memeorandum: Scott Walker and the Fate of the Union (Dan Kaufman/New York Times)

6:10 PM ET, June 12, 2015

Top Items:

Claudia Koerner / BuzzFeed:

A Civil Rights Leader Has Disguised Herself As Black For Years, Her Parents Say — Rachel Dolezal is president of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP and also chairs a city police oversight commission. Her parents also told BuzzFeed News that she is passing off her younger adopted black brother as her own son.

Discussion: Instapundit, Ed Driscoll, Guardian, neo-neocon, Hot Air, RedState, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, Mediaite, Shakesville, Althouse, Jamelle Bouie and protein wisdom

Coeur d'Alene Press:

Black like me? — Civil rights activist's ethnicity questioned — COEUR d'ALENE - She's risen from North Idaho civil rights champion to positions of power in Spokane as a self-described black woman. — But what if Rachel Dolezal is really white? — Dolezal, chair of Spokane's Office …

Discussion: Mashable, The Daily Caller and Talking Points Memo

NAACP:

NAACP STATEMENT ON RACHEL DOLEZAL — Baltimore, MD - For 106 years, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has held a long and proud tradition of receiving support from people of all faiths, races, colors and creeds. NAACP Spokane Washington Branch President Rachel Dolezal …

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Talking Points Memo and Full Feed

Sean Davis / The Federalist:

If Rachel Dolezal Isn't Black, How Is Caitlyn Jenner A Woman? — Spokane NAACP president Rachel Dolezal, a professor of Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University, was outed earlier this week by her parents as being white. — In what has to be one of the more bizarre news stories of 2015 …

Discussion: Guardian, Hit & Run, Unfogged and Althouse

Spokesman.com:

Credibility of local NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal questioned — Controversy is swirling around one of the Inland Northwest's most prominent civil rights activists, with family members of Rachel Dolezal saying the local leader of the NCAAP has been falsely portraying herself as black for years.

KREM-TV:
Local NAACP leader outed as white woman refutes claim

Discussion: Raw Story, BizPac Review and Guardian

Milo Yiannopoulos / BREITBART.COM:
A Big Slobbery Welcome To My Newest Trans-Black Sister, Rachel Dolezal

Discussion: Power Line and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Justin Wm / Washington Post:
‘Are you an African American?’ Why an NAACP official isn't saying.

Discussion: KXLY-TV, The Daily Caller, ABC News, Hot Air, Slantpoint, Mediaite and The Week

Jeff Humphrey / KXLY-TV:
Did NAACP president lie about her race? City investigates

Discussion: Salon, Gawker, Outside the Beltway, ABC News, Guardian, Mediaite, NPR and The Daily Caller

Jeff Humphrey / KXLY-TV:
Questions raised about NAACP hate mail report

Discussion: NPR

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:

House Rejects Trade Bill, Rebuffing Obama's Dramatic Appeal — WASHINGTON — House Democrats rebuffed a dramatic personal appeal from President Obama on Friday, torpedoing his ambitious push to expand his trade negotiating power — and, quite likely, his chance to secure a legacy-defining trade accord spanning the Pacific Ocean.

Discussion: Power Line, HIVPlusMag.com, Wall Street Journal, Advocate, Outside the Beltway, Hit & Run, Politico, Business Insider, Slantpoint, Common Dreams and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Cristina Marcos / The Hill:

House deals humiliating blow to Obama in trade fight — Defying President Obama, House Democrats on Friday rallied to vote down legislation granting aid to workers displaced by trade, dealing a potentially fatal blow to the fast-track legislation that had been scheduled to hit the floor.

Discussion: Hit & Run, The Last Refuge, RedState and PoliticusUSA

Ian Swanson / The Hill:

Pelosi defies Obama on trade — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a meandering but dramatic floor speech on Friday announced her vote against a measure providing assistance to workers displaced by trade. — “If TAA slows down the fast-track, I'm prepared to vote against TAA,” Pelosi said.

