memeorandum: Mitchell: Obama video not authenticated yet (Dylan Byers/Politico)

5:40 PM ET, September 19, 2012

Top Items:

Mitt Romney / USA Today:

I'll deliver recovery, not dependency — Since our founding, America has promoted personal responsibility, the dignity of work and the value of education. Those values made our nation the hope of the earth and our economy the envy of the world. — Efforts that promote hard work …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, KDVR.com, CNN, Washington Post, Political Watch, Sister Toldjah, Mediaite, The Hill, Politico, Wake up America, The Future of Capitalism, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos and Election 2012

William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:

Critical audio gap in “complete” Romney tape released by Mother Jones (Update - Corn responds, 1-2 minutes missing) — David Corn of Mother Jones released the “complete” audio and video of the secretly recorded Mitt Romney speech at a private fundraiser. — Yet the complete audio and video is not complete.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, The PJ Tatler, Associated Press, GOP 12, The Spectacle Blog, The Maddow Blog, Wizbang, emptywheel, The Lonely Conservative, Examiner, Wonkette, Mother Jones, Mediaite, Twitchy, Patterico's Pontifications, Election 2012, Conservatives4Palin and NewsBusters.org blogs

Benny Johnson / TheBlaze.com:

IS THE SECRET VIDEO OF ROMNEY AT FUNDRAISER REALLY UNEDITED? WE MAY HAVE PROOF OTHERWISE — Tuesday afternoon, the site Mother Jones released what was described as the “full,” “raw and uncut” video of Mitt Romney's comments at a private campaign fundraiser, which has drawn immense criticism from both sides.

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:

Brown's office reiterates senator's support for Romney — Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) office on Wednesday said the senator supports Mitt Romney's presidential bid after the lawmaker gave an indirect response to an inquiry by The Hill. — “He absolutely supports Romney, there's no doubt about that,” an aide to Brown said.

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Romney video missing ‘one to two minutes’ — The videos of Mitt Romney's remarks at a May fundraiser, released in full by Mother Jones yesterday, omit “one to two minutes” of the candidates remarks, the journalist who obtained the video told POLITICO. — The omission comes between parts …

Discussion: Naked DC, The Daily Beast and The Hill

James Taranto / Peggy Noonan's Blog:

Time for an Intervention — What should Mitt Romney do now? He should peer deep into the abyss. He should look straight into the heart of darkness where lies a Republican defeat in a year the Republican presidential candidate almost couldn't lose. He should imagine what it will mean for the country …

Michael Falcone / ABCNEWS:

Romney Tapes Give Way To The Not-So-Calm After The Storm (The Note) — NOTABLES: — ROMNEY TAPES GET THE SUPER PAC TREATMENT: That didn't take long. The pro-Obama super PAC, Priorities USA Action, is quick out of the starting gate this morning with a new television ad featuring footage …

Discussion: The Caucus, USA Today, Talking Points Memo, Crooks and Liars, Althouse, The Daily Caller and American Spectator, more at Mediagazer »

William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
Maybe Romney answer was “inelegant” only because Mother Jones didn't disclose that part of tape was missing

Discussion: Poynter, Guardian, FishbowlDC, Lawyers, Guns & Money, 24Ahead, Swampland and JOSHUAPUNDIT, more at Mediagazer »

James Monteleone / Albuquerque Journal:
Gov. Martinez critical of Romney's ‘47 percent’

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Politico, The Hill and The Hinterland Gazette

Michael Barbaro / The Caucus:
A Mood of Gloom Afflicts the Romney Campaign

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Swampland, New York Magazine, Politico, Hit & Run, The Maddow Blog, The Lonely Conservative, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Daily Kos, Connecting.the.Dots and Wonkette

Rosie Gray / BuzzFeed:
Scott Brown Not Abandoning Romney, Campaign Says

Discussion: Politico, FishbowlDC and Lippmann's Ghost, more at Mediagazer »

BuzzFeed:
Leaked Romney Videos Make The Front Pages Of 41 Swing State Newspapers

Discussion: Washington Post, AEIdeas and BuzzFeed

Mitt Romney for President of the United States …:
MEMORANDUM

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Daily Kos and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Joan Walsh / Salon:
Does Paul Ryan regret his choice?

Discussion: The Reaction, The Maddow Blog, Talking Points Memo and The Raw Story

Mark McKinnon / The Daily Beast:
Mark McKinnon on Why Time Is Running Out for Mitt Romney

Discussion: Boston Globe, The Hill, Taylor Marsh, Mario Piperni dot Com and The Daily Dish

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
“Complete” video of Romney missing 1-2 minutes of remarks on the 47%

Discussion: BREITBART.COM

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press:

Obama Ahead with Stronger Support, Better Image and Lead on Most Issues — Democrats Narrow Engagement Gap — OVERVIEW — At this stage in the campaign, Barack Obama is in a strong position compared with past victorious presidential candidates. With an eight-point lead …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Firedoglake, CNN, Ballot Box, Little Green Footballs, Talking Points Memo, Weekly Standard, Politico, Political Watch, Gallup, Business Insider and National Review

Quinnipiac University:

