memeorandum: Dick Lugar's political twilight? (David Catanese/Politico)

10:05 AM ET, May 7, 2012

Top Items:

Susan Page / USA Today:

Swing states' poll: Big challenges loom for Obama, Romney — Six months out, it's a tie. — The first USA TODAY/Gallup Swing States Poll since the GOP settled on a presumptive nominee shows big challenges for each side: Mitt Romney in generating enthusiasm and a personal connection with his supporters …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, GOP 12, CNN, Mediaite, Swampland, msnbc.com and The Hill

James Hohmann / Politico:

Battleground Poll: Obama, Romney in dead heat — A new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Poll finds a dead heat in the presidential race six months before the election. — Mitt Romney edged out President Barack Obama 48 percent to 47 percent among likely voters …

Discussion: GOP 12, Washington Post, CNN, White House Dossier, ThinkProgress, The Page and National Review

Politico:
Republican poll analysis: The race to November begins

Discussion: CNN

Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Obama-Romney Race Competitive in 2012 Swing States

Discussion: msnbc.com and blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Those Revolting Europeans — The French are revolting. The Greeks, too. And it's about time. — Both countries held elections Sunday that were in effect referendums on the current European economic strategy, and in both countries voters turned two thumbs down.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos, Wall Street Journal, Althouse, Cafe Hayek and THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

Noah Barkin / Reuters:
Analysis: Greek, French voters reject German-led austerity

Discussion: National Review

New York Times:
Hollande Defeats Sarkozy in France

Discussion: The Huffington Post, FRANCE 24, The PJ Tatler, Sultan Knish, Hot Air, Runnin' Scared, Israel Matzav, World Now, Gothamist, Newsy, Outside the Beltway and Wall Street Journal

Agence France Presse:

Obama invites Hollande to White House — President Barack Obama congratulated French president-elect Francois Hollande for his victory Sunday, but warned of “challenges” ahead, a clear reference to Afghanistan and eurozone debt crisis. — The US president was among the first world leaders …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and The Gateway Pundit

John Cassidy / Rational Irrationality:
Sarko's Defeat: Good and Bad News for Obama

Discussion: Agence France Presse, Cafe Hayek and Outside the Beltway

Reuters:
Socialist Hollande ousts Sarkozy as French leader

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Left Coast Rebel, Hit & Run and Big Brass Blog

BBC:
Socialist Francois Hollande wins French presidency

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation, Ezra Klein, The PJ Tatler, Washington Post, CBC News, Guardian, Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, The Gateway Pundit and Conservatives4Palin

NBC / msnbc.com: French President Sarkozy admits defeat in presidential bid

Matthew Holehouse / Telegraph:
French Presidential election: live

Discussion: Shot in the Dark, Spiegel Online, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, American Power, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, National Review and Atlas Shrugs

Associated Press: Socialist Francois Hollande defeats Nicolas Sarkozy in French presidential election

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Arne Duncan Endorses Marriage Equality — Arne Duncan, President Obama's Secretary of Education, endorsed marriage equality during an appearance on Morning Joe on Monday following Vice President Joe Biden's support for the issue. “Yes, I do,” Duncan said in response to a question from Mark Halperin …

Discussion: Poliglot, Washington Blade, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, Taylor Marsh and Towleroad News #gay

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:

A Scramble as Biden Backs Same-Sex Marriage — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said on Sunday that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriages and was heartened by their growing acceptance across the country, a position that moves well beyond the “evolving” views that President Obama has said he holds on the issue.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Politico, msnbc.com, JustOneMinute, Capital New York, Campaign 2012 and The Daily Dish

Brian Knowlton / The Caucus:
Biden ‘Comfortable’ With Gay Marriage

Discussion: Washington Blade, Outside the Beltway, Newsy, Mother Jones, LGBTQ Nation, Politico, ThinkProgress and Joe. My. God.

Kevin Sieff / Washington Post:

Secret U.S. program releases high-level insurgents in exchange for pledges of peace — KABUL — The United States has for several years been secretly releasing high-level detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, a bold effort to quell violence …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Jawa Report, New York Magazine, Reuters, The Gateway Pundit and This ain't Hell …

Ernesto Londoño / Washington Post:
U.S. abandons consulate site in Afghanistan, citing security risks

Discussion: emptywheel, Hot Air and The Gateway Pundit

Dave Umhoefer / PolitiFact:

Behind the rhetoric: Why Scott Walker was able to raise unlimited funds — Democrats and their recall allies decry the law that has helped Gov. Scott Walker out-raise his opponents combined by $11 million dollars without regard to normal campaign contribution limits.

Steve Mistler / Portland Press-Herald:

Ron Paul in Maine: Delegates in hand, but trouble afoot? — Mitt Romney supporters consider challenging the results of Maine's GOP convention. — AUGUSTA - Chaos. Turmoil. Insane. — Those were just three of the words attendees used Sunday to describe the Maine Republican State Convention …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Anjeanette Damon / Las Vegas Sun:
Ron Paul supporters capture majority of Nevada's national delegates

Discussion: Washington Post, Des Moines Register, Hit & Run, Associated Press, Washington Wire, Portland Press-Herald, Las Vegas Sun, The Spectacle Blog and Las Vegas Review-Journal

James O'Keefe / Twitchy:

N.H. Attorney General tried to serve a criminal subpoena on me … Backstory: … Here is the video: — In response to the video, New Hampshire enacted a voter ID law in March: … O'Keefe may not have much luck with Eric Holder. Earlier this year, he also exposed how easy it was to get a ballot in Eric Holder's name.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Power Line

Khaled Yacoub Oweis / Reuters:

Syria's Muslim Brotherhood rise from the ashes — (Reuters) - At a meeting of Syria's opposition, Muslim Brotherhood officials gather round Marxists colleagues, nudging them to produce policy statements for the Syrian National Council, the main political group challenging President Bashar al-Assad.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and Jihad Watch

Gregg Re / The Daily Caller:

SNL cuts sketch critical of Obama, replaces it with Fox News parody — The Daily Caller has obtained a scrapped sketch critical of President Barack Obama that was intended for airing at the opening of last night's “Saturday Night Live” on NBC. — In the skit, President Obama addresses Americans soon …