memeorandum: Obama discusses bias with preschoolers in Kansas (Dave Boyer/Washington Times)

9:05 PM ET, January 22, 2015

Top Items:

Mollie Hemingway / The Federalist:

Why Everyone Should Be Terrified By The GOP's Abortion Bill Debacle — Today marks the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court legalizing abortion on demand throughout pregnancy. The pro-life movement commemorates this day with marches, worship services and lobbying for bills to protect unborn children.

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:

Inside The GOP Meltdown On Abortion And Rape — Tens of thousands of Americans descended on Washington for the annual March For Life on Thursday only to see House Republicans melt down over their signature issue: abortion. — A symbolic messaging bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks …

Discussion: Washington Post and Daily Signal

David Weigel / Bloomberg Politics:

Anti-Abortion Activists Rise Up Against House Republicans' ‘Pain-Capable’ Fumble — The surprise bottling of the vote casts a pallor over March for Life. — “I'm ready to get arrested,” said Jill Stanek on Thursday. “I've never felt that way before, but this is personal.”

Discussion: Bloomberg, National Review, Fusion, RedState, Religion News Service, Daily Kos, NPR, Washington Times, The Daily Caller, msnbc.com, Jezebel, Daily Signal and Politico

Susan Crabtree / Washington Examiner:
Renee Ellmers explains stance against abortion bill

Discussion: BuzzFeed, ThinkProgress, msnbc.com, Daily Signal, LifeNews.com, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, RedState and NBC News

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Republicans pulled a classic bait-and-switch with abortion bill

Discussion: The Federalist

Jennifer Bendery / The Huffington Post:
Republicans Include Tax Hike In Latest Abortion Bill

Discussion: Daily Kos and PoliticusUSA

Laura Bassett / The Huffington Post:
House Passes Anti-Abortion Bill On Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade

Discussion: Truth Revolt

Renee Ellmers / Facebook:
To clear up any misinformation, I will be voting tomorrow …

Discussion: Washington Post, North Carolina Values …, American Spectator, Talking Points Memo, National Organization …, RH Reality Check, Washington Free Beacon, Little Green Footballs and Jezebel

Ron Fournier / National Journal:

Here's How Hillary Clinton Will Distance Herself From Barack Obama — She may have tipped her hand in a post-State of the Union tweet. — Anybody wondering how Hillary Clinton would distance herself from President Obama in 2016 needs only to parse her post-State of the Union tweet:

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, Fusion and New York Times

Gary Langer / ABC News:

History's a Positive for Clinton; Not So for Bush or Romney — Hillary Clinton's potential place in history and her husband's tenure in the White House boost her presidential prospects, while Jeb Bush's political legacy and Mitt Romney's 2012 run for the office are negatives, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, No More Mister Nice Blog and FOX News Radio

Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Clinton plans to astound, intimidate with fundraising 'like nothing you've seen'

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Politico and Weekly Standard

New York Times:

Sheldon Silver, New York Assembly Leader, Is Arrested on Graft Charges — The speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver, was arrested on federal corruption charges on Thursday and accused of using the power of his office for more than a decade to secure millions of dollars …

Discussion: Sunlight Foundation Blog, Business Insider, New York Post, Politico, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Gothamist, The Center for Public …, Towleroad News #gay, Mediaite, Gawker, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, Washington Free Beacon and Althouse

New York Times: After Sheldon Silver's Arrest, Predicting ‘Chaos’ in Albany Power Balance

John Marzulli / NY Daily News:
NY Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver accused of $6 million bribery and kickback scheme, taken into custody

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, Ed Driscoll and Moe Lane

Washington Post:

Saudi King Abdullah's death sets up complex succession process — RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Adbul Aziz died Thursday evening, setting the stage for a transition of power at a critical moment as the key U.S. ally in the Middle East struggles with falling oil prices and rising Islamist violence.

