memeorandum: Obama tries to regain ObamaCare edge after mandate delay setback (Sam Baker/The Hill)

8:45 AM ET, July 21, 2013

Top Items:

Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:

Demonstrations Across the Country Commemorate Trayvon Martin — Thousands of demonstrators gathered in dozens of cities on Saturday to mourn Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager shot to death in a confrontation with a neighborhood watch volunteer early last year, and to add their voices …

Discussion: Althouse

New York Post:

Jay-Z and Beyonce join Trayvon Martin's mother in NYC to kick off nationwide day of protests — Beyonce and Jay-Z joined Trayvon Martin's mother and thousands of New Yorkers rallying today during nationwide demonstrations demanding justice for the slain teen.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and NewsBusters blogs

Javier Manjarres / The Shark Tank:

Trayvon Martin Alledged to Have Assaulted His Teacher, Dad Denies It — During the National Action Network's rally in Miami, Florida, where 2000 supporters of the groups efforts to pressure the Department of Justice to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman, Tracy Martin …

Discussion: The Last Refuge, The Gateway Pundit and neo-neocon

Julieparise / CBS New York:
Trayvon Martin's Mother Speaks Out With Sharpton At Rally Outside NYPD

Discussion: Guardian and Mediaite

Tom Brown / Reuters:
Trayvon Martin's parents lead protests over Zimmerman verdict

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Hinterland Gazette and Informed Comment

Mackenzie Weinger / Politico:
Rev. Al Sharpton's front and center

Discussion: NewsBusters blogs

CEPR:

Unfunded Pension Liabilities Are $1 Trillion, Not $3.8 Trillion: Never Take Anything In a Washington Post Editorial At Face Value — Sorry folks, I committed the cardinal sin of accepting an assertion from a Washington Post editorial without carefully checking it myself.

Discussion: Paul Krugman

Washington Post:

Bankrupt Detroit runs out of gas — DETROIT'S MUNICIPAL bankruptcy is undeniably unique in one respect: This is the largest U.S. city to ask a federal court for protection against its creditors, whether you measure by population (approximately 700,000) or by accumulated debt (up to $20 billion).

Sam Baker / The Hill:

Obama tries to regain ObamaCare edge after mandate delay setback — The White House is working to get back on offense in the debate over ObamaCare, after a surprise delay in part of the implementation knocked its message off course. — President Obama touted the law's benefits …

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Cuccinelli, McAuliffe debate heats up — HOT SPRINGS, Va. — Virginia's gubernatorial hopefuls bashed each other for 90 minutes Saturday over jobs, the ethics scandal that's consumed Gov. Bob McDonnell and social issues as they faced off in their first debate of the most closely-watched election of 2013.

Discussion: CNN and The PJ Tatler

Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:

Virginia GOP Nominee For Governor: I Still Believe Gay People Are ‘Soulless’ And ‘Self Destructive’ — In his first gubernatorial debate against Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinellii II (R) admitted Saturday that his extreme anti-LGBT views have not changed.

Discussion: The Raw Story, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and RH Reality Check

David Stout / New York Times:

50 Years of Tough Questions and ‘Thank You, Mr. President’ — WASHINGTON — Helen Thomas, whose keen curiosity, unquenchable drive and celebrated constancy made her a trailblazing White House correspondent in a press corps dominated by men and later the dean of the White House briefing room, died Saturday at home in Washington.

Discussion: Israel Matzav, The Moderate Voice, Mediaite, NPR, Yahoo! News, Showbiz411, Gawker, Outside the Beltway, Firedoglake and The Mahablog, more at Mediagazer »

Jake Miller / CBS News:
Veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas dies

Discussion: CBS New York and Booman Tribune

Calvin Woodward / Associated Press:
Pioneering Journalist Helen Thomas Dies at 92

Discussion: Poynter, Reuters and Washington Monthly

Richard Pildes / Election Law Blog:

Did Election Fraud Help Win the Civil War? — One remarkable feature of the American Civil War is that in its midst we nonetheless held regularly scheduled elections. And as is well-known, in the 1862 mid-term election, President Lincoln and the Republican Party suffered devastating losses in the U.S. House.

Discussion: Balkinization

Jodi Rudoren / New York Times:

Palestinian Prisoner Release Is Critical Hurdle in Resuming Peace Talks — JERUSALEM — After a week of intense diplomatic meetings with Palestinian leaders, Secretary of State John Kerry is counting on an Israeli government decision to release long-serving Palestinian prisoners …

Discussion: Via Meadia, Israel Matzav and Outside the Beltway

Radley Balko / Wall Street Journal:

Rise of the Warrior Cop — Is it time to reconsider the militarization of American policing? — On Jan. 4 of last year, a local narcotics strike force conducted a raid on the Ogden, Utah, home of Matthew David Stewart at 8:40 p.m. The 12 officers were acting on a tip from Mr. Stewart's former girlfriend …

Discussion: Vox Popoli, Cafe Hayek and Postmodern Conservative

Greg Hengler / Townhall.com:

Krauthammer: Obama's Trayvon Speech “Not Enlightening”—The Trial Was Not About Race — I appreciate Krauthammer shooting down Steve Hayes' attempt to praise Obama's White House Press Conference appearance on the George Zimmerman verdict. Sadly, I've heard too many conservatives give …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and The Gateway Pundit