memeorandum: RNC at a Crossroads (Politico)

7:30 PM ET, April 20, 2012

Top Items:

Matt Gutman / ABCNEWS:

Warning Graphic Photo: Possible New Evidence Shows George Zimmerman's Bloodied Head — A new photograph obtained exclusively by ABC News showing the bloodied back of George Zimmerman's head, which was apparently taken three minutes after he shot and killed Trayvon Martin …

Discussion: UrbanGrounds, JustOneMinute, New York Magazine and Clayton Cramer's Blog

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

The George Zimmerman Bail Hearing — Wow - some days chicken salad and some days Florida state prosecutor. — George Zimmerman will be released on bail, set at $150,000. The prosecution had asked for $1 million, the defense for $15,000. — CNN has 1, 2, 3 transcripts.

Discussion: TalkLeft, This Just In and Guardian

Faiz Shakir / ThinkProgress:
Prosecutor: Zimmerman Allegedly Slapped His Ex-Girlfriend And ‘Asked Her How It Felt’

Discussion: Jezebel and Colorlines

Richard Fausset / Los Angeles Times:
George Zimmerman apologizes to Trayvon Martin family; bond is set

Discussion: DISSENTING JUSTICE, The New Republic and No More Mister Nice Blog

Alex Alvarez / Mediaite:
GMA Shows Exclusive Images Of George Zimmerman's Head Injuries From Night Of Trayvon's Death

Discussion: Taylor Marsh

New York Times:
Zimmerman's Bail Set at $150,000 in Martin Shooting

Discussion: Guardian and The Week

CNN:

Romney asks GOP delegates to sign pledge, but some refuse — Scottsdale, Arizona (CNN) - Members of the Republican National Committee gathering in Arizona were invited to meet with Mitt Romney in private Friday and have their pictures taken with the presumptive GOP nominee, but there was a price of admission: loyalty.

Discussion: Politico, Wonkette and ABCNEWS

Politico:

RNC at a Crossroads — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Here at the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess Resort, the Republican National Committee is mired in the minutiae of the nominating calendar and convention rules. — Meanwhile, back at 1401 New York Ave., NW, in a nondescript office suite in downtown Washington …

Discussion: CNN and Daily Kos

Mitch Daniels / CNN:
Daniels offers tough love for Romney

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Hot Air and Mediaite

Jonathan Martin / Politico:
Mitt Romney's challenge: Convincing GOP he can win

Discussion: CNN, ABCNEWS, New York Magazine, The Caucus, New York Times, Indianapolis Star, Connecting.the.Dots, Online NewsHour, Hotline On Call and The Hill

Dan Friedman / NationalJournal.com:

Manchin on the Fence About Obama Vote — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has done more than any other Democrat up for reelection this year to distance himself from President Obama, said he does not know if he will vote for Obama or presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney in November.

Discussion: CNN, Hit & Run, Don Surber, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, The Reaction, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Taegan Goddard's …, Outside the Beltway, Hotline On Call, The PJ Tatler, GOP 12 and Wonkette

Ry Rivard / Charleston Daily Mail:
Raese blasted for Hitler comment

Discussion: Politico

Joe Manchin / CNN:
TRENDING: Manchin may buck party in presidential vote

Discussion: The Political Carnival, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and New York Magazine

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:

New Romney Spokesman Used Twitter For Sexist Attacks — Presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney's new foreign policy spokesperson Richard Grenell has an odd penchant for targeting the wives of male politicians and women in general on Twitter. — Grenell, who served as George W. Bush's spokesperson …

Discussion: Politico, New York Magazine, Washington Post and Towleroad News #gay

Alexander Burns / Politico:

New Romney flack's old pastime: ridiculing the Gingriches — Mitt Romney's campaign put out word Thursday that Richard Grenell, the former Bush administration spokesman at the United Nations, was joining his team as a spokesman on foreign policy issues. — In between his gigs at the UN …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Poliglot, Indecision Forever, Guardian and Joe. My. God.

Nicole Hemmer / Campaign Stops:
The Boys Who Cried Fox

Discussion: American Prospect and Daily Kos

Fox News:

Palin to Secret Service agent: 'Check this out - you're fired ... the buck stops with the president' — This is a rush transcript from “On the Record,” April 19, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. — GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: First, talk about rotten luck!

