memeorandum: Adviser says Romney will ask Obama to ‘man up’ on Libya attack at debate (Justin Sink/The Hill)

6:25 PM ET, October 16, 2012

Top Items:

Daily Kos/SEIU State of the Nation poll: Romney's best numbers of the week — Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos & SEIU. 10/12-14. Likely voters. MoE ±2.5% (10/4-7 results) … Obama 46 (47) — Romney 50 (49) — At a time when other polls are moving back in the president's direction …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Hot Air, Business Insider, Weasel Zippers, The Hinterland Gazette, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh, AEIdeas, The Strata-Sphere, Taegan Goddard's … and The PJ Tatler

Quinnipiac University:

Release Detail — October 16, 2012 - Romney Closing In On Obama In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Casey-Smith Senate Race Too Close To Call — Watch Video: Assistant Director Tim Malloy discusses poll results — Clip Information and Download: — FLV File - For Website (1920x1080 / 50.8MB)

Discussion: Boston Globe, CNN, Weekly Standard, The Fix, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, Scared Monkeys, Washington Wire, The Moderate Voice, Ballot Box, Jammie Wearing Fools, Business Insider, Hotline On Call, Morning Call, The Lonely Conservative and First Read

Howard Berkes / NPR:

Poll: Romney Near Landslide In Rural Swing Counties — As Mitt Romney and President Obama get ready for their second debate, a new bipartisan survey shows a surge for Romney in a key voter group following their first debate Oct. 3. — The random cell phone and landline poll …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Politico, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and National Review

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Wide expectation of voter fraud in Presidential race

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Voters Equally Favorable to Romney, Obama

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Fix and THEROOT.COM

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Adviser says Romney will ask Obama to ‘man up’ on Libya attack at debate — Amb. William Richardson, a top foreign policy adviser to the Romney campaign, said Tuesday that the Republican nominee would call on President Obama to “man up” and “accept his responsibility” …

Discussion: The Raw Story and Hot Air

New York Magazine:

Bill & Hillary Forever — But after Obama sealed the nomination, his attitude toward the Clintons shifted to a sharp differentiation. His rancor toward Hillary evaporated: Obama needed her support, wanted her on his side, and was willing to work for it. But Obama saw no benefit in kissing 42's ring, let alone his ass.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh and The Daily Caller

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
Washington Post Columnist Launches Sexist Diatribe Against Hillary Clinton On Twitter

Discussion: CBS News, Firedoglake and Weasel Zippers

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Former Aide on Obama: 'Stunning that He's in Politics, Because He Really Doesn't Like People'

Discussion: New York Magazine, Weasel Zippers and Hot Air

CNN:

High court allows early voting in Ohio — (CNN) - The United States Supreme Court has given the green light to early voting in Ohio in the three days prior to November's election. — The brief, one sentence order from the court Tuesday is a setback for Republican leaders in the state …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Politico, Outside the Beltway and The Hinterland Gazette

Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Ohio rebuffed on early voting (FINAL UPDATE)

Discussion: Firedoglake, BuzzFeed, Election Law Blog, Mother Jones and ACS Blog

Steve Benen / msnbc.com:
Supreme Court rejects Ohio GOP's early-voting restrictions

Discussion: Sky Dancing, Election Law Blog, New York Times, MyDD and Balloon Juice

Dan Froomkin / The Huffington Post:
Supreme Court Approves Ohio Early Voting On Final Weekend Before Election Day

Discussion: CNN, PJ Media and The Raw Story

Warren Cole Smith / worldmag.com:

King's crisis — About 2,000 people gathered on Sept. 28 at First Baptist North in Spartanburg, S.C., to hear high-profile Christians speak on defending the faith and applying a Christian worldview to their lives. Among the speakers: Eric Metaxas, Josh McDowell, and—keynote speaker for the evening …

Discussion: Religion Dispatches, The Agonist, Wonkette, Mediaite and Daily Kos

Rosie Gray / BuzzFeed:

Other Woman In Dinesh D'Souza Affair Is A D'Souza Fan — A scandal rocks the Evangelical conservative pundit circuit. — Source: ideniselustafter.com — The above is a photo of the woman who the Evangelical magazine World reported today is allegedly at a center of a storm around …

Discussion: Right Wing Watch and New York Magazine

Washington Free Beacon:

After joking with reporters, Obama silent on Benghazi question — After joking with reporters, President Barack Obama ignored Tuesday a shouted question about whether Sec. Hillary Clinton is to blame for security failures surrounding the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Discussion: Power Line, NewsBusters.org blogs, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative, BuzzFeed, Rush Limbaugh, Hillary Is 44 and Michelle Malkin

Wall Street Journal:
The Wizard of Obama — The president didn't just lose a debate.

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Mother Jones, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative and Betsy's Page

mccain.senate.gov:
U.S. Senator John McCain - Arizona

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Mitt Romney's ‘new math’ for jobs plan doesn't add up — “Let me tell you how I will create 12 million jobs when President Obama couldn't. First, my energy independence policy means more than 3 million new jobs, many of them in manufacturing. My tax reform plan to lower rates …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, Slate, Wonkblog, The Daily Beast, Eclectablog, Paul Krugman, Taking Note, The Maddow Blog, Daily Kos, Swampland, Mother Jones and The Daily Dish

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Candy Crowley to defy debate contract — In an interview with CNN this afternoon, Candy Crowley reiterated that, like past town-hall debate moderators, she intends to do more than just hold the microphone at tonight's debate in Hempstead, N.Y. — an intention that has caused concern for both campaigns.

