memeorandum: Snipers haunt Syrian Christian town of Maalula (Yahoo! News)

9:30 AM ET, September 19, 2013

Top Items:

The GOP's Self-Defeating ‘Defunding’ Strategy — It will only strengthen the president while alienating independents. — In 2010, Republicans took the House of Representatives by gaining 63 seats. They also picked up six U.S. senators and 675 state legislators, giving them control …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, msnbc.com, The Fact Checker and Washington Post

CNN:

House Republicans question Cruz's Obamacare-defunding fervor — Washington (CNN) - Republicans in the House of Representatives expressed outrage with one of their compatriots on the other side of the Capitol Wednesday, questioning whether or not Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is really all-in on defunding Obamacare …

Discussion: The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Taylor Marsh, The Hill, The Reaction, Politico, The Plum Line and Booman Tribune

Gail Collins / New York Times:

World War O — The war against Obamacare: All the rationality of a Justin Bieber fan riot, and all the restraint of “Saw VI.” — On Wednesday, leaders of the House of Representatives announced their plans for a 42nd and 43rd vote to thwart the new health care reform law.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Russell Berman / The Hill:
Conservatives in House unveil ObamaCare replacement bill (Video)

Discussion: The Week, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Other McCain, The Daily Caller and Washington Monthly

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
Pressed From His Right, Speaker Yields on a Budget Showdown

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Real Clear Politics, The Huffington Post, Booman Tribune, The Hill, CNN, Ballot Box and Outside the Beltway

Debbie Siegelbaum / BBC:

Navy Yard: Swat team ‘stood down’ at mass shooting scene — On Wednesday, investigators continued to process the scene — One of the first teams of heavily armed police to respond to Monday's shooting in Washington DC was ordered to stand down by superiors, the BBC can reveal.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Independent Journal Review, Hot Air, Mediaite, WJLA-TV and TheBlaze.com

Nick Gillespie / The Daily Beast:
Now Is Not the Time for New Gun Laws

Discussion: Washington Post, Hit & Run, NPR, The Raw Story and The Week

New York Times:
Mental Health Again an Issue in Gun Debate

Discussion: JustOneMinute and WJLA-TV

NBCNews:
Navy Yard gunman's mother says she is heartbroken and sorry for families

Discussion: Jihad Watch, The Week and U.S. News

English pravda.ru:

Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin — When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as “an active anti-Russian politician for many years.” I'm sure that isn't the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist.

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, Mediaite, New York Times, NBCNews, CBS DC and Independent Journal Review

Leslie Bentz / CNN:

McCain publishes opinion piece in Pravda - but not the one he wanted — Washington (CNN) - Senator John McCain has a message for the Russian people: “I am pro-Russian, more pro-Russian than the regime that misrules you today.” — In an opinion piece titled “Russians Deserve Better Than Putin …

Discussion: Gallup

Associated Press:
In Pravda, John McCain slams Vladimir Putin

Discussion: CNN

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Boehner asks why Obama will negotiate with Putin, but not Republicans — The Speaker contrasts the White House's policy on Syria with its stance on debt-limit negotiations. — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) released a Web video on Thursday seeking to contrast the White House's willingness …

Discussion: Speaker.gov, Politico, Right Turn and Right Wing News

Daniel Henninger / Wall Street Journal:
The Obama M.O. — Barack Obama's modus operandi is: I think, therefore you do.

Discussion: Hot Air

Eric Scheiner / CNSNews:
WH Says GOP Has Moved ‘Away From Compromise’, Then Vows Not to Compromise

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Stan Collender / Stan Collender's Capital Gains …:
cliffgate Update: Is A Shutdown Boehner's Only Way Out?

Discussion: Paul Krugman and The Dish

Harry Binswanger / Forbes:

Give Back? Yes, It's Time For The 99% To Give Back To The 1% — It's time to gore another collectivist sacred cow. This time it's the popular idea that the successful are obliged to “give back to the community.” That oft-heard claim assumes that the wealth of high-earners is taken away from “the community.”

Discussion: Daily Kos, CANNONFIRE, No More Mister Nice Blog, Shakesville, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Hullabaloo and The ToastThe Toast

Tracy Connor / NBCNews:

Iran's president Rouhani: We will never develop nuclear weapons — In his first interview with a U.S. news outlet since becoming president, Hassan Rouhani told NBC News' Ann Curry that he has full authority to strike a nukes deal with the west. Watch more on Nightly News at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Discussion: emptywheel, New York Times, World News, Guardian, National Updates, U.S. News, The Dish, NBC Politics, Telegraph, Hot Air, The Raw Story and CBS DC

Mark Landler / New York Times: Through Diplomacy, Obama Finds a Pen Pal in Iran

Jonathan Strong / National Review:

Congressman on Obamacare Exemption: ‘Go Home and Talk to Your Wife’ — A debate among congressional Republicans over a potential line of attack on Obamacare is pitting their pocketbooks against the chance at political gold. — At issue is a requirement in the law that congressional staffers purchase …

Discussion: The Raw Story, ABC News, Taegan Goddard's …, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, The Fix and Post Politics

ABC News:

Obama Convening Export Panel at White House — President Barack Obama is convening his advisory council on international trade as the U.S. pursues an aggressive goal to double its exports. — Obama will meet with the President's Export Council on the White House grounds Thursday.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Associated Press

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
White House Press Secretary Confused By Sharknado Reference

Discussion: Mediaite

Investor's Business Daily:

Growing IRS Scandal Requires A Special Prosecutor — Corruption: As the layers on the IRS scandal are peeled back, it's become increasingly clear the law has been broken and the White House may have been far more deeply involved than claimed. Time for a special prosecutor.

Bryan Koenig / CNN:

Debating O'Malley, Perry on healthcare: ‘putting more people on the Titanic’ — Washington (CNN) - Red state-blue state governors Rick Perry and Martin O'Malley debated job creation and healthcare on Wednesday, with Perry equating adding people to Medicaid via Obamacare with …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA and Politico

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
Chuck Todd: It's Not Media's Job To Correct GOP's Obamacare Falsehoods (VIDEO)

Discussion: Balloon Juice, PoliticusUSA, Firedoglake, CBS News, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, Little Green Footballs, Liberal Values and Booman Tribune

Los Angeles Times:

Syria may miss first deadline in U.S.-Russia chemical arms deal — The ambitious agreement is challenged as indications arise that the Syrian government will not submit a toxic-stockpile inventory this weekend. — Rebel fighters try to avoid Syrian army fire in Aleppo on Sept. 18.

Laura Vozzella / Washington Post:

McAuliffe on defensive as Cuccinelli gets a boost — RICHMOND — Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that he knew nothing about a failed effort by his supporters to wrest an important business endorsement from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, his Republican rival in the governor's race.

Discussion: The Federalist, National Review, CBS DC and Quinnipiac News + Events

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:

Egypt Arrests Brotherhood Figure Who Handled News Media — CAIRO — Security forces on Tuesday arrested Gehad el-Haddad, a senior official of the Muslim Brotherhood who handled the group's communication with the foreign news media, security officials said. His arrest was part of a continuing roundup …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

Adam Kredo / Washington Free Beacon:
Muslim Brotherhood Official, Former Clinton Foundation Employee Arrested

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Jihad Watch and The Lede

Telegraph:

Secret ban on face veils for staff at 17 hospitals — At least 17 NHS hospitals have banned front line staff from wearing the veil, The Telegraph has learned, as ministers called for new guidelines to ensure all patients can have “face to face” contact with those who care for them.

Discussion: BBC and Guardian