memeorandum: Secret Service Agents Accused of Misconduct (New York Times)

2:45 PM ET, April 14, 2012

Top Items:

U.S. Secret Service agents recalled from Colombia — The U.S. Secret Service is investigating allegations of misconduct by agents who had been sent to Cartagena, Colombia, to provide security for President Obama's trip to a summit that began there Friday. — Edwin Donovan, an agency spokesman …

Dan Lothian / CNN:

Secret Service agents relieved of duty in Colombia amid alleged misconduct — Cartagena, Colombia (CNN) — Secret Service agents sent to Colombia ahead of President Barack Obama were relieved of duty and returned home amid allegations of misconduct, a spokesman said.

Discussion: Gawker

New York Times:

Secret Service Agents Accused of Misconduct — CARTAGENA, Colombia — Twelve Secret Service agents assigned to this port city in advance of President Obama's arrival for the Summit of the Americas were relieved of duty, amid accusations of misconduct that is said to have involved prostitution, a government official confirmed Friday.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, New York Magazine and The Confluence

Bookworm Room:

The real threat that the Ann Romneys of the world represent to the statist Left — I've been thinking (and if those aren't ominous words, I don't know what are). I've been thinking about the Left's attack on stay-at-home Mom's, an attack that Hilary Rosen started, and that others have continued.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Power Line, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, protein wisdom, Maggie's Farm, The Other McCain, Althouse, Pundit & Pundette, The Gateway Pundit and NewsBusters.org blogs

Linda Hirshman / Washington Post:
Hilary Rosen was right: Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life.

Discussion: Feministe, US Politics, Democracy in America, Crooks and Liars and Conservatives4Palin

Wall Street Journal:
Peggy Noonan: It's Over. What Have We Learned?

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Crooks and Liars

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

Isn't It Romantic? — Feminism's latest triumph: Boys are afraid of girls. — (Best of the tube tonight: Catch us on Fox Business's “Lou Dobbs Tonight.” The program starts at 7 p.m. ET, with a repeat showing at 10, and our panel will appear in the latter half-hour.)

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Villainous Company, The Mahablog, protein wisdom and GILL REPORT

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Hilary Rosen on ‘Meet the Press’? Seriously.

Discussion: The Nation, US Politics and Booman Tribune

Hilary Rosen / msnbc.com:
Statement from Hilary Rosen

Discussion: American Spectator, Mediaite, Campaign 2012, Lynn Sweet and The Hill

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:

Rep. Virginia Foxx On People With Student Loans: ‘I Have Very Little Tolerance’ For Them — Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) took on a unique enemy during a radio interview yesterday: people with student loans. — Though many politicians sympathize with those who are saddled with exorbitant student debt …

Discussion: Daily Kos

Steve Benen / The Maddow Blog:

‘Like watching a temper tantrum by a 2-year-old’ — Candidates seeking high office, especially those who are novices unfamiliar with the basics of American government, often perceive political careers as glamorous. After the election, however, these candidates confront a cold reality …

Discussion: Wonkette and Hullabaloo

Billy Hallowell / TheBlaze.com:

'BROTHER AIN'T SHOOTING NO BLANKS': FARRAKHAN TELLS BLACKS — BREEDING WITH WHITES IS THE ‘END OF YOUR RACE’ — Louis Farrakhan, The Nation of Islam's infamous leader, is known for issuing some bizarre commentary on a variety of social and political issues.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Sheila Bair / Washington Post:

Fix income inequality with $10 million loans for everyone! — Are you concerned about growing income inequality in America? Are you resentful of all that wealth concentrated in the 1 percent? I've got the perfect solution, a modest proposal that involves just a small adjustment in the Federal Reserve's easy monetary policy.

Discussion: The Other McCain and The Big Picture

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Obama puts bully in bully pulpit — President Obama in recent days has provided a taste of the sharp tone he will use in the general election against Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee. — Obama has emerged this year with sharper elbows than the “no-drama” candidate had in 2008.

Associated Press:

Obama 2008 Gains Key to Presidential Battleground — An analysis of the state-by-state race to 270 electoral votes, the total needed to win the presidency, and where Democratic incumbent Barack Obama and likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney stand now. The numbers reflect electoral votes:

Discussion: Politico, Reuters and Taegan Goddard's …

Andrea Thomas / Dow Jones Newswires:

Soros: EU Survival Requires More German Pragmatism — Soros says the EU is unlikely to survive the debt crisis without more pragmatic German policies — Soros says Europe faces a long period of economic stagnation or worse — BERLIN (Dow Jones)—The European Union is unlikely …

Discussion: The Huffington Post