memeorandum: Barack and Trayvon — On Friday President Obama picked … (Charles M. Blow/New York Times)

1:20 PM ET, July 20, 2013

Top Items:

Rich Benjamin / Salon:

Obama's safe, overrated and airy speech — The president's remarks gave us context to the episode, but not a single opinion on the issues that brought us here — When people hold their breath for your imminent words, isn't it exasperating when you open your mouth, but don't say much?

Discussion: BizPac Review, Mediaite, NewsBusters blogs, David E's FablogDavid … and Weasel Zippers

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

Barack and Trayvon — On Friday President Obama picked at America's racial wound, and it bled a bit. — Despite persistent attempts by some to divest the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman tragedy of its racial resonance, the president refused to allow it. — During a press briefing …

New York Times:

President Obama's Anguish — President Obama did something Friday that he hardly ever does — and no other president could ever have done. He addressed the racial fault lines in the country by laying bare his personal anguish and experience in an effort to help white Americans understand …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Right Turn, Daily Kos, ImmigrationProf Blog and American Power

NPR:
Week In Politics: Obama On Race And Trayvon Martin

Discussion: National Review

Adam Kredo / Washington Free Beacon:
Iran's Mullahs Demand Justice for Trayvon

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

The White House:
Remarks by the President on Trayvon Martin

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Althouse, The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, No More Mister Nice Blog, White House.gov Blog, The Daily Caller, The Hinterland Gazette, PostPartisan, News Desk, Hit & Run, Taylor Marsh, Colorlines, The Gateway Pundit, New York Times and USA Today

Talking Points Memo:
Why Obama Decided To Speak Out On Race And The Zimmerman Verdict

Discussion: The Mahablog

Frank Newport / Gallup:
Fewer Blacks in U.S. See Bias in Jobs, Income, and Housing

Discussion: American Power and Yahoo! News

CNN:
Transcript: President Obama addresses race, profiling and Florida law

Discussion: PolicyMic

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Helen Thomas, trailblazing reporter, dead at 92 — Helen Thomas, whose career covering the White House dated back to the Kennedy administration, died on Saturday at the age of 92, the Gridiron Club announced in an email to members on Saturday. — Thomas served for 57 years at United Press International …

Discussion: Mediaite, Scared Monkeys, Mashable, NewsBusters blogs and Blazing Cat Fur, more at Mediagazer »

Jake Miller / CBS News:

Veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas dies — Veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas died early Saturday morning in Washington, D.C., CBS News confirms. She was 92 years old. — A cousin of Thomas' confirmed her passing to CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer.

Discussion: Firedoglake, CBS New York and Booman Tribune

Calvin Woodward / Associated Press:

Pioneering Journalist Helen Thomas Dies at 92 — Helen Thomas, the irrepressible White House correspondent who used her seat in the front row of history to grill 10 presidents and was not shy about sharing her opinions, died Saturday. She was 92. — Thomas, who died at her apartment in Washington …

Discussion: Reuters, Yahoo! News, Washington Monthly, The Hill, Poynter, Politico and Associated Press

CNN:

Longtime journalist Helen Thomas dead at 92 — Front row with Helen Thomas — (CNN) — Longtime White House journalist Helen Thomas has died at age 92 after a long illness, sources told CNN Saturday. — Thomas covered 10 presidents over nearly half a century, and became a legend in the industry.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Joe. My. God. and PolicyMic

David Stout / New York Times:

Helen Thomas, Barrier-Busting White House Reporter, Is Dead at 92 — WASHINGTON — Helen Thomas, whose bottomless curiosity and an unquenchable drive made her a prominent White House reporter at a time when men dominated the profession, died Saturday at her apartment in Washington. She was 92.

Discussion: Showbiz411, Outside the Beltway and Gawker

Steven Rattner / Opinionator:

We Have to Step In and Save Detroit — For months, the question in many minds has been not whether Detroit would file for bankruptcy, but when. — But while Detroit's decision this week to enter bankruptcy might make it easier to improve the city's fiscal position, it will prove far tougher …

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin

New York Times:
Detroit's Creditors Eye Its Art Collection

Discussion: skippy the bush kangaroo

Gary Heinlein / detroitnews.com:
Ingham County judge rules Detroit bankruptcy be withdrawn; Schuette appeals

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, The PJ Tatler, National Review, Weasel Zippers, Twitchy, Weekly Standard, Wonkblog, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, Outside the Beltway, BREITBART.COM and Ed Driscoll

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Michigan judge halts Detroit bankruptcy because it dishonors Obama

Discussion: Business Insider, Slate, National Review and Ed Driscoll

Brian Stelter / New York Times:

Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight Blog Is to Join ESPN Staff — Nate Silver, the statistician who attained national fame for his accurate projections about the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, is parting ways with The New York Times and moving his FiveThirtyEight franchise to ESPN …

Discussion: Fang's Bites, TechCrunch, Deadline.com, The Verge, Mediaite, Politico, The Huffington Post, Outside the Beltway, American Power and Lawyers, Guns & Money, more at Mediagazer »

Bloomberg:

China's Flying Propaganda Weapon Will Blow Your Mind — What's the latest weapon in the Chinese military's arsenal of high-tech killing machines? It might be an airplane capable of disseminating propaganda so powerful it induces nervous breakdowns, according to report in Tuesday's Global Times …

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Congressional Black Caucus members would support Florida boycott — A number of House Democrats are lining up behind the Rev. Jesse Jackson's threat for an economic boycott of Florida following the not-guilty verdict in the death of Trayvon Martin. — The lawmakers, all members …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Gretawire

Jonathan Bernstein / Salon:

Ted Cruz could beat Hillary — There's been some more buzz this week about Ted Cruz's presidential prospects. The demagoguing senator took his first trip to Iowa just six months after being sworn in to office, and he's pretty clearly reaching for the White House. Early reports are that it's going well.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Slate, PoliticusUSA and The Fix

Ted Cruz / CNN:
Cruz says Obama going after guns with ‘stand your ground’ remark

Discussion: Associated Press and Politico

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:

Top 12 Conservative Freakouts After Obama's Race Speech — Conservatives didn't even wait for President Obama to finish his deeply personal remarks on Trayvon Martin's killing and the role of race in America to go ballistic, accusing the president of being a “Racist in Chief” who is “trying to tear our country apart.”

Discussion: ComPost and Booman Tribune