memeorandum: Dems cash in with Oscar noms (Judy Kurtz/The Hill)

11:05 AM ET, February 22, 2015

Top Items:

Walker says he is unaware whether Obama is a Christian — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a prospective Republican presidential contender, said Saturday he does not know whether President Obama is a Christian. — “I don't know,” Walker said in an interview at the JW Marriott hotel in Washington …

Discussion: The Daily Beast, ThinkProgress, Bloomberg Business, The Hugh Hewitt Show, The Last Tradition, Hinterland Gazette, Althouse, Power Line, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, FreakOutNation, “The Lid”, Washington Monthly, The Week, The Daily Caller, Little Green Footballs, Weekly Standard, Daily Kos and Talking Points Memo

James Hohmann / Politico:

Walker feeling the heat — He says he's ready for 2016 but the Wisconsin governor hasn't faced anything like this. — Scott Walker likes to say that the recall election he survived three years ago, when national media descended on Madison to cover his showdown with Big Labor, prepared him for the rigors of a presidential campaign.

Alexandra Jaffe / CNN:
Rudy Giuliani's Obama critique puts 2016ers in a bind

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Huffington Post, Ed Driscoll, Balloon Juice and JSOnline

Politico: Mike Pence still considering presidential race

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:

Dems cash in with Oscar noms — Democrats are the biggest winners when it comes to raking in political donations from Academy Award nominees. — Some of the Oscars' most famous contenders — including this year's hopefuls Reese Witherspoon, Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, Bradley Cooper …

Juan Williams / Wall Street Journal:

America's Most Influential Thinker on Race — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's insights are reshaping law and policy for the better. — In his office hangs a copy of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in America. When his critics, and he has many, call him names …

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Cafe Hayek

Serajul Quadir / Reuters:

Bangladesh ferry capsizes after collision, at least 33 dead — (Reuters) - At least 33 people died in Bangladesh on Sunday when a passenger ferry capsized after colliding with a trawler on the river Padma with more than 100 people aboard, police said. — Rescuers managed to save …

Discussion: KVNF Public Radio

New York Times:

Deeper Ties to Corporate Cash for Doubtful Climate Researcher — For years, politicians wanting to block legislation on climate change have bolstered their arguments by pointing to the work of a handful of scientists who claim that greenhouse gases pose little risk to humanity.

Discussion: Gawker, Guardian, Common Dreams, Little Green Footballs, Liberaland, Greg Laden's Blog and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Eric Jon Engberg / Facebook:

Did Fox News bloviater Bill O'Reilly commit Brian Williams type fabrications when he claimed he had been in a “combat situation” while working as a reporter for CBS News during the Falklands War in 1982? Did he pad his resume' as he was laying claim to personal knowledge about what happens in war?

Discussion: TVNewser, Mediaite, Raw Story, Daily Kos, Washington Post and The Huffington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Sebnem Arsu / New York Times:

Turkish Military Enters Syria to Evacuate Soldiers and Move Tomb's Remains, Reports Say — ISTANBUL — The Turkish Army launched an operation into Syria to evacuate soldiers guarding the Tomb of Suleyman Shah, which has been besieged by Islamic State militants, and move the tomb's remains …

Discussion: KVNF Public Radio

Washington Post:

The making of Hillary 5.0: Marketing wizards help re-imagine Clinton brand — Is Hillary Rodham Clinton a McDonald's Big Mac or a Chipotle burrito bowl? A can of Bud or a bottle of Blue Moon? JCPenney or J. Crew? — As she readies her second presidential campaign …

Discussion: Power Line

New York Times:

Bush Spouse Backs Jeb, but Is Wary of Family Business — CORAL GABLES, Fla. — For 20 years, Columba Bush anticipated the day she would have to answer one big question: Would she support her husband, Jeb Bush, if he decided to run for president? — Last summer and fall …

Discussion: FOX News Radio and Liberaland

lohud.com:

Retired officer killed 2 daughters, self, sources say — Sources say former White Plains Police Officer Glen Hochman killed two of his daughters Saturday before killing himself. — CONNECT — HARRISON A retired White Plains police officer killed his two daughters Saturday before killing himself, officials said.

Discussion: Hinterland Gazette and New York Times

David Moran / Hartford Courant:

Police Arrest Stamford Man Enraged By Bad Haircut — STAMFORD — A 47-year old Stamford man flew into a rage and began yelling and throwing things around a local salon because he did not like his haircut, according to police. The man became even more upset when he discovered the haircut was going to cost him $50.

Discussion: FOX News Radio and Liberaland

New York Post:

Giuliani: Obama influenced by communists since youth — Rudy Giuliani doubled down on his claims that President Obama doesn't “love America” in an interview with The Post Friday — claiming the commander-in-chief has been influenced by communists since his youth.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, CANNONFIRE, Mediaite, The Last Tradition, Flopping Aces, FOX News Radio, No More Mister Nice Blog, Gothamist, The Daily Caller, Hullabaloo and neo-neocon

Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Rudy Giuliani's fall from America's Mayor

Discussion: New York Times, The Gateway Pundit and No More Mister Nice Blog

Politico:
Rudy Giuliani says he's received death threats over Obama remarks

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Hinterland Gazette, No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Magazine, New York Times and CNN

Arit John / Bloomberg Business:

Here's What the DNC Thinks Will Help Democrats Win More Elections — Four months after losing the 2012 presidential election, the GOP released a 100-page ‘autopsy’ report, an analysis of what went wrong and how to fix it. Among other things, the autopsy said that the Republican Party …

Discussion: TIME and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion