memeorandum: Democrats hit Mitt with a tax bill (Bernie Becker/The Hill)

11:35 AM ET, July 19, 2012

Top Items:

Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:

DNC Regrets Offending Ann Romney, No More Horse Videos — It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the Democratic National Committee is offering an apology of sorts to Ann Romney. — At issue is a DNC video featuring footage of Ann Romney's dancing show horse.

Discussion: CNN, Crooks and Liars, Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, The Raw Story, Jammie Wearing Fools, ABCNEWS and Business Insider

Kevin Robillard / Politico:

Ann Romney: We've given enough — Ann Romney dismissed concerns about her husband's tax returns Thursday, contending that the two of them have “given all you people need to know.” — “You know, you should really look at where Mitt has led his life, and where he's been financially,” …

Discussion: Mediaite, ABCNEWS, US Politics and Suburban Guerrilla

Wall Street Journal:
Group Comes to Romney's Defense

Discussion: Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Daily Kos, Slate, Taking Note and The Page

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Poll: Romney tied with Obama in Virginia — A new survey shows Mitt Romney tied with President Barack Obama in the battleground state of Virginia, exciting news for a Republican challenger who has consistently trailed in recent polling of the state. — The survey, released Thursday …

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Weekly Standard, 2012 Decoded, Taylor Marsh, Scared Monkeys and Jammie Wearing Fools

New York Times:

Economic Fears Hurting Obama, Poll Indicates — Declining confidence in the nation's economic prospects appears to be the most powerful force influencing voters as the presidential election gears up, undercutting key areas of support for President Obama and helping give his Republican challenger …

Discussion: Washington Wire, ABCNEWS, The Huffington Post, Power Line, The Moderate Voice, Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, ABCNEWS, NBC Latino, msnbc.com, americanthinker.com, The Caucus, Public Policy Polling, American Power, Weekly Standard and The Daily Dish

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:

Obama, Romney in dead heat in presidential race — CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. — (CBS News) President Obama and Mitt Romney are effectively tied in the race for the presidency, according to a new CBS News/New York Times survey.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, BuzzFeed, NationalJournal.com, Guardian, Business Insider, Vodkapundit, Shakesville, Taegan Goddard's … and The Huffington Post

Nancy Cordes / CBS News:

Michelle Bachmann refuses to back down on claims about Huma Abedin — (CBS News) WASHINGTON - Former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann and four other conservative members of Congress are charging that people with ties to Muslim extremists have infiltrated the federal government.

Discussion: Mondoweiss

Edward Rollins / Fox News:

Bachmann's former campaign chief — shame on you, Michele — I have been a practitioner of tough politics for many decades. There is little that amazes me and even less that shocks me. I have to say that Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's outrageous and false charges against a top aide …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Politico, The Hinterland Gazette, Taylor Marsh and ThinkProgress

Lisa Mascaro / Los Angeles Times:
McCain defends Clinton aide accused of Muslim Brotherhood ties

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and The Agonist

First Read / msnbc.com:

Obama unleashes Medicare attack on Romney — *** Here comes Medicare: The past few weeks on the presidential campaign trail have featured aggressive attacks and counterattacks. On outsourcing by Bain Capital. On Mitt Romney's post-1999 association with that firm, as well has his tax returns.

Discussion: New York Magazine and Washington Examiner

Bernie Becker / The Hill:
Democrats hit Mitt with a tax bill

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

BuzzFeed:
Olympics Documents, Intro Described Romney As Bain CEO

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Washington Post, Guardian and Balloon Juice

Abby Huntsman / The Huffington Post:
Mitt Romney Never Thought He'd Have To Release Tax Returns: Bain Sources

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, CNN, Washington Post, Reuters, Taylor Marsh, Politico, Balloon Juice, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, AEIdeas, ABCNEWS, Daily Kos and Wall Street Journal

New York Times:

Suicide Bomber Is Blamed in Attack on Israeli Tourist Bus in Bulgaria — BURGAS, Bulgaria — The attack on a tour bus carrying Israeli vacationers outside the airport here was carried out by a suicide bomber using fake American identification, officials said on Thursday.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, World, msnbc.com, Jammie Wearing Fools, Riehl World View, National Review and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Associated Press:
Bulgaria says suicide attacker in baseball cap, sneakers, shorts attacked Israeli tourist bus

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, World and Jihad Watch

Reuters:
Suicide bomber blew up Bulgaria airport bus

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Jihad Watch

Boston Herald:

Mr. Smooth: Deval Patrick eyes road fixes for Michelle Obama — Deval Patrick's office personally asked town officials to dispatch road crews this week to fill potholes near his Berkshires mansion to pave the way for a smooth ride for first lady Michelle Obama when she hits the Bay State …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Jammie Wearing Fools

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Report: Pothole fix for Michelle Obama ride

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and Boston Herald

Politico:

Kelly Ayotte's $120K legal headache — A bizarre but little-known lawsuit has caused headaches for freshman Sen. Kelly Ayotte and cost her at least $120,000 in legal fees just as her political stock rises and she's being mentioned as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney.

