memeorandum: Report Urges White House to Rethink Iran Penalties (David E. Sanger/New York Times)

9:55 AM ET, April 18, 2013

Top Items:

EMS Director Says 60 To 70 Dead In West Explosion — West EMS Director Dr. George Smith says as many as 60 or 70 people died and hundreds were injured Wednesday night in a fertilizer plant explosion in West. — A rescuer earlier said he knew of five deaths.

Selwyn Crawford / Dallas Morning News:

Live video: Explosion, injuries reported at fertilizer plant near Waco in West, Texas — A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant rocked the town of West, north of Waco, causing multiple injuries and leaving people trapped and buildings on fire. — Firefighters were reported among …

Discussion: Chicago Boyz, The PJ Tatler, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Moderate Voice, The Agonist and AMERICAblog

Lateef Mungin / CNN:

Explosion hits fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas — Are you there? Please send photos and videos to iReport, but please stay safe. — (CNN) — An explosion ripped through a fertilizer plant Wednesday night in the area of West, Texas, sending a massive fireball into the sky and causing dozens of injuries, officials said.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Booman Tribune, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Crooks and Liars

Washington Post:

Fertilizer plant explosion injures at least 160 in central Texas; 5 to 15 feared dead — A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in central Texas Wednesday night left more than 160 people wounded and killed an estimated five to 15 people, officials said, likely including firefighters …

Discussion: Restoring Liberty, Mediaite and Outside the Beltway

Randy Lee Loftis / Dallas Morning News:
West fertilizer plant said in report that it presented no risk

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Macleans.ca and Quartz

Waco Tribune-Herald:
UPDATED: Fatalities confirmed in West plant explosion

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Gawker and Los Angeles Times

New York Times:
Huge Blast at Texas Fertilizer Plant Kills at Least 5 People

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Huffington Post and The Week

Lateef Mungin / CNN:
Deadly blast rattles Texas town

Discussion: Business Insider

Gabrielle Giffords / New York Times:

A Senate in the Gun Lobby's Grip — SENATORS say they fear the N.R.A. and the gun lobby. But I think that fear must be nothing compared to the fear the first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School felt as their lives ended in a hail of bullets. The fear that those children who survived …

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

A Lame Duck Squawks, But Why? — After his gun control proposals were defeated today in the Senate, President Obama gave a speech in the Rose Garden, surrounded by Joe Biden, Gabrielle Giffords, and Newtown parents. He went on what can charitably be described as an angry rant.

Discussion: Washington Times

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:
Gun Control Effort Had No Real Chance, Despite Pleas

Discussion: The Maddow Blog and Politico

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate rejects background checks on gun purchases in 54-46 vote

Discussion: The Reaction, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, The Impolitic, Morning Read, The Lonely Conservative, The PJ Tatler, Talking Points Memo, Hit & Run, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Outside the Beltway and Whiskey Fire

Jacob Sullum / Hit & Run:
Obama Responds to His Gun Control Defeat With Self-Righteous Solipsism

Discussion: Power Line, Betsy's Page, White House.gov Blog, Instapundit and New York Times

Politico:
Gang of Eight aims to stop conservative attacks

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Politico:
Gun control: Obama's biggest loss

Discussion: Right Wing News, Twitchy, CNN and msnbc.com

Washington Post:
Gun-control overhaul is defeated in Senate

Discussion: News Desk, Taegan Goddard's … and Post Politics

Ron Fournier / NationalJournal.com:
At Pivotal Point in Presidency, Obama Routed on Gun Control

Discussion: Yahoo! News, Roll Call, New York Times, National Review, The Michael Bane Blog, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Hot Air and Instapundit

Talking Points Memo:
NRA Celebrates Failure Of Background Check Bill In Senate

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Jason Howerton / TheBlaze.com:

MIND-BOGGLING DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT RICIN LETTER SUSPECT: 'I'M ON THE HIDDEN FRONT LINES OF A SECRET WAR' — Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, of Tupelo, Miss., has been arrested in connection with ricin letters that were sent to both Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and President Barack Obama," The New York Times reports.

