memeorandum: Arizona execution lasts nearly two hours, witness says Joseph Wood was ‘gasping and struggling to breathe’ (Mark Berman/Washington Post)

9:10 AM ET, July 24, 2014

Top Items:

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:

John Walsh, Democrat, Confronts Questions of Plagiarism — WASHINGTON — Democrats were thrilled when John Walsh of Montana was appointed to the United States Senate in February. A decorated veteran of the Iraq war and former adjutant general of his state's National Guard …

New York Times:

How Senator John Walsh Plagiarized a Final Paper — Senator John Walsh of Montana took most of a 2007 final paper required for his master's degree from the United States Army War College from other sources without proper attribution. Mr. Walsh copies an entire page nearly word-for-word …

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Politico, Washington Post, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, The Reality-Based Community and “The Lid”

Ted Cruz:

Did President Obama Just Launch an Economic Boycott of Israel? — SEN. CRUZ RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING FAA'S FLIGHT SUSPENSIONS TO ISRAEL — WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today questioned the Obama Administration's decision to ban flights to Israel while, at the same time …

Discussion: Politico, BuzzFeed, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Mediaite, No More Mister Nice Blog, Little Green Footballs, Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress, National Review and Weekly Standard

Kendall Breitman / Politico:

Ted Cruz hits back at State Department — Sen. Ted Cruz is slamming the State Department after a spokeswoman called his claim that the Federal Aviation Administration made a politically motivated decision to halt U.S. airlines' flights to Israel “ridiculous and offensive.”

Discussion: The Hill and NewsBusters

Yahoo! News:
World suspension of Israel flights a ‘great victory’: Hamas AFP 1 hr ago

Discussion: Business Insider, Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs, Weasel Zippers and The PJ Tatler

CBS News:
John Kerry defies FAA ban, flies into Israel to push for cease-fire

Discussion: CBS New York, Taylor Marsh, The Week, New York Times and CBS Detroit

Associated Press:

ARIZONA INMATE DIES 2 HOURS AFTER EXECUTION BEGAN — FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) — A condemned Arizona inmate gasped and snorted for more than an hour and a half during his execution Wednesday before he died in an episode sure to add to the scrutiny surrounding the death penalty in the U.S.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, TalkLeft, The Verge and The Agonist

Mark Berman / Washington Post:

Arizona execution lasts nearly two hours, witness says Joseph Wood was ‘gasping and struggling to breathe’ — The execution of a convicted murderer in Arizona lasted for nearly two hours on Wednesday, as witnesses said he gasped and snorted for much of that time before eventually dying.

Discussion: Arizona Republic, Guardian and Talking Points Memo

Wall Street Journal:

The Solution to Border Disorder — The best antidote to illegal immigration is a functioning system of legal immigration.

Discussion: Politico, OnPolitics and Washington Post

Jack Simpson / The Independent:

MH17: Ukraine MPs fight in parliament following decision to call up extra border troops — Scuffles have broken out in the Ukrainian parliament after a presidential decree was approved to call up more reserves to defend the country against the growing numbers of Russian troops on the country's eastern border.

Discussion: Mediaite and The Gateway Pundit

Anton Zverev / Reuters:
Ukraine rebel commander acknowledges fighters had BUK missile

Discussion: Guardian, Mashable, Talking Points Memo and Hot Air

The Intercept:

The Secret Government Rulebook For Labeling You a Terrorist — The Obama administration has quietly approved a substantial expansion of the terrorist watchlist system, authorizing a secret process that requires neither “concrete facts” nor “irrefutable evidence” to designate an American …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Techdirt, Prairie Weather, Hullabaloo, The Hill, The Verge and RT

Guy Benson / Townhall.com:

CNN Poll: Twice As Many Americans Were Hurt By Obamacare Than Helped — 1.6K — SHARES — Not an unusual data point at all, based on the polling trend — but a timely reality check for the delusional “people love Obamacare!” propagandists. CNN's latest national survey includes a number …

Discussion: NBC News

Elizabeth Green / New York Times:

Why Do Americans Stink at Math? — Photo illustratIon by Andrew B. Myers. Prop stylIst: Randi Brookman HarrIs. Calculator icons by Tim Boelaars. — When Akihiko Takahashi was a junior in college in 1978, he was like most of the other students at his university in suburban Tokyo.

Discussion: Eduwonk

Ariel Ben Solomon / Jerusalem Post:

Jihadi cleric calls for Muslim fighters to join the fighting in Gaza — “Our heart yearns to arrive and fight the sons and brothers of the apes and pigs,” says rebel fighter. — A new jihadi media outlet called Al-Fawaris released a video calling on Gazans to endure the military operation …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs

wgnsradio.com:

Woman allegedly pulls out gun in the Walmart parking lot after being asked to “Slow Down” — A 37-year old woman by the name of Angela Scruggs has been arrested after she allegedly pulled out a gun during what has been described as an “Aggravated Assault.” The incident unfolded in the Rutherford Blvd. Walmart parking lot on Tuesday.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Raw Story

Sophie Novack / NationalJournal.com:

GAO Launched an Obamacare Sting Operation—and Almost All Fake Insurance Applications Were Approved — The report suggests the health care law's eligibility verification system isn't working. — An undercover operation found that the majority of fake Obamacare applications submitted …

Discussion: Townhall.com, NewsBusters, Power Line, Daily Signal, Clayton Cramer, The Incidental Economist and Washington Post

Ron Fournier / NationalJournal.com:

Senator Manchin: What My Daughter Did Should Be Illegal — West Virginia senator vows to support legislation that would stop CEOs like his daughter from renouncing firms' U.S. citizenship. — You're a United States senator from a state struggling to compete in the world economy.

Discussion: Campaign for America's Future, Fox News and The Daily Caller

Des Moines Register:

Editor who used ‘gaystapo’ claims religious discrimination — An Iowa newspaper editor fired after publishing his views on homosexuals is claiming he was the victim of religious discrimination by his former employer. — Bob Eschliman, former editor of the Newton Daily News …

Discussion: JIMROMENESKO.COM, Guardian, The Raw Story and The Huffington Post

Simone Wilson / Jewish Journal:

IDF lone soldier Max Steinberg's funeral, shiva in Jerusalem draw 30,000 — including John Kerry — Story has been updated to include additional information. — The mother, father, sister and brother of 24-year-old Woodland Hills native and fallen IDF soldier Max Steinberg …

Discussion: Power Line, Weasel Zippers, Washington Free Beacon, Mondoweiss and Israel Matzav

David Horovitz / The Times of Israel:

The terrible cost of thwarting Hamas — Op-ed: The Israeli national mood is now a mixture of anguish at the toll of IDF dead, anger at aspects of the international response, and confidence in the troops and (atypically) the political leadership

Discussion: Betsy's Page, The Dish, Israel Matzav and Power Line