Discussion: The White House, New York Times, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Caller, The Huffington Post and Business Insider

BBC:

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah dies — Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died in hospital, royal officials have announced. — A statement, made early on Friday, said his brother, Salman, had become king. — Before the announcement, Saudi television cut to Koranic verses, which often signifies the death of a senior royal.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Mashable

Angus McDowall / Reuters:
Saudi King Abdullah dies, new ruler is Salman

Discussion: Business Insider and The PJ Tatler

Tom Steyer / The Huffington Post:

Tom Steyer … Like all Americans, I care passionately about the American Dream — both the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and also the opportunity for our country to fulfill its promise: to do what's right (whatever it takes) and lead the world.

Discussion: Sacramento Bee, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Wall Street Journal, Roll Call, OnPolitics and New York Times

David Edwards / Raw Story:

GOP rep.: Keep minimum wage low ‘for minorities’ who aren't worth more than $7 an hour — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — California Republican Rep. Tom McClintock said on Thursday that the minimum wage should not be raised because low pay was necessary for minorities …

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice

Josh Rogin / Bloomberg View:

Israeli Mossad Goes Rogue, Warns U.S. on Iran Sanctions — The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad has broken ranks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling U.S. officials and lawmakers that a new Iran sanctions bill in the U.S. Congress would tank the Iran nuclear negotiations.

Barak Ravid / Haaretz:
Mossad chief denies opposing new sanctions on Iran

Discussion: Washington Post

Carl / Israel Matzav:
Breaking: Full statement from Mossad head on Iran

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Susan Heavey / Reuters:

U.S.'s Kerry, like Obama, will not meet with Israel's Netanyahu during visit — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will not meet with Israeli's Benjamin Netanyahu during the prime minister's upcoming visit to Washington, the State Department said on Thursday.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Julie Pace / Associated Press: OBAMA WILL NOT MEET WITH NETANYAHU DURING TRIP TO WASHINGTON

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Gloom Lifts, and Obama Goes All Out

Discussion: Just Above Sunset

Larry O'Connor / Washington Free Beacon:

Why Does Hollywood Ignore the ‘American Sniper’ Audience? — The Hollywood Reporter has a fantastic look at the astounding success of the Clint Eastwood hit film, American Sniper. The analysis provides incredible insight into how this film shocked the industry to break box office records last week.

Discussion: Ed Driscoll

Politico:

Watchdog group: Gohmert improperly used campaign funds — A liberal watchdog group has filed an ethics complaint against Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert alleging that he improperly used campaign funds to cover his expenses from a recent trip to London. — In a filing with the Office …

Cristina Marcos / The Hill:
Ethics watchdog files complaint on Gohmert

Discussion: Truth Revolt and Mediaite

Victoria Tang / Wired:

Here Are All the Senators Who Do and Don't Believe in Human-Caused Climate Change — Calved icebergs from the nearby Twin Glaciers are seen floating on the water on July 30, 2013 in Qaqortoq, Greenland. Joe Raedle/Getty Images — United States Senators stood up for what they believed in today—and it wasn't pretty.

Discussion: The Verge, Balloon Juice, Vox, Agence France-Presse, Bloomberg Politics, Right Wing Watch and No More Mister Nice Blog

Morning Call:

Perjury, obstruction among charges recommended against Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane

Discussion: Moe Lane

McKay Coppins / BuzzFeed:

Here's The “Willie Horton” Ad Romney Almost Ran Against Mike Huckabee — “This is my daughter... she was murdered by a serial rapist released early from prison in Arkansas. Will we see a version of this unaired ad — obtained by BuzzFeed News — in 2016? — View Video ›

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:

In a Reversal, Argentine President Says Prosecutor's Death Was Not a Suicide — BUENOS AIRES — Confronted with a deepening scandal, the president of Argentina abruptly reversed herself on Thursday, saying that the death of the lead prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center …

Discussion: The Dish, Business Insider, American Spectator, BuzzFeed, National Review and Israpundit