Obama Hits 50% In Wisconsin, Virginia; Colorado Is Close, Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS News Swing State Poll Finds — Watch Video: Assistant Director Tim Malloy discusses poll results — Clip Information and Download: — FLV File - For Website (1920x1080 / 189.1MB)

Discussion: Washington Post, Washington Wire, The Fix, Election 2012, CNN, National Review, GOP 12, ABCNEWS, Ballot Box, Firedoglake, First Read and The Hinterland Gazette

Zeke Miller / BuzzFeed:

Michelle Obama: Barack “Has Been Struggling With Us” — As Romney writes off 47% of the electorate, the First Lady defends the president's character. — Image by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images — DURHAM, N.C. — First Lady Michelle Obama told North Carolina voters Wednesday …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Mario Trujillo / Ballot Box:
Thompson's lead dissolves in Wisconsin

Discussion: CNN and GOP 12

Reuters:
Mitt Romney needs poll vault to win

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker, Politico and Washington Wire

Ramsey Cox / The Hill:

GOP blocks veterans jobs bill with budget vote — Senate Republicans stopped the veterans jobs bill Wednesday by forcing a budget point of order vote. — Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (R-Ill.) requested a motion to waive the budget point of order, which was raised by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.).

Discussion: Daily Kos and Washington Post

Ben Armbruster / ThinkProgress:
Senate Republicans Kill Veterans' Jobs Bill

Discussion: New York Times, The Raw Story and Liberty Street

Lawrence Downes / Taking Note:
G.O.P. Blocks Veteran Jobs Bill

Discussion: msnbc.com, Washington Monthly and Business Insider

Fox News:

Major report released on Fast and Furious, DOJ official resigns — A major report released Wednesday on the Operation Fast and Furious scandal faulted a range of federal agencies for the failed anti-gunrunning program — and has resulted in the resignation of one Justice Department official.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Washington Times, The Right Scoop, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative, GayPatriot, Michelle Malkin, The PJ Tatler and Pat Dollard

Jordy Yager / The Hill:
Justice report faults ATF, DOJ officials for ‘Fast and Furious’

Discussion: White House Dossier

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Mitchell: Obama video not authenticated yet — MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell today said that the network was not airing a potentially controversial of video of Barack Obama because neither NBC News or MSNBC had been able to verify its authenticity yet. — “Because we have not independently …

Discussion: Mediaite, Washington Free Beacon and TVNewser

CNN:
Romney, Republicans hit back with Obama ‘redistribution’ tape

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The New Republic, Washington Wire, Washington Post and Outside the Beltway

Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Carney lambasts Romney for ‘desperate efforts’ on Obama video

Discussion: Politico

Frank Newport / Gallup:

Voters' Reaction to Romney's “47%” Comments Tilts Negative — Independent voters, by 29% to 15%, also more negative than positive — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans have a more negative than positive immediate reaction to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's comments, secretly caught on video …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, The Right Sphere, The Fix, Politico and Election 2012

The Onion:
Romney Apologizes To Nation's 150 Million ‘Starving, Filthy Beggars’

Discussion: The Raw Story, Shakesville and US Politics

Toby Harnden / Daily Mail:

Speaking to the 47%: The $105,000 champagne tower featured at Obama fundraiser hosted by Jay-Z and Beyonce — President Barack Obama attended a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan that featured a champagne tower of 350 bottles worth $105,000 - more than twice the median household income of an American family.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, Naked DC, TheBlaze.com, HillBuzz.org, The Lonely Conservative, National Review and Washington Examiner

Geoff Earle / New York Post:
Beyoncé & Jay-Z host NY Bam ba$h

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler, Jammie Wearing Fools, The Jawa Report, The Right Scoop, Red Alert Politics, Weekly Standard, Moonbattery, Pirate's Cove and Vodkapundit

Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:

Obama official: Benghazi was a terrorist attack — The Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was in fact “a terrorist attack” and the U.S. government has indications that members of al Qaeda were directly involved, a top Obama administration official said Wednesday morning.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Weekly Standard, Taylor Marsh, The Rightnewz, Speak With Authority, World Affairs Journal blogs, Nice Deb, Jammie Wearing Fools and White House Dossier

Jesse Helfrich / The Hill:

Romney's missteps could cost party the Senate, strategists say — Republicans believe Mitt Romney's mistakes could prevent them from winning back the Senate. — Romney's failure to close the gap with President Obama less than 50 days before the election, as well as a variety of high-profile gaffes …

Discussion: CNN, Politico and Prairie Weather

Scott Wong / Politico:
Heller knocks Romney over ‘47 percent’

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Daily Kos, Taegan Goddard's … and The Maddow Blog

Philip Klein / Washington Examiner:

CRS report: number of able-bodied adults on food stamps doubled after Obama suspended work requirement … Obama administration officials have insisted that their decision to grant states waivers to redefine work requirements for welfare recipients would not “gut” the landmark 1996 welfare reform law.

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation, iOwnTheWorld.com, Moonbattery, UrbanGrounds, Washington Free Beacon and The Lonely Conservative

ABCNEWS:

Sen. Coburn Says He Can't Face Cowardly Congress — Amid the gridlock and election-year partisan politics, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., declared today that he's too frustrated to even come to work anymore. — “On Monday mornings when I get up, I get up about 4:30 to catch a flight to come back up here.