memeorandum: Brown key to Wall St. bill passage (Meredith Shiner/The Politico)

11:35 PM ET, May 20, 2010

Top Items:

Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — It's safe to say Rand Paul's first few days as the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat in Kentucky are not going well.

David Weigel / Right Now:

Rand Paul, telling the truth — If we use “gaffe” in its proper, Kinsleyan form, that's what U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul issued to NPR yesterday, and that's what he defended on Rachel Maddow's show last night. He told the truth about his stance on the Civil Rights Act.

The Huffington Post:

Rand Paul On Civil Rights Controversy: I Shouldn't Have Talked To Rachel Maddow [UPDATED] — See new updates below. — The morning after he declined to endorse the totality of the Civil Rights Act in his much-discussed appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show, Dr. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) …

Discussion: The Corner on National …, Ben Smith's Blog, TPMDC, The Politico, Raw Story, Newsweek Blogs, Gothamist, Little Green Footballs, Balkinization, Beltway Confidential, The Moderate Voice, Pam's House Blend, alicublog, Washington Monthly and Swampland

Lee Fang / Think Progress:

Exclusive: DeMint Says He Disagrees With Rand Paul On Civil Rights, Needs To ‘Talk To Rand About His Positions’ — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) endorsed anti-government extremist Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Kentucky US Senate primary, funneling money and resources for his successful campaign.

Discussion: Right Now, Hot Air, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, TPMDC, Page One, Crooks and Liars, The Hill, Barefoot and Progressive, Althouse and Firedoglake

Ezra Klein:

Area politician has some explaining to do — Rand Paul is predictably walking his statements on the Civil Rights Act back as fast as he can. “Let me be clear,” he says in a statement released today. “I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation …

Discussion: USA Today

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Paul blames ‘loony left’ for civil rights focus — Rand Paul lashed out at the “loony left” for pressing him on his view of the 1964 Civil Rights Act in an interview with Laura Ingraham this morning. — “I've never really favored any change in the Civil Rights Act,” he said.

Discussion: CNN, Page One, Newsweek Blogs, Firedoglake, TPMDC and Barefoot and Progressive

Mike Memoli / Real Clear Politics:

Paul: I Support the Civil Rights Act — Reacting to an avalanche of criticism over his perceived views of the Civil Rights Act, Rand Paul's campaign issues this statement today: … Sphere It!

Discussion: The Plum Line, The Caucus, The Politico, TPMDC, TPMMuckraker, The Reaction, Crooks and Liars, MyDD, Daily Kos, Think Progress, Below The Beltway, New York Times, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, The Rachel Maddow Show, Outside The Beltway and FrumForum

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
Rand Paul and Civil Rights

Discussion: Townhall.com, The Speakers Lobby, Salon, Politics Daily, Guardian, American Power, Democratic Strategist, The Daily Beast and The Corner on National …

Washington Post:
Rand Paul comments about civil rights stir controversy

Discussion: Beltway Confidential, The Buzz, Liberty Pundits Blog, The Rachel Maddow Show, Facing South, PostPartisan, Real Clear Politics, The Note and Right Now

David Weigel / Right Now:
Rand Paul in '02: I may not like it, but ‘a free society’ …

Discussion: The Plum Line, New York Times, Washington Monthly, Ben Smith's Blog and TPMDC

Bruce Bartlett / Capital Gains and Games blogs:
Rand Paul is No Barry Goldwater on Civil Rights

Discussion: Erick's blog, Washington Monthly, The Volokh Conspiracy, The Huffington Post, Newsweek Blogs, Page One, Right Now, Cato @ Liberty and Mother Jones

Jake / Page One:
Rand Paul Made Same Racial Comments in 2002

Discussion: CNN, The Hill and TPMDC

Howard Fineman / Newsweek Blogs:
Rand Paul and D. W. Griffith

Discussion: NewsBusters.org and NPR Topics

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
What do Rand Paul's patrons think of Civil Rights talk?

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, TPMMuckraker, The Politico and The Swamp

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Rand Paul causes Civil Rights Act controversy with desegregation remarks

Discussion: The Politico

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
In Defense Of Rand Paul (Kinda)

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, FiveThirtyEight, The Atlantic Online, Outside The Beltway, CNN and The Other McCain

Meredith Shiner / The Politico:

Brown key to Wall St. bill passage — In January, he broke the Democrats' lock on the Senate. — On Thursday, he gave it back. — Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) effectively became the 60th vote to cut off debate on Wall Street reform Thursday - a far cry from when Republicans were hailing …

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, CNN, The Other McCain and The Note

Brady Dennis / Washington Post:

Senate clears way to vote on financial reform — The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to end its three-week debate on a bill to rewrite the nation's financial regulations, paving the way for a final vote on the landmark legislation. — The 60-to-40 vote — the minimum required to end debate …

The Huffington Post:
Wall Street Power Play: Bankers In Bizarre Showdown With Auto Dealers

Discussion: Firedoglake

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Senate Passes Wall Street Reform Bill

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Blue Arkansas and SENATUS

Annie Lowrey / The Washington Independent:
What Happens Next to the FinReg Bill?

