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12:50 PM ET, August 18, 2009

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
New York Times:
Alternate Plan as Health Option Muddies Debate  —  WASHINGTON — The White House has indicated that it could accept a nonprofit health care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan, originally favored by President Obama.  But the co-op idea is so ill defined …
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Sixty House Liberals To White House: No Public Option, No Health Care Reform  —  One interesting side plot in the health care wars: The debate over the public option has suddenly reminded us that there are in fact two houses of Congress, something that's been easy to forget amid the media obsession with the …
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THEY'RE AGAINST CO-OPS, TOO.... The NYT reports today, “The White House has indicated that it could accept a nonprofit health care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan, originally favored by President Obama.  But the co-op idea is so ill defined that no one knows exactly …
The Politico:
Liberals revolt over public option  —  The White House's signal that it's willing to back off support for a public health insurance option has sent congressional liberals into full revolt, bluntly warning the administration that no legislation will pass without a government-run plan.
Washington Post:
Some Key Democrats Say Public Option is Essential to Health-Care Reform
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson / Human Events:
Robert Novak (1931-2009)  —  The Evans-Novak column ran under the title “the Sonnenfeldt Doctrine.”  When I finished reading that early spring day in 1976, I remember thinking, this is quintessential Bob Novak.  —  State Department Counselor Helmut Sonnenfeldt had told a London gathering …
RELATED:
Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun Times:
Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak dead at 78  —  WASHINGTON — Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak, one of the nation's most influential journalists, who relished his “Prince of Darkness” public persona, died at home here early Tuesday morning after a battle with brain cancer.
Timothy P. Carney / Human Events:
Remembering Bob Novak  —  Bob Novak hired me away from HUMAN EVENTS in late 2001.  “Poaching,” HE Editor-in-Chief Tom Winter called it.  I was not the first early-20s reporter Novak would pluck from HE's newsroom.  Nor would I be the last.  —  Work for us Novak reporters …
CBS News:
Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform  —  Tens of Thousands Don't Like the Health Care Overhaul  —  (CBS) CBS News has learned that up to 60,000 people have cancelled their AARP memberships since July 1, angered over the group's position on health care.  —  Elaine Guardiani has been with AARP …
Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
White House says it did send unwanted e-mails … WASHINGTON (AP) - After insisting no one was receiving unsolicited e-mails from the White House, officials reversed their story Monday night and blamed outside political groups for the unwanted messages from the tech-savvy operation.
RELATED:
Jeffrey Young / The Hill:
Boehner blasts PhRMA's Tauzin over healthcare deal
Discussion: TPMDC and msnbc.com
Los Angeles Times:
Obama Joker artist unmasked: A fellow Chicagoan  —  When cryptic posters portraying President Obama as the Joker from “Batman” began popping up around Los Angeles and other cities, the question many asked was, Who is behind the image?  —  Was it an ultra-conservative grassroots group …
Lynn Bartels / Denver Post:
Former Lt. Gov. Norton mulling U.S. Senate bid  —  Former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton will decide in 30 days whether to run for the U.S. Senate.  —  If she does, Norton will join an already crowded list of Republicans vying for the nomination and the chance to knock off U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver, in 2010.
RELATED:
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Colorado Senate Pretty Wide Open
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
For the Left, war without Bush is not war at all  —  Remember the anti-war movement?  Not too long ago, the Democratic party's most loyal voters passionately opposed the war in Iraq.  Democratic presidential candidates argued over who would withdraw American troops the quickest.
Rachel Slajda / Talking Points Memo:
Twelve Carry Guns — Including Assault Rifle — Outside Obama Event  —  About 12 people were carrying guns, including at least one semi-automatic assault rifle, outside a building where President Obama was speaking today.  —  No one was arrested outside the VFW National Convention in Phoenix …
RELATED:
Glenn Thrush / Glenn Thrush's Blog:
Christie stumbles again in closely watched NJ gubernatorial fight  —  The New York Times has more this morning on a story that broke Monday afternoon - N.J. GOP gubernatorial candiate and former federal prosecutor Chris Christie lent $46,000 to a top aide while still on the government payroll …
Discussion: Associated Press and MyDD
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Why Obama's Ratings Are Sinking  —  Americans will put up with a lot.  But not with someone who imperils their future.  —  Washington Wire  —  White House Issues Q&A on Health Plan  —  The White House, seeking to reassure allies that it hasn't abandoned plans for a government-sponsored …
Discussion: Macsmind and Blue Crab Boulevard
Christopher Hitchens / Slate:
Yale Surrenders  —  Why did Yale University Press remove images of Mohammed from a book about the Danish cartoons?  —  The capitulation of Yale University Press to threats that hadn't even been made yet is the latest and perhaps the worst episode in the steady surrender to religious extremism …
Wall Street Journal:
Harry Reid's ‘Evil’ Moment  —  And Democrats wonder why their health plan isn't selling.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Remember when polite society treated a politician's use of the word “evil” as a sign that the old boy was dangerously lacking upstairs?
