memeorandum: Wisconsin Democrats Claim Victory in State Senate (Monica Davey/The Caucus)

4:00 PM ET, June 6, 2012

Top Items:

A wake-up call for Dems, labor, and the left — Scott Walker's victory in tonight's recall battle is a major wake-up call for the left, Democrats, and unions about the true nature of the new, post-Citizens United political landscape, and it should force a major reckoning among liberals …

Discussion: Democracy in America, Weekly Standard, Hit & Run, Grim's Hall, Firedoglake, Althouse, Associated Press, Politico, Campaign 2012, DownWithTyranny!, Wake up America, Outside the Beltway and National Review

Lee Bergquist / JSOnline:

Democrats appear to take Senate with narrow Lehman win — Race in Racine County still out — By Lee Bergquist of the Journal Sentinel — Democrats appeared to have assumed control of the state Senate with results posted early Wednesday showing former Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine) defeating incumbent Van Wanggaard in a tight race.

Discussion: msnbc.com, Local, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, 2012 Decoded, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Fox News, Washington Post, CNN, Sister Toldjah, Business Insider, The Conservatory and americanthinker.com

Politico:

Wisconsin recall: The biggest losers — Vince Lombardi, the man who taught Cheeseheads to think with clarity about the severe consequences of victory and defeat, once offered this gem about life: “Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser.” — Scott Walker last night showed Wisconsin …

Discussion: CNSNews and Wake up America

Wesley Lam / Twitchy:

“Kill Scott Walker”: Angry libs flood Twitter with death threats after Wisconsin recall defeat … Tonight, liberal Twitter users are openly advocating the assassination of Gov. Scott Walker:

Discussion: TheBlaze.com, Political Capital, RedState, American Power, Weasel Zippers, Examiner, The Daily Caller, WISN, Power Line and Wake up America

Ross Douthat / Campaign Stops:

No Recall — For disappointed Democrats, seduced by early exit polls into a vain hope that the union-busting Wisconsin governor Scott Walker might actually be recalled from office late last night, the good news is that some of their pre-election spin still holds up.

Discussion: American Prospect, New York Magazine, BuzzFeed, The New Republic, The Daily Beast, Washington Post, The Enterprise Blog, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Real Clear Politics, Ricochet Conversations Feed and The Daily Dish

Harold Meyerson / American Prospect:

A Wisconsin Domino Effect? — (AP/Wisconsin State Journal, John Hart) — Supporters of a recall effort against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker continue to sing a union solidarity song outside the State Capitol Building after polling results begin show a victory for Walker in statewide recall elections Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Monica Davey / The Caucus:
Wisconsin Democrats Claim Victory in State Senate

Discussion: msnbc.com, Harry's Place, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Connecting.the.Dots

New York Times:
Walker Survives Wisconsin Recall Vote

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, Reuters, CBS News, Mish's Global Economic …, The Moderate Voice, New York Magazine, Prairie Weather, Cato @ Liberty, Wall Street Journal, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Booman Tribune, The Week and alicublog

Walter Russell Mead / Via Meadia:
The “People United” Go Down In Flames

Discussion: The Razor, New York Times, The Enterprise Blog, RedState, The Daily Dish, MacIver Institute and Washington Post

Mj Lee / Politico:
Sarah Palin: 'Obama's goose is cooked'

Discussion: The Hill, Ballot Box, Guardian, The New Civil Rights Movement and Truthdig

Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:
In Wisconsin, the Left Picked a Fight — and Lost

Discussion: 2012 Decoded, The Daily Caller, National Review, Washington Post, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice, News Desk, CNSNews, Grist and nation.foxnews.com

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
What It All Means, Initial Thoughts

Discussion: The Hill, JSOnline, BuzzFeed, Associated Press and Questions and Observations

Glenn Thrush / Politico:
Only one takeaway from Wisconsin: Money shouts

Discussion: PERRspectives, ABCNEWS, NewsBusters.org, iWatch News Latest Stories and Hit & Run

Dylan Byers / Politico:
Cable news takes sides in Wis.

Discussion: Guardian, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Crooks and Liars, CNN and Conservatives4Palin

Michael Barone / AEI:
Exit poll: Wisconsin in play in November

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Enterprise Blog, Hot Air, JSOnline, GOP 12, The Spectacle Blog and Campaign 2012

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Why Scott Walker won the Wisconsin recall

Discussion: thenation.com/blogs/117, Politico, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, Slate, JSOnline, Talking Points Memo, RealClearPolitics Video Log, Associated Press, Mother Jones, Betsy's Page, Jammie Wearing Fools, Villainous Company, Washington Monthly, Pirate's Cove and Taylor Marsh

Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:
Wisconsin Exit Polls: Obama, (Pretty) Big

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Washington Post, CNN and The Agonist

Rosie Gray / BuzzFeed:
Anger And Denial — And A Slap To The Democrat's Face — In Wisconsin

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN and Guardian

Meredith Woerner / io9:

R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles — Ray Bradbury — author of The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and many more literary classics — died this morning in Los Angeles, at the age of 91.

Discussion: Guardian, The PJ Tatler, Hit & Run, National Review, BuzzFeed, Dean's World, Towleroad News #gay, Capital New York and Gawker

Gerald Jonas / New York Times:

Ray Bradbury, Master of Science Fiction, Dies at 91 — Ray Bradbury, a master of science fiction whose lyrical evocations of the future reflected both the optimism and the anxieties of his own postwar America, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 91. — His death was confirmed by his agent, Michael Congdon.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Cato @ Liberty and Balloon Juice

John Rogers / Associated Press:
Author Ray Bradbury has died in California

Discussion: National Review and American Spectator

Mackenzie Weinger / Politico:

Supporter slaps Tom Barrett after loss — Talk about hitting a man when he's down. — Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett not only lost to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in Tuesday's recall election, but he was also slapped by a supporter after his concession speech.

