memeorandum: The hidden hand behind the Islamic State militants? Saddam Hussein's. (Liz Sly/Washington Post)

1:40 AM ET, April 6, 2015

Top Items:

Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report — A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Last November, we published a story, ‘A Rape on Campus’ [RS 1223], that centered around a University of Virginia student's horrifying account of her alleged gang rape at a campus fraternity house.

Discussion: Washington Post, CNNMoney, New York Times, The American Conservative, The Huffington Post, Globe and Mail, Poynter, Mediaite, NPR, The Daily Caller and Mashable, more at Mediagazer »

Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:

Rolling Stone Article on Rape at University of Virginia Failed All Basics, Report Says — Rolling Stone magazine retracted its article about a brutal gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity after the release of a report on Sunday that concluded the widely discredited piece was the result …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Columbia Journalism Review, Washington Post, Politico, Mediaite, New York Magazine, Liberaland, Firedoglake, Raw Story, The Week, The Huffington Post, Poynter and Viking Pundit, more at Mediagazer »

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Rolling Stone's Rape Hoax: Why Did It Happen? — After its story on an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia fell apart, Rolling Stone magazine commissioned the Columbia School of Journalism to investigate the incident and write a report about what went wrong.

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post and Unfogged

CNNMoney:

Major ‘failures’ found in Rolling Stone's ‘A Rape on Campus’ — An institutional failure at Rolling Stone resulted a deeply flawed article about a purported gang rape at the University of Virginia, according to an outside review by Columbia Journalism School professors.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, more at Mediagazer »

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

The Obama Doctrine and Iran — President Obama talks with Thomas L. Friedman about the calculations that informed the Iran nuclear framework and what they say about his overall approach to foreign policy. — April 5, 2015. Photo by Todd Heisler/The New York Times. — In September 1996, I visited Iran.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Politico, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, The Times of Israel and Algemeiner.com

Jonathan Topaz / Politico:

Gary Hart: Billion-dollar Clinton campaign should ‘frighten’ Americans — The two-time Democratic presidential candidate is alarmed by current ‘dynastic’ politics. — Gary Hart has serious reservations about a Hillary Clinton candidacy. — The prospect of a billion-dollar Clinton campaign …

Discussion: Phantom Public and Liberal Values

Los Angeles Times:

California's wealthy lagging in water conservation — There are few signs of California's epic drought along a stretch of Maple Drive in Beverly Hills. — Deep green front lawns stretch out, dotted with healthy trees and sculpted foliage. The only brown lawn in sight was at a home under construction.

Discussion: Raw Story, The PJ Tatler and Washington Monthly

Liz Sly / Washington Post:

The hidden hand behind the Islamic State militants? Saddam Hussein's. — CONFRONTING THE 'CALIPHATE'| This is part of an occasional series about the militant group Islamic State and its violent collision with the United States and others intent on halting the group's rapid rise.

Discussion: Power Line and Prairie Weather

Paul F. Campos / New York Times:

The Real Reason College Tuition Costs So Much — BOULDER, Colo. — ONCE upon a time in America, baby boomers paid for college with the money they made from their summer jobs. Then, over the course of the next few decades, public funding for higher education was slashed.

Discussion: International Liberty, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Washington Post:

Rand Paul seems to stray from libertarian roots as he courts GOP base — When the presidential buzz began building around Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) a couple of years ago, the expectation was that his libertarian ideas could make him the most unusual and intriguing voice among the major contenders in the 2016 field.

Discussion: Liberaland and Political Wire

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

Interview With a Christian — AFTER watching the debate about religious freedom unfold over the past week, I decided to subject myself to an interview by an imaginary — but representative — member of the press. Here is our conversation: — Happy Easter! — Thank you.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Good Riddance, Carrie Mathison — WASHINGTON — THE co-creator of “Homeland” on Showtime revealed recently that when the new season starts, Claire Danes's Carrie Mathison will no longer work at the C.I.A. — Her real-life counterparts can't wait for her to clean out her desk.

Discussion: Liberal Values and Mediaite

Edith Honan / Reuters:

Kenya says government official's son was among gunmen in Garissa attack — (Reuters) - The son of a Kenyan government official was one of the masked gunmen who killed nearly 150 people at a university last week, the interior ministry said on Sunday, as Kenyan churches hired armed guards to protect their Easter congregations.

Discussion: VICE News, BBC and ThinkProgress