memeorandum: Gates defends W.H. on Benghazi (Hadas Gold/Politico)

7:30 PM ET, May 12, 2013

Top Items:

Jake Miller / CBS News:

Gates: Some Benghazi critics have “cartoonish” view of military capability — Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates forcefully defended the Obama administration on Sunday against charges that it did not do enough to prevent the tragedy in Benghazi, telling CBS' “Face the Nation” …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, PoliticusUSA and The Raw Story

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Congressman Tears Into Fox News Host For Obsessing Over Benghazi Talking Points — Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) tore into Fox News' Chris Wallace and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI) for obsessing over the talking points U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice used when talking to the media …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Fox News and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Kevin Liptak / CNN:

Pickering defends Benghazi report, says criticisms not based in fact — (CNN) - The leader of a panel charged with reviewing September's attack in Benghazi, Libya, said Sunday that criticism of his report was unfounded and did not accurately reflect how his review was carried out.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Washington Monthly and Politico

Peter Schroeder / The Hill:
Rep. Rogers: Expect more whistleblowers to testify on Benghazi

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Jordan Chariton / Mediaite:
McCain Defends Obama Against Impeachment For Benghazi, Will ‘Give President Benefit Of The Doubt’

Discussion: Nice Deb

Hadas Gold / Politico:
Gates defends W.H. on Benghazi

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Weasel Zippers

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
When Myths Collide in the Capital

Discussion: Hot Air and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

TIME:

IRS Mess — The Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups is outrageous. Those who did this should be fired immediately. That's obvious. — It continues a slovenly week for Barack Obama. The President has been very proud of the absence of scandal in his administration, and rightly so.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Post Politics, Washington Post and Politico

Kevin Liptak / CNN:

Collins says IRS revelations will fuel government distrust — (CNN) - President Barack Obama should personally condemn the Internal Revenue Service for putting extra scrutiny on conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status, Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday.

Discussion: Politico, Scared Monkeys and Weasel Zippers

John D. McKinnon / Wall Street Journal:

IRS Scrutiny Was Deeper Than Thought — WASHINGTON—Government investigators have found that the Internal Revenue Service scrutinized conservative groups for raising political concerns over government spending, debt and taxes or even for advocating making America a better place to live …

Discussion: Mother Jones and Post Politics

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
The Taxman vs. the Tea Party

Discussion: msnbc.com, Weasel Zippers, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, TIME, Daily Kos, BuzzFeed and Hot Air

Peter Schroeder / The Hill: Issa: IRS apology for targeting Tea Party groups not sincere

CBS News:
IRS targeted tea party groups earlier than 2012

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Raw Story, No More Mister Nice Blog, americanthinker.com and The PJ Tatler

Fox News:
House Republicans swiftly announce hearing on IRS targeting conservative groups

Discussion: ViralRead, Weasel Zippers and Ed Driscoll

Candice M. Giove / New York Post:

Smitten teen girls stir up #FreeJahar mania for Boston Marathon bombings suspect — This love is terrifying. — Thousands of American teen girls are crushing on Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar “Jahar” Tsarnaev, 19 — and leading a social-media movement to exonerate him.

Discussion: Gothamist, Atlas Shrugs, Riehl World News and TMZ.com

Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:

The Coming Attempt to Impeach Obama — The idea of impeaching Obama is industrial-strength insane. Republicans will probably try anyway, predicts Michael Tomasky. — When the histories of this administration are written, I hope fervently that last Friday, May 10, does not figure prominently in them.

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Althouse

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Dennis Kucinich Slams Obama Administration On Benghazi: “I'm Offended By This” — The progressive former Congressman hit the Obama Administration for their Libyan policy and for their response to the attack. — View Video › — Via: — Progressive former Congressman Dennis Kucinich …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

John Kartch / Americans for Tax Reform RSS:

Obamacare: Taxpayers Must Report Personal Health ID Info to IRS — When Obamacare's individual mandate takes effect in 2014, all Americans who file income tax returns must complete an additional IRS tax form. — The new form will require disclosure of a taxpayer's personal identifying health information …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The PJ Tatler, The Lonely Conservative, Vox Popoli, americanthinker.com and Real Science

Adi Robertson / The Verge:

‘Geography of Hate’ maps racism and homophobia on Twitter — Twitter, even more than many other social media tools, can feel disconnected from the real world. But a group of students and professors at research site Floating Sheep have built a comprehensive map of some of Twitter's most distasteful content …

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Blotter

Kristin Wartman / New York Times:

Pay People to Cook at Home — THE home-cooked family meal is often lauded as the solution for problems ranging from obesity to deteriorating health to a decline in civility and morals. Using whole foods to prepare meals without additives and chemicals is the holy grail for today's advocates of better eating.

Discussion: The Lonely Conservative and Althouse

Peter Schroeder / The Hill:

Obama hails Pakistan election as ‘significant milestone’ for nation — President Obama hailed Pakistan on its election this weekend, calling it a “significant milestone” for the nation's democracy. — In a statement released Sunday, the president congratulated the Pakistani people …

Discussion: Politico