Discussion: Politico, The Week and Political Wire

William Finnegan / New Yorker:
Why Does Obama Want This Trade Deal So Badly?

Discussion: Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Prairie Weather and rubber hose

Politico:
Obama: A vote against trade is a vote against me

Discussion: Hot Air

Associated Press:
House rejects Obama on trade authority

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Associated Press, US News, Hot Air and The Hill

Politico:
Dems deal Obama huge defeat on trade

Discussion: Washington Post, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos and ABC News

David Nakamura / Washington Post:
Obama-backed trade bill fails in the House

Discussion: CNN, Guardian, Washington Monthly, Working In These Times, The Gateway Pundit and Bloomberg Business

The Huffington Post:
Obama Heads To Capitol Hill To Save His Trade Agenda

Discussion: Salon, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Slantpoint

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Mark Halperin, Ann Romney to host ‘Sunrise Pilates’ for GOP megadonors — Bloomberg Politics co-managing editor Mark Halperin and Ann Romney, wife of Mitt, will co-host an early morning pilates session for wealthy Republican donors at this weekend's Romney retreat in Deer Valley, Time's Zeke Miller reports.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Huffington Post

Zeke J Miller / TIME:
Rich Republican Donors Get VIP Retreat Treatment

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Real Clear Politics

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Walker open to teaming up with Rubio on 2016 ticket

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, OnPolitics, Real Clear Politics, Washington Post and Politico

Tim Carpenter / Topeka Capital-Journal:

Capitol gridlock taking toll on Gov. Brownback, House GOP members say — Despair about the tax-and-budget impasse overwhelming the Capitol exacted a toll on Gov. Sam Brownback. — Brownback apparently choked up in a private meeting with House Republicans who sought an audience …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Kansas City Star, GOVERNING, Talking Points Memo and The Bob and Chez Show

Michael Falcone / ABC News:

The Note: Hillary Clinton's Campaign Is About To Get Personal … NOTABLES —CLINTON TO UNVEIL TALK-ABOUT-HER-MOM STRATEGY AT FIRST CAMPAIGN RALLY: Hillary Clinton spent the opening weeks of her campaign addressing policy issues like criminal justice reform, voting rights, and equal pay for women.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Taylor Marsh, Liberal Values and The Cook Political Report

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
For Hillary, a new Iraq war trap

Discussion: Hot Air and New York Times

Glenn Thrush / Politico:
Wonk warrior — Inside the relaunch of Hillary Clinton.

Discussion: NBC News, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, Bloomberg Business, The Hill and New York Times

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:

Congressman On Sex Abuse Scandal: ‘The Only Victim Here Is Denny Hastert’ — The indictment last month of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) on charges of illegally concealing millions in banks withdrawals and lying to the FBI also revealed another serious breach …

Discussion: Shakesville and The Week

Des Moines Register:

Last Slide — The Iowa Straw Poll is dead. — The governing board for the Republican Party of Iowa voted unanimously Friday to cancel the straw poll, a milestone on the path to the White House that had passed the strategic tipping point. It was no longer a political risk for presidential campaigns …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Iowa Republican, American Spectator, Outside the Beltway, Fox News, Hot Air, RedState, Bloomberg Business and Wall Street Journal

Jason Linkins / The Huffington Post:

Elizabeth Warren Tells Us That She Can't Even With Jamie Dimon's Mansplaining — So that happened. On this week's podcast, come for Sen. Eilzabeth Warren's (D-Mass.) plan to fix higher education, stay for her throwing shade back on JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider and Bloomberg Business

Jennifer Medina / New York Times:

California Announces Restrictions on Water Use by Farmers — LOS ANGELES — Farmers with rights to California water dating back to the Gold Rush will face sharp cutbacks, the first reduction in their water use since 1977, state officials announced Friday. State officials announced …

Discussion: The Verge and The Week