Discussion: MyDD, Daily Kos, Ezra Klein, Open Left and Firedoglake

Wall Street Journal:
Senate Passes Financial Overhaul Bill

Discussion: The Corner on National … and Washington Post

Political Punch:

Exclusive: President Obama To Replace Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair* — ABC News has learned that President Obama will replace the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.) His resignation will come as soon as tomorrow, sources tell ABC News.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Power Line, Politics Daily, Washington Post, Laura Rozen's Blog, The Corner on National …, NO QUARTER, The Atlantic Online, Talking Points Memo, The Foundry, Hot Air, Newsweek Blogs, Emptywheel, TPMDC, Israel Matzav, Daily Kos and The Washington Independent

Michael Anton / Weekly Standard:
Obama Has “More Confidence” in Brennan?

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, The Corner on National … and Weasel Zippers

Mark Mazzetti / New York Times:
Blair to Leave Intelligence Post After Rocky Tenure

Discussion: PostPartisan, Swampland and Mediaite

Eileen Sullivan / Associated Press:
National intelligence director resigning

Discussion: Outside The Beltway and newsfeed.time.com

The Huffington Post:

Little Girl Who Challenged First Lady Is Right: Obama Is Deporting More Immigrants Than Ever — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A little girl became the face of the nation's immigration debate on Wednesday, when she told First Lady Michelle Obama about her mother's fear.

Discussion: FrumForum, Suburban Guerrilla and Don Surber

Oscar Avila / Chicago Tribune:

Immigration crackdown for Illinois — Feds to step up enforcement — In the midst of an outcry over illegal immigration and Arizona's new crackdown, a top Department of Homeland Security official visiting Chicago on Wednesday said his agency intended to step up enforcement in places such as Illinois.

Discussion: Hot Air and Weasel Zippers

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

GOP lawmaker blasts Mexican pres. comments as inappropriate — Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blasted Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday, calling the visiting dignitary's remarks on Arizona's recently implemented immigration law “inappropriate.” — Earlier Thursday …

Discussion: Fox News, Another Black Conservative, The Corner on National …, Weasel Zippers and The Note

Rasmussen Reports:

71% in Arizona Now Support State's New Immigration Law — Arizona voters now support the state's new immigration law more than ever and are still more inclined to think the law will be good for the state's economy rather than bad. A lot of voters in the state are thinking it's payback time …

Discussion: Wake up America, Weasel Zippers, Liberty Pundits Blog, Scared Monkeys and National Review

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Video: Democrats give Mexican president standing ovation for dumping on Arizona

Discussion: Top of the Ticket, The Caucus, Weasel Zippers, RedState and Confederate Yankee

Fox News:
Calderon Criticism of Arizona Law Overlooks Mexico's Tough Immigration Policy

Discussion: Hot Air, National Review and Newsweek Blogs

reason-contest.s3.amazonaws.com:

And The Winner of The Everybody Draw Mohammad Contest is... To remind readers of the stakes: In recent months, a Swedish cartoonist that sketched Mohammed as a “roundabout dog” as part of a planned street installation was assaulted during a lecture and, the following week, two extremists attempted to burn his house down.

Discussion: Hot Air, Pajamas Media, Instapundit, Balloon Juice, Dean's World, Townhall.com and Washington Post

Mark Steyn / The Corner on National Review Online:

Everybody Draws Mohammed Day — By: Mark Steyn — Veronique, I initially had mixed feelings about Everybody Draws Mohammed Day. Provocation for its own sake is one of the dreariest features of contemporary culture, but that's not what this is about. Nick Gillespie's post reminds us …

Discussion: Big Hollywood, The Jawa Report, Hot Air, RedState, The Daily Caller, Liberty Pundits Blog, Michelle Malkin, Don Surber, Hit & Run and Gateway Pundit

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:

Gibbs mum on Sestak job offer — Don't ask the White House if Obama aides tried to force Joe Sestak out of the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary by offering him a job. They are keeping mum on the controversy. — Press Secretary Robert Gibbs deflected a barrage of questions about reports …

Discussion: Associated Press, CBS News, Weekly Standard, Right Now and Beltway Confidential

Sam Youngman / The Hill: Gibbs mum about Sestak's job offer

Lois Romano / Washington Post:
Pennsylvania Democratic Senate hopeful Sestak goes against the grain

Discussion: CNSNews, DownWithTyranny!, NewsBusters.org and Weekly Standard

Victoria Gill / BBC:

Scientists make ‘artificial life’ — The synthetic cell looks identical to the “wild type” — Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell. — The researchers constructed a bacterium's “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.

Discussion: Hot Air, Don Surber and Truthdig

JCVI: First Self-Replicating Synthetic Bacterial Cell

Zev Chafets / New York Times:

Op-Ed Contributor: The Rush Limbaugh Victory — THERE are many theories for why very conservative Republicans seem to be doing so well lately, taking their party's Senate nominations in Florida, Kentucky and Utah, and beating Democrats head-to-head in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.

Discussion: Freedom's Lighthouse, Power Line, Moonbattery and Prairie Weather