memeorandum: Hank Williams Jr. brings country hits and political jabs to the fair (Joe Lawler/Metromix Des Moines)

12:55 PM ET, August 19, 2012

Top Items:

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Gibbs: Biden remark no more racial than Boehner saying ‘unshackle Wall Street’ — Senior Obama campaign adviser Robert Gibbs on Sunday defended Joe Biden, saying a recent comment that GOP economic policies would put people “back in chains” was not racially motivated and claiming it was no different …

Discussion: CNN, The PJ Tatler and The Hinterland Gazette

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Gibbs: Ryan should ‘thank’ Obama for strengthening Medicare — Senior Obama campaign adviser Robert Gibbs defended the administration's record on Medicare from GOP attacks on Sunday, saying that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) should “thank President Obama” for strengthening the program.

Discussion: Politico, Taylor Marsh and Jammie Wearing Fools

Boston Globe:

Biden should apologize for “back in chains” remark — When Vice President Joe Biden warned a Virginia rally of hundreds of African Americans that Republican efforts to loosen bank regulations meant “They're going to put y'all back in chains,” Stephanie Cutter, Team Obama's deputy campaign manager …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Power Line, American Power, White House Dossier, Right Wing News, his vorpal sword, Weasel Zippers and RedState

Carlo Muñoz / The Hill:

Biden not a ‘liability’ despite recent gaffe, says Obama campaign — The Obama team on Sunday maintained that Vice President Joe Biden has not become a liability to the president's reelection bid, despite the recent Republican backlash over his latest gaffe.

Discussion: Politico

Dylan Byers / Politico:
Globe asks Biden for ‘chains’ apology

Discussion: Angry Black Lady Chronicles

Rasmussen Reports:
Better Qualified To Serve As President? 42% Say Ryan, 40% Biden

Discussion: Ballot Box, Weasel Zippers and Hot Air

Kerry Picket / Washington Times:

Obama camp - We are intentionally limiting crowd size at rallies — The presumptive GOP presidential and vice presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan are attracting thousands of supporters to their campaign rallies since Mr. Romney named Mr. Ryan to the bottom of the ticket.

Discussion: Power Line, Wake up America, Doug Ross, Jammie Wearing Fools, RedState and Weasel Zippers

CNN:

TRENDING: Obama team defends People, ET interviews — (CNN) - Interviews with People magazine and Entertainment Tonight are just as important as sit-downs with national news media, President Barack Obama's deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said Sunday.

Discussion: Politico and Outside the Beltway

ABCNEWS:

On ‘This Week’: Stephanie Cutter and Kevin Madden — Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter and Romney campaign senior adviser Kevin Madden face off on the latest battles in the 2012 presidential campaign, Sunday on “This Week.” — Mitt Romney and his new running mate Rep. Paul Ryan hit …

Discussion: The Political Carnival

CNN:
Ryan stands by $716 billion Medicare criticism

Discussion: Booman Tribune and Little Green Footballs

Aviva Shen / ThinkProgress:

Ohio GOP Election Board Member: Our Voting Process Shouldn't Accommodate Black Voters — Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted's recent decision to prohibit early voting on nights and weekends in all districts has many concerned about the effect on voter turnout in the state, particularly among low-income and minority communities.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Dayton, Ohio …

Darrel Rowland / The Columbus Dispatch:
Voting in Ohio | Fight over poll hours isn't just political

Discussion: Plunderbund and ThinkProgress

Aviva Shen / ThinkProgress:

Romney Adviser Says GOP Would Extend Medicare's Solvency By Raising The Eligibility Age — Earlier this week, Mitt Romney pledged to restore Obamacare's savings in the Medicare program — a move that would move up the insolvency date of the program's trust fund from 2024 to 2016.

Discussion: Brad DeLong

New York Times:
Truth and Lies About Medicare

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Juana Summers / Politico:
Ryan's mom is new face in Medicare wars

Discussion: CNN, Connecting.the.Dots, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Hot Air, The Caucus, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and The Hinterland Gazette

Joe Lawler / Metromix Des Moines:

Hank Williams Jr. brings country hits and political jabs to the fair — Are you ready for some political commentary? — Country legend Hank Williams Jr. played to a crowd of nearly 8,500 at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand Friday night. — You may recall, criticism of President Barack Obama …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Reaction, theGrio, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hullabaloo and NewsBusters.org blogs

Ta-Nehisi Coates / New York Times:

Obama's (Perceived) Transformation — EARLIER this month, Ann Coulter took to the airwaves of the Fox News network to denounce the dastardly machinations, large mendacity and mad villainy currently employed by the American president. Barack Obama was “a liar,” Coulter said, a …

Discussion: Applesauce, The Hinterland Gazette, Prairie Weather and Balloon Juice

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:

Grover Norquist: George H.W. Bush ‘Lied’ to the American People — Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist dismissed recent criticism of his tax pledge from former President George H.W. Bush, saying the 41st president had “lied” to the American people by raising taxes while in office.

Discussion: ABCNEWS