memeorandum: Two BP workers face criminal charges from 2010 spill: source (Chris Baltimore/Reuters)

3:20 PM ET, November 15, 2012

Top Items:

CNN:

Petraeus: I did not pass classified info — (CNN) — Former CIA Director David Petraeus, in conversations with an HLN journalist, insisted that his resignation had nothing to do with his scheduled testimony about the September attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', HLNtv.com, Politico, Guardian, Outside the Beltway, Washington Wire and Associated Press

Andrew Napolitano / Reason:

Silencing General Petraeus — No keen observer could believe the government's Pollyanna version of these events. — The evidence that Gen. David Petraeus, formerly the commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the author of the current Army field manual, Princeton Ph.D. and, until last week …

Discussion: Washington Times, Associated Press, ABCNEWS and Sense of Events

Wall Street Journal:
In Final Days, Petraeus Hurt by Libya Clash, Then Affair

Discussion: Hot Air, emptywheel and Nice Deb

James Nye / Daily Mail:
Revealed: FBI Agent Shirtless, the man who emailed topless pictures of himself to socialite Jill Kelley …

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Wire, Poynter and The Hinterland Gazette

Barton Gellman / TIME:
Spyfall: The Petraeus Scandal's Impact on National Security

Discussion: Business Insider and The Greenroom

Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:

Republicans skip Benghazi hearing; complain about lack of information on Benghazi — This week, a number of Republican senators have strongly criticized the administration for failing to properly explain the circumstances surrounding the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi.

Discussion: Slate, BobCesca.com, ThinkProgress, Business Insider, CNN and FP Passport

Paul Waldman / American Prospect:

What Benghazi Is about: Scandal Envy — If you're looking at the Republican harumphing over Benghazi and asking yourself, “Why are we supposed to be so mad about this again?” you're not alone. Let's review: There was an attack on our consulate that killed four Americans, including our ambassador.

Discussion: Mother Jones

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
McCain Skipped A Briefing On Benghazi To Hold A Press Conference

Discussion: The Raw Story, Wonkette, Foreign Policy and BuzzFeed

CBS News:
CIA talking points for Susan Rice called Benghazi attack “spontaneously inspired” by protests

Discussion: Slate, Washington Examiner, Hot Air, Guardian, Mother Jones and The Atlantic Online

Politico:
Benghazi inquiry sparks Hill turf battle

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Kos, Business Insider, Taegan Goddard's … and The Hill

Politico:

Jindal rejects Romney's ‘gifts’ theory — LAS VEGAS — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal forcefully rejected Mitt Romney's claim that he lost because of President Barack Obama's “gifts” to minorities and young voters. — Asked about the failed GOP nominee's reported comments on a conference call …

Michael Falcone / ABCNEWS:

Republicans Return Romney's Parting Gift (The Note) — By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) and AMY WALTER (@amyewalter) — NOTABLES: — UNMASKED — THE AGENT WHO LAUNCHED THE PETRAEUS PROBE: ABC's Brian Ross reports for “Good Morning America” that the FBI agent who launched the probe was identified overnight.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Hill, New York Magazine, CNN and Truthdig

Maeve Reston / Los Angeles Times:
Romney attributes loss to ‘gifts’ Obama gave minorities

Discussion: The New Republic, Washington Monthly, Wonkblog, Wonkette, The Impolitic, JIMROMENESKO.COM, The Agonist and Real-Time News from Mobile

Eric Russell / Portland Press-Herald:

Maine Republican chairman questions black voters — Charlie Webster causes a stir with claims that hundreds of unknown black people cast ballots in rural Maine towns. — Maine Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster is once again alleging possible voting irregularities …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, New York Magazine, The Hinterland Gazette, Gawker and The Gateway Pundit

Annie-Rose Strasser / ThinkProgress:
Maine GOP Head Suspects Voter Fraud Because ‘Dozens, Dozens Of Black People’ Voted

Discussion: The Raw Story, Wonkette and Mock, Paper, Scissors

Kevin Robillard / Politico: GOP chief: Mystery black voters

Krister Rollins / WCSH-TV:
Maine GOP Chair Charlie Webster discusses GOP legislative losses

Discussion: msnbc.com, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Mediaite and The Raw Story

Janean Chun / The Huffington Post:

John Metz, Denny's Franchisee And Hurricane Grill & Wings Owner, Imposes Surcharge For Obamacare … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Obama Health Care, Video, Hurricane Grill & Wings, John Metz, John Metz Dairy Queen, John Metz Dennys, John Metz Obamacare Surcharge, Obamacare, Obamacare Hiring Freezes …

Discussion: Gawker, BobCesca.com, Truthdig, Mediaite, Right Wing News and NewsBusters.org blogs

James Nye / Daily Mail:

Denny's to charge 5% ‘Obamacare surcharge’ and cut employee hours to deal with cost of legislation — President Obama's election victory ensured his Affordable Care Act would remain the centerpiece of his first term in power - but that has left some business owners baulking at the extra cost Obamcare will bring.