Discussion: ABCNEWS and Right Wing News

Trymaine Lee / The Huffington Post:

Zimmerman Apology: Trayvon Martin Shooter Tells Parents He's Sorry During ‘Hannity’ Interview … FOLLOW: — Video, Sean Hannity, Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman Apology, George Zimmerman Fox News, Zimmerman Apology, Zimmerman Fox News, Zimmerman Hannity, Zimmerman Trayvon Martin, Black Voices News

Discussion: Firedoglake

Merrill Knox / TVNewser:
Hannity Gets First Interview with George Zimmerman

Discussion: Fox News, Scared Monkeys, theGrio, The Hinterland Gazette, ThinkProgress, The Young Turks … and Colorlines, more at Mediagazer »

Fareed Zakaria / Washington Post:

What voters are really choosing in November — The presidential campaign has gotten so heated over the attacks and counterattacks from the Obama and Romney campaigns that it's easy to forget that larger issues are at stake in November. That's unfortunate because, beneath the froth …

Discussion: The Glittering Eye and msnbc.com

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Glenn Greenwald to move to The Guardian — Glenn Greenwald, the political columnist who joined Salon.com in 2007, is moving to The Guardian. — Greenwald, a former constitutional and civil rights lawyer based in Rio de Janeiro, will move his blog en masse to the Guardian's website on August 20 …

Discussion: Salon, New York Magazine, Media Decoder and Jammie Wearing Fools, more at Mediagazer »

Arthur Delaney / The Huffington Post:

Unemployment Insurance Not On Congressional Radar … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Unemployment, Unemployment, Unemployment Extension, Unemployment, Barack Obama , Barack Obama , Unemployment, Unemployment, Politics News — WASHINGTON — President Obama took a question on the campaign trail Monday …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Hillary Chabot / Boston Herald:

Elizabeth Warren backs President on business success — Elizabeth Warren yesterday came to the defense her former boss President Obama's controversial statement that businesses' owners can't take credit for their success, repeating her own campaign line that, “nobody got rich on their own.”

Discussion: AEIdeas, NO QUARTER, Weasel Zippers and Hot Air

Bill Mears / CNN:

Scalia: Criticism of Supreme Court's health care ruling ‘offends me’ — (CNN) — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia downplayed reports of personal and ideological rifts stemming from the recent landmark health care reform ruling, telling CNN in an exclusive interview “it offends me” …

Discussion: Business Insider

Alexander Burns / Politico:

Morgan Freeman gives $1 million to Obama super PAC — Actor Morgan Freeman is the newest seven-figure donor to the Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action, POLITICO has confirmed. — In a statement, Freeman lauded both the president's record and Priorities USA for its role in the 2012 campaign.

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers, Scared Monkeys and The Hinterland Gazette

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Waxman has a race on his hands — Henry Waxman hasn't faced a tough campaign since Lyndon B. Johnson was president and the Beatles topped the Billboard charts. — This year, the powerful Los Angeles congressman believes, could be different. — Running in a drastically redrawn district …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Riehl World View

CNBC:

Weekly Claims Post Rebound; Jobs Market Still in Doldrums — The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rebounded last week, pushing them back to levels consistent with modest job growth after a seasonal quirk caused a sharp drop the prior period.

Discussion: Hot Air and Riehl World View

Ted Robbins / NPR:

Controversial Ariz. Sheriff's Tactics Go On Trial … A trial begins Thursday in Phoenix accusing Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, seen in this May 3, 2010, file photo, of violating the civil rights of Latino citizens and legal U.S. residents. — The self-proclaimed “Toughest Sheriff in America” …

Discussion: msnbc.com, Business Insider and Prairie Weather

Jason Zengerle / GQ:

Wanna Be Veep? Okay, but This Is Going to Hurt — For months, Mitt Romney's most trusted dirt-diggers have been scouring the secret histories of several Republicans—including punchy Chris Christie, sexy Marco Rubio, snoozy Rob Portman—as they jockey to be his running mate.