Discussion: Boston Herald, Taylor Marsh, The Lonely Conservative, Hit & Run, Sense of Events, New York Times and Washington Examiner

Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:
Tuesday's debate moderator confirms plan to ask follow up questions

Discussion: CNN, Ballot Box, The Atlantic Wire, Belmont Club and Guardian, more at Mediagazer »

Valerie Strauss / The Answer Sheet:

French president pushing homework ban as part of ed reforms — How do you think this would go over in the United States? French President François Hollande has said he will end homework as part of a series of reforms to overhaul the country's education system. — And the reason he wants to ban homework?

Discussion: Hit & Run, Weasel Zippers, Joanne Jacobs and ProfessorBainbridge.com

Wall Street Journal:
France to Ban Homework. Really.

Discussion: Forbes and Instapundit

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

No Guarantee of Obama Rebound in Second Debate — President Obama was soundly defeated in the first presidential debate in Denver, contributing toward about a four-point swing toward Mitt Romney in head-to-head polls — enough to turn the race from one in which Mr. Obama had a clear lead into a very close contest.

Sean Higgins / Washington Examiner:

WaPo Dept. of Burying the Lede: Jesse Jackson Jr. thought he was reincarnated chariot driver — In a story on the front page of the Washington Post about the controversies surrounding reclusive Illinois Democratic congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., readers have to wade through 23 paragraphs …

Discussion: protein wisdom, Washington Post, Weasel Zippers, Weekly Standard and Althouse

The Daily:
This article has been shared from The Daily iPad app

Discussion: theGrio, Politico, New York Times, Talking Points Memo and Election 2012

Bloomberg:

Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files Bankruptcy — A123 Systems Inc. (AONE), a maker of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, filed for bankruptcy after failing to make a debt payment that was due yesterday. — The company listed assets of $459.8 million and debt …

Mark Salter / Real Clear Politics:

Romney Holds Advantage Tonight, Regardless of Format — The first thing to know about a “town-hall-style” presidential debate is that it bears as much resemblance to an actual campaign town-hall event as a marble statue does to its animated subject. — Real town halls are usually unscripted …

Discussion: NationalJournal.com, Washington Wire, The Daily Beast and National Review

Garance Franke-Ruta / The Atlantic Online:

The Amazing Story of What Happened in Libya — Before you watch the foreign-policy portion of the presidential debate Tuesday, you must read the State Department's riveting tale of heroism in Benghazi. — The Benghazi consulate after being set on fire in a photo dated September 12. (Reuters)

Discussion: FREEDOM EDEN

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

Romney 50%, Obama 46% Among Likely Voters — Obama down sharply among men, college grads, and Southern voters vs. 2008 — PRINCETON, NJ — Half of likely voters now prefer Mitt Romney for president and 46% back President Barack Obama in Gallup interviewing through Monday.

Discussion: Rush Limbaugh, Washington Examiner, Hot Air, Algemeiner.com, American Spectator and Wake up America

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Obama feels ‘fabulous’ in advance of second debate — WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - President Obama said he feels “fabulous” ahead of Tuesday night's debate on Long Island. — Walking with David Plouffe and Anita Dunn at the Kingsmill resort here, Obama told reporters he feels good.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler

Amie Parnes / Ballot Box:
Obama feels ‘fabulous’ about second debate

Discussion: The Political Carnival and The Hill

First Read:

Ryan did wash dirty dishes during soup kitchen visit — LYNCHBURG, VA — Amid questions and criticisms related to Paul Ryan's visit this weekend to an Ohio soup kitchen, the charity's president said the Republican vice presidential candidate did, in fact, scrub dirty dishes though his visit wasn't officially sanctioned.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, NewsBusters.org blogs, Outside the Beltway, theGrio, Election 2012, The Maddow Blog, National Review and Business Insider

Bruce Bartlett / Economix:

Romney's Tax Plan and Economic Growth — Bruce Bartlett held senior policy roles in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and served on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron Paul. He is the author of “The Benefit and the Burden: Tax Reform - Why We Need It and What It Will Take.”

Discussion: Bloomberg, New York Times, Wonkblog, Washington Monthly and Mother Jones

Mark Leibovich / New York Times:

Paul Ryan Can't Lose — On a Monday night in late September, Paul Ryan sat on the edge of a couch in his suite at the Cincinnatian Hotel, his left fist clenched so tightly around the neck of his bottle of Miller Lite that I could see the veins bulging in his hands.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Marbury

Zack Beauchamp / ThinkProgress:

Democrats Aren't Real Catholics, Says Kansas Senate Candidate — A candidate for State Senate in Kansas believes that Catholics, and Christians more broadly, who support Democrats cannot be true believers in Christ. Republican Steve Fitzgerald, challenging incumbent Catholic Democrat Kelly Kultala …