memeorandum: Obama stumbles out of the gate (Politico)

12:30 PM ET, May 25, 2012

Top Items:

Convicted Bomber Brett Kimberlin, Neal Rauhauser, Ron Brynaert, and Their Campaign of Political Terrorism — You're about to listen to one of the most bone-chilling pieces of audio you will ever hear. At least, it was to me when I first heard it. — It's a phone call that could have gotten me killed.

Washington Examiner:

How to kill the First Amendment — Fox News' Roger Ailes said this recently during an address at his alma mater, Ohio University: “I have one wish for OU, that it continues to be a place for open debate where people from different points of view with various opinions can meet and discuss these things openly.

Discussion: The Daley Gator, Sister Toldjah, BackyardConservative and The Camp Of The Saints

John Hawkins / Right Wing News:

Interviewing Robert Stacy McCain About Brett Kimberlin — Robert Stacy McCain, who blogs at RWN on occasion, has become a story himself this week. After reporting on “Speedway Bomber” Brett Kimberlin, Stacy announced to the world that Kimberlin had been in touch with his wife's employer …

Discussion: All American Blogger, Wintery Knight, Roderic Deane, Darth Chipmunk, Midwest Conservative Journal, The Radio Patriot, An Ex-Con's View, Allergic to Bull, RedState, LEE STRANAHAN dot COM, Wizbang and The Coalition Of The Swilling

FilmLadd Blogs:
Top Signs You're Being Harassed By Brett Kimberlin

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Dedicated Tenther, The Other McCain, Pirate's Cove, minx.cc, Theo Spark, RedState and Blazing Cat Fur

Mike Allenand Jim Vandehei / Politico:

Obama stumbles out of the gate — Nothing inspires Democrats like the Barack Obama swagger — the supreme self-confidence on stage, the self-certainty in private. — So nothing inspires more angst than when that same Obama stumbles, as he has leaving the gate in 2012.

Discussion: msnbc.com, Mediaite, The Moderate Voice, The PJ Tatler, americanthinker.com, Hot Air and Stop The ACLU

Politico:

Obama stumbles out of the gate — “I feel like they are overly relying on the have-nots out-voting the haves,” said one well-known Democrat close to the campaign. “The economy has gotten a lot better for a lot of people. Instead of making those people feel good about growing businesses …

Discussion: The New Republic and Swampland

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
Wow!... Obama Campaign Holds Protest Outside Romney Stop in Philly (Video)

Discussion: Universal Companies, Nice Deb, Washington Post, Lady Liberty 1885, Wonkette, Weasel Zippers, Fire Andrea Mitchell! and White House Dossier

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Obama Leaps Into Direct Attacks — DES MOINES — With the general election campaign now under way, one thing has become clear: There will be no Rose Garden strategy for President Obama. — If past incumbents have been reluctant to directly engage opponents this early in an election year …

Discussion: American Prospect, White House Dossier, The Caucus and The Hill

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
The Ultimate Dark Horse

Discussion: Mother Jones, Washington Monthly and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Washington Post:
Romney holds key advantages among financially struggling white voters

Discussion: Guardian, ABCNEWS, The Page and Wall Street Journal

Ronald Brownstein / 2012 Decoded:
Obama's Last Line of Defense

Discussion: Ballot Box and msnbc.com

Zeke Miller / BuzzFeed:
Not Arrogant Any More — Confidence gives way to resignation.

Discussion: American Prospect, Shakesville, Hot Air, 2012 Decoded, GayPatriot, Wall Street Journal and CNN

Wall Street Journal:

Noonan: Mitt Romney's Moment — The GOP nominee explains why he thinks America is at an ‘inflection point.’ — It's been a good week for Mitt Romney. The polls are up, he's just off a two-day swing through Connecticut and New York, where he hauled in big donors and hard money …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Crooks and Liars, Politico, Wonkette, The Daily Caller, The Raw Story, Hotline On Call, msnbc.com, Yahoo! Politics!, Booman Tribune, Washington Post, Guardian, CNN and Yahoo! News

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Egos and Immorality — In the wake of a devastating financial crisis, President Obama has enacted some modest and obviously needed regulation; he has proposed closing a few outrageous tax loopholes; and he has suggested that Mitt Romney's history of buying and selling companies …

Discussion: Booman Tribune and Daily Kos

Mary Carmichael / The Boston Globe:

Filings add to questions on Warren's ethnic claims — US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren has said she was unaware that Harvard Law School had been promoting her purported Native American heritage until she read about it in a newspaper several weeks ago. — But for at least six straight …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Althouse, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Jammie Wearing Fools, Hot Air, Viking Pundit and The Future of Capitalism

Shira Schoenberg / Union-News:
Elizabeth Warren says she knows she is part Native American ‘because my mother told me so’

