah's Senator Mike Lee urges GOP to back Romney

Discussion: The Hill and About.com Conservative …

Patrick O'Connor / Washington Wire:
A Top House Leader Backs Romney

Discussion: CNN, The Hill, GOP 12, Los Angeles Times and The Political Carnival

Ker Than / National Geographic:

James Cameron Completes Record-Breaking Mariana Trench Dive — Solo sub dive is deepest ever. — The explorer-filmmaker emerges from his sub after returning from Challenger Deep. — Ker Than — At noon, local time (10 p.m. ET), James Cameron's “vertical torpedo” …

Discussion: Guardian, News Desk, ABCNEWS, Towleroad News #gay, The Daily Caller, Associated Press and Deadline.com

David Hamilton / CNET:

James Cameron hits the world's floor — and returns — The director pilots a submersible to the ocean's deepest point in the Mariana Trench, becoming the first person to make the nearly 7-mile dive alone. Naturally, a 3D film is in the works. — Follow @david_hamilton

Discussion: Grist, Newsy and The Stranger …

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Lobbyists, Guns and Money — Florida's now-infamous Stand Your Ground law, which lets you shoot someone you consider threatening without facing arrest, let alone prosecution, sounds crazy — and it is. And it's tempting to dismiss this law as the work of ignorant yahoos.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Daily Kos and Paul Krugman

Walter Shapiro / The New Republic:

The Sad End of the Gingrich Campaign — “At an age when most young men are focused on playing sports and meeting girls, Newt was fantasizing about saving the world.” —Steven M. Gillon, The Pact, 2008 — Despite Newt Gingrich's best efforts, it looks like the world is going to have to save itself.

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Emre Azizlerli / BBC:

Proving you're gay to the Turkish army — Military service is mandatory for all Turkish men - they can only escape it if they are ill, disabled or homosexual. But proving homosexuality is a humiliating ordeal. — “They asked me when I first had anal intercourse, oral sex, what sort of toys I played with as a child...”

Discussion: Towleroad News #gay, Truthdig and Joe. My. God.

BuzzFeed:

Can Matt Rhoades Go Big? — Give Romney's campaign manager credit: His careful defense and kitchen-sink offense have delivered the Republican nomination to a moderate from Massachusetts. Now Romney and his “Terminator” need the vision thing. — BOSTON, Mass. — The day after Super Tuesday …

Discussion: GOP 12 and The Daily Caller