memeorandum: White Like Me — I cannot testify to what black Americans feel … (Frank Rich/New York Times)

7:45 PM ET, January 18, 2009

Top Items:

President-elect serenaded at Lincoln Memorial — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Inauguration revelry began Sunday afternoon as thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington for a free concert featuring big stars. — President-elect Barack Obama spoke at the concert, just after 4 p.m.

Discussion: Mondoweiss

Debbi Wilgoren / Washington Post:

Obama Joins Crowd on Mall for Free Concert — The country's top musical stars joined masses of ordinary Americans on the National Mall today to serenade President-elect Barack Obama, offering up an emotional and patriotic tribute to open the inaugural festivities for the nation's first African American chief executive.

Discussion: TalkLeft, The Fix and AMERICAblog News

CNN:

CNN Poll: Obama more popular than ever, despite speed bumps — WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new national poll suggests that Barack Obama is more popular than ever, regardless of recent speed bumps on the road to transition. — The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday morning …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Washington Monthly

Phil Hirschkorn / CBS News:

The Obama-Lincoln Parallel: A Closer Look — Two Presidential Historians Discuss The Leaders, Closely Linked But Separated By 150 Years — (CBS) Barack Obama's arrival in Washington by train today harkens back to the inaugural White House trip of the former President who is Obama's political idol: Abraham Lincoln.

Discussion: Betsy's Page

The Caucus:
The Scene at the Lincoln Memorial

Discussion: BAGnewsNotes

Associated Press:
Obama pauses to honor war dead

Discussion: TBogg and MSNBC

Hans Nichols / Bloomberg:
Obama Inaugural Strains Lincoln Comparisons While Inviting Them

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, The Moderate Voice and American Spectator

Daniel Libit / The Politico:

Obama naysayers speak out — With Barack Obama's approval ratings in the 70s and his visage plastered on every shop window and Metro card in Washington, it's hard to remember that 58 million Americans voted for the other guy. — Even President Bush — who presumably counts himself among that group …

Discussion: Pat Dollard, Associated Press and Agence France Presse

Michelle Malkin:

Not all conservatives are singing O-Kumbaya — I respect the historic tradition of inauguration day, not the cult of personality driving the schlock festivities now taking place. — Pomp and circumstance have been replaced with pimp and self-aggrandizement — all topped with a heapful of double standards.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Wizbang, Right Wing News, TBogg and DownWithTyranny!

Jorge Silva / Reuters:

Venezuela's Chavez says Obama has “stench” of Bush — CAMPO CARABOBO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday Barack Obama had the “stench” of his predecessor as U.S. president and was at risk of being killed if he tries to change the American “empire.”

Discussion: Don Surber, PoliBlog, Washington Monthly and Gateway Pundit

Washington Post:
Obama's $100,000-Plus Donors Were Able to Give to Several Entities

Discussion: protein wisdom, Fausta's Blog and Althouse

Matt Apuzzo / Associated Press:
Obama hosting pricey party in a dicey economy

Discussion: Associated Press, NewsBusters.org, Reuters, Scared Monkeys, Right Wing News, Wizbang, Redhot, Townhall.com, Macsmind and RedState

Bill Sammon / Fox News:

Pelosi Open to Prosecution of Bush Administration Officials — The House speaker suggests to “FOX News Sunday” that the law might compel Democrats to press forth on some prosecutions of Bush administration officials, saying they may not “have a right to ignore” them. — FOXNews.com

Discussion: Vodkapundit, Pat Dollard, JammieWearingFool, Michelle Malkin, Neptunus Lex, Glenn Thrush's Blogs, AMERICAblog News, Patterico's Pontifications, Taylor Marsh and Riehl World View

Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Pelosi open to prosecuting Bush DOJ

Discussion: Associated Press, Buck Naked Politics and American Street

Richard Wilner / New York Post:

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A TIMES — GRAY LADY SEEKS RE$CUE BY MEXICAN MOGUL — The embattled New York Times Co., trying to wriggle out from under a pile of debt as advertising revenue dries up, is talking to Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim about making a sizeable cash investment in the company.

Discussion: Don Surber, 24Ahead and JammieWearingFool

Wall Street Journal:

New York Times Co. in Talks With Carlos Slim on Preferred Stock Investment — The New York Times Co. is in discussions with Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim about investing in the newspaper publisher to help ease its financial problems, according to people familiar with the matter.

Discussion: Gothamist, Gawker, MediaMemo, Don Surber and Silicon Alley Insider

Louise Story / New York Times:

Hedge Funds, Unhinged — LAST summer, Kenneth C. Griffin and his wife, Anne, hedge fund managers both, were so rich that they did something most wealthy couples don't do until much later in life. — Still in their 30s, they hired a Ph.D. student in economics to help dole out their money to charities.

Discussion: The Big Picture and A Tiny Revolution

Robin McKie / Guardian:

President Obama ‘has four years to save Earth’ — Barack Obama has only four years to save the world. That is the stark assessment of Nasa scientist and leading climate expert Jim Hansen who last week warned only urgent action by the new president could halt the devastating climate change that now threatens Earth.

Discussion: BizzyBlog, QandO, theheretik.us, ¡No Pasarán!, Ed Driscoll.com and JammieWearingFool

Dina Kraft / New York Times:

Gazan Doctor and Peace Advocate Loses 3 Daughters to Israeli Fire and Asks Why — TEL HASHOMER, Israel — Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Gazan and a doctor who has devoted his life to medicine and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. — But on Saturday, the day after three …

Discussion: Israel Matzav, Commentary, Open Left, The Mahablog, Comments from Left Field, Reuters and the talking dog

Associated Press:

Obama Aide: Military Advisers to Meet on First Day — WASHINGTON (AP) — On his first full day as president, Barack Obama will meet with high-ranking military officers to discuss the Iraq war, a conflict he has vowed to end after six years of fighting, a top adviser to Obama said Saturday.

Discussion: Kevin Drum, The Politico, Matthew Yglesias and TIME.com