memeorandum: Chris Hayes Has Arrived With ‘Up’ (Alex Williams/New York Times)

10:00 AM ET, June 24, 2012

Top Items:

Past Denials of Vulnerability Raise Health Act What-Ifs — WASHINGTON — With the Supreme Court set to render judgment on President Obama's health care law as early as Monday, the White House and Congress find themselves in a position that many advocates of the legislation once considered almost unimaginable.

Discussion: Power Line, Right Wing News and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:

Six Of One — Supporters of the Affordable Care Act are having a slight disagreement over what approach to take if the Supreme Court strikes the individual mandate. Some Democrats want to make a swift, aggressive push to restore a mandate or some incentive for people to buy health insurance …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and The Mahablog

Jodi Kantor / New York Times:

White House Memo: White House Waits Tensely for Decision on Health Law — Late on Tuesday, March 27, halfway around the world, President Obama began one of the most suspenseful waits in recent presidential history. — After a blur of nuclear security meetings in South Korea …

Discussion: Althouse and The Lonely Conservative

Peter Wallsten / Washington Post:

Obama's legal tactics seen as possibly hurting chances to save health-care law — Some prominent legal scholars say a series of tactical decisions by President Obama's legal team may have hurt the chances of saving his landmark health-care legislation from being gutted by Supreme Court conservatives.

Discussion: Riehl World View

Politico:

HHS pushes out cash ahead of ruling — Conservatives wanted the White House to stop spending on the health care law until the Supreme Court rules on whether it's constitutional. — But the administration has forged ahead, spending at least $2.7 billion since oral arguments in the case ended on March 28.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:

For Wealthy Romney Donors, Up Close and Personal Access — PARK CITY, Utah —They schmoozed with Mitt Romney at a barbecue cookout at the Olympic Park, pressing him on labor regulations and the threat of a nuclear Iran as downhill skiers performed midair flips behind them.

Discussion: Mother Jones and Eclectablog

Jacqueline Stevens / New York Times:

Political Scientists Are Lousy Forecasters — DESPERATE “Action Alerts” land in my in-box. They're from the American Political Science Association and colleagues, many of whom fear grave “threats” to our discipline. As a defense, they've supplied “talking points” we can use …

Discussion: The Monkey Cage, American Power and Daily Kos

Alex Williams / New York Times:

Chris Hayes Has Arrived With ‘Up’ — AROUND 11 p.m. on a Friday this past spring, Ted Leo, a singer and songwriter considered something of a legend in New York punk and indie-rock, opened a raucous late set at the Black Cat club in Washington with a curious greeting to his followers.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

Bullies on the Bus — “Making the Bus Monitor Cry.” — That's the name of the video. It's more than 10 minutes long, but if you make it through more than three of them with your eyes not getting misty and your blood not boiling then you are a rock, or at least your heart is.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Riehl World View and Daily Kos

Fox News:

Phoenix boy, 14, shoots armed intruder while watching three younger siblings — A 14-year-old Phoenix boy shot an intruder who broke into his home while brandishing a gun as the teenager watched his three younger siblings, police said. — The teen and his brothers and sisters were at home alone …

Discussion: Associated Press, Riehl World View, Examiner and Scared Monkeys

New Urban Legends:

Obama Event Registry — Claim: The Obama Event Registry allows users celebrating special occasions to solicit campaign donations in place of gifts. — TRUE — Example: [Collected via e-mail, June 2012] … Origins: On 22 June 2012 a notice was posted to the blog …

Discussion: AMERICAN FREEDOM, The Gateway Pundit, Scared Monkeys and The Daily What

Kathleen Parker / Washington Post:

Ann Romney has a horse. So what? — The punch line is at least as old as the eldest baby boomer: “I didn't get a pony.” — Here's Jerry Seinfeld: “I hated those kids [who had ponies]. In fact, I hate anyone that ever had a pony when they were growing up.” — Why is this funny?

Discussion: Althouse, Balloon Juice, Booman Tribune, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Reaction and Rumproast

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Romney's Bain Profited Even As The Companies It Invested In Went Bankrupt, Analysis Reveals — Mitt Romney has argued that his business experience as head of Bain Capital from 1984 to 1999 will help him turnaround the economy, reduce the debt and place the nation on a sustainable economic footing.

Discussion: The Page, PERRspectives, Liberal Values and Alan Colmes' Liberaland