memeorandum: Paul LePage: Beretta, Colt and Magpul—Come to Maine (Paul R. Lepage/Wall Street Journal)

5:20 PM ET, April 14, 2013

Top Items:

Kelly O'Donnell / NBC Politics:

Republican Senator Collins of Maine to vote yes on background checks — Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is the first GOP senator to say publicly she will vote for the bipartisan compromise on expanded background checks for the sale of guns online and at gun shows. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Manchin: ‘Law-abiding’ gun owners will like background check bill — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Sunday defended his bipartisan proposal with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to expand background checks, saying that lawful gun owners had nothing to fear. — “If you are a law-abiding gun-owner …

Discussion: CNN

Kevin Liptak / CNN:

McCain backs gun compromise; co-author says Senate support an ‘open question’ — (CNN) - A bipartisan deal to expand background checks on gun sales got a key conservative endorsement on Sunday, but one of its co-authors said Senate approval remained an “open question.”

Discussion: Politico and Weasel Zippers

Matthew O'Brien / The Atlantic Online:

The Terrifying Reality of Long-Term Unemployment — It's an awful catch-22: employers won't hire you if you've been out of work for more than six months — Close your eyes and picture the scariest thing you can think of. Maybe it's a giant spider or a giant Stay Puft marshmellow man or something that's not even giant at all.

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Eschaton

Kevin Bogardus / The Hill:

McCain: North Korea nearing nuclear missile launch ‘capability’ — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Sunday that it's not clear if North Korea has a nuclear missile ready to launch, but it's moving towards that “capability.” — Speaking on CNN's “State of the Union,” McCain said the country's military …

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Jeremi Suri / New York Times:

Bomb North Korea, Before It's Too Late — SINCE February, the North Korean government has followed one threatening move with another. The spiral began with an underground nuclear test. Then the North declared the armistice that ended the Korean War invalid.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Reaction, Booman Tribune, Outside the Beltway and No More Mister Nice Blog

Erik Loomis / Lawyers, Guns & Money:
When Historians Provide Bad Policy Ideas

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Balloon Juice and Booman Tribune

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

The Anthony Weiner-Mark Sanford comeback playbook — What do Anthony Weiner and Mark Sanford have in common? A comeback playbook. — The two are the latest examples of the accelerated post-sex scandal cycle, in which public rehabilitation can be attempted with a straight face just a few short years after the original sin.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, CNN and The Reaction

Matt Latimer / Washington Post:

The lady was for turning, after all: How conservatives misunderstand Thatcher — Matt Latimer, a speechwriter for President George W. Bush from 2007 to 2008, is the author of “Speech-Less: Tales of a White House Survivor.” He is a founding partner of Javelin, a communications and media firm.

Discussion: Power Line and Prairie Weather

Ginger Gibson / Politico:

Scott Brown mum on N.H. Senate run — Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown wasn't giving any previews about a possible Senate run in New Hampshire Sunday. — “I'm not going to comment on that, obviously,” the Republican said on “Fox News Sunday,” “Nothing is off the table, and nothing is on the table.

Terri Sanginiti / delawareonline:

Planned Parenthood temporarily suspends in-clinic abortion services at Wilmington site — Planned Parenthood of Delaware suspended in-clinic abortion services this week in the wake of some staffing changes at the Wilmington health center, officials said. — The action was taken earlier …

Discussion: Red Alert Politics

Mike Allen / Politico:

RUBIO ON IMMIGRATION DEAL: ‘not take-it-or-leave-it’ — NYT FLOATS ELIZABETH WARREN as possible 2016 liberal challenger to Hillary, Biden — WRIGLEY FIELD may get left-field Jumbotron — THE FULL MARCO: Sen. Marco Rubio pre-tapes seven Sunday-show two-ways from the Biltmore Hotel in Miami this a.m. …

Kate Briquelet / New York Post:

9/11 Memorial goes back on its word, charges reservation fee; victims' families furious — The 9/11 Memorial foundation, funded to the tune of $830 million, has begun nickel-and-diming visitors for ticket reservations. — Even though the nonprofit has long vowed admission to the sacred site would be free …

Discussion: Associated Press and Gothamist