memeorandum: Afghan Surge Ends: Not with a Bang but a Whimper (Walter Russell Mead/Via Meadia)

11:05 AM ET, September 22, 2012

Top Items:

10 Questions Romney Should Answer About His Taxes — Our guest blogger is Seth Hanlon, Director of Fiscal Reform at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. — On Friday afternoon, the Romney campaign released the candidate's 2011 tax return, which showed that he paid a tax rate …

Discussion: US News, Washington Post, Prairie Weather, New York Magazine and Business Insider

Megan McArdle / The Daily Beast:

Romney Drops His Tax Returns — Mitt Romney has released his 2011 tax returns, and a summary of prior year payments from his accountant. The result is surprisingly unsurprising. — In a classic late Friday afternoon “garbage dump”, the Romney campaign has dropped his 2011 tax returns.

Discussion: Spectator

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

Castellanos on tax summary: Is this a joke? — Alex Castellanos, the former Mitt Romney strategist from 2008 who has alternately been critical and praising of the current campaign, left no doubt where he stands on the decision to release a summary of the candidate's tax rates over 20 years.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos and Hot Air

Brad Malt / Mitt Romney for President …:

NOTE FROM TRUSTEE BRAD MALT — This morning, Gov. and Mrs. Romney filed their 2011 tax return with the IRS. At 3:00pm today, the Romney for President campaign will be posting the 2011 return online. — The complete 2011 tax return, with full schedules, statements, and attachments …

Matthew Yglesias / Slate:

Why Mitt Romney's Effective Tax Rate Is So Low And Why It Probably Should Be — US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney licks his fingers while returning to his seat after making himself a peanut butter and honey sandwich aboard his campaign plane as he heads to Las Vegas, Nevada on September 21, 2012.

Discussion: LBO News from Doug Henwood and Firedoglake

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Mitt Romney's Real Effective Tax Rate

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Mahablog and Wonkette

Guy Benson / Townhall.com:
Democrats, Media Get Punk'd: Romney Releases Tax Returns

Discussion: “The Lid”, Weekly Standard, blogs.telegraph.co.uk and Weasel Zippers

Aviva Shen / ThinkProgress:
By Romney's Own Standard, His Tax Returns Would Disqualify Him From The Presidency

Discussion: msnbc.com, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, The Caucus, Washington Monthly, The New Civil Rights Movement, Liberal Values and The Agonist

Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo:
What Romney's Taxes Reveal — And What They Don't

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Forbes, Swampland, Capital New York, Mother Jones, Guardian, Politicker, The Daily Dish and Brad DeLong

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Expert: Romney may have paid less in taxes over 20 years than it appears

Discussion: Mother Jones, emptywheel, ABCNEWS, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos, The Atlantic Online, CNN, Washington Wire and Gawker

Paul Caron / TaxProf Blog:
Mitt Romney Releases 2011 Tax Return

Discussion: Mediaite, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, The Fix, Wall Street Journal, The Gateway Pundit, Race 4 2012, Associated Press, Instapundit and Althouse

Ginger Gibson / Reuters:
Mitt Romney releases 2011 tax returns

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Politico, American Prospect and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Politico:
Chris Wallace doubts Noonan's conservatism

Discussion: Mediaite, The Other McCain, The Lonely Conservative, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh, The Huffington Post, American Power, Wonkette and Brad DeLong

Luke Johnson / The Huffington Post:

Paul Ryan Booed At AARP (VIDEO) … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Elections 2012, AARP, Elections 2012, Paul Ryan, Video, Aarp Convention, Paul Ryan Aarp, Paul Ryan Booed, Paul Ryan Booed At Aarp, Ryan, Ryan Aarp, Ryan Booed, Ryan Booed At Aarp, Politics News — Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) …

Discussion: The Spectacle Blog, Booman Tribune and ABCNEWS

Washington Post:

GOP retreat on taxes likely if Obama wins — View Photo Gallery — Obama's failed quest for a ‘grand bargain’: Last summer, the White House was embroiled in a battle with Republican leaders over legislation to increase the debt ceiling and avert default.

Discussion: TheMoneyIllusion, Outside the Beltway, americanthinker.com, Conservatives4Palin, Marginal Revolution and Power Line

Paul Ryan / CNN:
Paul Ryan Obamacare criticisms booed at AARP

Discussion: Politico

Alex Roarty / NationalJournal.com:

Romney's Fundraising Comes Down to Earth — The GOP nominee lags Obama in small donors and dollars under his direct control. They're related and could be crucial. — Mitt Romney at a campaign fundraising event, the first which has allowed cameras in, at The Grand America in Salt Lake City, Utah, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012.

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Matthew Boyle / The Daily Caller:

Biden on cheerleaders: ‘The stuff they do on hard wood, it blows my mind’ — Vice President Joe Biden may have stuck his foot in his mouth again on Friday, using an awkward off-the-cuff phrase to compliment high school cheerleaders during a campaign stop. — According to a pool report …

Discussion: TBogg, The Right Scoop and CANNONFIRE

New York Times:

Libyan Protesters Besiege Militant Group in Benghazi — BENGHAZI, Libya — Galvanized by anger over the killing of the popular American ambassador here last week, thousands of Libyans marched through this city on Friday, demanding the disarming of the militias that helped topple the dictatorship …

Discussion: CNN, americanthinker.com, Hot Air, World News and Taylor Marsh

Rosie Gray / BuzzFeed:

Anti-Obama Movie Mailed To 1 Million Ohioians — The film claiming President Obama's true father is a Chicago Communist is being distributed for free all over the country. — An anti-Obama movie claiming — without evidence — that President Barack Obama's real father …

Discussion: Joe. My. God.

Toddstarnes / Fox News:

WH Silent Over Demands to Denounce ‘Piss Christ’ Artwork — Religious groups are blasting President Obama for not condemning am anti-Christian art display set to appear in New York City and one Republican lawmaker said he is “fed up with the administration's double standard and religious hypocrisy.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Right Wing News, Blazing Cat Fur and Weasel Zippers

CBS News:

Romney: My campaign doesn't need a turnaround — (CBS News) Mitt Romney says his campaign for president doesn't need a turnaround and that he's keeping up with President Obama in the polls, despite criticism generated by a recently revealed tape of him referring to the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay taxes.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Mark Steyn / National Review:

Bowing to the Mob — I see the Obama campaign has redesigned the American flag, and very attractive it is too. Replacing the 50 stars of a federal republic is the single “O” logo symbolizing the great gaping maw of spendaholic centralization. And where the stripes used to be are a handful of red daubs …

Matthew Yglesias / Slate:

Why America Can't Have Nice Things — WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 07: Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX), questions Attorney General Eric Holder, during a hearing at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, June 7, 2012 in Washington, DC. — Perhaps the least-controversial issue …

Discussion: Mother Jones

Julia Preston / New York Times:
Bill to Keep Graduates in U.S. Fails in the House

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Future of Capitalism and National Review

AJE - Al Jazeera English:

Violent protests against video rock Pakistan — At least 20 reported killed as demonstrators clash with police, while nation holds “Love the Prophet Day” marches. — Reports say at least 20 people have died as demonstrations against an anti-Islam video erupted across Pakistan …

Discussion: Newsy, Weasel Zippers, Associated Press, The Gateway Pundit, Guardian and Bloomberg