Discussion: New York Times, Fox News, Ed Driscoll, No More Mister Nice Blog, BuzzFeed, Restoring Liberty, Patterico's Pontifications, The Jawa Report, Mediaite and The PJ Tatler

U.S. News:

Feds arrest suspect in ricin-positive letters sent to Obama, senator — The ricin-laced letters sent to President Obama and Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker were both postmarked April 8 and sent from Memphis, Tenn., signed “I am KC and I approve this message.” A third letter went to Michigan Sen. Carl Levin.

Discussion: New York Times, Shakesville, The Maddow Blog, Outside the Beltway, Business Insider, The Hinterland Gazette, CANNONFIRE, Mediaite, The Week, Twitchy and Towleroad News #gay

Lady Liberty 1885:
Paul Kevin Curtis and the Ricin Letters

Discussion: Clarion-Ledger, The Week, Weasel Zippers and Doug Ross

Boston Globe:

Authorities have clear video images of two suspects in Boston Marathon bombings, official says — Authorities have clear video images of two separate suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings carrying black bags at each explosion site and are planning to release the images today in an appeal …

Discussion: The Hill, msnbc.com, The Boston Globe, CBS Boston and The Boston Marathon

New York Post:

Authorities circulate photos of two men spotted carrying bags near site of Boston bombings — Investigators probing the deadly Boston Marathon bombings are circulating photos of two men spotted chatting near the packed finish line, The Post has learned. — In the photos being distributed …

Discussion: Jihad Watch, Riehl World News, New York Times, Blazing Cat Fur and Poynter

Los Angeles Times:
Videos point to 2 suspects in Boston Marathon bombing

Discussion: Daily Mail and Weasel Zippers

Jason Zengerle / New York Magazine:

How Savvy Jenny Sanford Sabotaged Ex-Husband Mark's Political Comeback — Obama Delivers Emotional Condemnation of Senate Republicans After Gun-Control Defeat — A couple of months ago, when I was reporting a feature on Mark Sanford's political comeback and the ongoing soap opera between …

Discussion: Power Line, The Hinterland Gazette, Right Turn, Balloon Juice, Daily Kos, U.S. News and Washington Wire

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Republicans pull plug on Mark Sanford

CNN:

Hillary Clinton reacts to Boston bombing — (CNN) - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid tribute Wednesday to those who ran to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombing earlier this week. In a speech at a Global Fund for Women anniversary gala in New York City, Clinton said such spirit of …

Discussion: Politico, The Hill and Taylor Marsh

Frank Smyth / msnbc.com:
How the gun lobby has already blocked Boston's bombing investigators

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Quinnipiac News + Events:

Release Detail — April 18, 2013 - Big Gender Gap As Kasich Leads 2014 Ohio Gov Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; He Leads Dem Challengers In Early Look At 2014 Race — With a commanding lead among men, Ohio Gov. John Kasich leads likely Democratic challengers in an early look …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's … and Politics Extra

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

Lawyer up, Issa warns CIA staff — In separate letters to the legal offices of the CIA, State Department and Defense Department, Issa said some witnesses on the issue might need lawyers, if their agencies decide to retaliate against them for their testimony.

Discussion: Hot Air

Sharyl Attkisson / CBS News:
House investigators talking to new Benghazi whistleblowers

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

The Local:

Hollande denounces ‘homophobic’ violence — President François Hollande has denounced “homophobic” acts as protests against the bill once again boiled over on Wednesday night. The French parliament just days away from the crucial and final vote on whether to legalise gay marriage.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Joe. My. God. and Towleroad News #gay

James Hohmann / Politico:

Mitch McConnell ad seizes on secret audio — Mitch McConnell continues to seize on the bungled taping of his Louisville campaign headquarters. — The Senate Minority Leader will go on the air Thursday with a new commercial that links last week's brouhaha to the Democratic president's desire to oust him.

Discussion: First Read