memeorandum: Congress's Fiscal Fiasco Forces Americans to Wear Badge of Shame (Norm Ornstein/NationalJournal.com)

12:40 PM 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.

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, English pravda.ru, Guardian, Mediaite, Business Insider and TheBlaze.com

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: The Moderate Voice, The Stranger …, Taegan Goddard's … and Gallup

Associated Press:
In Pravda, John McCain slams Vladimir Putin

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Reaction and CNN

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

Brian Beutler / Salon:

New test could expose GOP's pack of charlatans — Conservatives in the Senate have spent weeks and weeks hectoring House Republicans to stand true to GOP principles and make funding for the federal government contingent upon Democrats agreeing to defund Obamacare.

Discussion: Hullabaloo

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

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

Discussion: Politico, The Hinterland Gazette, A plain blog about politics, Hot Air, Washington Wire, The Hill and Business Insider

Caitlin Huey-Burns / Real Clear Politics:
House Republicans Hit Cruz for “White Flag” on Health Law

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune, The Hill, Right Turn and National Review

Niels Lesniewski / The World's Greatest …:
Cruz Predicts Senate Defeat on Obamacare Defunding, Asks House to Keep Up Fight

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, NationalJournal.com, ThinkProgress, Hawkings Here, Prairie Weather and Roll Call

Norm Ornstein / NationalJournal.com:

Congress's Fiscal Fiasco Forces Americans to Wear Badge of Shame — As readers of my past columns know, I was not exactly optimistic as we approached crunch time over the debt limit in 2011. But I am far more pessimistic now. At a dinner I attended Monday night with a host …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

If we get a debt ceiling crisis, it's because Republican voters want one — If we are going to have a debt ceiling and default crisis — with all of the havoc it may well entail — it may well be because Republican voters want such a crisis, even if it causes serious economic harm. — No, really.

Discussion: The Federalist, Business Insider, National Review, Taegan Goddard's …, Prairie Weather and The Fix

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Boehner asks why Obama will negotiate with Putin, but not Republicans

Discussion: White House.gov Blog, Speaker.gov, PostPartisan, Right Turn and Right Wing News

Tal Kopan / Politico:
John Boehner: President Obama deals with Vladimir Putin but not GOP?

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Hill

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

Discussion: Hot Air and Betsy's Page

ABC News:
Obama Convening Export Panel at White House

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Associated Press

Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:

Pope Bluntly Faults Church's Focus on Gays and Abortion — Alessandro Di Meo/European Pressphoto Agency — Pope Francis, who has said the church should be a “home for all,” on Sept. 4 in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. — Pope Francis, in the first extensive interview of his six-month-old papacy …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Dish, Mediaite, Joe. My. God., Towleroad News #gay and Shakesville

America Magazine:

A Big Heart Open to God — The exclusive interview with Pope Francis — Editor's Note: This interview with Pope Francis took place over the course of three meetings during August 2013 in Rome. The interview was conducted in person by Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit journal.

Discussion: CBS DC and The Raw Story

KHOU-TV:

Texas appeals court overturns Tom DeLay money laundering conviction — HOUSTON — A Texas Court of Appeals in Austin has overturned the conviction of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, attorney Brian Wice tells KHOU 11 News. — DeLay, 66, was convicted in 2010 for his alleged role in a scheme to influence Texas elections.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mediaite and The Raw Story

Rebecca Shabad / The Hill:
Tom Delay's conviction overturned

Discussion: CNN

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: Moe Lane

Ginger Gibson / Politico:
Darrell Issa resumes Benghazi crusade

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, Hot Air, Daily Kos and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

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

Discussion: Politico

Yahoo! News:

Creepy Obamacare ad hits college campuses and your nightmares — There will be girls. There will be beer. There will be cornhole. And someone will be dressed in the creepiest Uncle Sam costume you've ever seen. — Welcome to the strange new front in the war over Obamacare.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Hill, BuzzFeed, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite and ABC News

Nick Gillespie / The Daily Beast:

Now Is Not the Time for New Gun Laws — In the wake of the D.C. shooting, some lawmakers are pushing for new regulations on firearms. But legislation should never be passed in the heat of a crisis. — Monday's horrific mass shooting at the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard left 12 victims …

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

Josh Lederman / Associated Press:
Biden Visits Patients Wounded in Navy Yard Rampage

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

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

Discussion: JustOneMinute and WJLA-TV

Tal Kopan / Politico:

Nicole Wallace: GOP is playing in traffic — Former George W. Bush adviser Nicole Wallace said Thursday it's “idiotic” for Republicans to threaten a government shutdown over defunding Obamacare, comparing it to a child running into traffic. — Wallace, who was a communications chief …

New York Times:

Former Defense Secretaries Criticize Obama on Syria — WASHINGTON — President Obama's first two defense secretaries publicly questioned the administration's handling of the Syrian crisis on Tuesday night and expressed skepticism about whether Russia can broker a deal to remove Syria's chemical weapons.

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

Los Angeles Times:
Syria may miss first deadline in U.S.-Russia chemical arms deal

Discussion: The Week, Ricochet Conversations Feed and 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.

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, Moe Lane, National Review, CBS DC and First Read