memeorandum: U.S. Cooperated Secretly with Syrian Kurds in Battle Against Islamic State (Wall Street Journal)

5:05 AM ET, October 22, 2014

Top Items:

Robert G. Kaiser / Washington Post:

Ben Bradlee, legendary Washington Post editor, dies at 93 — Benjamin C. Bradlee, who presided over The Washington Post newsroom for 26 years and guided The Post's transformation into one of the world's leading newspapers, died Oct. 21 at his home in Washington of natural causes. He was 93.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Hugh Hewitt Show, New York Times, New York Magazine, Lawyers, Guns & Money, FishbowlDC, Mashable, NPR and FOX News Radio, more at Mediagazer »

David Remnick / New Yorker:

Postscript: Benjamin C. Bradlee (1921-2014) — Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee, the most charismatic and consequential newspaper editor of postwar America, died at the age of ninety-three on Tuesday. Among his many bequests to the Republic was a catalogue of swaggering anecdotes rich enough to float a week of testimonial dinners.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Eric Bradner / CNN:

Palins describe brawl in police recordings — Editor's note: The audio mentioned below, obtained by CNN from police records, contains strong language. — Washington (CNN) — Bristol Palin describes being dragged through the grass and called a series of obscenities during a massive brawl …

Discussion: Mediaite, New York Magazine and FOX News Radio

Ahiza Garcia / Talking Points Memo:

The Palin Brawl Police Tapes - Annotated Edition — Amid the crackle and chaos of audio released by the Anchorage Police Department on Tuesday, an unmistakable voice could be heard. — “Did you find your necklace?” the woman could be heard saying. “Track, that is such a God thing. See?”

Discussion: Raw Story

Department of Homeland Security:

Statement by Secretary Johnson on Travel Restrictions and Protective Measures to Prevent the Spread of Ebola to the United States — Today, as part of the Department of Homeland Security's ongoing response to prevent the spread of Ebola to the United States, we are announcing travel restrictions …

Discussion: Guardian, Washington Monthly, Hinterland Gazette, Shakesville, Mashable, Gothamist, Talking Points Memo and NBC News

Bart Jansen / Associated Press:

DHS requires West Africa travelers to arrive at five airports — WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that all travelers from Ebola outbreak countries in West Africa will be funneled through one of five U.S. airports with enhanced screening starting Wednesday.

Discussion: Politico, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, FOX News Radio and Business Insider

Liz Neporent / ABC News:
Rwanda Introduces Ebola Screening — for Americans

Discussion: New York Magazine and Associated Press

Tim Alberta / National Journal:

Chris Christie Previews 2016 Campaign: 'It's Time to Start Offending People' — “I don't care if I'm loved. I want to be respected.” — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched a preemptive strike Tuesday against some potential Republican rivals for the White House, saying the “experiment” …

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Brian Tashman / Right Wing Watch:
Phyllis Schlafly: End Early Voting Because It Helps Democrats

Discussion: WND

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Republicans Trying to Woo, or at Least Suppress, Minority Vote

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

Wall Street Journal:

U.S. Cooperated Secretly with Syrian Kurds in Battle Against Islamic State — Kobani Became too Symbolically Important to Lose — In public, the Obama administration argued for weeks that Kobani wasn't strategically vital to the air campaign against Islamic State extremists.

Discussion: Fox News

Michael Futch / fayobserver.com:

Churchgoer taken aback by political flier's lynching imagery — Dawn McNair said she was surprised Sunday when her daughter pointed out the background on a political flier urging people to get out and vote. — The front of the flier blares: “Kay Hagan doesn't win! Obama's impeachment will begin!

