memeorandum: Fearing Rising Backlash, NRA Urges Gun Activists to Stand Down (Mark Follman/Mother Jones)

9:40 PM ET, June 2, 2014

Top Items:

Sources: Intelligence community investigated Bergdahl's conduct — A senior official confirms to Fox News that the conduct of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl — both in his final stretch of active duty in Afghanistan and then, too, during his time when he lived among the Taliban — has been thoroughly investigated …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, The Gateway Pundit, Independent Journal Review, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Mediaite and National Review

Nathan Bradley Bethea / The Daily Beast:

We Lost Soldiers in the Hunt for Bergdahl, a Guy Who Walked Off in the Dead of Night — For five years, soldiers have been forced to stay silent about the disappearance and search for Bergdahl. Now we can talk about what really happened. — It was June 30, 2009, and I was in the city of Sharana …

Mark Thompson / TIME:

The 6 U.S. Soldiers Who Died Searching For Bowe Bergdahl — Troops suggest that Bergdahl's desertion makes him more traitor than hero — Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl was freed by the Taliban over the weekend after they held him for nearly five years, in exchange for five Taliban leaders …

Discussion: Liberaland, Debbie Schlussel, Washington Free Beacon, Weekly Standard, National Review, The Gateway Pundit and PoliticusUSA

Daniel Bates / Daily Mail:

EXCLUSIVE - 'A cover up just like Benghazi': Outraged parents of officer who died hunting for ‘deserter’ POW Bergdahl lash out at Obama over ‘LIES’ they were told about how their hero son died — Lt Darryn Andrews, from Dallas, Texas, died at the age of 34 on Sept 4, 2009 during his second tour of Afghanistan

Discussion: Power Line, CNN, The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, National Review, Politico and Washington Post

Jake Tapper / CNN:

Fellow soldiers call Bowe Bergdahl a deserter, not a hero — (CNN) — The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him — veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose …

Sarah Palin / Facebook:

Commander-in-Chief's Definition of “Honorable Service” Includes Anti-American Actions While in Uniform; He Just Destroyed Troop Morale — The Obama administration tells America this soldier served “with honor and distinction.” (http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/ susan-rice-bergdahl-served-honor-and- distinction_794066.html)

Discussion: Politico, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, PoliticusUSA, CBS DC and Little Green Footballs

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:

‘We Swore to an Oath and We Upheld Ours. He Did Not.’ — The Obama administration is facing mounting questions about the controversial prisoner swap that freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from jihadists in Pakistan in exchange for the transfer and ultimate release of five senior Taliban commanders previously held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Discussion: CNN, BREITBART.COM and The Daily Caller

Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:

Bowe Bergdahl Is the Right's New Benghazi — Buckle up: The right is going to try to turn the Taliban prisoner swap for ‘deserter’ Bowe Bergdahl into a Willie Horton moment for the president—and they'll ride it to January 2017. — So let's imagine that on Saturday night …

Discussion: Yahoo! News, NPR, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, NO QUARTER USA NET, Christian Science Monitor, Guardian, Defense One and Fox News

Marc A. Thiessen / Washington Post:
Here's what happens when Taliban leaders are released

Discussion: AEIdeas

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
Palin Bashes Bergdahl For His ‘Horrid Anti-American Beliefs’

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, New York Post, Business Insider and Balloon Juice

Washington Post:
Mixed reaction to Bergdahl's recovery by service members who consider him a deserter

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation, NPR, Fox News, Lawfare, Just Security, The Daily Beast, Yahoo! News, The Dish, Right Wing Watch, MiamiHerald.com, Hot Air and CNN

Jeryl Bier / Weekly Standard:
Jay Carney, 2013: No Decisions About Bergdahl-Detainee Deal ‘Without Consulting With Congress’

Discussion: Hot Air, protein wisdom, Washington Free Beacon, The Hill and National Review

