memeorandum: Putin vows Winter Olympics will be secure (Laura Smith-Spark/CNN)

10:50 PM ET, January 19, 2014

Top Items:

David Remnick / New Yorker:

GOING THE DISTANCE … - ARCHIVE - PHOTO BOOTH - DAILY SHOUTS - CURRENCY - DAILY COMMENT - AMY DAVIDSON - JOHN CASSIDY - ANDY BOROWITZ - SHOP

Bloomberg:

Obama Says Racial Animus Blunts Approval, New Yorker Reports — President Barack Obama said that racial tensions may have softened his popularity among white voters within the last two years, according to a story posted on the New Yorker magazine's website today.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and Jammie Wearing Fools

Jeff Spross / ThinkProgress:

President Obama Says Pot Is Less Dangerous Than Alcohol For The Individual Consumer — In an interview published Sunday by the New Yorker, President Obama said pot is no more dangerous than alcohol — and that marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington state is an “important” move towards a more just legal system.

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo and Liberaland

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Obama: ‘I would not let my son play pro football’ — President Obama said that he believed NFL players “know what they're doing” and understood the impact that concussions could have on their long-term health in an interview with The New Yorker published on Sunday, adding that he would not let his son play pro football.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, National Review, Conservatives4Palin and CNN

San Francisco Chronicle:

Chris Christie Is Going To War With MSNBC — In response to new bombshell allegations from Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer (D) aired on MSNBC Saturday morning, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) office blasted the network as overtly “partisan.” — Zimmer alleged in an interview …

Discussion: Politico, The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, The Other McCain, Firedoglake and Riehl World News

New York Times:
G.O.P. Advice for Christie: Pick a Better Team

Discussion: Gawker, Paul Krugman, The Moderate Voice and Riehl World News

Salvador Rizzo / New Jersey Online:
Bridge scandal, Hoboken allegation dog Chris Christie during his Florida fundraising trip

Discussion: New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Balloon Juice

Adam Kredo / Washington Free Beacon:
Wasserman Schultz Ducks Iran Sanctions Questions

Discussion: Weekly Standard and Weasel Zippers

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Christie goes on Florida fundraising blitz (Video)

Discussion: Liberaland

Shawn Boburg / NorthJersey.com:
Christie GWB scandal: Lawyers may have conflict of interest, Port Authority says

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

New York Times:

Congressional Leaders Suggest Earlier Snowden Link to Russia — WASHINGTON — The heads of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees suggested on Sunday that Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, may have been working for Russian spy services while he was employed …

Discussion: The Agonist

Jason Lee / Reuters:
U.S. lawmaker investigates whether Russia behind Snowden's leaks

Discussion: Guardian, ThinkProgress and Hullabaloo

ABC News:
Senator Concerned About Change in NSA Data Storage

Discussion: Politico and CNN

Cameron Joseph / The Hill:

Bush vets eye office as former president's image rebounds — As George W. Bush's public image improves, more former Bush officials are running for office — and are starting to tout their connections to the former president rather than running from them. — Top former Bush advisor Ed …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Wayne Slater / Dallas Morning News:

As Wendy Davis touts life story in race for governor, key facts blurred — FORT WORTH — Wendy Davis has made her personal story of struggle and success a centerpiece of her campaign to become the first Democrat elected governor of Texas in almost a quarter-century.

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Weasel Zippers, LifeNews.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Conservatives4Palin

Laura Smith-Spark / CNN:

Putin vows Winter Olympics will be secure — (CNN) — A claim of responsibility that emerged Sunday for last month's back-to-back bombings in the Russian city of Volgograd also threatens “a present” for visitors to the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

Discussion: Associated Press and TalkLeft

BBC:
Winter Olympics: Putin ‘friendly’ with gay people

Discussion: BuzzFeed

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

In new film, a dramatic look at Mitt Romney's loss of confidence — BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL MOVIES BARACK OBAMA MITT ROMNEY — A new documentary about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney premiered Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Discussion: The Reaction

John Sides / The Monkey Cage:

The Democratic Party's uphill path to 270 electoral votes in 2016 — My Post colleague Dan Balz has some very interesting reporting from Democratic and Republican strategists. Both groups seem somewhat pessimistic about the GOP's chances in 2016: … Demographics are certainly one factor worth considering.

Discussion: Liberal Values, Hot Air, Washington Monthly, Prairie Weather, Booman Tribune and Washington Post

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:

Dem Mayor: I Got ‘Enhanced’ Access To NJ Officials After Endorsing Christie — Long Branch, N.J. Mayor Adam Schneider (D) on Saturday said he got “enhanced” access to state officials after he endorsed Gov. Chris Christie (R) during his re-election campaign.

Discussion: Liberaland and Washington Post