memeorandum: Suspicious letter addressed to Obama (Alexander Mooney/CNN)

12:30 PM ET, April 17, 2013

Top Items:

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Boston Marathon bomb — The bomb that exploded at the finish line of Monday's Boston Marathon sent shock waves across the country. Crime scene photos obtained exclusively by FOX 5 Atlanta are the first look at what is left of the first deadly device.

Discussion: Fox News, Wall Street Journal, Deadspin, Doug Ross, Quartz, Gawker, Mediaite, Ed Driscoll, Hot Air, nation.foxnews.com, New York Times and iOwnTheWorld.com

Susan Tran / WHDH-TV:

EXCLUSIVE: New pics from moments before, after blasts — BOSTON (WHDH) — Photos sent to 7News by a viewer show the scene just before and right after the bombs went off on Boylston Street. — 7News has provided these pictures to the FBI as they continue their investigation.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, U.S. News, ABC News, Telegraph, The Right Scoop, The Gateway Pundit, Scared Monkeys, Doug Ross, CNN, Riehl World News, The Boston Globe and New York Post

CNN:

Boston Marathon bombs have hallmarks of ‘lone wolf’ devices, experts say — (CNN) — The devices used in the Boston Marathon attack Monday are typical of the “lone wolf:” the solo terrorist who builds a bomb on his own by following a widely available formula.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Business Insider, Restoring Liberty, Macleans.ca, Politico and AMERICAblog

Amy Davidson / News Desk:

The Saudi Marathon Man — A twenty-year-old man who had been watching the Boston Marathon had his body torn into by the force of a bomb. He wasn't alone; a hundred and seventy-six people were injured. But he was the only one who, while in the hospital being treated for his wounds …

Discussion: The Week, Wonkette, Mediaite, Hullabaloo, CNN, Gawker, Boston Herald, Taylor Marsh, New Republic, Macleans.ca, Talking Points Memo and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Ben Levine / Deadspin:
I Watched The Marathon Bombing From Above. These Are My Photos.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The American Conservative

Chris Buckley / New York Times:
China Mourns the Death of a Student in Boston Blast

Discussion: The Week and Obsidian Wings

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
IS THIS THE BOMBER? Man With Black Backpack Before Bombing - Then Without Backpack Moments Before Blast

Discussion: Riehl World News and Doug Ross

Jade Walker / The Huffington Post:
Lu Lingzi Dead: Boston University Graduate Student Identified As Third Fatality In Marathon Bombings

Discussion: Firedoglake, Bloomberg, Foreign Policy, Associated Press, Riehl World News and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

nyconsulate.prchina.org:
Latest Information of the Chinese Victims in Boston Marathon Bombing

Discussion: Quartz, CNN and Business Insider

Alexander Mooney / CNN:

Suspicious letter addressed to Obama — (CNN) - A letter addressed to President Barack Obama that contained a “suspicious substance” has been intercepted at the White House's off-site mail facility, a Secret Service spokesman said Wednesday. The letter arrived Tuesday …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Raw Story

Justin Sink / The Hill:

New poison letter sent to Obama — Authorities have intercepted a letter to the White House that tested positive for ricin poison, according to multiple media reports. — The Secret Service has acknowledged the letter addressed to President Obama contained a suspicious substance but has not stated it was ricin, a deadly poison.

Discussion: CNN and Outside the Beltway

Fox News:

Letter sent to Obama tests positive for ricin, FBI says — The FBI has confirmed that a letter addressed to President Obama has “preliminarily tested positive” for ricin, a day after lawmakers said another letter sent to the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Roger Wicker tested positive for the same substance.

Discussion: Weekly Standard and The Gateway Pundit

John Bresnahan / Politico:
Letter sent to Roger Wicker tests positive for ricin

CNN:
Suspicious letter for Obama intercepted, Secret Service says

Discussion: Business Insider and Taylor Marsh

David Sirota / Salon:

Let's hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American — There is a double standard: White terrorists are dealt with as lone wolves, Islamists are existential threats — As we now move into the official Political Aftermath period of the Boston bombing — the period that will determine …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Jawa Report, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, Tim Wise, Atlas Shrugs, NewsBusters, Outside the Beltway, Shot in the Dark, Weasel Zippers, Restoring Liberty, Mediaite, protein wisdom, Right Wing Watch and Post Politics

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
Bring on the Next Marathon

Discussion: JustOneMinute and Hit & Run

Ron Fournier / NationalJournal.com:
Why Boston Bombings Might Be Scarier Than 9/11

Discussion: Washington Wire, Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, Yahoo! News, Wall Street Journal, Firedoglake, AMERICAblog, Salon, Hullabaloo, CNN, Wonkblog, The Week, Schneier on Security, Balloon Juice and The Atlantic Online

nbcmiami.com:

Sen. Manchin: Background Checks Won't Survive Today's Vote — Potential GOP supporters out front on immigration won't risk second battle with conservative base on guns, Manchin tells NBC News.. — In this April 10, 2013 file photo, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., left, and Sen. Patrick Toomey …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Associated Press, Taylor Marsh, The PJ Tatler, The Raw Story, ABCNEWS, Weekly Standard and Arizona Republic

