memeorandum: Ashcroft can be sued over arrests, appeals court rules (Carol J. Williams/Los Angeles Times)

3:30 PM ET, September 5, 2009

Top Items:

Sing It... Van Jones Cut Nasty Hate-Filled Music Album, Too! (Video) ...Update: Album Cover Found! — VAN JONES CUT A CD... The CD starred Van Jones and cop killer Mumia abu-Jamal. — UPDATE: Kristinn found the album (CD) cover: — Jones used his Ella Baker Center for Human Rights …

Discussion: protein wisdom, And So it Goes in Shreveport, Scared Monkeys, Betsy's Page, Riehl World View and Stop The ACLU

Washington Post:

White House Says Little About Embattled Jones — White House officials offered tepid support Friday for Van Jones, the administration's embattled energy efficiency guru, who has issued two public apologies this week, one for signing a petition that questioned whether Bush administration officials …

Discussion: Power Line, The Corner on National …, Wake up America, JustOneMinute, Townhall.com, No More Mister Nice Blog, Blue Crab Boulevard and New York Times

Morgen / Verum Serum:
Van Jones: A Radical, Anti-War Record Producer as Well?

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Hot Air, JammieWearingFool and Weasel Zippers

John McCormack / Weekly Standard:
Who Cleared Van Jones?

Discussion: Breitbart.tv, Pundit & Pundette, Hot Air, Dennis the Peasant, Commentary, The Other McCain, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, American Spectator, Power Line and Ztower

Lisa Lerer / The Politico:
GOP uses Jones to launch czar revolt

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Monthly and Think Progress

Norm Eisen / WhiteHouse.gov Blog:
Ethics Update — We have previously reported six limited waivers …

Discussion: Political Punch and The Project …

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Perfect: Van Jones also a Mumia supporter; Update: Michelle …

Discussion: Right Wing News, Blue Crab Boulevard, Stop The ACLU, theblogprof, Scared Monkeys, All American Blogger, Pajamas Media and And So it Goes in Shreveport

Barbarossa / The Jawa Report:

Three Ohio Democrats asked about paying for Obamacare, all walk away — Just in time for Labor Day weekend we bring you this blockbuster video taken by Jawa operative “hourglass” Wednesday evening at an Obamacare rally at the Ohio Expo Center featuring hundreds of Democratic party operatives and union mafia goons.

Discussion: Founding Bloggers

hourglass1941:

Senator Sherrod Brown paints Constituents who oppose ObamaCare as Unpatriotic, Rude, Nasty, and Hints at Immoral — Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio. September 1, 2009 — Bottom line for Ohioans. If you don't support ObamaCare, you're unpatriotic, rude, nasty, and perhaps immoral.

Discussion: Below The Beltway

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

The ESPN Zone of Empires — ESPN Zone New York (cc photo by bigweasel) — Afghanistan is often called the “Graveyard of Empires,” but I think the phrase is pretty misleading. It seems to imply that empires that venture in Afghanistan get defeated and die.

Discussion: ATTACKERMAN

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill:

Obama looking for retirement plan reforms — Among the changes are expanded access to 401k plans and a pledge to let workers convert vacation days into retirement savings. — President Barack Obama announced a series of policy changes Saturday aimed at making it easier for Americans to save money for retirement.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Swamp, The Politico and Fausta's Blog

Libby Quaid / Associated Press:

Obama's back-to-school message is responsibility — WASHINGTON — Classrooms are filling up as kids head back to school, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan's two children are among them. — In an interview with The Associated Press, Duncan said students should take more responsibility …

Discussion: The Hill and The Page

Carol J. Williams / Los Angeles Times:

Ashcroft can be sued over arrests, appeals court rules — A 9th Circuit panel says the ex-attorney general violated the rights of citizens held as material witnesses without cause after 9/11. Rights advocates praise the ruling in Abdullah Kidd's case. — Then-Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft violated …

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications and Truthdig

John Schwartz / New York Times:
Panel Rules Against Ashcroft in Detention Case

Discussion: ACLU, TalkLeft and the talking dog

Katharine Q. Seelye / New York Times:

Gates Assails News Agency for Publishing Photo of Marine Killed in Afghanistan — A furious Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has upbraided The Associated Press for its decision to go against the wishes of a young Marine's family and publish a photograph of him after he was killed in Afghanistan.

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, TPMCafe and Media Decoder

Fox News:
Gates Assails ‘Appalling’ Decision by AP to Release Photo of Dying Marine

Discussion: Associated Press, Lens, Afghan Quest, Christian Science Monitor, Weasel Zippers, The E&P Pub and American Power

Alex Koppelman / Salon:

The right way to debate healthcare reform — If you have 10 minutes on the eve of the three-day weekend, you really should take the time to watch the video below. It shows Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., talking with a group of his constituents who oppose the Democratic healthcare reform plans.

Discussion: 24Ahead, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Democratic Strategist and DUSTYTRICE.COM

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Obama Asks Liberals How Far They're Willing to Compromise on Public Option — A variety of reports suggest that, during a conference call this afternoon, President Obama probed House progressives to see just how flexible their demands are. — A source familiar with the call tells TPM …

Discussion: The Hill, The Plum Line, MyDD, Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog! and LiveWire

Michael Cooper / New York Times:

States Cut Back and Layoffs Hit Even Recipients of Stimulus Aid — ST. CLOUD, Minn. — It was just five months ago that Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made the New Flyer bus factory here a symbol of the stimulus. With several cabinet secretaries in tow, he held a town-hall-style meeting at the factory …

Discussion: Don Surber and Obsidian Wings