memeorandum: Paul: Bill Clinton a ‘throwback to a sort of troglodyte time’ (Alexandra Jaffe/The Hill)

3:40 PM ET, March 8, 2014

Top Items:

Terrorism not ruled out in disappearance of Malaysia Airlines jet — BEIJING — Malaysian officials investigating the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines plane Saturday said they were not ruling out terrorism — or any other causes — as reports emerged that two Europeans listed …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and The Gateway Pundit

Malaysia Airlines:

MH370 Flight Incident — The families of all passengers on board MH370 are being informed. The flight was carrying a total number of 239 passengers and crew - comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members. — An international search and rescue mission was mobilized this morning.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, New York Times, Hinterland Gazette, Guardian, Scared Monkeys, KTLA 5 and The Gateway Pundit

Simon Denyer / Washington Post:

Malaysia Airlines plane vanishes over South China Sea; Vietnamese reportedly spot oil slicks — BEIJING — Vietnamese air force planes have spotted two large oil slicks that officials believe are from a Malaysia Airlines flight that suddenly vanished from air traffic control screens …

Discussion: Booman Tribune and Red Alert Politics

George F. Will / Washington Post:

The IRS's behavior taxes credulity — What's been said of confession — that it is good for one's soul but bad for one's reputation — can also be true of testifying to Congress, so Lois Lerner has chosen to stay silent. Hers, however, is an eloquent silence.

Discussion: Hot Air, Power Line and Cafe Hayek

David Martosko / Daily Mail:

IRS caves on Lois Lerner documents, will provide Congress with ALL of her emails since tea party targeting scheme began — Lois Lerner was hurried out of the IRS after her role was exposed in a program that targeted conservative tax-exemption applicant groups

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and The Heritage Foundation

Todd S. Purdum / Politico:

Why the Cold War isn't back — German Chancellor Angela Merkel's private analysis that Vladimir Putin is living “in another world” struck a chord because Russia's military incursion into Crimea does feel like a blast from the Cold War past of twilight struggle, eyeball-to-eyeball brinkmanship …

Discussion: Liberal Values and Liberaland

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:

Paul: Bill Clinton a ‘throwback to a sort of troglodyte time’ — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Friday knocked former President Clinton as a “throwback to a sort of troglodyte time,” where men took advantage of women in the workplace. — Speaking to The Hill prior to his appearance …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos and PoliticusUSA

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:
Paul electrifies conservative base

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Condoleezza Rice / Washington Post:

Will America heed the wake-up call of Ukraine? — Condoleezza Rice was secretary of state from 2005 to 2009. — “Meet Viktor Yanukovych, who is running for the presidency of Ukraine.” Vladimir Putin and I were standing in his office at the presidential dacha in late 2004 …

Discussion: NO QUARTER USA NET, Hot Air and Business Insider

Leon Wieseltier / The New Republic:
Ukrainian Lessons for an American President

Discussion: Washington Post, The Dish and Hot Air

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

The uninsured aren't buying what the ObamaCare marketplace is selling. — ObamaCare is now in the sixth and final month of its extended inaugural open-enrollment period. If you want to buy medical insurance through the exchange—a big if, we realize—you have until the end of the month to do it …

Discussion: The Global Warming …, Josh Blackman's Blog, The PJ Tatler and Bloomberg View

Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times:

Republicans question Iowa's key role in presidential balloting — The GOP's Iowa caucus winners have fallen short of the nomination in recent years. And the straw poll held each election cycle has been further off-base, prompting calls to scrap it. — Campaign workers for Rep. Michele Bachmann huddle …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Brian Tashman / Right Wing Watch:

Bachmann: ‘Our Movement At Its Core Is An Intellectual Movement’ — Warning that the government is trying to appropriate the roles of the family and the church, Michele Bachmann told CPAC attendees today that the conservative movement must fight back because it is “at its core is an intellectual movement” …

Discussion: Mediaite, Liberaland, PoliticusUSA and The Raw Story

Susie Madrak / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Last Word From Bartcop — Bartcop, who was one of the original (and best) liberal bloggers, died today. — This is the end of an era. Bartcop, one of the original liberal bloggers, died this morning of flu, pneumonia and leukemia. He inspired many of us, and left a legacy of hard hitting yet …

Discussion: The BRAD BLOG, Liberaland, skippy the bush kangaroo and Balloon Juice