memeorandum: The Grand Strategy Obama Needs (Vali R. Nasr/New York Times)

10:35 AM ET, September 11, 2014

Top Items:

Zeke J Miller / TIME:

Full Text of Obama's Address on ISIS — Full text of President Barack Obama's address to the nation on ISIS — President Barack Obama addressed the nation Wednesday on his strategy to confront the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). — Below are his remarks as delivered:

Discussion: CNN, Informed Comment, Politico, White House.gov Blog, Power Line, FishbowlDC, Democracy in America and Daily Signal, more at Mediagazer »

New York Times:

Struggling to Gauge ISIS Threat, Even as U.S. Prepares to Act — WASHINGTON — The violent ambitions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have been condemned across the world: in Europe and the Middle East, by Sunni nations and Shiite ones, and by sworn enemies like Israel and Iran.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Mahablog, Hot Air and Mediaite

Vali R. Nasr / New York Times:

The Grand Strategy Obama Needs — Washington — The twin crises in Ukraine and the Middle East are perhaps the most serious President Obama has faced. He has been spurred into action, but still hopes to balance his show of leadership with his own inclination to protect America from foreign engagements.

Discussion: VodkaPundit

Mark Landler / New York Times:

Obama, in Speech on ISIS, Promises Sustained Effort to Rout Militants — WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday authorized a major expansion of the military campaign against rampaging Sunni militants in the Middle East, including American airstrikes in Syria and the deployment of 475 more military advisers to Iraq.

Discussion: Reuters, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, Gawker and Weekly Standard

Mario Trujillo / The Hill:

Cheney points finger at Obama's ‘indifference’ for rise of ISIS — Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday said there is a connection between the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and President Obama's disengagement abroad, accusing him of “principled indifference.”

Sarah Palin / Facebook:
War is hell. So go big or go home, Mr. President.

Discussion: Politico and Hit & Run

David Corn / Mother Jones:
The ISIS Speech: Obama and the Dogs of War

Discussion: The Federalist, Wall Street Journal, BillMoyers.com, Outside the Beltway, CNN, Daily Kos, CBS DC, Yahoo! News, Washington Post and The Week

Peter Baker / New York Times:
New Military Campaign Extends a Legacy of War

Discussion: Washington Post

New York Times:
In President Obama's Speech, a Military Plan to Root Out ISIS

Discussion: al.com, Politico and The Huffington Post

Fox News:
ISIS speech: Obama has long history of downplaying threat from Islamic terrorists

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ, Betsy's Page and Weekly Standard

Washington Post:
Transcript: President Obama's speech outlining strategy to defeat Islamic State

Discussion: New York Times, CANNONFIRE, The Long War Journal, Fox News, Associated Press, National Review, Hullabaloo, Weekly Standard, Hot Air and The Dish

RealClearPolitics Video Log:
Full Obama Address on ISIS: “America, Our Endless Blessings Bestow An Enduring Burden”

Discussion: National Review

Tim Hanrahan / Wall Street Journal:
Full Prepared Text of Obama's Speech Wednesday on ISIS Plans

Discussion: Associated Press, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Free Beacon and Hit & Run

Hayes Brown / ThinkProgress:
The Most Discouraging Sentence in Obama's Entire ISIS Speech

Discussion: The United States Department …, rubber hose, The Dish, JustOneMinute, The Huffington Post and CNN

David Frum / The Atlantic Online:
Don't Go Back to Iraq, Mr. President

Discussion: National Review, Washington Post, Hot Air, Hit & Run and The Daily Beast

Richard B. Cheney / American Enterprise Institute:
9/11 and the future of US foreign policy

Discussion: Politico

Rob Maaddi / Associated Press:

AP NEWSBREAK: SOURCE SAYS RICE VIDEO SENT TO NFL — ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A law enforcement official says he sent a video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee to an NFL executive three months ago, while league officers have insisted they didn't see the violent images until this week.

ESPN:

Sources: Ray Rice spat at fiancee — ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Ray Rice spat in the face of Janay Palmer the night he punched her in a hotel elevator, one current and one former security staffer at the Revel hotel told “Outside the Lines.” — Three current or former security staffers …

Discussion: abc7.com, SportsGrid, Robert Littal Presents …, 7online.com, Truth Revolt, The BRAD BLOG and Balloon Juice

ABC News:
NFL, Ravens Missed Chances to See Ray Rice Punch Video: Sources

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Guardian, SBNation.com, CNN, ProFootballTalk, CBS DC, Robert Littal Presents … and 7online.com

Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Ravens executives address Ray Rice investigation in exclusive interview

Discussion: Deadspin, ProFootballTalk and Robert Littal Presents …

Brent Budowsky / The Hill:

War on women is winning — A warning to the women of America: If Republicans win control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections this fall, it will be a powerful victory for the war on women, with consequences that will be severe and long-term. A large majority of women know this.

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate Republicans can taste majority

Discussion: Politico

Manu Raju / Politico:
2014 Kansas election: GOP scrambles to save Pat Roberts

Discussion: American Spectator, Wichita Eagle and Talking Points Memo

Tristyn Bloom / The Daily Caller:

Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage At Middle East Christian Conference [VIDEO] — Sen. Ted Cruz was booed offstage at a conference for Middle Eastern Christians Wednesday night after saying that “Christians have no greater ally than Israel.” — Cruz, the keynote speaker at the sold-out D.C. dinner gala …

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, Washington Post, Israel Matzav, Washington Free Beacon and RedState

Matthew Boyle / BREITBART.COM:

TED CRUZ: HATRED, BIGOTRY, OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL LED TO ME LEAVING EVENT — Reports surfaced Wednesday night that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was “booed off the stage” at an event hosted by a purportedly Christian organization. — Cruz, the keynote speaker at the new “In Defense Of Christians” …

Discussion: National Review

New York Times:

Oscar Pistorius Not Guilty of Murder; Court Adjourns With Lesser Charge Pending — PRETORIA, South Africa — After clearing the Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius of the gravest charges against him, the judge in his murder trial abruptly suspended the proceedings on Thursday …

Discussion: Jezebel, SBNation.com, ABC News, Gawker and Robert Littal Presents …

Claire Phipps / Guardian:
Pistorius verdict live: judge says athlete not guilty of murder

Discussion: Deadspin

Liezl Thom / ABC News:
Oscar Pistorius' Trailblazing Judge Has Reputation for Toughness

Discussion: abc7.com and 7online.com

Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:

The Midterm Electorate Is Anxious and Unsettled — Less than two months before the midterm elections, American voters are frightened and unsettled by conditions in the U.S. and around the world. They crave stability, distrust politicians, and have little faith that changing control of Congress would accomplish anything.

Hollywood Reporter:

Michael Moore Slams Obama: History Will Only Remember You Were a Black President — He also adds, on the 20th anniversary of ‘Roger & Me,’ Detroit would be better off as a Syrian or Iraqi city. — Michael Moore sees President Obama's legacy as set. The progressive documentary filmmaker …

Discussion: Truth Revolt, Hinterland Gazette, National Review and Washington Free Beacon

Kimberly Kagan / Weekly Standard:

Obama's ‘Strategy’ Has No Chance of Success — President Obama just announced that he is bringing a counter-terrorism strategy to an insurgency fight. He was at pains to repeat the phrase “counter-terror” four times in a short speech. Noting that ISIL is not a state …

Discussion: AEIdeas and The Hugh Hewitt Show