memeorandum: Former Defense Secretaries Criticize Obama on Syria (New York Times)

10:55 AM ET, September 19, 2013

Top Items:

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: The Moderate Voice, Post Politics, Talking Points Memo, Guardian, Gawker, The Hinterland Gazette, National Review, msnbc.com, TheBlaze.com, Mediaite, New York Times, NPR, NBCNews, Business Insider, Independent Journal Review and CBS DC

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

Tal Kopan / Politico:

Truthfully, John McCain in wrong Pravda — Sen. John McCain got his wish when his op-ed against Russian President Vladimir Putin was published in Russia news outlet Pravda. The only problem — it may have been the wrong Pravda. — The Arizona Republican published his anti-Putin piece …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Guardian, Mediaite and English pravda.ru

Associated Press:
In Pravda, John McCain slams Vladimir Putin

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, CNN and The Reaction

Thomas Grove / Reuters:
Senator McCain attacks Putin in Russian website op-ed

Discussion: Business Insider, The Week and Hot Air

Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:

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: The Plum Line, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, msnbc.com, JustOneMinute, The Fact Checker, First Read 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 Moderate Voice, Talking Points Memo, First Read, The Raw Story, Taylor Marsh, The Reaction, Post Politics, The Hill, The Hill and Politico

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

Caitlin Huey-Burns / Real Clear Politics:

House Republicans Hit Cruz for “White Flag” on Health Law — Some House Republicans have a bone to pick with their Senate colleague Ted Cruz, whom they say prematurely conceded Wednesday night in the fight to defund the Affordable Care Act. — Cruz praised Speaker John Boehner's plan …

Discussion: The Hill, The Hill, Right Turn, National Review and Hot Air

Sabrina Siddiqui / The Huffington Post:
Ted Cruz Infuriates House Republicans By Conceding Defeat On Obamacare Repeal

Discussion: Politico, A plain blog about politics, Washington Wire, Roll Call, The Hill, Business Insider and The Plum Line

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

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Booman Tribune, democrats.com, ABC News, The Stranger …, CNN, Ballot Box and Outside the Beltway

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

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Josh Lederman / Associated Press:

Biden Visits Patients Wounded in Navy Yard Rampage — The White House says Vice President Joe Biden is visiting patients injured Monday in a mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. — Biden arrived Wednesday evening at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

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

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

Debbie Siegelbaum / BBC:
Navy Yard: Swat team ‘stood down’ at mass shooting scene

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

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

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

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: Politico, Speaker.gov, 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

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
If we get a debt ceiling crisis, it's because Republican voters want one

Discussion: Business Insider, National Review, The Federalist and The Fix

Daily Mail:

Republicans ‘dead serious’ about bringing Hillary Clinton back to face MORE grilling as they slam State Department over Benghazi — A Republican aide says House investigators may ‘have to climb the ladder and swear Hillary in’ since underlings aren't providing answers

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air and Moe Lane

Julian Pecquet / The Hill:
Auditors of Benghazi attack say their report was not a cover-up

Discussion: Politico

Michelle Manchir / Chicago Tribune:
Hillary Clinton calls Quinn ‘luckiest politician’ after Daley drops out

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Fix, Chicago Sun Times and Politico

The White House:

Remarks by the President at the Business Roundtable — Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Well, Jim, thank you for the introduction. Thanks to Dave and Andrew and John — all the men and women of the Business Roundtable.

Discussion: CNSNews, Weasel Zippers, Washington Post, White House.gov Blog, PoliticusUSA, Speaker.gov and TheBlaze.com

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

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

Bryan Koenig / CNN:
Debating O'Malley, Perry on healthcare: ‘putting more people on the Titanic’

Discussion: PoliticusUSA and Politico

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.

Discussion: Mediaite

New York Times:
Former Defense Secretaries Criticize Obama on Syria

Discussion: Right Turn, Daniel W. Drezner, DownWithTyranny!, Ricochet Conversations Feed and Hit & Run

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.

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: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Asia Times, New York Times, emptywheel, Guardian, World News, 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

Discussion: Al Jazeera English

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

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 First Read

Ben Leubsdorf / Concord Monitor:

GOP's Jim Rubens announces run for U.S. Senate, slams incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen — Republican Jim Rubens jumped into the race for the U.S. Senate yesterday and took some hard swings at the Democratic incumbent, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. — “Our nation faces challenges more serious …

Discussion: Ballot Box and BuzzFeed