memeorandum: Book: Holder went on 'Reefer Madness'-like campaign to distract from Fast and Furious (Matthew Boyle/The Daily Caller)

9:10 AM ET, August 13, 2012

Top Items:

Christine Delargy / CBS News:

“60 Minutes”: Romney, Ryan answer critics of Medicare position — CBS News chief Washington correspondent and anchor of “Face the Nation” Bob Schieffer sat down with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan on Sunday for their first interview since the Republican presidential nominee announced Ryan as his running mate.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Caucus, naked capitalism, Washington Wire, Hot Air, ABCNEWS, Politico, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, NO QUARTER, Ballot Box, Mediaite, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Business Insider, The Hill, The Reaction, The Moderate Voice and Taylor Marsh, more at Mediagazer »

Dylan Byers / Politico:

GOP again turns to Kristol ball — Once again, Bill Kristol gets his way — and once again, watch out. — For two consecutive presidential cycles now, the founding editor of the Weekly Standard has successfully led the conservative media drumbeat for a bold vice presidential pick: In 2008 …

Discussion: The Reaction, Steve Rothaus' Gay …, The Daily Banter, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com and Political News and Opinion …

Joan Walsh / Salon:

Paul Ryan: Randian poseur — Mitt Romney couldn't have chosen a better example of the fakery at the heart of today's GOP — Paul Ryan was born into a well-to-do Janesville, Wisc. family, part of the so-called “Irish mafia” that's run the city's construction industry since the 19th century.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, American Power, Hullabaloo and BuzzFeed

James Downie / Washington Post:

No, Paul Ryan is not ‘courageous’ — Across the political spectrum, even among many liberals who otherwise are rubbing their hands with glee over Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his running mate, pundits and politicians are praising Romney's move as a “courageous” and “bold” pick.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Informed Comment and The New Republic

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Romney finds safety in CBS and Schieffer — Mitt Romney rarely ventures into the network television interview. When he does, he chooses the safest option on the table: Bob Schieffer. — For the second time this cycle, Romney has given an exclusive, in-person interview to the CBS anchor and …

Discussion: New York Magazine and Jammie Wearing Fools

Ben Smith / BuzzFeed:

Romney Picked Ryan Over Advisers' Early Doubts — A high risk pick, driven by the candidate. “Everybody was against” Ryan, says a top Republican. — Image by SAUL LOEB / Getty Images — Mitt Romney appears to have picked Paul Ryan as his running mate over the objections of top political advisors …

Discussion: Washington Post, Betsy's Page, 2012 Decoded, RedState, Via Meadia, Politico, Washington Monthly and Balloon Juice

Wall Street Journal:
Ryan Pick Jolts Race

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, EMILY's List, Examiner, Oregon Daily Emerald, Veracity Stew, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Scared Monkeys and Firedoglake

Jennifer Bendery / The Huffington Post:
Paul Ryan Only Passed 2 Bills Into Law In More Than A Decade

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Power Line, Mediaite and Washington Post

Patrick Gavin / Politico:
Forget the budget: Paul Ryan is hot!

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, TMZ.com and Gawker

Maggie Haberman / Politico:
A view of Ryan from Florida

Discussion: CNN, The Reaction, p m carpenter's commentary, Outside the Beltway, The Impolitic, The Hinterland Gazette, Brad DeLong, Real Clear Politics, BuzzFeed and MiamiHerald.com

Devin Dwyer / ABCNEWS:
Obama Welcomes ‘Ideological Leader’ Paul Ryan to Race

Discussion: Questions and Observations, Little Green Footballs, ABCNEWS, CNN and Politico

CNN:
Emotional homecoming for Ryan

Discussion: Reuters and Politico

Ginger Gibson / Politico:
Paul Ryan greeted as hometown hero

Discussion: First Read, The Gateway Pundit, CNN and Moe Lane

Ginger Gibson / Politico:
Enthusiasm greets ticket in N.C.

Discussion: CNN, JSOnline, Scared Monkeys, Marooned In Marin, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, ABCNEWS, JOSHUAPUNDIT and New York Magazine

Rebecca Leber / ThinkProgress:
Romney Campaign Doubles Down: He ‘Would Have Signed’ The Ryan Budget

Discussion: American Prospect, ABCNEWS, Associated Press, NationalJournal.com, PERRspectives, Daily Kos, The Raw Story, Crooks and Liars, Boing Boing, The Reaction, Booman Tribune, The Agonist and The Atlantic Online

John Roberts / Fox News:
John McCain, Debbie Wasserman Schultz react to Paul Ryan joining GOP ticket

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Washington Examiner and The Hill

Annie-Rose Strasser / ThinkProgress:
Republicans Who Criticized Obama As Foreign Policy Novice, Say Romney's Missing Experience Is A Plus

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

First Read:
How did they do it? Romney campaign explains how it kept the biggest secret in politics

Discussion: Hot Air and Moe Lane

Emily Schultheis / Politico:

POLITICO-GW Battleground Poll: Tied up — The race for the White House remained in a dead heat just before Mitt Romney announced Paul Ryan as his running mate, a new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground poll finds. — The poll, conducted in the days leading up to the Ryan announcement …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Mittromney / YouTube:

Long History — mittromney Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe — President Obama has a long history of opposing work for welfare. Last month, President Obama ended work requirements for welfare. Mitt Romney believes work must be part of welfare and will put work back in welfare.

Discussion: Ballot Box, CNN and The Page

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

Obama camp: 1,000 attended ‘half-full’ fundraiser — CHICAGO — Republicans quickly jumped on a report that President Obama's largest fundraiser here Sunday was only “half full,” but the crowd for the event was larger than the Obama campaign had initially anticipated. — “At Obama fundraiser in Chicago.

Discussion: JustOneMinute

Kevin Cirilli / Politico:

Michelle Obama: Barack's not a ‘superhero’ — “He's not a superhero; he's a human. So he needs your help,” the First Lady said. AP Photo — Close — First Lady Michelle Obama says her husband isn't a “superhero” and that President Barack Obama will need all the help he can get in order to be reelected.

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette

Greta Van Susteren / Gretawire:

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION — YOU SEE IT FIRST RIGHT HERE — “...Everything I said at the 2008 convention about then-candidate Obama still stands today, and in fact the predictions made about the very unqualified and inexperienced Community Organizer's plans to …

Discussion: Ballot Box, Hotline On Call, BuzzFeed, The Gateway Pundit, Politico, Mediaite, New York Magazine, Conservatives4Palin and The Buzz Florida Politics Feed

Jonathan Strong / Roll Call:

Darrell Issa to Sue Eric Holder Monday — House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa plans to sue Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday for refusing to provide documents related to the “Fast and Furious” gun-smuggling operation. — “The committee expects to file …

Discussion: RedState, America's Watchtower and The Hinterland Gazette