memeorandum: The Largest Political Machine (Walter Russell Mead/Via Meadia)

4:15 PM ET, July 14, 2012

Top Items:

CNN:

What we learned from Mitt Romney — Washington (CNN) - Mitt Romney tried time and again to make one thing clear in our interview. On five different occasions in the first few minutes of the interview, Romney said he had “no role whatsoever” at Bain Capital after February 1999. — Here are the ways he said it:

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, DownWithTyranny!, The Reality-Based Community, naked capitalism, TBogg, Talking Politics, CBS News and ABCNEWS

Emily Schultheis / Politico:

Obama ad hits Romney on outsourcing, offshore investments — The Obama campaign is out with a new ad this morning, “Firms,” that hits Mitt Romney on outsourcing jobs over audio of Romney singing “America the Beautiful.” — “In business, Mitt Romney's firm shipped jobs to Mexico.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Gail Collins / New York Times:

Mitt's Political Vortex — Do you think it's a coincidence that ever since the world's physicists announced that they had discovered a possible breakthrough in the study of mass and energy last week, our politics has taken on a kind of black-hole quality? — First, Bain Capital.

Discussion: Daily Kos and Althouse

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:

Romney Demands Apology From Obama on Bain Allegations — WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney demanded an apology from President Obama on Friday for making what he called “reckless” and “absurd” allegations in an escalating battle over whether Mr. Romney's business record included outsourcing American jobs.

Discussion: emptywheel, Talking Points Memo, Wall Street Journal, The Caucus, Right Wing News, Washington Monthly, The Mahablog, Weasel Zippers, First Draft, Althouse and msnbc.com

Jonathan Easley / Ballot Box:
Romney says he will release no more than two years of federal tax returns

Discussion: The Raw Story

Erick Erickson / RedState:
Meet Bainers, the New Birthers

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and The Right Sphere

CNN:
Acosta interview: Romney's spirited Bain rebuttal

Discussion: The Caucus, Prairie Weather, Mediaite, New York Magazine, The Lonely Conservative, The Daily Dish and News Desk

Rolling Stone:

Romney's ‘Free Stuff’ Speech Is a New Low — Wow. If you live long enough, you'll see some truly gross things in politics, but Mitt Romney's work this past week “courting black support” was enough to turn even the strongest stomach. — Romney really showed us something …

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Althouse, Suburban Guerrilla, Prairie Weather, CANNONFIRE and Hot Air

Mark Gongloff / The Huffington Post:

New York Fed's Libor Documents Reveal Cozy Relationship Between Regulators, Banks … FOLLOW: — The Fed, Timothy Geithner, Libor Manipulation, New York Fed, Tim Geithner, LIBOR, Libor Rate-Rigging Scandal, New York Fed Libor Documents, New York Federal Reserve, Business News

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Guardian and FT Alphaville

Ben Chu / The Independent:
Libor: They all knew - and no one acted

Discussion: ProfessorBainbridge.com

DealBook:
New York Fed Knew of False Barclays Reports on Rates

Discussion: Firedoglake, New York Magazine, NO QUARTER, American Power, Hullabaloo, Calculated Risk and Washington Post

Jo Becker / New York Times:

Joe Paterno Got Richer Contract Amid Jerry Sandusky Inquiry — In January 2011, Joe Paterno learned prosecutors were investigating his longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky for sexually assaulting young boys. Soon, Mr. Paterno had testified before a grand jury, and the rough outlines …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Outside the Beltway

Sally Jenkins / Washington Post:
Joe Paterno, at the end, showed more interest in his legacy than Jerry Sandusky's victims

Discussion: Poynter and The Moderate Voice

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Obama uses the ‘tax’ word to describe mandate — RICHMOND, Va. - President Obama used the word “tax” to describe the health care mandate under his reforms, a departure from his prior etymological stance that it is a penalty. — “By the way, if you've got health insurance …

Discussion: Wake up America, Weasel Zippers, The Right Sphere and Riehl World View

Walter Russell Mead / Via Meadia:

The Largest Political Machine — At first glance, today's Wall Street Journal piece on teachers donating vast sums of money to outside political groups hardly comes as a surprise. Unions in both the public and private sectors are well known for organizing and donating money to favored candidates and political groups.

Discussion: Joanne Jacobs

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

Ron Paul: Romney campaign scared to let me speak at GOP convention — Rep. Ron Paul said that the Republican Party is scared to let him speak at the national convention in Florida next month. — The Texas Republican candidate for president said he thinks the prospects of him having …

Robert L. Pollock / Wall Street Journal:

George Shultz: Memo to Romney — Expand the Pie — George Shultz, the former secretary of state and Treasury says America's current problems are large, and its power in the world is diminished. But the policies for revival are obvious with the right leadership. — Stanford, Calif.

Discussion: EconLog

ZIP / Weasel Zippers:

Liberal Non-Profit Group Sending Out Pre-Filled Voter Registarion Cards To Dogs, Dead People, Non-Citizens... But . . . but . . . but . . . voter ID laws are raaaaacist! … HT: Jon

Mike Baker / Associated Press: Dogs, dead people get election docs from nonprofit

Adam C. Smith / Tampa Bay Times:

Presidential race in Florida is a ‘coin toss’ — Brace yourselves for another nail-biter presidential election in Florida. — A new Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald/Bay News 9 poll finds Barack Obama and Mitt Romney essentially tied in America's biggest battleground state …

Discussion: Politico, CNN and Ballot Box

Washington Free Beacon:

U.S. Olympic Uniforms: Made in China by Democratic Donor's company — Lawmakers were livid to discover that the United States' Olympic team uniforms were made in China. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) even suggested “they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.”