memeorandum: Republicans' Senate Chances Rise Slightly to 60 Percent, Data Show (New York Times)

3:50 PM ET, July 27, 2014

Top Items:

Barak Ravid / Haaretz:

Kerry's latest cease-fire plan: What was he thinking? — Kerry isn't anti-Israeli; on the contrary, he's a true friend to Israel. But his conduct in recent days over the Gaza cease-fire raises serious doubts over his judgment and perception of regional events.

Discussion: The Times of Israel, Washington Post, Israel Matzav, Power Line, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Weekly Standard

Fox News:

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows Israel will do ‘whatever is necessary’ in fight with Hamas — Smoke rises during an Israeli offensive in the east of Gaza City. A humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip collapsed on Sunday after a barrage of rockets fired by Palestinian militants was met …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh and Hot Air

Gil Hoffman / Jerusalem Post:

Poll: 86.5% of Israelis oppose cease-fire — Survey says that should Netanyahu choose to end Gaza operation at this time, he would be confronting the overwhelming majority of the nation. — Public opinion in Israel is solidly against ending Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip according to a poll released Sunday.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Guardian, Algemeiner.com and Israel Matzav

Jonathan Topaz / Politico:
Netanyahu says Hamas violating its own cease-fire

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

The Times of Israel:
Kerry ‘completely capitulated’ to Hamas in ceasefire proposal, say Israeli sources

Discussion: “The Lid” and Algemeiner.com

The Times of Israel:
Kerry under fire in Israel for negotiating with Qatar, Turkey, not Egypt, Israel

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, RedState, American Thinker and National Review

The Hill:

GOP wants to show it can govern — House Republicans want to use their final week in Washington before the August recess to send a signal that they are ready to govern. — As the country's attention turns to the fight for control of the House and Senate, Republicans want to show …

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Top House Republican Won't Rule Out Obama Impeachment (VIDEO)

Discussion: Mediaite

Hillary Clinton / CNN:

CNN Poll: Romney tops Obama but loses to Clinton — Washington (CNN) - If a rematch of the 2012 presidential election were held today, GOP nominee Mitt Romney would top President Barack Obama in the popular vote, according to a new national survey. — But a CNN/ORC International poll …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, The Raw Story and SaintPetersBlog

Josh Gerstein / Politico:

NSA: Less need now for Snowden deal — A top National Security Agency offficial says there's less need now for the U.S. Government to cut a deal with leaker Edward Snowden than there was after his wave of surveillance disclosures began more than a year ago.

Discussion: The Hill

Walter Russell Mead:

As Libya Implodes, “Smart Diplomacy” Becoming a Punch Line — The reckless and thoughtless Libya intervention just keeps looking worse. But don't read the critics to see how horrible things are: as the government announces that the U.S. has officially evacuated its embassy in Tripoli this morning …

Discussion: Power Line, travel.state.gov and Gawker

Fox News:
US evacuates embassy in Libya amid clashes in Tripoli

Discussion: ABC News, Twitchy, Hot Air, National Review and Talking Points Memo

Ali Weinberg / ABC News:
‘Freewheeling Militia Violence’ Forced US to Evacuate Embassy in Libya, Kerry Says

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Associated Press, Mediaite, The Hill and CNN

New York Times:

Repeal Prohibition, Again — It took 13 years for the United States to come to its senses and end Prohibition, 13 years in which people kept drinking, otherwise law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime syndicates arose and flourished. It has been more than 40 years since Congress passed …

Cameron Joseph / The Hill:

100 days to go — Red-state Democrats are hanging tough despite a toxic environment, but Republicans are hopeful about late-breaking opportunities in a pair of swing states. — The GOP needs to net six seats for Senate control and already have a trio of conservative open seats in the bag.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler

New York Times:

Republicans' Senate Chances Rise Slightly to 60 Percent, Data Show — Other and undecided responses are not shown. Both Senate seats in South Carolina and Oklahoma are up for election in 2014. — Source: YouGov (CBS/New York Times 2014 Election Panel, conducted July 5 to 24, 2014)

Lowkell / Blue Virginia:

Video: In Woodbridge, “Walking Mayor” Adam O'Neal (R-NC) Speaks Out on Need for Medicaid Expansion — Mayor Adam O'Neal of Bellhaven, NC, a Republican who has been walking to Washington, DC in support of Medicaid expansion and health care for rural residents, arrives at an event on health care …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Raw Story

Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:

Fox News Contributor Calls On U.S. To Welcome Immigrant Children — Conservative columnist and pundit George Will — Conservative columnist and Fox News contributor George Will has long been an advocate for immigration reform, including a conservative version of a “path to citizenship” …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, BBC and The Huffington Post

Jonathan Topaz / Politico:

Rhodes: New sanctions on Russia likely this week — Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said on Sunday increased U.S. and European sanctions against Russia will likely come later this week. — “We still think that the best thing the United States can do is send a message …

Discussion: CNN and Associated Press