Discussion: Hot Air, Politico, JustOneMinute, The Last Refuge, Weasel Zippers, Althouse, Ballot Box, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Campaign 2012, Weekly Standard and The Hill

BuzzFeed:

A User's Guide To Smoking Pot With Barack Obama — Barry was quite the accomplished marijuana enthusiast back in high school and college. Excerpts from David Maraniss' Barack Obama: The Story dealing with the elaborate drug culture surrounding the president when he attended Punahou School …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, Wonkette, The Daily Caller, No More Mister Nice Blog and TheBlaze.com

Jamie Klatell / Ballot Box:

Unions angry with Dems over lack of help in Wisconsin recall — Top union officials are lashing out at Washington Democrats, claiming they haven't done enough to help them unseat Gov. Scott Walker (R) in Wisconsin's recall election. — President Obama has been silent on the race since …

Discussion: Politico, Center for Media and Democracy, americanthinker.com, Hot Air, Wisconsin Reporter and FiveThirtyEight

Sean Sullivan / Hotline On Call:
Led by Walker, Republicans Winning Wisconsin Ad Spending Battle

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Balloon Juice

Aaronmcquade / GLAAD:

Good Journalism: CNN's Baldwin Puts Perkins' Anti-gay Views in Context — Thursday afternoon, CNN's Brooke Baldwin gave an almost textbook example of how to tell a complete story when dealing with an anti-gay activist. Joining Baldwin was Tony Perkins, there to speak about his 3PM press …

Discussion: Firedoglake, The New Civil Rights Movement and Towleroad News #gay

Frances Martel / Mediaite:
CNN's Brooke Baldwin Takes Tony Perkins To The Woodshed: ‘Why Do Homosexuals Bother You So Much?’

Discussion: American Power and The Raw Story

Investor's Business Daily:

Scooter Obama Outs Navy SEAL Team 6 Leader For Movie — National Security: New documents obtained by a watchdog group show our commander in chief gave the name of a Navy Seal Team 6 commander to the makers of a movie about Osama bin Laden. Valerie Plame, call your office.

Discussion: The Mental Recession

New York Times:

Albany Times Union Editor Says Police Targeted His Wife's Spa — ALBANY — In early spring, the police raided a spa near the Capitol, alleging that a masseuse was actually a prostitute. — It appeared to be a minor arrest, except that the spa's owner is the wife of the investigations editor at the local newspaper, The Times Union.

Discussion: Albany Times Union, New York Magazine, Capital Tonight, Poynter, Gothamist and JIMROMENESKO.COM

Wall Street Journal:

To Get Growth, Shrink the State — The best stimulus is a smaller government. — Confusion reigns supreme. The International Monetary Fund told the U.K. this week that it should cut taxes and boost spending while also praising the fiscal consolidation of 2010, which saw a mere 1% cut from public spending.

Discussion: Hit & Run

Paul Schwartzman / Washington Post:

Marion Barry commits new gaffe while apologizing to Asians — D.C. Council member Marion Barry yesterday stepped up his campaign to mend relations with Asians, apologizing again for disparaging remarks he made about Koreans and Filipinos, and pledging to work to improve ties between them and African Americans.

Discussion: BuzzFeed and Ed Driscoll

Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:

If Michelle Obama could choose: 'I'd be Beyonce' — If First lady Michelle Obama could be anyone else, she would be Beyonce. — “It looks like musicians just have the most fun,” Obama told People magazine in an interview that hit newsstands on Friday. — Obama and the music superstar praised each …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Lloyd Grove / The Daily Beast:

Mitt Romney's New BFF: Donald Trump — Forget Clooney for Obama. Team Romney now has a Trump fundraiser, a Trump super PAC, and a former presidential aspirant who won't stop talking about where the president was born. — First things first: Donald Trump is delighted that Mitt Romney …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Washington Wire, Hyscience and TheBlaze.com

Chris Geidner / Poliglot:

Federal Judge Rules DOMA, Tax Code Force Unconstitutional Treatment For Same-Sex Couples — On Thursday evening, a federal judge in California held that the Defense of Marriage Act and a provision of tax law unconstitutionally limit same-sex couples and domestic partners from participating …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Human Rights Campaign

Conor Friedersdorf / The Atlantic Online:

A Case Study in Right-Wing Media Malpractice from Breitbart.com — In breathlessly reporting that President Obama once dressed in colonial garb, the site does nothing to advance the public interest or conservative governance. — Conservatives including Rep. Paul Ryan, Gov. Mitch Daniels …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, askmarion, A plain blog about politics and iOwnTheWorld.com

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

Busted!... Obama Headlined a DEMOCRAT SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA Event in 1996 **FLIER** — Can we call him a socialist now??? — Barack Obama headlined a Democrat Socialists of America town hall meeting in Chicago in 1996. — Buzzfeed reported: — And don't forget about this...