memeorandum: ‘Fierce battles’ in Damascus area (BBC)

4:10 AM ET, July 16, 2012

Top Items:

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

July panic for Obama — for good reason — Why has the Obama team been publicly wailing about losing out to Mitt Romney in the money race? Why would the president accuse his opponent of not merely being wrong or unqualified but criminal? After all, the polls are tied, so why so much worry in Obamaland?

Discussion: The Other McCain, The Spectacle Blog, Maggie's Farm and Hot Air

WAVY-TV:

One-on-one with President Obama — Unedited interview and full transcript — RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) - This is a transcript of President Barack Obama's exclusive interview with WAVY.com's Andy Fox: — Q: How Important is Virginia in this election? — President: “If we win Virginia then we will win the election.

Discussion: Ballot Box, ABCNEWS, Angry Black Lady Chronicles and Riehl World View

Keith Laing / The Hill:

Gillespie says Romney ‘retired retroactively’ from Bain Capital — Senior Mitt Romney campaign adviser Ed Gillespie blasted President Obama's attacks on the GOP candidate, saying Romney had been honest about his tenure at the private equity giant Bain Capital.

Discussion: Wizbang, American Power, CANNONFIRE, CNN, Booman Tribune, The Daily Dish, Outside the Beltway, Politico, Mother Jones, The Hinterland Gazette, Liberal Values, The Reaction, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, The Reality-Based Community, The Moderate Voice, The Raw Story, The Huffington Post and msnbc.com

Sal Gentile / msnbc.com:

Former Bain Capital partner says Romney was ‘legally’ CEO of Bain Capital until 2002 — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — Updated | 1:36 p.m. A former partner at Bain Capital, who worked at the firm when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Little Green Footballs, Brad DeLong and Hullabaloo

Scott Thuman / WJLA-TV:

President Barack Obama talks Romney, campaign, chili, doodling, shooting pool — In an exclusive interview, ABC7's Scott Thuman spoke with President Barack Obama on a wide range of topics, including whether his GOP challenger Mitt Romney should answer questions about Bain Capital and the 2012 campaign so far.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Hill

Brian Knowlton / The Caucus:

Romney Faces Mounting Attacks on Bain and Taxes — Top surrogates for President Obama on Sunday shrugged off Mitt Romney's demand for a presidential apology for campaign attacks and instead hammered at Mr. Romney's business record, accused his former firm of shipping American jobs overseas …

Discussion: Ricochet Conversations Feed, New York Times and The Page

Manu Raju / Politico:
Kristol: ‘Crazy’ not to show taxes

Discussion: Mediaite, ABCNEWS, Angry Black Lady Chronicles and New York Magazine

Elise Foley / The Huffington Post:
Ed Gillespie: Mitt Romney ‘Retired Retroactively’ From Bain Capital

Discussion: New York Magazine, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Associated Press

Adam Peck / ThinkProgress:
Romney Adviser: Romney Not Responsible For Bain Because He ‘Retired Retroactively’

Discussion: RADAMISTO, emptywheel, The Hill, The Huffington Post, msnbc.com, News Desk, Crooks and Liars, The Mahablog, The Raw Story, Balloon Juice and The Impolitic

Keith Laing / The Hill:
Sen. Durbin: Romney running away from Bain ‘like a scalded cat’

Discussion: Politico and Booman Tribune

Jonathan Martinand James Hohmann / Politico:
Republican governors want Mitt Romney to hit back

Discussion: CNN, Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune, Riehl World View and BuzzFeed

Agence France Presse:

‘Monica, Monica’ chants taunt Clinton in Egypt — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was taunted by chants of “Monica, Monica” by tomato-throwing demonstrators as she visited the Egyptian port city of Alexandria on Sunday. — The chants, referring to the Monica Lewinsky scandal when her husband …

Discussion: Jezebel, Mediaite and Gretawire

Reuters:

Egyptians pelt Clinton motorcade with tomatoes — CAIRO (Reuters) - Protesters threw tomatoes and shoes at U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's motorcade on Sunday during her first visit to Egypt since the election of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. — A tomato struck an Egyptian official …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Instapundit, Jammie Wearing Fools and New York Magazine

msnbc.com:

Christians snub Cairo meeting with Clinton, claim US backs Islamists — Protesters in Alexandria, Egypt, throw shoes, tomatoes and a water bottle at the motorcade of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. NBC's Lester Holt reports. — By NBC's Charlene Gubash and news services

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Jihad Watch and Associated Press

Steven Musil / CNET:

Microsoft and NBC officially call it quits — Software giant will reportedly receive $300 million for its stake in MSNBC.com, which will mirror content on the new NBCNews.com for a while. — Follow @stevenmusil — The Internet partnership of Microsoft and NBC is officially over.

Discussion: Informed Comment and Scared Monkeys

Brian Stelter / New York Times:
Microsoft and NBC Complete Web Divorce

Discussion: msnbc.com, New York Magazine and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Bernie Becker / The Hill:

Postal Service rescue bill stalls in Congress as cash woes mount — The House's delay in considering a postal reform bill is sparking concerns that the rescue of the U.S. Postal Service could be delayed until after the November elections — or even until the next Congress.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Adam Skaggs / Politico:

Mitch McConnell dead wrong on DISCLOSE Act — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has launched a full-throated attack on the DISCLOSE Act, which Democrats are set to bring to the Senate floor on Monday. DISCLOSE supporters say it ensures transparency and accountability in U.S. elections.

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

Obama wants Mideast peace in second term — President Obama's agenda for a second term includes bringing peace to the Middle East. — “I have not been able to move the peace process forward in the Middle East the way I wanted,” he said in an interview with WJLA, the ABC affiliate in Washington …

Scott Wilson / Washington Post:
Where Obama failed on forging peace in the Middle East

Discussion: JOSHUAPUNDIT

Robin Bravender / Politico:

Sheldon Adelson gives $5M to Cantor-backed super PAC — GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam poured $5 million into a super PAC backed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, according to reports released late Sunday. — The cash influx marks a major boost for the YG Action Fund …

Discussion: New York Magazine