Top Items:
Rasmussen Reports:
Missouri Senate: McCaskill (D) 48%, Akin (R) 38% — What a difference one TV interview can make. Embattled Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill has now jumped to a 10-point lead over her Republican challenger, Congressman Todd Akin, in Missouri's U.S. Senate race.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Wire, Washington Monthly, Todd Akin for U.S. Senate 2012, Politico, National Review, The Daily, The Gateway Pundit, Politicker, New York Times, Business Insider, Michelle Malkin, Ballot Box, Weasel Zippers, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Power Line, Guardian, Washington Examiner, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, The Fix, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Daily Caller, Riehl World News, Conservatives4Palin, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Hinterland Gazette, Show Me Progress, The New Civil Rights Movement, American Spectator and Hotline On Call
RELATED:
Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Team Obama breaks precedent to try to spoil Romney's convention in Tampa — Bucking protocol, President Obama and the Democrats are planning a full-scale assault on Republicans next week during their convention. — Presidential candidates have traditionally kept a low profile during …
Discussion:
The Impolitic, CNN, Taylor Marsh, National Review, Jammie Wearing Fools, Pirate's Cove, Moe Lane and Fausta's Blog
Alexander Burns / Politico:
Huckabee digs in behind Akin — Todd Akin hasn't had many high-profile supporters with him in the trenches this week, but Mike Huckabee became an important and emphatic exception Thursday afternoon, sending a message to his own supporters accusing Republican elites of trying to drum a good man out of a winnable Senate race.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, The Huffington Post, Mediaite, Riehl World News, Election 2012 and Midwest Democracy
Philip Klein / Washington Examiner:
Akin mess could be watershed moment for conservative movement … Missouri Rep. Todd Akin's insensitive and ignorant comments about rape and pregnancy could cost Republicans a majority in the Senate. But in time, the episode may be remembered as an important development for the conservative movement.
Discussion:
Power Line, Mother Jones, Washington Monthly and A plain blog about politics
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
The Morning Plum: The Obama campaign's theory of the presidential race — Should President Obama be trying to persuade voters that the economy is recovering? — Some Democratic strategists think that could jar against public perceptions that things aren't really getting better.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, The Maddow Blog, Washington Monthly, American Prospect, Brad DeLong, Prairie Weather and The Fix
Mike Zapler / Politico:
Rasmussen poll: Claire McCaskill up by 10 over Todd Akin
Rasmussen poll: Claire McCaskill up by 10 over Todd Akin
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Kate Nocera / Politico:
Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives
Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, CNN, National Review, afa.net and Election 2012
Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
Do Conservatives Now Want Social Issues “Truce?” Let Them Go First.
Do Conservatives Now Want Social Issues “Truce?” Let Them Go First.
Discussion:
Mother Jones
Matt Higgins / CBS Tampa:
Mayor: ‘Absolutely Prepared To Call Off’ GOP Convention If Isaac Threatens Tampa
Mayor: ‘Absolutely Prepared To Call Off’ GOP Convention If Isaac Threatens Tampa
Discussion:
Politico and The PJ Tatler
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
DNC's agenda — Sandra Fluke is now officially on the Obama …
DNC's agenda — Sandra Fluke is now officially on the Obama …
Discussion:
National Review, LifeNews.com, Hot Air, Conservatives4Palin, The PJ Tatler and The Lonely Conservative
Caitlin Huey-Burns / Real Clear Politics:
GOP Recasts Path to Senate Majority — Without Missouri
GOP Recasts Path to Senate Majority — Without Missouri
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, About.com Conservative … and Power Line
John Cook / Gawker:
The Bain Files: Inside Mitt Romney's Tax-Dodging Cayman Schemes — Mitt Romney's $250 million fortune is largely a black hole: Aside from the meager and vague disclosures he has filed under federal and Massachusetts laws, and the two years of partial tax returns (one filed and another provisional) …
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Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
Gawker posts 950 pages of confidential Bain documents — Gawker.com on Thursday posted 950 pages' worth of confidential financial documents related to Mitt Romney. — The document dump includes, in the words of website, “internal audits, financial statements, and private investor letters …
Discussion:
Gawker, CNN, Salon, Algemeiner.com and Business Insider
John Cook / Gawker:
The Bain Files: The Documents — Gawker has obtained a large cache of confidential internal financial documents from more than 20 secretive hedge funds and other investment vehicles in which Mitt Romney has stashed his considerable wealth. All told, the partnerships and limited liability …
Discussion:
FT Alphaville, Little Green Footballs and Angry Black Lady Chronicles
New York Times:
Polls Say Medicare Is Key Issue in 3 Swing States — The Romney-Ryan proposal to reshape Medicare by giving future beneficiaries fixed amounts of money to buy health coverage is deeply unpopular in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to new polls that found that more likely voters …