Discussion: Hinterland Gazette, Talking Points Memo, America Rising, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Hot Air

Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:

Chris Christie: 'I'm Tired Of Hearing About The Minimum Wage' — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Tuesday that he's “tired” of hearing discussion on the minimum wage and seemed to suggest that a higher minimum wage isn't something to “aspire to.” — “I gotta tell you the truth …

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Kevin Cirilli / The Hill: Christie to Chamber: 'I'm tired of hearing about the minimum wage'

Associated Press:

AP-GfK Poll: Most expect GOP victory in November — Associated Press 5 hrs ago — WASHINGTON (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, most of the nation's likely voters now expect the Republican Party to take control of the U.S. Senate, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.

Alana Goodman / Washington Free Beacon:

Arkansas Democrat Mark Pryor: Desegregation an ‘Unwilling Invasion’ — Arkansas Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor argued that the federal government's desegregation of Arkansas's largest public school in 1957 was an “unwilling invasion” that took “a local problem out of the local authorities' hands” …

Discussion: Truth Revolt, Bloomberg Politics, RedState, Hot Air and Talking Points Memo

Peter Sullivan / The Hill:

RNC co-chair: Wisconsin voters not so ‘sharp’ — The co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee said in Wisconsin that voters there “might not be as sharp as a knife.” — “It's not going to be an easy election, it's a close election,” said Sharon Day, the co-chairwoman …

Discussion: Balloon Juice and GOP.com

Bill Glauber / JSOnline:
RNC co-chair: Some Wisconsin voters ‘might not be as sharp as a knife’

Discussion: Guardian, New York Magazine, Talking Points Memo and Mediaite

Miranda Blue / Right Wing Watch:

Steve King: US Becoming A ‘Third-World Country’ Thanks To Undocumented Immigrants Bringing In Ebola And Beheadings — Donald Trump travelled to Iowa to campaign for Rep. Steve King this past weekend, and their joint press conference was just about as ridiculous as you might imagine.

Discussion: Daily Kos, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, FOX News Radio and The Iowa Republican

Jonathan Topaz / Politico:

Rand, Ron Paul split over travel ban — Ron Paul on Monday said that calls for a ban on travel from West African countries affected by Ebola are primarily “politically motivated” — just days after his son Sen. Rand Paul announced his support for one. — Appearing on Newsmax TV's …

Discussion: The Dish, Hit & Run and BuzzFeed

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Cultural Differences, Assimilation and Immigration Policy — Two stories currently in the news are, I think, illuminating. The first comes from Paris: … This is not the American way. Personally, I don't like to see veiled women. It makes me uncomfortable.

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Obama: Apathy, not Voter ID, keeps minorities from polls — Controversial voter identification laws are not the primary reason minority voters are failing to cast their ballots, President Obama said in a radio interview airing Tuesday. — “Most of these laws are not preventing …

Jim Galloway / Political Insider blog:

Democratic turnout flyer: ‘If you want to prevent another Ferguson...’ — The Democratic effort to pump up the African-American vote in Georgia just took an interesting turn. — A reader has sent us this early-voting turnout mailer sent out by the Georgia Democratic party that focuses …

Discussion: National Review, Talking Points Memo, Hot Air and The Daily Caller

Lauren McGaughy / Houston Chronicle:

Former aide pleads guilty to embezzling $1.8 million from Dewhurst campaign funds — AUSTIN - Former David Dewhurst campaign manager Kenneth “Buddy” Barfield is facing up to 28 years in prison and millions in fines and restitution payments after pleading guilty Tuesday to embezzling nearly $1.8 million …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Eddie Scarry / Mediaite:

Rosie O'Donnell: Bill Clinton Should've Been Prosecuted for Lewinsky Affair — It's possible Rosie O'Donnell of ABC's The View forgot or entirely missed one half of the scandal that tarnished Bill Clinton's presidency. Namely, Clinton's impeachment. — On Tuesday, O'Donnell remarked …

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Nate Cohn / New York Times:

Midterm Calculus: Why House Republicans Alienate Hispanics: They Don't Need Them — Why House Republicans Alienate Hispanics: They Don't Need Them — Even if they did not receive a single vote from a Latino, anywhere in the United States, Republicans could most likely retain control of the House.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Washington Monthly