Talking Points Memo:

Kelly Ayotte Will Oppose Senate Gun Background Checks Deal — Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) said Wednesday that she will oppose a Senate deal proposing to expand background checks on the purchases of firearms known as the Manchin-Toomey admendment. — “I believe that restricting the rights …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and Washington Free Beacon

First Read:
First Thoughts: Background-check measure expected to fall short

Discussion: Mother Jones, Wonkblog, Marist Poll, CBS New York, Outside the Beltway and The Hill

Jon Schuppe / nbcnewyork.com:
Anthony Weiner at 2nd Place in Democratic Mayoral Poll by NBC New York/Marist

Discussion: Associated Press, Politicker, msnbc.com, Outside the Beltway and NY1.com

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
NBC: Manchin Concedes That Background Checks ‘Will Not Get The Votes’

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Bruce Smith / bigstory.ap.org:

AP: Ex-wife says former SC Gov. Sanford trespassed — You are here — Home » United States House of Representatives » AP: Ex-wife says former SC Gov. Sanford trespassed — CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford must appear in court two days …

Discussion: FishbowlDC, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos, CNN, Hot Air, Ballot Box, Roll Call, Post Politics, National Review and House Majority PAC

The Post and Courier:

Jenny Sanford accuses Mark Sanford of trespassing at Sullivan's Island home — Republican congressional candidate Mark Sanford is accused of trespassing at his ex-wife's home and faces a court appearance two days after the 1st District special election, according to published reports that surfaced late Tuesday night.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress and The Week

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Ex-wife accuses Mark Sanford of trespassing

Discussion: The Reaction, The Raw Story, The Fix and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Paul Krugman:

Further Further Thoughts On Death By Excel — A few somewhat unrelated notes on the Reinhart-Rogoff fiasco: — 1. I thought I remembered another recent Excel disaster — and sure enough, spreadsheet coding played a role in the London Whale disaster at JP Morgan:

Discussion: Business Insider, Quartz, Slate, Mother Jones and Corrente

Tim Fernholz / Quartz:
How influential was the Rogoff-Reinhart study warning that high debt kills growth?

Discussion: msnbc.com, Slate, Business Insider, Brad DeLong, Wonkblog, A plain blog about politics, Real Time Economics and Taegan Goddard's Wonk Wire

Paul Krugman:
Reinhart-Rogoff, Continued — I was going to post something sort …

Discussion: AEIdeas, Quartz, Guardian, Prairie Weather, The Mahablog, naked capitalism, FP Passport, The Tell, The Hill, peri.umass.edu and Marginal Revolution

CNN:

New Zealand's Parliament votes to legalize same-sex marriage — (CNN) — New Zealand is set to become the one of the latest nations to allow same-sex marriage after the country's Parliament passed a bill legalizing the practice Wednesday. — Parliament voted 77-44 on the bill's third reading …

Discussion: Towleroad News #gay, Advocate, Hit & Run and The Raw Story

Guardian: New Zealand legalises same-sex marriage

BBC:
New Zealand legalises same-sex marriage

Discussion: Macleans.ca, normblog and Wonkette

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Harry Reid's Emotional Plea For Gun Safety: ‘I Choose To Vote My Conscience’ — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) became emotional on the Senate floor Wednesday as he urged senators to support a gun safety bill that, in part, expands background checks to individuals who purchase guns at gun shows or online.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Manchin Accuses NRA Of Lying About Background Checks, Says Bill Is Likely To Fail

Discussion: Guardian, The Plum Line, Business Insider and National Review

David Taintor / Talking Points Memo:

NBC News: More Search Warrants Could Be Issued Wednesday — Federal prosecutors are preparing more search warrants in the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings, and those warrants could be issued as early as Wednesday, NBC News' Michael Isikoff reported Wednesday on MSNBC's “The Daily Rundown.”

Discussion: CNN and Weasel Zippers

Alexander Bolton / Ballot Box:

Paul considering White House bid — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a star among Tea-Party voters, said Wednesday that he is considering a presidential bid in 2016 and will decide next year. — “I want to be part of the national debate. Being considered is something that allows me to have a larger microphone …

Discussion: CNN and The Raw Story

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:

Why Republicans Suddenly Became Afraid Of Their Own Budget Shadow — Republicans spent the last four years criticizing Senate Democrats for failing to pass a budget resolution, and for operating outside of what's known as “regular order” on Capitol Hill, resorting instead to informal processes and “back room deals.”

Discussion: Washington Post and Booman Tribune

WFAA-TV:

Wife of former Kaufman County JP arrested on capital murder charge — KAUFMAN - Kim Williams, the 46-year-old wife of former Kaufman County Justice of the Peace Eric Williams, was arrested and charged with capital murder. — Authorities have not revealed whether the charge is related to her husband's arrest.

Discussion: NPR and The Raw Story