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Reuters, Enik Rising, HotAirPundit and A plain blog about politics

RealClearPolitics Video Log:
Palin To Secret Service Agent: “Check This Out, Bodyguard — You're Fired”

Discussion: tpmmuckraker …, Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Booman Tribune, Hot Air, Wonkette, Don Surber, Indecision Forever, Weasel Zippers and Pat Dollard

Dana Bash / CNN:
Ousted Secret Service agent posted Palin pics on Facebook

Discussion: Fox News, The PJ Tatler and iOwnTheWorld.com

Ben Jacobs / The Daily Beast:

Brian Schweitzer: Mitt Romney's ‘Family Came From a Polygamy Commune in Mexico’ — Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer says Mitt Romney's roots in Mexico will hurt him with female voters. — The Daily Beast contacted the office of Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer today to talk about whether his state …

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Post, Politico, National Review, Wonkette, The Daily Caller, RedState, msnbc.com, Fausta's Blog, New York Magazine, The Raw Story, The Other McCain, American Power, The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Mediaite and The Reality-Based Community

Gateway Guest Blogger / The Gateway Pundit:
Oops! Dem Governor Bashes Romney for Polygamist Roots - Forgets About Obama's Polygamist DAD

Discussion: Lean Left, Ed Driscoll and The Other McCain

NewsMax.com:

Jeb Warns Newsmax: Get Ready For ‘Most Negative Campaign’ Ever — More ways to share... Mixx — Stumbled — LinkedIn — Vine — Buzzflash — Newstrust — Technocrati — Forward Article — Americans are facing what will likely be the “most negative campaign in modern times” …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Politico, Guardian, CNN and Mediaite

Manu Raju / Politico:
Rubio's DREAM puts Mitt in a bind

Discussion: Indecision Forever, New York Times, ABCNEWS, Hullabaloo, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and Washington Post

Jeff Poor / The Daily Caller:

Coulter: Obama's silver spoon was ‘an affirmative action silver spoon’ — Conservative commentator Ann Coulter told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday that Democratic attempts to highlight presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's wealth are not only unfair, but likely to backfire.

Discussion: Associated Press, rightwingwatch.org, Hot Air and Mediaite

Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Mitt Romney's 'Obama Isn't Working' Banner Evokes Racial Stereotypes

Discussion: protein wisdom, The Huffington Post, The PJ Tatler, BuzzFeed, Left Coast Rebel, The Right Sphere, National Review, Wake up America, Washington Monthly, PERRspectives, No More Mister Nice Blog, Shakesville, Weasel Zippers, Patterico's Pontifications and Washington Post

Amanda Terkel / The Huffington Post:

Heather Wilson Mocks Al Franken's Anti-Bullying Bill, Says It Would Criminalize Teasing … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Al Franken , Elections 2012, Video, Heather Wilson, New Mexico Senate Election, SB 555, Al Franken Bullying, Anti-Bullying, Election 2012, Gay Bullying, Heather Wilson Al Franken …

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Chris Geidner / Poliglot:
BREAKING: White House Endorses Safe Schools Bill and Student Non-Discrimination Act

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Joe. My. God.

Rex W. Huppke / Chicago Tribune:

Facts, 360 B.C.-A.D. 2012 — In memoriam: After years of health problems, Facts has finally died. — A quick review of the long and illustrious career of Facts reveals some of the world's most cherished absolutes: Gravity makes things fall down; 2 + 2 = 4; the sky is blue.

Discussion: JIMROMENESKO.COM and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

Gregory Korte / USA Today:

Misinformation campaign targets USA TODAY reporter, editor — WASHINGTON - A USA TODAY reporter and editor investigating Pentagon propaganda contractors have themselves been subjected to a propaganda campaign of sorts, waged on the Internet through a series of bogus websites. — Sponsored Links

Discussion: Gawker, Guardian, 24Ahead, ThinkProgress, Media Decoder, Politico, New York Magazine and The Raw Story, more at Mediagazer »

J. Lester Feder / Politico:

HHS hires former Planned Parenthood spokesman — If the Obama administration was already on bad terms with abortion opponents, it's not going to improve relations by hiring Planned Parenthood's former spokesman for a job at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Jobless rate falls in Ohio, Florida, where Obama is opening lead in polls — Unemployment rates in the key battleground states of Florida and Ohio have fallen sharply, according to a report released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. — Florida's unemployment rate fell by .4 percent …

Discussion: The Political Carnival and Indecision Forever

Joshua Rhett Miller / Fox News:

LEGOs for girls has feminist group in a twist — The new “Lego Friends” line rolled out in December features LadyFigs, curvier takeoffs on the traditional boxy figurines that live in a place called Heartlake City. Shown above is a set depicting “Stephanie's Outdoor Bakery.” (LEGO.com)

Discussion: Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and The PJ Tatler

Erick Stakelbeck / CBN.com:

Media Matters' Anti-Christian Agenda Exposed — WASHINGTON — An influential organization with ties to the White House came under fire recently for attacking Christian news outlets. — Now, CBN News has obtained a document showing that the very foundation of the group known as Media Matters …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and Washington Free Beacon

Ryan Grim / The Huffington Post:

4/20: How ‘Weed Day’ Got Its Name … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Video, 4 20, 4 20 Meaning, 4-20, 420, 420, 420 Day, 420 History, 420 Meaning, April 20 History, April 20, History Of 420, Photo Galleries, Why Is 420 Weed Day, San Francisco News … Warren Haynes, the Allman Brothers Band guitarist …

Discussion: Hit & Run and The Hairpin