Andrew Pollack / New York Times:
DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show  —  Scientists in Israel have demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases.  —  The scientists fabricated blood …
Discussion: Raw Story
Bob Herbert / New York Times:
This Is Reform?  —  It's never a contest when the interests of big business are pitted against the public interest.  So if we manage to get health care “reform” this time around it will be the kind of reform that benefits the very people who have given us a failed system, and thus made reform so necessary.
Paul Krugman:
Black cats  —  I really had no intention of writing more about Niall Ferguson.  Regular readers may recall that he wrote an article in the Financial Times that began, … I asked, are there no editors?  —  But Professor Ferguson demands that I (and James Fallows) print his response:
Terence Chea / Associated Press:
Protesters want UC Berkeley law professor fired  —  BERKELEY, Calif. — Anti-war activists protested Monday at the University of California, Berkeley to call for the firing of a law professor who co-wrote legal memos that critics say were used to justify the torture of suspected terrorists.
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The Lanny Davis disease and America's health care debate  —  After Tom Daschle was selected to be Barack Obama's Secretary of Health and Human Services and chief health care adviser, Matt Taibbi wrote: “In Washington there are whores and there are whores, and then there is Tom Daschle.”
Don Hunter / Anchorage Daily News:
Sullivan vetoes gay rights ordinance  —  DISCRIMINATION: Assembly has 3 weeks to take up the issue again.  —  dhunter@adn.com  —  A long, grinding, contentious political and social struggle hit a major bump Monday when Mayor Dan Sullivan vetoed the Assembly's latest attempt to ban discrimination against gay people in Anchorage.
Discussion: Joe. My. God. and Good As You
Wall Street Journal:
Obama Underwrites Offshore Drilling  —  Too bad it's not in U.S. waters.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  You read that headline correctly.  Unfortunately, the Obama Administration is financing oil exploration off Brazil.  —  The U.S. is going to lend billions of dollars …
Peter Hermann / Baltimore Sun:
Police-involved marriage proposal draws fire  —  For the record, she said ‘yes’  —  City police are investigating why on-duty marine and helicopter officers helped a Baltimore County state delegate propose to his girlfriend by pretending to raid a boat the couple were aboard, a department spokesman said Monday.
Discussion: Wonkette and Reason
Kevin Bohn / CNN:
Blue Dog: ‘Excellent idea’ to start over on health care reform  —  PERRY, Florida (CNN) - Acknowledging his amazement at the crowds gathered to debate health care at his town halls, Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Florida, faced three large gatherings on Monday with many questioners voicing skepticism about the proposals being debated in Washington.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times:
Kim Dae-jung, 83, Ex-President of South Korea, Dies
Discussion: The Page
Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
Splitting Health Reform
Discussion: TalkLeft
Los Angeles Times:
Despite fumbles, Biden's a player
Stephen Losey / Fedline:
Postal supervisors: Obama swipe “a kick to the chest”
 Earlier Items: 
CNN:
Bill could be major hurricane, close to land
Greg Gutfeld / Big Hollywood:
Daily Gut: Thank You, Old People
Discussion: Moe Lane
Roger Ebert / Roger Ebert's Journal:
“Death Panels.” A most excellent term.
Discussion: Corrente
Radley Balko / Reason:
Innocent Man Freed, But Shabby Prosecutor Still Works as Judge
Benedict Carey / New York Times:
Mental Stress Training Is Planned for U.S. Soldiers
Chris Stirewalt / Washington Examiner:
Obama fighting for his presidency, not reform
Digby / Hullabaloo:
Winning By Losing  —  Charlie Cook just said something very profound (which is unusual.)
Discussion: Outside The Beltway and TalkLeft