memeorandum: The G.O.P.'s Bachmann Problem (Charles M. Blow/New York Times)

1:15 AM ET, March 24, 2013

Top Items:

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:

Bloomberg's TV Blitz on Guns Puts Swing Senators on the Spot — The commercial is an unambiguous appeal to gun owners: a middle-aged hunter, rifle in hand, vows that he will fight to protect the Second Amendment. But in a sensible, father-of-the-house tone, he also urges voters …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Politico and Weasel Zippers

Politico:

NRA, Joe Manchin in talks on background checks — Sen. Joe Manchin and the National Rifle Association are quietly engaged in private talks on a proposal to broaden background checks on purchasers of firearms. — That the NRA is even talking with Manchin suggests there's at least some room …

Discussion: Washington Monthly and CNN

Christina Wilkie / The Huffington Post:

NRA Robocalls In Newtown Spark Outrage From Local Gun Control Group — WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association came under fire late Thursday from members of a gun-control advocacy group in Newtown, Conn., after reports surfaced of Newtown residents receiving robocalls and pro-gun postcards from the NRA.

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Crooks and Liars

Reuters:
DOJ: $20M for background checks

Discussion: Associated Press

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:

Senate Budget ‘Has Zero Real Deficit Reduction ... Never Balances’ — In a statement released at 5 a.m. today, Senator Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, blasts the budget the Senate passed very early this morning. Sessions's main concern is that the budget …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

David Lawder / NBCNews.com:
Senate passes budget with $1 trillion tax hike

Discussion: Michelle Malkin

Erik Wasson / The Hill:
Senate passes first budget in four years

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Scared Monkeys, Hot Air, The Hill, The Lonely Conservative, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, The Reaction and Booman Tribune

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
Senate Passes $3.7 Trillion Budget, Its First in 4 Years

Discussion: The Hill, CNN, Talking Points Memo and Outside the Beltway

Ginger Gibson / Politico:
Senate passes budget — first for four years

Discussion: E2-Wire

Sharyl Attkisson / CBS News:

Taxpayer money finances IRS “Star Trek” parody — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO … Thus begins a six-minute “Star Trek” parody starring IRS employees and paid for with your tax dollars. It's not likely to go over well with some Americans and members of Congress, especially since federal agencies …

Discussion: his vorpal sword, Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, The Lonely Conservative, The Daily Caller and Twitchy

Stephen Ohlemacher / Associated Press:
IRS CALLS ‘STAR TREK’ PARODY VIDEO A MISTAKE

Discussion: The Hill and The Raw Story

Jessica E. Lessin / Digits:

Apple Acquires Indoor Location Company WifiSLAM — Apple has acquired indoor-GPS company WifiSLAM, a sign that the war over indoor mobile location services is heating up. — Apple paid around $20 million for the Silicon Valley-based company, according to a person familiar with the matter who said the deal closed recently.

Discussion: The Verge, VentureBeat and GigaOM

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

On third anniversary, Obama touts health law's benefits — President Obama on Saturday touted his landmark healthcare reform law on its third anniversary, but cautioned that there was “more work to do to implement” its provisions. — “Three years ago today, I signed into law the principle …

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, Politico, CNN, The Lonely Conservative, The Hill and The Reaction

Jennifer Bendery / The Huffington Post:
Ted Cruz Amendment To Repeal Obamacare Fails

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Michael Powell / New York Times:

Man Freed From Prison Has a Heart Attack — On his second day of freedom after serving 23 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, David Ranta suffered a serious heart attack Friday night, his lawyer said. — Mr. Ranta was taken to a New York hospital — his family did not wish …

Discussion: Gothamist and Daily Kos

Victoria Taylor / NY Daily News:

Going rouge: Sarah Palin proudly wears a red Chick-fil-A shirt to Phoenix Suns game — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin continued to show her support for the controversial chicken sandwich chain by donning a Chick-fil-A shirt at an NBA game in Phoenix on Friday.

Ramsey Cox / The Hill:

Senate votes 53-46 to stop US from joining UN Arms Trade Treaty — In the last batch of amendment votes to the budget, the Senate voted on several foreign policy proposals. — Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced an amendment that would prevent the United States from entering …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Hill

WPSD Local 6:

Actress hints at Senate run in speech — CINCINNATI (AP) - Actress and Kentucky native Ashley Judd made a rare public reference to her possible run for the seat held by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. — WXIX-TV says Judd gave the keynote speech Friday …

Discussion: The Reaction

Molly K. Hooper / Ballot Box:

Biden: Republican Party is leaderless — Vice President Joe Biden attacked the GOP as a leaderless party on Saturday afternoon at the third-annual House Democratic Issues Conference in New York City. — “There is no leadership,” Biden told a roomful of donors, prospective candidates …

Discussion: CNN

Al Baker / New York Times:

Girls Outnumbered in New York's Elite Public Schools — In the United States, girls have outshined boys in high school for years, amassing more A's, earning more diplomas and gliding more readily into college, where they rack up more degrees — whether at the bachelor's, master's or doctoral levels.

Discussion: Gothamist, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Unfogged

Benjamin Weiser / New York Times:

Stars of a Violent Rap Video Are Found Guilty of Violent Crimes in Real Life — The slick rap video had all the trappings of a hit: guns, gritty urban setting, armed robbery and a flashy getaway car. But, as it turned out, the video found its true potential not on YouTube, but in federal court.

Discussion: Gothamist