Discussion: Wake up America and msnbc.com

Kerry Picket / Washington Times:

Report - Woman slaps Mayor Barrett for conceding too early — Mayor Tom Barrett's concession speech, following his loss to Republican Governor Scott Walker, did not make one local Wisconsin woman happy with the Milwaukee Democrat. According to WISN 12 News, a woman “slapped” …

Discussion: The Hope For America, Weasel Zippers, New York Magazine and The Daily Caller

Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:

Miss Pennsylvania USA Resigns In Protest Of Transgender Candidates — Before Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss USA last week, she answered a question about transgender contestants in the pageant, openly embracing their inclusion. But Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Associated Press and The New Civil Rights Movement

Natalie Finn / E! Online:
Miss Pennsylvania USA Resigns: Inclusion of Transgender Contestant “Goes Against Every Moral Fiber of My Being”

Discussion: GLAAD and Towleroad News #gay

Ian Lovett / New York Times:

Voters in California Back Pension Cuts for City Workers — LOS ANGELES — As Wisconsin residents voted on Tuesday not to recall Gov. Scott Walker — who has become an enemy of labor unions nationwide — two California cities dealt blows of their own to organized labor.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Wake up America, RedState and Washington Free Beacon

David Harsanyi / Human Events:
Not just Wisconsin: California portends bad news for public-sector unions

Discussion: Hot Air, The Conservatory, Vodkapundit, Datechguy's Blog and Joanne Jacobs

John Woolfolk / Mercury News:
All precincts counted: San Jose passes pension reform

Discussion: utsandiego.com, The PJ Tatler, americanthinker.com, Eduwonk and Hit & Run

Vanity Fair:

Team of Mascots — Four years ago, Barack Obama said he wanted a Lincoln-esque “team of rivals” in his Cabinet. Thanks to his own temperament, the modern White House, and the 24-hour news cycle, what the president has created is something that doesn't look Lincoln-esque at all.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Byron Tau / Politico:
Clinton again splits with Obama

Discussion: CNN, msnbc.com, Washington Post, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, Power Line, Hotline On Call, Outside the Beltway, The Maddow Blog and New York Magazine

Karoli / Crooks and Liars:

Mike Huckabee Accidentally Tells The Truth About Fox News — Oops! This slipup by Mike Huckabee accidentally reveals the truth about our favorite non-news channel. In this clip, he declares that the nation would think Barack Obama was doing just fine if it weren't for Fox News.

Andrew Kirell / Mediaite:
Mike Huckabee: Without Fox News, Americans ‘Will Assume That Obama Really Is Doing A Great Job’

Discussion: The Maddow Blog and Indecision Forever

Martin Wolf / Financial Times:

Panic has become all too rational — Suppose that in June 2007 you had been told that the UK 10-year bond would be yielding 1.54 per cent, the US Treasury 10-year 1.47 per cent and the German 10-year 1.17 per cent on June 1 2012. Suppose, too, you had been told that official short rates varied …

Discussion: Firedoglake, JustOneMinute, Bloomberg, Marginal Revolution, Paul Krugman, Business Insider, Hullabaloo, New York Times, FT Alphaville, Real Time Economics and AMERICAN FUTURE

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

Ethics committee says case against Waters to move forward — The House Ethics Committee announced on Wednesday that Rep. Maxine Waters's (D-Calif.) rights were not violated in its investigation of her and its case will proceed. — Waters is next in line to fill Rep. Barney Frank's (D-Mass.) …

Discussion: Politico, “The Lid” and Weasel Zippers

Quinnipiac University:

McMahon, Murphy Open Big Leads In Connecticut Primaries, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Two Front-Runners Neck-And-Neck In General Election — Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon leads former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays 59 - 30 percent in the Republican primary for Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat …

Discussion: CNN, Politico, Washington Wire and Hotline On Call

Quinnipiac University:
Cuccinelli Has 3-1 Lead In 2013 Virginia GOP Gov Primary, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, CNN, Reuters, Hotline On Call and GOP 12

Andy Towle / Towleroad News #gay:

Cincinnati Christian School Asks Teacher if He's Gay, Fires Him: VIDEO — Jonathan Zeng, a singer and music teacher from Cincinnati, was offered a teaching job at Cincinnati Hills, a nondenominational Christian academy, which he accepted. Several hours later he was called in, asked if he is gay, and fired.

Discussion: Gawker, The Raw Story and The New Civil Rights Movement

Denise Smith Amos / Cincinnati.com:
Teacher claims he didn't get job because he's gay

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Ezra Klein:

Wisconsin recall shows labor isn't coming back. So what's next? #wonkbook — Last night, Scott Walker successfully resisted the recall effort in Wisconsin. And so, today, pundits everywhere are mining the election results for insight into the 2012 election. Ignore them.

Discussion: Business Insider, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Caller, Calculated Risk, FT Alphaville and The Hill

James Kwak / The Atlantic Online:

The GOP's Bizarre, Disturbing Passion for Raising Taxes on the Poor — Let's hope the Republican Party is bought and paid for by the rich, because the other explanation for its obsession with raising taxes at the bottom is far more disturbing — The Republicans, it goes without saying, are the party of low taxes.

Discussion: Firedoglake