Discussion: NewsMax.com, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', The Lonely Conservative, Weasel Zippers, The Hinterland Gazette and The Huffington Post

BBC:

Gaza missiles fired at Tel Aviv — Palestinian militants have attempted to hit Israel's largest city, Tel Aviv, with missiles fired from the Gaza Strip. — An Israeli military spokesman said two missiles had been launched towards the Tel Aviv area but neither had hit it.

Discussion: Washington Post, Foreign Policy, The Daily Dish, The Gateway Pundit, Guardian and The Daily Beast

Gershon Baskin / Open Zion:
Assassinating The Chance For Calm

Discussion: Guardian, New York Times, The Agonist, The Daily Beast and Wired, more at Mediagazer »

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Fox News Captions Footage Of Illegal Border Crossings With ‘The Hispanic Vote’ — Since Mitt Romney lost the Hispanic vote in record numbers on Election Day, some Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits have openly conceded that the party has a “rhetoric” problem when it comes …

David Badash / The New Civil Rights Movement:
Fischer: GOP Must ‘Clamp Down’ On Hispanics Who Are ‘Socialists By Nature’

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Hullabaloo

Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Economy, Entitlements, Iran Are Americans' Top Priorities

Discussion: CNN, Political Watch, The Hill and Business Insider

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

Murray: Can't guarantee 2014 budget — Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) confirmed Thursday that she will seek the chairmanship of the Senate Budget Committee next year but told The Hill that she cannot commit to doing a budget. — This opens up the possibility that Senate Democrats …

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate Democrats say deficit package must include stimulus

Discussion: Eschaton and The Lonely Conservative

Chris Baltimore / Reuters:

Two BP workers face criminal charges from 2010 spill: source — (Reuters) - Two BP Plc (BP.L) employees face criminal indictments for their part in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and charges could be unveiled as early as Thursday, a source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Discussion: Firedoglake

Julia Werdigier / New York Times:
BP to Admit Crimes and Pay $4.5 Billion in Gulf Settlement

Discussion: Firedoglake, Outside the Beltway, Daily Kos, National Updates, Gothamist, Associated Press and The Agonist

Tim Murphy / Mother Jones:

Top Georgia GOP Lawmakers Host Briefing on Secret Obama Mind-Control Plot — President Obama is using a Cold War-era mind-control technique known as “Delphi” to coerce Americans into accepting his plan for a United Nations-run communist dictatorship in which suburbanites will be forcibly relocated to cities.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, TBogg, Addicting Info, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Gawker, The Raw Story, No More Mister Nice Blog, Daily Kos, BobCesca.com and The Hinterland Gazette

Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:

EXCLUSIVE: Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS Never Filed Legally Required Registration — When Karl Rove's Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (GPS) formed in 2010, it established its official address in Warrenton, VA, and registered with the Internal Revenue Service a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) “social welfare organization.”

Linda Greenhouse / Opinionator:

Changing Times — When people talked during the presidential campaign about the potential impact of the election on the Supreme Court, most meant the impact on the court's membership: whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney would get to fill any vacancies during the next four years.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, SCOTUSblog and Hit & Run

Nathaniel Persily / Campaign Stops:
Is the Voting Rights Act Doomed?

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Daily Kos and thenation.com/blogs/167193

Zack Beauchamp / ThinkProgress:

High-Ranking GOP Senator Advances UN Gun Conspiracy Theory — Speaking to 1290 KWFS-AM in Texas, the chief GOP vote counter claimed that the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, an attempt to regulate the international spread of weapons to deadly conflict zones, was a U.N. plot to take control of gun regulation:

Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes'

Darlene Hill / Chicago News and Weather:

Jackson Jr. won't resign until he gets disability pay: EXCLUSIVE — Sources tell FOX 32 News that Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is willing to give up his 2nd Congressional District seat if he's given disability when he steps down. — Jackson Jr. was re-elected to his tenth term but last month …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, Politico, The Daily Caller, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

Bobby Jindal / CNN:

How Republicans can win future elections — Editor's note: Bobby Jindal, a Republican, is governor of Louisiana. — (CNN) — In the aftermath of the presidential election, Republicans have been inundated with advice to moderate, equivocate, and even abandon their core principles …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs and Mediaite