memeorandum: Michelle Obama: Barack “Has Been Struggling With Us” (Zeke Miller/BuzzFeed)

6:20 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: Mitt Romney for President …, ABCNEWS, KDVR.com, Washington Post, Political Watch, Sister Toldjah, CNN, Mediaite, Politico, Daily Kos, The Hill, Wake up America, The Future of Capitalism, Talking Points Memo and The Daily Beast

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: Politico, BuzzFeed and The Daily Caller, more at Mediagazer »

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, Wonkette, The PJ Tatler, Associated Press, GOP 12, emptywheel, The Lonely Conservative, The Maddow Blog, The Spectacle Blog, Wizbang, Examiner, 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.

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

Michael Falcone / ABCNEWS:
Romney Tapes Give Way To The Not-So-Calm After The Storm (The Note)

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, entertainment.time.com, Guardian, FishbowlDC, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Ed Driscoll, 24Ahead, Wonkette and Swampland, more at Mediagazer »

BuzzFeed:
Ann Romney: Mitt Doesn't Disdain The Poor

Discussion: Guardian, Mediaite, The Hinterland Gazette, Swampland and US Politics

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

Discussion: Washington Post and AEIdeas

Jesse Helfrich / The Hill:
Romney's missteps could cost party the Senate, strategists say

Discussion: CNN, Politico and Prairie Weather

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

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Daily Kos and The Maddow Blog

James Taranto / Peggy Noonan's Blog:
Time for an Intervention

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, Politico, Swampland, Hit & Run, New York Magazine, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Maddow Blog, The Lonely Conservative, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Daily Kos, Connecting.the.Dots and Wonkette

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

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

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

Discussion: BREITBART.COM and GayPatriot

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, Talking Points Memo, Ballot Box, Little Green Footballs, Weekly Standard, Business Insider, Politico, Political Watch, Gallup 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, Election 2012, The Fix, National Review, CNN, GOP 12, ABCNEWS, Ballot Box, First Read, Firedoglake and The Hinterland Gazette

Mario Trujillo / Ballot Box:

Thompson's lead dissolves in Wisconsin — Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has completely wiped away Tommy Thompson's lead in the Wisconsin Senate race, according to two polls released Wednesday. — A Marquette University Law School poll shows a 20-point swing from last month, with Baldwin leading by 9 percentage points, 50 to 41.

Discussion: CNN, GOP 12 and The Caucus

Reuters:
Mitt Romney needs poll vault to win

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker, Washington Wire and Politico

Esquire:
(Plus: Americans Trust Obama Over Romney in War)

Discussion: CNN, The Hill and Weasel Zippers

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: Hot Air, Weekly Standard, Washington Times, The Right Scoop, GayPatriot, Infowars, The Lonely Conservative, Law Blog, 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

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

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 Post, Washington Wire 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, 24Ahead, Politico and Election 2012

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

Discussion: Salon, The Raw Story, Shakesville and US Politics

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

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: Naked DC, The PJ Tatler, 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

Hal Dardick / Chicago Tribune:

Moreno relents, will allow Chick-fil-A — He says he's satisfied with LGBT statement of respect … A Chicago alderman who made national headlines during the summer for opposing a Chick-fil-A in his increasingly trendy Northwest Side ward has reversed course, saying he will let the fast-food chain open a store in Logan Square.

Discussion: Reuters, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Civil Rights Agenda, Guardian, Hit & Run, CBS Chicago and Progress Illinois

BuzzFeed:
Chick-Fil-A Promises Not To Fund “Anti-Gay Groups,” Advocates Claim

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Gawker

CBO's Publications:

Payments of Penalties for Being Uninsured Under the Affordable Care Act — Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act (comprising Public Law 111-148 and the health care provisions of P.L. 111-152) requires most legal residents of the United States to either obtain health insurance or pay a penalty tax.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner and The Volokh Conspiracy

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

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:

Romney Tape Leaves Senate GOP Leaders Speechless — Senate Republican leaders fled their weekly press conference after delivering prepared remarks Wednesday without taking a single question from reporters eagerly seeking their thoughts on their presidential nominee's newly unearthed remarks dismissing nearly half of American voters.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Mediaite