memeorandum: “Opie And Anthony” Host Fired After Racist Twitter Rant Calling Black People “Animals” (Rachel Zarrell/BuzzFeed)

4:40 PM ET, July 4, 2014

Top Items:

Liz Kreutz / ABC News:

Hillary Clinton Says She's Donated All University Speaking Fees — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at the Edmund Fusco Contemporary Issues Forum at the University of Connecticut, April 23, 2014, in Storrs, Conn. — Hillary Clinton continued to justify …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, CNN, Washington Post and Taegan Goddard's …

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

What we've learned from Hillary Clinton's book tour — From endless coverage of “dead broke” to flagging sales of her new book, Hillary Clinton has had a rough couple of weeks. — But Clinton has nevertheless accomplished much of what she set out to do with the rollout of “Hard Choices,” her memoir of her time as secretary of state.

Phoebe Greenwood / Guardian:

Edward Snowden should have right to legal defence in US, says Hillary Clinton — Former secretary of state tells Guardian that NSA whistleblower should return to US if he is serious in engaging in debate — Hillary Clinton has said Edward Snowden should be entitled to both a legal …

Discussion: Politico and CNN

Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:

Different Kind of Patriotism — Today's Independence Day must-read is from political scientist Lynn Vavreck at The Upshot, about generational change in how Americans express affection for their country. … But when it comes to substance rather than symbols, the youngsters come across rather differently:

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Lynn Vavreck / New York Times:

A Survey Says: Younger Americans Are Less Patriotic. At Least, in Some Ways. — Younger Americans Are Less Patriotic. At Least, in Some Ways. — Mario Tama/Getty Images — They are less devoted to symbols of the nation, like the flag. But they are supportive of ideals like democracy and equality.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:

Callers Use C-SPAN Civil Rights Discussion To Complain About White Oppression (VIDEO) — When C-SPAN invited viewers on Thursday to offer their thoughts on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, a handful of individuals used the opportunity to lament white oppression.

Discussion: Liberaland, Mediaite and The Raw Story

Tribune-Review / Greensburg Tribune-Review:

Richard Scaife, conservative champion, newsman & philanthropist, dies — Tribune-Review owner and philanthropist Richard Mellon Scaife, whose vision and funding reinvigorated conservative politics in America, died Friday, July 4, in his home. — His death came just one day after his 82nd birthday.

Discussion: Politico, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, CNN, American Spectator, Daily Signal and NewsBusters

Associated Press:

Conservative activist Richard Mellon Scaife dies at 82 — PITTSBURGH — Richard Mellon Scaife, the billionaire heir to the Mellon banking and oil fortune and a newspaper publisher who funded libertarian and conservative causes and various projects to discredit President Bill Clinton, has died.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Daily Kos

Rachel Zarrell / BuzzFeed:

“Opie And Anthony” Host Fired After Racist Twitter Rant Calling Black People “Animals” — “She's lucky I was a white legal gun owner or she'd be dead.” UPDATE: SiriusXM told BuzzFeed Cumia has been fired. (NSFW language.) — SiriusXM DJ Anthony Cumia, co-host of long-running radio program …

Discussion: Joe For America, The Raw Story and Jezebel

Jedediah Purdy / Politico:

Time Bomb — 238 years after its first birthday, America is in deep denial. — Because American politics is both divided and ineffective, it's easy to assume that divisiveness is the problem, and being nicer and more cooperative would make government work again.

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Hot Air and No More Mister Nice Blog

Bill Scher / The Week:

How Obama's immigration push could hand the House to Democrats — Even if Republicans seize the Senate — A return to this? — Everyone assumes that Republicans will easily hold the House in November. The dominant storyline among the chattering classes centers instead on the possibility …

Discussion: Roll Call, CNN and Eclectablog

Robert Redford / The Huffington Post:

Addressing Climate Change Should Inspire Patriotism, Not Gridlock — Heading into the July 4th celebration of America's independence got me thinking about when it comes to huge challenges we've faced as a nation, we have a rich and storied history of aspirational spirit and belief in what we, together, can accomplish.

Discussion: The Other McCain and Conservatives4Palin

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

Birth Control Order Deepens Divide Among Justices — WASHINGTON — In a decision that drew an unusually fierce dissent from the three female justices, the Supreme Court sided Thursday with religiously affiliated nonprofit groups in a clash between religious freedom and women's rights.