CBS News:
The five Taliban swapped for Bowe Bergdahl

Discussion: The Daily Caller, ThinkProgress and Firedoglake

petitions.whitehouse.gov:
Punish Bowe Bergdahl for being AWOL / Desertion during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, Mediaite, Defense One and Guardian

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Susan Rice: Bergdahl Served With ‘Honor and Distinction’

Discussion: CNSNews, Hit & Run, The PJ Tatler and National Review

Associated Press:
US concluded in 2010 that Bergdahl walked away

Discussion: JustOneMinute, National Review, The Agonist and ABC News

Evan Wyloge / Arizona Capitol Times:

Two-time GOP loser changes party to Democrat, name to Cesar Chavez for new congressional bid — Scott Fistler didn't have much luck as a Republican candidate. He lost a 2012 write-in campaign against U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, then lost a 2013 bid for a Phoenix city council seat now held by Laura Pastor, Ed's daughter.

Discussion: Yahoo! News, The Raw Story, RT, Daily Kos, Washington Post, Colorlines, National Review and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Rebekah L. Sanders / Arizona Republic:

Mystery congressional candidate has legendary name — A mystery candidate for Congress with the potential to draw valuable votes in a close race has baffled longtime political watchers for months. — Democratic contenders with meticulously honed identities are battling for retiring U.S …

Discussion: Politico and The Week

Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo: GOPer Changes Name To Cesar Chavez, Becomes A Dem To Run In Heavily Hispanic District

Jason Samenow / Washington Post:

Female-named hurricanes kill more than male hurricanes because people don't respect them, study finds — People don't take hurricanes as seriously if they have a feminine name and the consequences are deadly, finds a new groundbreaking study. — Female-named storms have historically killed …

Discussion: Mashable, Liberal Values, Mediaite, Jezebel, Vermont Public Radio, Gawker, MyFOX8.com, Daily Kos and Althouse

Eric Lach / Talking Points Memo:

NRA Issues Amazing Statement Admitting Bringing AR-15s To Chipotle Is Dumb — In a remarkably frank statement issued on Friday, the National Rifle Association said that gun activists in Texas had “crossed the line from enthusiasm to downright foolishness” with their demonstrations at fast food restaurants.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Mashable, Texas Politics, Hot Air, PoliticusUSA, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, Bloomberg View, Washington Free Beacon, The Raw Story, The Week, Guns.com and Balloon Juice

Mark Follman / Mother Jones:
Fearing Rising Backlash, NRA Urges Gun Activists to Stand Down

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Daily Banter, Business Insider, Gawker, Mediaite, Joe. My. God., The Raw Story, Texas Politics and Americans Against the …

Doug J. Swanson / Dallas Morning News:
Open Carry group holds rally at Home Depot in North Richland Hills

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Guardian, Joe. My. God. and The Raw Story

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

No Easy Way to Be Fair On Media Credentials — WASHINGTON — Scotusblog has covered the Supreme Court in depth and with distinction since 2002. It wins journalism awards at a steady clip. Its main reporter, Lyle Denniston, is an old-school journalist of fearsome integrity and independence.

Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From Reporter Over Identity of Source

Discussion: Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, RT, Freedom of the Press …, Outside the Beltway, NPR, emptywheel, Hit & Run and Poynter

Associated Press:
Justices reject reporter's bid to protect source

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Techdirt and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Tea Party hits Reid with ethics charge over Koch brothers — Tea Party Patriots has filed a complaint against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) with the Senate Ethics Committee to protest his repeated attacks against Charles and David Koch. — Jenny Beth Martin …

Discussion: Daily Kos, susiemadrak.com and Washington Free Beacon

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Alison Lundergan Grimes to hold D.C. fundraiser with Harry Reid

Discussion: The Hill and Washington Free Beacon

epa.gov:

Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule — Get Involved — On June 2, 2014, EPA proposed a commonsense plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants. States, cities and businesses across the country are already taking action to address the risks of climate change.