memeorandum: Oregon Governor Walks Out Of Interview Over Questions About State's Health Care Website (Samantha Lachman/The Huffington Post)

1:15 PM ET, January 11, 2014

Top Items:

Vulgarity-laced emails show attempts to silence GWB story — Some of Governor Christie's closest loyalists made an effort to keep information about the George Washington Bridge lane closures out of public view for months, as questions swirled about what now appears to have been a politically …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Huffington Post, Washington Monthly and Gothamist, more at Mediagazer »

Joan Walsh / Salon:

No, really: It's over for Christie in 2016 — MSNBC's Rachel Maddow floated an intriguing counter-theory Thursday night for why Gov. Chris Christie's top aides closed four lanes to the George Washington Bridge to strangle Fort Lee in traffic in September 2013.

Discussion: National Review, Business Insider and Mediaite

New York Times:

Bridge Scandal Papers Point to Cover-Up by Chris Christie Allies — Officials loyal to Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey went to elaborate lengths to make it appear that the September closing of lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge was part of a traffic study, even though …

Discussion: NBCNews, PoliticusUSA, Liberal Values, Capital New York, Taylor Marsh, Balloon Juice, Daily Kos, The Mahablog, Liberaland, The Democratic Daily, Culture Desk and Politico

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Port Authority Chief Warned That Bridge Lane Closures Were Illegal

Discussion: Rasmussen Reports, Guardian, Mother Jones, Post Politics, Hot Air, Politico and Liberaland

Eric Lach / Talking Points Memo:
NJ Senate President Rejects Maddow's Alternate Bridge Scandal Theory

Discussion: Mediaite and msnbc.com

Ethan Bronner / New York Times:

Ariel Sharon, Fierce Defender of a Strong Israel, Dies at 85 — Ariel Sharon, one of the most influential figures in Israel's history, a military commander and political leader who at the height of his power redrew the country's electoral map only to suffer a severe stroke from which he never recovered …

Discussion: Mashable, Outside the Beltway and Weasel Zippers

Darlene Superville / Associated Press:

Obama Says Sharon Dedicated His Life to Israel — President Barack Obama on Saturday remembered former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's “commitment to his country,” and Vice President Joe Biden will lead the U.S. delegation for the memorial service. — The Israeli soldier-turned …

Discussion: Politico

Alan Duke / CNN:

Ariel Sharon, former Israeli Prime Minister, dead at 85 — (CNN) — Ariel Sharon, whose half century as a military and political leader in Israel was marked with victories and controversies, died Saturday after eight years in a coma, Israeli Army Radio reported. Sharon was 85.

Discussion: Liberaland

Jerusalem Post:

Former prime minister Ariel Sharon dies at 85 — Israel's 11th premier passes away eight years after a stroke left him comatose; Sharon was one of Israel's legendary politicians and military leaders; Sharon's son Gilad: “He went when he decided to go.” — Former prime minister Ariel Sharon died …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, National Review, ABC News, The Other McCain and Scared Monkeys

Wall Street Journal:

A judge blocks subpoenas against conservative allies of Scott Walker. — Chalk up a big victory for the First Amendment. On Friday a Wisconsin judge struck a major blow for free political speech when he quashed subpoenas to conservative groups and ordered the return of property to the targets …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Da Tech Guy On DaRadio Blog and Althouse

Samantha Lachman / The Huffington Post:

Oregon Governor Walks Out Of Interview Over Questions About State's Health Care Website — KATU News' exclusive one-on-one interview with Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber ended abruptly Thursday when the station's interviewer asked about problems with the Cover Oregon website.

Discussion: Power Line, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite and Washington Free Beacon

Alexander Burns / Politico:

The GOP's tarnished golden boys — For a while, Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell were untouchable. — The first major Republicans elected after the 2008 Obama landslide, the tough-as-nails Garden Stater and the straight-edged Virginian heralded the conservative resurgence in 2010 and pointed …

Discussion: The Hill, Taegan Goddard's … and Firedoglake

Scott Johnson / Power Line:

The Udall ukase — Paul's post on the efforts of Colorado Democratic Senator Mark Udall behind the scenes to rewrite the history of the damage wrought by Obamacare in Colorado deserves further comment. It is a small story of great interest. Let's pause over it and take another look.

Discussion: Fox News, Politico and The Daily Caller

David Weigel / Slate:

The Funniest Part of Robert Gates' Very Serious New Memoir — My colleague John Dickerson has already analyzed former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' memoir Duty; I'm punching my way through it. Present at the Creation this ain't. Gates is a matter-of-fact, frills-free writer …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:

Larry Speakes, Public Face of Reagan Era, Dies at 74 — WASHINGTON — Larry Speakes, who became the public face of Ronald Reagan's presidency when a would-be assassin's bullet gravely wounded his boss, press secretary James Brady, died Friday in his native Mississippi. He was 74.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Outside the Beltway

Associated Press: Former Reagan spokesman Larry Speakes dies at 74

ThinkProgress:

Crisis In West Virginia: Wal-Mart Calls In Police To Guard Bottled Water Delivery — Residents of South Charleston, W.Va., wait in line at Kroger to buy water following a chemical spill on the Elk River that compromised the public water supply of eight counties on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014.

Discussion: Liberaland, New York Times and CBS News