memeorandum: Immigration action is daring test of Obama's power (Stephen Collinson/CNN)

10:15 AM ET, November 20, 2014

Top Items:

Reagan and Bush Acted Unilaterally on Immigration, Too—for the Same Reason That Obama Will — On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that two previous Republican presidents—Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush—had taken unilateral action to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation …

Discussion: The Federalist, Washington Post, The Atlantic Online, Politico, ThinkProgress, National Review and Bloomberg

Stephen Collinson / CNN:

Immigration action is daring test of Obama's power — Watch President Obama's immigration speech on CNN tonight at 8 pm ET — Washington (CNN) — President Barack Obama's plan to take the immigration system in his own hands is a daring test of the limits of presidential power.

Discussion: American Spectator and Daily Kos

New York Times:

At Long Last, Immigration Action — President Obama says he will speak to the nation on Thursday night about making major changes to immigration policy, including shielding several million unauthorized immigrants from deportation. He intends to do this under executive authority, because he has given up waiting for Congress to act.

Discussion: The New Republic, The Week, Washington Post and Daily Signal

Hadas Gold / Politico:

White House hits TV networks for skipping immigration address — The White House is exasperated with the major broadcast networks - ABC, CBS and NBC — for skipping out on President Barack Obama's Thursday primetime address on his executive actions on immigration.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Betsy's Page, New York Magazine, White House.gov Blog and The PJ Tatler

The Hill:

Networks won't air Obama speech — Three major networks will not air President Obama's prime-time address Thursday outlining his executive actions on immigration. — Officials with ABC, CBS and Fox confirmed to The Hill that Obama's 8 p.m. speech from the White House will not be carried on their networks.

Discussion: Deadline, CNNMoney.com and The Huffington Post

The New / New York Times:
Secret Service Arrests Man Within Block of White House

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and US News

Joseph Curl / Washington Times:

Obama sets off on scorched-earth rampage — ANALYSIS/OPINION: … President Obama, fresh off a shellacking in the 2014 midterm elections — in which he made himself a centerpiece, much to the chagrin of embattled Democrats — is about to embark on a scorched-earth rampage that will change the face of America forever.

Sen. Ted Cruz / Politico:
Obama Is Not a Monarch — The president cannot act alone …

Discussion: Firedoglake, CNN, Guardian, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, The World's Greatest …, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, OnPolitics, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Fox News Insider and The PJ Tatler

ABC News:

Entertainment Icon Mike Nichols Has Died at Age 83 — Mike Nichols, the entertainment icon and husband of ABC News Anchor Diane Sawyer, died suddenly Wednesday at the age of 83. — Nichols' death was announced in a statement by ABC News President James Goldston.

Discussion: Gawker, International Business Times and NPR

ABC News:
Mike Nichols passed away suddenly on Wednesday evening. He was 83.

Discussion: Mashable and Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Peter Wehner / Commentary Magazine:

Obama Is About to Commit an Act of Constitutional Infamy — The president will present his case on behalf of his forthcoming executive order on amnesty tomorrow at 8 p.m. I certainly hope President Obama addresses the arguments against his action that were repeatedly and passionately made by ... President Obama.

Discussion: Power Line and The Hugh Hewitt Show

Steve Cannon / ABC News:

3 Wounded, Suspected Gunman Dead After Shooting on Florida State University Campus — Three people were wounded in a shooting on Florida State University's campus in Tallahassee, police said, with the suspected gunman shot and killed by officers. — The shooting happened early this morning at the university's Stozier Library.

Discussion: Mashable and International Business Times

CNN:
3 shot at Florida State University before gunman killed by police

Discussion: Liberaland, Associated Press and New York Magazine

James Hohmann / Politico:

Scott Walker plots 2016 rollout — The Wisconsin governor is putting together the pieces of a campaign. — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, pivoting from his bigger-than-expected reelection win this month, is taking active steps toward a presidential campaign that would launch next summer …

Discussion: JSOnline, Political Wire and National Review

Shushannah Walshe / ABC News:

GOP Governors Mostly Hostile on Obama Immigration Executive Action … Potential Republican presidential candidates at the Republican Governors Association annual conference gave very different responses to the president's decision to announce major executive action on immigration reform Thursday.

Discussion: Politico

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Perry: ‘I was a bit arrogant’

Discussion: CNN, Bloomberg Politics, US News, Talking Points Memo and The PJ Tatler

Jake Sherman / Politico:
Rick Perry: Texas might sue Barack Obama

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

Jim Webb launches 2016 committee — Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb became the first well-known Democrat to launch an exploratory committee to run for president on Wednesday night, saying the nation is at a “serious crossroads.” — “I have decided to launch an Exploratory Committee …

Discussion: Political Insider blog, Bloomberg Politics, CANNONFIRE, Outside the Beltway and Political Wire

Susan Page / USA Today:

GOP senator warns of violence after immigration order — WASHINGTON — Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn warns there could be not only a political firestorm but acts of civil disobedience and even violence in reaction to President Obama's executive order on immigration Thursday.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Hot Air, Mediaite, FOX News Radio, CBS Philly and Political Wire

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

The Solid South Will Rise Again — Democrats have abandoned Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, who is in a tough runoff election. (Tough is the mild way of putting it. Polls show her down by double digits to her Republican opponent.) — Not only has the Democratic Party pulled …

Discussion: Vox Popoli, National Journal and neo-neocon

Robert Costa / Washington Post:

Bachmann: Obama turning ‘illiterate’ immigrants into Democratic voters — In a sign of the difficulties GOP leaders face in keeping their unruly caucus on-message, retiring tea party firebrand Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Wednesday that the immigrants given new protections by the president …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico and Mediaite

Neil King Jr / Wall Street Journal:

Americans of All Stripes Agree: The System Is Stacked Against Them — At last, we have an important question upon which a majority of Americans—regardless of race, political persuasion or walk of life—agree. — Are the country's economic and political systems stacked against people like you?

Discussion: Political Wire

Mark Leibovich / New York Times:

Chris Christie Is Back — Credit: Tobias Hutzler for The New York Times — “If I fix this, you have to start the story with it,” Chris Christie told me, yanking the string of the venetian blind in the diner window. We were eating a late lunch at a place called Howley's …

Discussion: Political Wire

Tim Murphy / Mother Jones:

Exclusive: Jay Leno Cancels Performance at Gun Lobby Trade Show Following Pressure from Newtown Group — Update: Late Wednesday, Jay Leno said in a brief phone interview that he had called the National Shooting Sports Foundation to cancel his scheduled performance at the SHOT Show.

Discussion: Bloomberg Politics, Mediaite, Raw Story, Liberaland and National Review

Sarah Kliff / Vox:

Meet Michael Cannon, the man who could bring down Obamacare — Michael Cannon is an ardent Obamacare opponent who runs the health policy program at the libertarian Cato Institute. The New Republic has described him as “Obamacare's most relentless antagonist.”

Discussion: The New Republic, Bloomberg View, Hullabaloo, Hit & Run and Washington Post

George F. Will / Washington Post:

The Justice Department becomes a schoolyard bully in Wisconsin — It is as remarkable as it is repulsive, the ingenuity with which the Obama administration uses the regulatory state's intricacies to advance progressivism's project of breaking nongovernmental institutions to government's saddle.

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:

Pelosi picks Billy Joel over Obama — Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) opted to appear at a star-studded event honoring Billy Joel rather than meet with President Obama on Wednesday night to discuss his plans for executive action on immigration. — The House minority leader was eyed among …