memeorandum: For Holder, much wrestling over decision (Carrie Johnson/Washington Post)

1:10 PM ET, November 14, 2009

Top Items:

How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow — How low will the new American president go for the world's royalty? — This photo will get Democrat President Obama a lot of approving nods in Japan this weekend, especially among the older generation of Japanese …

Discussion: Townhall.com, Riehl World View, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit and Sister Toldjah

Scott / Power Line:

Why is this man bowing? — We criticized Barack Obama when he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia. Americans do not bow to royalty. When the royal is the ruling tyrant of a despotic regime, the wrong is compounded. Obama's bowing to the King was deeply offensive.

Discussion: The Swamp, Althouse and Macsmind

Danielle Demetriou / Telegraph:

Barack Obama bows and talks of green tea icecream as he pushes US ties in Asia — President Barack Obama has bowed to the Emperor of Japan and revealed his childhood affection for green tea icecream as he pushes stronger US ties with Asia. — There was talk of green tea ice cream …

Discussion: Weekly Standard

Mike Allen / The Politico:
'America's first Pacific president'

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, The Swamp and American Power

New York Times:

A Return to American Justice — Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. took a bold and principled step on Friday toward repairing the damage wrought by former President George W. Bush with his decision to discard the nation's well-established systems of civilian and military justice in the treatment …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Room for Debate, DailyFinance, NewsBusters.org, Infidels Are Cool, ProPublica and The Moderate Voice

Wall Street Journal:

KSM Hits Manhattan—Again — Eric Holder's decision to move a trial on war crimes to American soil is morally confused, dangerous and political to a fault. — Printer — Friendly — Coming soon to a civilian courtroom blocks from Ground Zero: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the four other al Qaeda planners of 9/11.

Discussion: Christian Science Monitor, Stop The ACLU, At-Largely, RedState and The Huffington Post

Carrie Johnson / Washington Post:

For Holder, much wrestling over decision — Eric H. Holder Jr. called his order Friday to send the suspected plotters of the Sept. 11 attacks to trial in Manhattan “the toughest decision I've had to make as attorney general.” But what the nation's chief law enforcement officer did not lay bare …

Discussion: Politics Daily, Stop The ACLU and Betsy's Page

Philip Klein / AmSpecBlog:

Mukasey Blasts Pre-9/11 Mentality in KSM Decision — Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who as a judge presided over a trial stemming from the first attack on the World Trade Center, on Friday warned that the Obama administration's decision to bring Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed …

Discussion: Stop The ACLU, Power Line and Hot Air

New York Times:

9/11 Trial Poses Unparalleled Legal Obstacles for Both Sides — WASHINGTON — How do you defend one of the most notorious terrorist figures in history? — One step, legal analysts say, may be to ask for a change of venue. — Khalid Shaikh Mohammed's lawyers, whoever they are …

Discussion: The Caucus and POWIP

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Detainees to get “the-state-always-wins” system of “justice”

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, the talking dog, Fafblog, Firedoglake, Hot Air, The Opinionator, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Unqualified Offerings, Daily Kos, Washington Post, Washington Monthly and Michelle Malkin

Associated Press:

FACT CHECK: Palin's Book Goes Rogue on Some Facts — WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Palin's new book reprises familiar claims from the 2008 presidential campaign that haven't become any truer over time. Ignoring substantial parts of her record if not the facts, she depicts herself as a frugal traveler …

Discussion: Power Line, Liberal Values, The Corner on National …, Pam's House Blend, Lance Mannion, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Macsmind, Jules Crittenden, Lawyers, Guns and Money, The Moderate Voice and Wall Street Journal

Andy Barr / The Politico:

McCain camp: Book ‘petty and pathetic’ — Top aides to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign hit back at Sarah Palin Friday, after news reports revealed that the former vice presidential nominee's soon-to-be-released book criticizes the campaign's press strategy.

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, Conservatives4Palin.com, Riehl World View, The Page, msnbc.com and Hot Air

Peter Hamby / CNN:

McCain received signed copy of ‘Going Rogue’ — (CNN) - Sen. John McCain has already received a signed copy of Sarah Palin's new memoir “Going Rogue,” but the former Republican presidential nominee hasn't read it yet. — “I've just received a signed copy from her yesterday …

Discussion: The Hill

Peter Wallsten / Wall Street Journal:
Palin Book Tour Builds on Web Strategy

Discussion: The Huffington Post and CBS News

New Orleans Times-Picayune:

William Jefferson sentenced to 13 years in prison … Former Rep. William Jefferson was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for his conviction on 11 counts of public corruption in a case in which he famously hid $90,000 in his freezer. — U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III delivered …

Discussion: Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, Scared Monkeys, IntoxiNation, TalkLeft, MyDD and Macsmind

David Stout / New York Times: Sentence of 13 Years for Ex-Louisiana Congressman

Dionne Searcey / Wall Street Journal: Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years

Wall Street Journal:

Obama Is Losing Independent Voters — A number of recent polls show the president would be wise to shift right. — Printer — Friendly — The announcement a week ago of 10.2% unemployment is a significant political event for President Barack Obama.

Discussion: RedState, Shot in the Dark and Commentary

Bradley Olson / Houston Chronicle:

Anti-gay effort targeting Parker motivates conservatives — Group opposes a lesbian in office — A cluster of socially conservative Houstonians is planning a campaign to discourage voters from choosing City Controller Annise Parker in the December mayoral runoff because she is a lesbian …

Discussion: Off the Kuff and Joe. My. God.

Lymari Morales / Gallup:

Congress' Approval Recovers Some; Independents Buck Trend — At 26%, approval remains low compared to this summer and most of the year — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans express slightly greater approval of Congress this month after last month's decline. The current 26% rating is up from 21% …

Discussion: Washington Monthly and New York Times

Richard Kerbaj / Times of London:

Muslims must quit British Forces, says Iranian envoy Abdolhossein Moezi — The Iranian Supreme Leader's representative in Britain has told Muslim servicemen and women to quit the Armed Forces, saying that their involvement in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars is forbidden by Islam.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Jihad Watch

Paul Krugman:

It's the stupidity economy — OK, maybe a more polite way to say it is this: bad ideas are acting as serious constraints on policy. — We're in a liquidity trap, with interest rates up against the zero bound. This means that conventional monetary policy isn't sufficient. What should we do?

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias

Jay Root / Associated Press:

Hutchison won't resign seat before Texas primary — AUSTIN, Texas — Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is challenging Texas Gov. Rick Perry for his job, is planning to keep her U.S. Senate seat until after the state's March gubernatorial primary. — Hutchison, a Republican …

Discussion: Dallas Morning News