RELATED:
Colby Itkowitz / Morning Call:
Morning Call/Muhlenberg Poll: Paul Ryan doesn't move race in Pennsylvania — The first poll of Pennsylvania voters since Mitt Romney made Paul Ryan his running mate found the pick did nothing to move the race. — President Barack Obama maintains his lead in the lean-blue state …
Discussion:
Ballot Box, Politico and Election 2012
Quinnipiac University:
Ryan Micro-Bump In Florida, Wisconsin, But Not Ohio, Quinnipiac University/CBS News/New York Times Swing State Poll Finds — FLORIDA: Obama 49 - Romney 46, compared to Obama 51 - 45 percent August 1 — OHIO: Obama 50 - Romney 44, unchanged from August 1 — WISCONSIN: Obama 49 - Romney 47, compared to Obama 51 - 45 August 8
David Lauter / Los Angeles Times:
Obama has slight lead over Romney in new nationwide poll
Obama has slight lead over Romney in new nationwide poll
Discussion:
Washington Post
Stephen Braun / Associated Press:
AP Exclusive: Energy loan watchdog an Obama donor — WASHINGTON (AP) — A veteran Wall Street executive who performed an independent review that exonerated the Obama administration's program of loans to energy companies contributed $52,500 to re-elect President Barack Obama in the months since completing …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, protein wisdom and americanthinker.com
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Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Ties to Obama Aided in Access for Big Utility
Ties to Obama Aided in Access for Big Utility
Discussion:
iOwnTheWorld.com, The Caucus and Washington Free Beacon, more at Mediagazer »
Donald Douglas / American Power:
'The President's Utility' — Chicago Energy Behemoth Exelon Corporation Scored $200 Million …
'The President's Utility' — Chicago Energy Behemoth Exelon Corporation Scored $200 Million …
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative and The Jawa Report
Pew Social & Demographic Trends:
The Lost Decade of the Middle Class — Fewer, Poorer, Gloomier — CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW — As the 2012 presidential candidates prepare their closing arguments to America's middle class, they are courting a group that has endured a lost decade for economic well-being.
Discussion:
Business Insider, ThinkProgress, The Agonist, American Prospect, The Demos Blog, BBC, Real Time Economics, Connecting.the.Dots, Newsy and Economix
RELATED:
Rebecca Trounson / Los Angeles Times:
Eroding middle class falls to 51%, survey finds
Eroding middle class falls to 51%, survey finds
Discussion:
The Political Carnival, News Desk and Gawker
Thomas Burr / Salt Lake Tribune:
Romney says his Mormon tithing shouldn't be public — • Mitt Romney says in a new interview that one of the reasons he's distressed about disclosing his tax returns is that everyone sees how much money he and his wife, Ann, have donated to the LDS Church, and that's a number he wants to keep private.
Discussion:
The Hill, emptywheel, Business Insider and Election 2012
Justin Fishel / Fox News:
EXCLUSIVE: Bin Laden raid tell-all author revealed, questions raised whether ex-Navy SEALs have freedom of speech — The author of a recently announced insider account of the raid that killed Usama bin Laden has been identified to Fox News as a 36-year-old former Navy SEAL Team 6 member …
Pema Levy / Talking Points Memo:
RNC Now Says Anti-Abortion Platform Doesn't Necessarily Disavow Rape Exemptions — The Republican Party platform committee's strict abortion plank might have flown under the radar if not for Rep. Todd Akin's explosive comments, which thrust a harsh light on the party's anti-abortion views this week.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Telegraph, Politico, The Maddow Blog, ABCNEWS, The Raw Story and Hullabaloo
RELATED:
Pema Levy / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Denies Akin Controversy Will Cost The Party Women Voters
GOP Denies Akin Controversy Will Cost The Party Women Voters
Discussion:
Politico, Little Green Footballs and The Daily Beast
Ta-Nehisi Coates / The Atlantic Online:
Fear of a Black President — As a candidate, Barack Obama said we needed to reckon with race and with America's original sin, slavery. But as our first black president, he has avoided mention of race almost entirely. In having to be “twice as good” and “half as black,” …
Discussion:
American Prospect, The Other McCain, American Power and Nice Deb
Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Michelle Obama: ‘Get to the Polls on November the 2’ — Michelle Obama, speaking yesterday at a campaign event in Florida: … The presidential election this year is November 6.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, JustOneMinute, The Daily Caller and Daily Pundit
Andrew Malcolm / Investor's Business Daily:
Barack Obama actually said this — Pete Souza / White House (Obama addresses staff) — Barack Obama has become accustomed to being the center of attention. For many like him, that's one of the biggest appeals of politics, the television exposure it attracts and the power that seems to come with that instant recognition and fame.
Discussion:
RedState
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Mark Oppenheimer / New York Times:
Dan Savage and Brian Brown Debate Gay Marriage Over the Dinner Table — THE ancient Greek symposium, which combined drinking with elevated discussion, was often held in a private house; at Parisian salons, conversation frequently took place in the bedroom. Once upon a time …